Happy Leap Day!

Oh My Giddy Aunt*!!  I think I have finally figured out a way that I can finish Wendy's Tat along....

I added split rings to the middle and that helped tremendously!! I don't even want to show you the MANY attempts I tried before trying this route!  They are pretty cute!

If you try this way, I started with the top, (5-5) and then followed with 4 split rings.  Then the rest of the pattern should be the same. But really, you could do 4 rings and then chain over them and then chain up the other side, especially if you aren't confident with split rings. 

Oh!!! AND the first one is size 60, in some thread I dyed "ages" ago, yea right, its probably only  been a couple of moons ago. lol It was one of the first.  Then the second is size 40 Lizbeth Lime Green.

I may do some more in HDT, but I didn't want to use the HDT until I knew I could do the pattern. :o)

Now, if I could just find the flowers I tatted... (**oops**)  I've done tons of the flowers, but I can't find any of them.  One of these days, I'll find all my missing finished tatted pieces.  Knowing my luck, Layla has found them and drug them under the bed, under the coffee table, or wherever she hides things.  Have you ever had that happen, you cat owners?  You finally get around to cleaning under the bed and to your surprise there are a hundred cat toys in a small pile lol.

One time, I found over 150 hair ties in Livi's toy box.  I thought it was amazing because I had been losing hair ties left and right. So, then I got to thinking that Livi had put them in there.  No, I found out that Chris would throw them in there whenever he found one. I only wish he had told me that before I went around telling folks (like her grandparents) that I had found her hiding stash of hair ties.  I felt so silly, and a little disappointed, because that would have made for a cute story lol.

*"Oh My Giddy Aunt" was from Gnomeo and Juliet, I like it SO much better than any of the other "OMG" sayings.  

This is what my mind is thinking today...

I *think* I can close to the dyes that I have right now.  I know I don't need to buy any more dyes right now, that's for sure!  My dad was looking at my big stack of dyes and said "Uh, you're really into this aren't you?"  

The top one will probably get done first.  But I need to wind up some more skeins before I can do any dyeing. 

Have a great weekend everyone!!  Maybe I'll get some tatting done. One of the mother in laws wants a Camo cross, so *maybe* I can get that done! 

Livi and I will be going with Chris to a truck show tonight.. woohoo...(NOT!!)

I'm not exactly excited.  Honestly I would be excited if there weren't going to be a 4th participant in our little family adventure.  But, that's another story for a less public discussion. 

OH!! And my camera should be getting here today!!! SOOO excited!!

I've gone insane

So, I was really loving the whole one shuttle thing, so I decided to do a complete 180.....

ACTUALLY, it just so happens that whenever my brain really gets into "hyperdrive" for studying weird tatting design ideas start interrupting the frequencies.  So, I'll jot them down and try not to think about them until later.  At least until after I've done whatever assignment I'm desperately trying to get through.  This was one of those "patterns" 

I would not actually put these colors together.  I chose them for contrast purposes, so you could really see where each thread was going.  One "neat thing" here... no joins... crazy huh? so, if you are prone to stabbing yourself... this may be a pattern for you. :o)

It looks neat, but 4 shuttles? seriously?  talk about a tangled mess!

What's the most number of shuttles you've ever used at once?

Split Ring Alternative

Split ring alternative to One shuttle chevron Heart Lizbeth 40 Azalea Md.

{{Note to self::  Must get better name!!lolz }}

Here's my little heart again but I used split rings.  I should have closed up that gap on the one peak, but other than that I like it. 

Also, all the rings the non split rings (with exception of the small ones) are 6-6-6-6

most the split rings are 6-6-6/ 6

But the one in the middle, at the very center of the heart is 6-5-5/6, it helps the other rings sit better I think. 

Does it look any cleaner?

Purple Fields or Purple Sea??

Maybe neither name really suits it.  This heart is size 20.  I picked out a random skein from the lot to keep for myself.  I should have paid more attention though. I would have preferred to keep size 40.  But that's alright.  Maybe I'll tie this one back up and sell it at a reduced price.  The heart needs some work, it's the same "One shuttle chevron" that I showed last week.  I just added two rings on each side.  The top (added) ring is 6-4-4 and the added ring below it is 4-5-6.

