Message to Michelle...

This is really irritating.... For some reason I can only comment on my own blog, & I'm not allowed to send a private message. So. I'll post it here!
Michelle, if you want to try out a pin, I have my "experiment" drying with a clear bead. If you'd tell me what color thread you'd like, I'd be happy to drop it in the mail to you as soon as it's done. If you want it, that is :) It might actually help me out, you being my "guinea pig" & all!
If you can send a private message with your email, maybe it'd let me reply, or I could just email you from yahoo....  Whatever! :)

Bobby Pin pictures, as requested :)

I didn't have anything to post today, but Michelle requested a picture of the plain pins I used in the bobby pins from yesterday's post, so here they are. Sorry for the quality.... I took about 30 pictures trying to get it to show up & this is the best I came up with. Photographer I am not :)

These came fom Hobby Lobby, but I'm sure you can get them other places. They're a little bigger than a regular one, so I don't know how they'd work in fine or thin hair. That's why I'm going to try out a regular pin today. Just waiting for my glue to dry! They come with different size pads - this one  was the middle size.

I'm Baaaacccckkkk....

So. After a week without tatting at all, I'm back. I started the last round of MPD 3 times in the last 3 days, & I *finally* figured out a better way to make my bobby pins. The one in the link is made by finishing the flower, then sewing it to the pin with 8lb strength "fishing line". Then sewing the center bead in the same way. It's time consuming, irritating, & the knots won't stay once it's finished. Not to mention it isn't very secure. The beads are too big as well.
After much thought & research on the subject, I came up with another idea. If you have any interest in using this method or doing the exact same thing I've done, go ahead. The pins I've been using are from Hobby Lobby. They're the ones with the pad on them specifically for decorating. I took a piece of sand paper (grit doesn't matter) & roughened up both the pad & a small place on the bead. You may not have to do this, depending on the type of glue you use - I used Industrial Strength E-6000 & that was what my directions said.  Notice the holes in the bead are to the sides. Doesn't matter which sides.

I glued the bead to the pin (I know, it's a tatting sin! but just keep reading)... That took 24 hours to dry. Not good for my impatient nature! While I waited, I made the flower. It's not my design - I got it from Easy Tatting by Lynn Morton I think. I haven't had to look it up, as I've memorized the pattern. I just added the beads. If you use this flower, when you close the center ring, don't pull it so tight it won't stretch a little.. Just enough to get it closed right.

Leave the tails pretty long, & sew one in. Run the other through the bead, & wiggle the flower down onto the glued on bead. It's going to be kind of tight, so you may have to sort of force it. Don't worry, the flower *will* go back into shape. When it's on there, wind the thread around the top part of the bobby pin several times, & back through one of the picots, then through the bead & back down through the picot on the other side. Then all that's left is to sew in the left over end. And there you have it, it's glued AND sewn on.

This is my favorite one. Sister claimed it. I like it because of the smaller beads....If you want to use fishing line or waxed cord or something else, I suppose you could. Wish I'd thought to take a pic of the back of the pin before my camera battery died for the day..... Threads are Lizbeth brown (medium or dark, can't remember), beads are randomly bought over the years :)

Pink & brown.... Can you tell I have a shuttle wound with brown thread?? This one will hit Etsy today most likely. My next experiment will be with "normal" bobby pins. I have one drying right now with a clear bead.

So - what do you think??

