Finally, a bit of tatting

So, I haven't showed much tatting lately.  The reason is that I haven't had time to sew in the ends, and I didn't want to show pieces with ends hanging out.
But I did get the ends in on this one:

Tat-ilicious size 40 "Fireflies"

The pattern?  Why... can't you tell?

It's MK Spinning Glass mat.... of course lol

As you might have noticed, I have a tendency to abbreviate patterns.  You could call it lazy, or resourceful, or you could just say it's my way of dealing with the fact that if a pattern takes too long.. it won't get finished.

If it's abbreviated however.. I tend to push through and finish.

:o)

I have LOTS of unfinished motifs.  I bought a twin size sheet the other day though and I am thinking about doing a crazy quilt.  Before I start, I will get myself used to the idea that it will take me forever to get it done. That way it won't be rushed and look horrid.  In fact, because I also don't sew and don't even have a clue as to how to work a sewing machine.  I am planning to do this by working small pieces of fabric (which will be coming from old clothes that Livi and I don't wear anymore. ) and then tacking my little tatted bits to the small bits of fabric. Then those pieces are going to be stitched onto the sheet.  It may look messy, but that's the whole charm of a crazy quilt right??

I started to do something similar a few years ago, (a year or so after Livi was born) with baby blankets and such, but I was trying to do it by hand stitching all the little pieces to one another.  It didn't go far. But, since I did it, I may include it some how in my crazy quilt.  Why not right?

I REALLY REALLY need to get Livi's old keepsake clothes out of our attic.  That is for sure.  Our air conditioner in the house went out a few days ago.  Turns out that we have roof rats. So, all those things that were tucked up there for safe keeping are at risk of being rat nibbled.  Not cool if you ask me!

On a brighter and way less gross note:

Do you remember a few weeks ago I posted about this yarn:

I had dyed this yarn and sent it to a crocheter in Alaska, so that she could crochet me an elephant.  

Well, I got my elephant back... isn't it darling!!!!

The yarn looks phenomenal too!  Anyone else thinking what I'm thinking... that these colors would look fabulous in thread?  I think I can safely say that there will be some in the Tat-ilicious future. :o)

Since then, it has come to my attention that some of you crochet.  Why I didn't think to ask one of y'all to crochet me this elephant... I don't know.  

BUT I absolutely love these little crocheted critters. SO, if any of you like making these and would like set up some kind of barter.  I could get more yarn and dye it.  Livi really loves this little elephant.  so I know she'd like more of them. 

Or if you would just like for me to dye up some yarn.... I don't know what the going price is for hand dyed yarn, but I'm sure we could work something out. 

This however is a sneak peak of the next entrant to the Tat-ilicious Etsy Store.

Super Yum!!! Right?

I have more details to share about this particular colorway, but I'll save it for another day. ;o)

OH.... can I get a "WOOT WOOT" for having sold my 200th skein the other day!

WOOT WOOT!!

I'm so excited folks!  Only a month nd a half ago did I announce that I was at the 100 skein milestone.

:o)

Now, I also have a plastic bin of more than a hundred skeins.

How about, when I hit the 300th milestone.... a "big" giveaway.

I did get some more thread in the shop...

So, today and tomorrow, (or rather yesterday and today depending on what time zone you are in)
I have been dog sitting over at my friend's house.  Now, I love dogs and cats.  However, I am extremely allergic.  Not, the kind of allergic like my throat swells and I am going to die.  No... more like the just really annoying kind of allergic.  So, right now I am typing up this post with only one eye, because the other swollen shut. Also, I know have a toothache because my sinuses are telling my teeth to get my attention (or something along those lines)

BUT I did get some more threads listed!  I have three colorways that were listed today.
The first, Fireflies... you've already seen.

Then I got some "Delicately Delicious" listed.
Now, "Delicately Delicious" is actually just a temporary name as I am waiting to hear from Bri from Bree's Way.  Since this colorway was inspired by her, I figure I'll give her a shot at naming it.
But in the meantime it will be referred to as "Delicately Delicious"

Now, this one is really friggin funny if you ask me.