 Really this would have looked a lot better if I would have been more consistent with how I joined the rings. 

All in all though I think it's cute and effective... I mean, it actually does look like a heart :o) 

new threads... and a messed up stumpy

Last night after posting about all the new colors that I haven't tried out, I broke down and dyed two skeins.  Today was my "mother in law's" birthday.  So I intended them to be the thread for her present, but she likes my camo stuff better lol  

But I will definetly do some more of these.  I love the Kingfisher Blue, (it's the dark teal color) Pretty right?

And that little bit of tatting was going to be a
Stumpy. lol I was doing it for memory and it was at about this point that I remembered that there are supposed to be some single rings in there .  oops. lol

Now this one:

I dyed naturally.  I will still need to do some "tests" to check its colorfastness, and lightfastness.  But if it stays this color that would be great!!  I set against the Lizbeth Gold and Lizbeth Lemon for comparison. 

Would you like to know what kind dye source that beautiful yellow came from???

I'll let you guess first.:o)

I don't have any prize, it's just for fun :o)

An International Request...

If you don't know already, I am taking an Italian class right now.  We are giving an oral presentation and I am going to talk about tatting.  I was hoping that I could get in contact with someone from Italy, that could send me maybe a little piece of tatting and a note in Italian to accompany it.  (I emailed a couple of bloggers from Italy, but so far haven't heard anything.)  But, if I can't get anything from Italy, it would be cool if I could get some pieces from other countries.  I think it is so wonderful that even though we are so far apart in distance, we can interact on a personal level, even if it is only because we share the love of tatting.  You know what I mean?

This is what I would like to convey in my presentation.

Anyway, so I have to turn in a script for my presentation on March 2nd, but don't give the presentation until March 14th.  This means that I just need to know that something is coming just a little before March but it doesn't need to be here until the 14th. 

In return, I can offer any and all senders HDT... I figure this could be a good incentive.  I don't want anything for free, but I do want to have a nice presentation.  :o)

SO!!! If you are interested comment here or email me and we can iron out the details.  

I'm going to be doing some more dyeing soon.  I've got a lot of  new dyes that I haven't gotten to test yet.  :o)

(Which include... black cherry, dusty rose, bubble gum, lilac, wisteria, grey, alpine blue, deep yellow, kingfisher blue and amethyst) 

I'm thinking my next batch will be either deep yellow and amethyst will maybe another color like chartreuse.

OR I'll start playing the kingfisher blue, it's a new mix from Dharma, not just new to me. :o)

Anyway.... I'm getting off subject and I need to be writing a paper.  So, if you can help I would be ever so thankful!!

If I do however get a poor response from this, I will open it to American tatters as well.  Because I do adore my fellow American tatters!

Smile, today's a new day :o)

So, I felt the need to define "tat-ilicious" and since a picture is worth a thousand words.... I think this might come close to defining it... but doesn't quite get the job done :o)

THREAD, pretty designs, and SHUTTLES!

And that's not even touching the fact that, my special shuttles are all from tatters, the thread is all HDT, and not all my own. 

And sorry, the peanut knife is just too funny...

And on another note....

I've decided to join Umintsuru 's tat along... but you know me, I don't follow the rules... ever

I'm doing my flowers in Yarnplayer's Corsage

 


On a different subject....

 I've been wanting to try some natural dyeing.  I REALLY want to try dyeing thread with blackberries.  I've got the alum, a recipe, thread.... I just need blackberries.  The trouble is, everytime I buy blackberries, Livi finds them and gets all giddy.  She will sit and eat and entire container of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries like they are going out of style. :o)
Oh my... looking back:

I've always known my baby to love natural foods :o)

I actually made her baby food when she was a wee tot.  I'm pretty sure that teething thing in the top picture was filled with blackberries. I'd stuff them with fruit and they kept her very satisfied.  The bottom picture, she had been eating beets.  Beets, rutabega, and green beans were her favorite among favorites! 

