White Snowflakes

I've been doodling with white snowflakes, for no other reason than that it is almost Christmas!

Here are the results so far.

White Christmas Tree

This is the end result of decorating my white Christmas tree with the tatted ornaments that I have done recently - plus others that I had done in the past. My colour scheme is white/silver, red and green.

I'm really pleased with the finished look - although I can keep tatting more ornaments and just add them to the tree, I don't want to overdo it. Mind you, who can resist adding just one more dangly thing! LOL

Updated Web Site

This is just to let everyone know that I have updated my web site - getting rid of a lot of the gremlins!
Anyone who is familiar with my Tatting Specialities web site will notice that there are no free patterns on the site. Instead I have put a link from my web site to this blog, where there are all the links to the PDF files in my Free Patterns section on the right side bar.

Variations for the Christmas baubles

I thought you would all like to see the variations that I have done for my red Christmas baubles. My colour scheme is a White Xmas tree with fibre optic lights, decorated with the red baubles, that themselves are decorated with Christmas green tatting and some with silver beads.

My next project will be to tat some snowflakes, incorporating the red, green and silver colours.

60 years old today!

Today is my 60th birthday - I just can't believe it - where did the years go? I certainly don't feel anything like 60 - in fact, I think I shall simply just stay at 49! LOL

I have had so many phone calls and visitors today, that I have not had any time to tat! At this rate I shall start getting withdrawal symptoms. I think I shall just go and stroke a shuttle to calm me down!

Several friends and family members are all going to meet at a local posh pub for a meal, drinks and convivial chat this evening. It's a good excuse to dress up and have fun!

Bauble Design

In an earlier post I showed a new 8 pointed square motif. (Scroll down the page a little way.) I have adapted it into a 6 pointed star shape (which makes a very nice snowflake on its own) but then added a band of a double row of rings which fits tightly over the bauble. It fits so snugly that no further attaching is necessary.

I added silver sequins to this one, which doesn't show up very well on the photograph, but which sparkles prettily when the lights are on.

The next one (nearly completed) has silver beads in the centre of the two rings of each snowflake point.

This pattern reminds me of the Orb in our Crown Jewels! What do you think?

What an honour!

On Saturday I received the autumn edition of the Ring of Tatters newsletter, but didn't settle down to read it until this afternoon (Monday).

Imagine my surprise when I turned over the font page and saw my very own pattern - the stargazer lily - being used as the principle flowers in this lovely bride's bouquet; the bridesmaids' flowers; the little flower-girl's hair and also to decorate the wedding cake!

The article very kindly mentioned my name and I considered it an absolute honour that they used my pattern! The setting looks amazing and I hope the bride and groom had a wonderful day, indeed, I wish them a long and happy life together!

Pattern PDF for the Cross Bookmark

I have now put the PDF of the pattern for my Cross Bookmark into my free patterns section on the right side bar of my blog. It is an ideal pattern for beginners and I hope you enjoy trying it out!

A Thank You Gift

I'm well and truly back in the land of tatting!

I did not have surgery to my spine this time. I had, instead, an injection into the offending disc and vertabral joint. It worked very well indeed and my pain levels have reduced drastically! I am keeping everything crossed that this will last for a long time - if it does, I can just have it repeated - but if it doesn't, then it means that I will probably have to have the op!

The nurses and doctors were, as usual, wonderful and were dutifully thanked in the usual way, but my unsung heroine was Joan, who kept our ward immaculately clean and did everything she could to make my stay as comfortable as possible. As a special "thank you" to Joan I have designed this bookmark. She works tirelessly for her church and so thought that a bookmark in the shape of a cross would be just right.

This split ring version was my first attempt and although I liked the alternating colours I wasn't happy with the overall dimensions. I felt that the "arms" were not broad enough.

I opted for a very simple ring and chain design that met my own idea of the correct dimensions.

I used Lizbeth size 20 for the yellow/orange and purple/yellow ones and Lizbeth size 40 for the variagated one.

This is a close-up of the one I have decided to give to Joan.

This is such a basic design that it could well have already been achieved by another desgner. If you think that it is new, and you haven't seen it before, then I will write out the pattern and publish the PDF.

No activity for a while

As I shall be in hospital having surgery to my spine (9th one), I shall be away from my computer for a while. I expect it many be as much a 3 weeks, but you can be sure that I will post as soon as I can!

Tiara motifs

In a previous post I told you about our future daughter-in-law being diagnosed with breast cancer. Well, it was supposed to be good news, as there was no lymph involvement, and she would only have to have radiotherapy after the lump was removed. But it now turns out that she is HER2+, and for those who do not not understand what this means (which I didn't until recently) it is not good news! HER2+ means that she has the most agressive form of cancer and therefore will have to have the most aggressive form of treatment! Chemo, radiotherapy and Herceptin....the whole kit and kaboodle!

She had been growing her hair for the wedding, Sept 4 2010, but of course, will now loose all her hair. She had it cut short last week so that loosing it would not be so traumatic! It looks fantastic and she is so pleased, because by the time the wedding comes round her hair will have grown to this length at least. We have all assured her that we think it suits her better than when it was longer! And....hand on heart.....we all really mean this! It suits the shape of her face so well - it gives her that urchin look!

Now that I've got all that off my chest, the reason for the tiara motifs is this. I was always going to make DIL's tiara anyway, so I thought, to cheer her (and myself) up a bit I would make a start on the design. The pictures show my doodles so far. They are a long way from the finished article - I may not use anything I have done so far! LOL - but any feedback/comments/suggestions from my valued tatting friends and followers would be most welcome. My tentative idea is to make a larger motif for the centre, with smaller motifs on either side, and maybe even smaller again, petering out. I must mention that DIL is only small with a cute little face, so the whole thing has to be on the smaller side. When I get the final design right, I shall be using real crystals, so that it sparkles - it will also match in with the sparkles on her wedding dress. I have several shapes of crystal including faceted droppers. My personal favourite motif, so far, is the centre white one in the top row, but I also love to use clunies. Oh what a wonderful dilemma, I'm loving every moment of it, especially because of the reason that I am doing it! It was always going to be a pleasure, but now its magnitude is a thousand fold!

New tatting demo for absolute beginners

I have put a link in my video section, on the right side bar of my blog, to a demo which is a shortened version of my latest video. It is specifically for people wanting to learn how to do the double stitch with the shuttle, plus a little extra! The longer version can be obtained on computer disc, email me if you are interested.

Revised square motif

I wasn't exactly thrilled with the way the square motifs were joining together when I used the size 20 Lisbeth thread and so have adjusted the pattern slightly to make it lie properly. The picture on the left is the original and the one on the right is the new variation. Can you spot the difference? I'm sure you'll all agree with me that it looks a lot better!

Square Motif

I wanted to tat two square doilies for my bedside cabinets and so, instead of trawling through my pattern books, I thought I would design one.

This is what I have come up with, but knowing tatting, there is probably something out in tatland that is almost, if not exactly, the same.

I have used a split ring to climb out of the centre ring and also self closing mock rings as part of the design.

I would be greatful if any of my followers could tell me if they recognise this pattern as another designer's. If it isn't the same as anyone elses then I will write the pattern out for it and publish it as a freebie.

Thank you, in advance, for your help with my quest!

The Great Monday Giveaway from Sherry!

This is a wonderful oportunity that LadyShuttleMaker is giving the tatting community. Just visit her blog and leave a comment and you will be entered into her weekly prize draw! What could be simpler?