Frustration

I don't have any pictures today, because of a simple lack of will to take them.... I'm so frustrated with the MPD right now I'm tempted to just throw the whole thing in the trash & find something else. Saturday I started the 5th round, & had to cut it off & start it over 3 times. On the 3rd time, I accidentally cut a chain in the 4th round. So, naturally I had to cut off one of the motifs in that round; in doing that I cut two picots off the chain of the NEXT motif. SO that made 2 I had to remove from a round that took me three times as long as it should've taken to begin with. BBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!!!!! Guess what? The way they're joined together made it almost IMPOSSIBLE to just remove one motif & add another without twisting chains everywhere. So right now it's on the blocking board after I finished up that round again (with a total of 5 new motifs) & blocked the whole thing to make the chains (hopefully) stand straight & right.
I also just named my etsy store after my etsy screen name. Which is the same as everywhere else now. Why? Because my brain couldn't handle anymore thinking about what I should call it. I have 2 items listed there - a pair of earrings & a pendant - & a few other things I need to get listed, but just haven't. Maybe today or tomorrow. I'm not sure. I'm not really in the mood for tatting related activities on this particular day.
I'm just frustrated with anything that has to do with thread right now & am seriously considering taking a week or so off from the whole darn thing. Sometimes that happens; I just need a break from even looking at thread. Then when that time is up, I'll go back to tatting & obsessing over tatting like crazy. Or it may be a month before I even want to touch it again. Once I went an entire summer & didn't even open my tatting bag.... But that was a one time thing.
I have a sore back right now, which makes it hard to sit & tat. My horse fell with me Saturday (totally an accident they aren't mean by nature) & I kind of twisted funny on the way down. Not bad enough to keep me from functioning or riding or anything, just enough to be uncomfortable. Have done much worse.
Not to mention Husband having to work yesterday from 6 AM until well after MIDNIGHT.... Boo.
So all in all I'm in just a sour kind of mood. I hope everyone else has a much better day/week/whatever :) And I'll end my gripe session now!
Enjoy your day!

My Etsy Store

Okay. I normally would wait until tomorrow to post again. But. I NEED a name for my ETSY store!!! HHHHEEEELLLLPPPP

Friday again

I don't have anything interesting to share today. Just thought I'd let everyone know I haven't fallen off the planet =-)
Oh & while it may just be hoping at this point I have three more people that want to buy the necklace sets. I'm not sure why but I can't get the first person who requested one to answer her phone or return my calls. I've only called three times in just over a week. I'm trying not to be pushy or annoying, but it irks me that *she* came to *me*, requested that I make her a whole set - not just a set but a specific color that I didn't already have made - and wanted it done by a certain day, & now I can't get ahold of her. And no, she hasn't already paid. So I have a set made & I'm not sure what to do with it.
I did get my paypal account in order. I'm waiting for it to "verify" so I can set up my Etsy store. Yes, that's right, I'm going to do it. I need ya'll's help coming up with a name for it, too!
 I have several small things I'd like to list. Nothing earth shattering - just an edging & some butterflies. Maybe a doily (I'm waiting for permission on that one as it isn't my design) or two. Probably that little purple thing I showed you a photo of last time I posted. Sister saw it & said I should put a pearl at the top where the jump ring is & make it a set of earrings.... That's why I always show things to her - she's a real genius & I can always count on her to say "that's terrible re do it" if it honestly needs it. She's an awesome shopping buddy too :) Only thing is that's going to require making a whole new one. But that's okay, I can list the one I have "as is" & let it go kind of cheap, just to get the ball rolling, right? :) Wish me luck!
Enjoy your day!

More Cabone Rings...

Well one more anyway. One of the small ones I use to make earrings. But really I think I like this one as a pendant.... I don't know yet. It's done in Altin Basak, which is odd because I didn't think it'd be stiff enough to hold the rings up on its own. But it is, which is great because I have some colors I love in Altin Basak. It didn't exactly turn out like I wanted because I wanted to attach a pearl to the bottom of the ring with a clover leaf. But I didn't want it done in the one round because I thought it'd be too much with all the other rings going around..... Except now I can't figure out how to get the pearl on there without there being wwwaaayyyy too much on the bottom. Hmmm... Back to the drawing board on that one. But I think I like this one all on its own for now. It's a great pinkinsh lavenderish purple that doesn't show up on (at least my screen) the computer, but I like it. Think I'll try something else this color. I did add the jump ring as I went (in a join) instead of adding it to a picot later. How do you think it looks?

And yes, I'm still using Clover shuttles.... Much as I hate to admit it!
Enjoy your day