Actually that bottom picture is making me wonder if trying beets wouldn't be a bad idea... 

One shuttle chevron in Camo-licious

I've been working on this for a few days.  All the rings are 4-4-4-4.  I think it could make a fun bracelet, or edging.  also I think it could be incorporated into design in multiple ways.  Heck one up and down makes a cute little heart.  

To get from ring B to C, just lock join down to the side picot of A and so forth for the other rings.  This would kind of be like Jane's Continuous Thread Join, except that because it's one shuttle, it does lock.  Also, if that just really bothers you, you could run another shuttle through the middle and have every other ring be a split ring (4-4-4/4) But I think this way works just as well. (But I haven't done the other way, so ...)

Also, for this particular pattern, it is not necessary to to have two step ups, you could just alternate between two heights, if that makes any sense.  

Here is Camo-licious:

I have 4 size 40's and 5 size 20's in the shop now!  Livi did help with these. She did a good job too!

If you would like your own copper rose, contact me either in comment or email and I can get you the contact information for my friend Matt that makes them.  This particular rose is going to be in a  lot of my thread pictures from now on.  I just love it. :o)

Presenting P.W.

Here's P.W. (Pink Western) the goat.  It's the only picture I could get because she ran away in fear after she saw that floating UFO that resembles a headless legless goat.

TIAS 2012

I've enjoyed my first TIAS. Thanks Jane!!!

Giveaway winner is:

So the winner is Red:

Thank you to everyone that entered!  

I was looking back at my old blog posts, and realized that my last giveaway was at about this time of the month. Maybe it'll be a trend... we'll see. :o)

Well, now I need to go get my Faith, Reason and Imagination homework done.  THEN maybe I can finish Jane's TIAS.  I ended up with a headless goat when I ran out of thread lol  But I have restarted with a small skein of "Pink Western" that I set aside for myself :o)

oh boob.... and Superman Bubblegum... the most random post ever, or at least in a while.

Oh boob is for this:
I wanted to show my support for my fellow tatters, so I decided to tat Yarnplayer's Unfolding Heart with the Wisteria Lane that I purchased from Krystledawne.  But I messed up in the joining in the middle.

But the pattern is really wonderful and isn't that thread beautiful??  But, I have an Italian test to study for, so I'm not going to be redoing it tonight.  Maybe tomorrow :o)

And Superman Bubblegum:

This size 40 is also an option for the giveaway from my last post.  

Tats up pretty though right?? That little snowflake is from Jon Yusoff's Tatted Snowflakes Collection and is "Circle of Crowns"

And other bits:

I'm about to add this to my shop:

Do you think $1 is too steep to charge for unwinding the skein onto one of these?  I figure there's got to be at least some people that would just rather not unwind their skeins, for what ever reason.  AND, since I have the swift that the skeins were wound on, it would be easier for to unwind them.  I will however only charge the  $1 once; it will not be a per skein thing.  Just think it might be a nice option, ya know?

And one more matter of business:

You remember WAY back... the Yes U can doily.  Well I got frustrated with how I wanted to adapt the last row to my own tasting, and I ended up redoing the whole bit.  Granted I haven't actually tatted it yet.  Although I have started.  But this is what I'm thinking:

My plan is to turn the first two rows into one row by making the rings from row 2 into floating rings. and then the 2nd row would be the bottom half of the bare thread row.  Then the rest would be one continuous row.  

Okay, I'm done procrastinating now! Happy Friday everyone!!

the 2nd ever Tat-ilicious giveaway!

So, I want to give away some more of my thread.  This time around, the winner can pick any of the new threads that are about to be put in my shop.  Livi is busy taking pictures of her beanie baby, or I'd upload the new pictures I just took of them.  To do this, I am just going to save one of each of the different colors until after the giveaway.  BUT since I can't possibly have a giveaway with only one winner... everyone will be a winner in a way.
I am offering a coupon for 35% in my etsy shop. The coupon code is "blogreader".  This coupon will be active until Sunday night 11:59 pm (central standard time).  Basically, that covers shipping. But since I don't have to pay etsy fees on shipping costs, it makes more sense to discount the actually product, for this special.  ALSO, please be careful when entering this coupon.  I have no idea how to fix that sort of issue, so I would really rather not have to, you know what I mean?

I'm not running this "special" because there is anything wrong with my thread.  I just really want my thread to get out there and into the hands of tatters that will enjoy it.  I love seeing photos of items tatted with the threads I've dyed.
Sorry if you read about these threads the other day.  These photos are of the same threads, just updated pictures...

SO.... comment on this post to enter the giveaway.  I will use the random generator on Saturday afternoon to get the winner.  That way the other threads can go in the shop to be used with the coupon.

Well...look at that... while typing this up, Livi got done with her photo shoot, so here are the new threads that are being put in my shop and likewise the options for the winner of the giveaway to choose from:
There's also one more that is also a choice, which is size 40, just like the red, blue, light blue, but instead of whiteish, it has hot pink.

This one has two of my new dyes in it, Rose Red and Rust Brown.  Personally, it reminds me of  a cowboy, so I guess it'll just be "Western" (which would be contrast to "pink western which is pictured below) these are size 20. 

Blue and light blue.. size 20, these are only about 25 yards though:

Pink Western comes in size 20 and size 40.  But remember from the previous post, the 40 are most "spotty" or "stonewashed" while the 20s are I guess "richer"... 

Size 20 red, blue, light blue and white-ish lol:

 These brown/pink/reddish ones are all size 40.  You like the little bit of edging adapted from a pattern in The Tatter's Treasure Chest.  This will either be a bracelet or, part of a mat.  I haven't decided yet.

and here are a couple of pictures from Livi's photoshoot:

Quick post of hdt update.

I know that I said that I had tons to do... but since I can't literally study around the clock, Livi and I took a little time to dye some threads.  She loves helping!  She actually didn't dye any threads, but she did dye some baby hats.  I'll have to scan them another day.  I did size 20 and 40 and they'll be in the shop later this week if anyone is interested.  

These red white and blues are all size 20

For what ever reason, I am really excited about these.  They look dirty right?  They have a certain bohemian dinginess to them that I am totally digging! (size 40)

It was only while I was cropping this photo that I realized that my size 40s didn't turn out as well as my 20s because the 40s were at the edge of the drop cloth and probably dried out where as the 20s were nice and moist.  I'm thinking about calling this one pink western or cowgirl.  

On the left are a couple of samples I did just to see if I liked the combos.  I actually did the blue/red/brown one this weekend, but I did the blue/black/gray one a few weeks ago.
The in the middle are size 20, about 30 yards each.
Then on the right, size 40, these are very similar to the red, white and blue that are size 20, just I threw in hot pink where the white would be :o)

Red and Rust (that's not a name, just the colors) size 20 

The small blue one on the bottom was actually dyed with fountain pen ink... Baystate Blue.  It's very brilliant and almost shiny in person. And I was worried that it might stain my fingers when I go to tat with it because when I was winding it up to a skein it was turning my fingers blue. So, I ironed it, and apparently that all it needed, because now I can't even force it make my fingers blue.... pretty cool! :o)

Might be my last post for a little while...

I've got a Sociology report, Italian composition, FR&I study questions to type up.... and oh, the big one.... BIOCHEMISTRY TEST in less that one week!!  So, I predict that this weekend I may go temporarily insane and also that I won't get much tatting done.  But that's alright, it'll be a nice relaxing moment when this rush of excitement is over next Tuesday and I can sit down and recompose myself.  lol

But for now:  These were inspired by Fox's foxtangles

And those in turn inspired these: SHRINKY DINKS! Cute right?

On the left, this flower was traced from scrapbook paper.  On the right, was free handed.
The Sharpies are just for size comparison.

This one was just traced from a Lisa Frank coloring book... and that is the original crown shown.  So, they really do shrink quite a bit.  Also, if you can't tell, the circle is actually where I cut the circle from the clear shrinky dink plastic.  Pretty cool right?  I also hole punched the top of it, so these can be used as pendants.