If you been following for a little while, then you will know that I have tried Martha Ess's suggestion for "Harvest" once before.  But, it's didn't turn out too great, because my chocolate dye was very grey next to a not red dye.  

So, I actually bought a dark brown and dark red dye so that I could do the "Harvest" because I envision it to be a wonderful colorway.

But, I got a little ahead of myself last night.  I wanted to try a slightly different way of dyeing.  A way that would allow the colors to blend together evenly more smoothly.  Well, I took a couple of wrong turns... 

Once I realized that I was doing it all wrong, I just started smooshing all the dye together.  At that point, I was just really glad that I didn't do many skeins. lol

But as I was doing that, I realized that this would be end up being perfectly chocolately... in a very gooey kind of way.

So.... I present the extremely small batch of 

"Chocolate Ooey Gooey"!!

I still want to do an actual "Chocoholic" colorway like was suggested by a couple of people, but this one is just dark browns, with a reddish overtone.  It really looks phenominal.

If it proves to be popular, I can try to do up some more in the same fashion. :o)

I have only sizes 20 and 80 right now.

But, I swear Stephanie Grace, this is not Horse Manure! 

For those who don't know what I am talking about, 

Stephanie Grace commented on my other posts asking me to promise no browns for a farm inspired colorway because it would only remind her of cow dung and horse manure. 

Too funny.

Too bad one of my favorite colors to work with is brown. Eeekk!

I'm BACK!!!

Now, first up we have birthday cards!  These are not all of them, I accidentally left Sharon's in the office. :o(

Livi loved all of them. 

Thank you to everyone that sent a card!

Frances even added a sweet little tatted heart with hers.

Also, Ladytats sent a cut little charm to go on Livi's scissors. 

These little goodies are from the Eborall sisters!

The butterfly in the baggie is from Jane, she sent it for Livi's birthday when she sent the Roly Poly Bag that I ordered from her.  :o)

The other three are from Sally.  She sent them probably a month ago, but I never got around to photographing them.  She very kindly let me order more plugs for Pop-a-bobbin shuttle.  I miraculously lost the two that came with it. 

I was delightfully surprised by the tatting that included :o)

Now, this is Jon's Chinese Coin Bookmark pattern 

I made a "boo boo" on it though, can you see it??

I actually finished the bookmark before I left for out of town, and I have other tatting to show, but I will save it until my next post.

My Granny gave me some books!

The first one, has some really great color photos that will be great inspiration for colorways!

And the other actually has tatting in it and a picture of tatting shuttles on the back!

:o)

 Livi did get her tractor ride!!!!!

patiently waiting for that ride!

being goofy waiting for the ride :o)

 The ride... with the gorgeous background!!

And some color inspiration!!!

This is especially for Stephanie Grace:

The only color idea that comes with a little poem!

 Cow Pie Surprise

(by Jess!)

The grass may be greener 

on the other side, 

but you'll have to look out

 for the "Cow Pie Surprise"!

And of course, the first thing I did when I got home was hit the dye pots!

This is (drum roll please)

"Fireflies"!!

Please notice that the dark color is NOT brown, or black, 

It's "black cherry", it's a very very very VERY dark purplish color

And then it's has a small section of lime green, so that the finished piece will be mostly black cherry with a suprise of firefly occasionally! 

I am thinking about doing a MK Spinning Glass Mat in it, because it is the absolute best at showing off colorways. :o)

I will say this on the front end:

The only ones that are going to end up in the shop are the ones that don't have "stars"

However, if you would like a skein with "stars" then I will gladly send you one for free if you will either send me the money for shipping or if you happen to buying other thread from my shop, I can include it in that package. 

When I say "stars", I mean that there is a white section where I failed to fully coat the thread with the black cherry.  The stars are pretty much through the whole skein, so that means that any finished piece will have a white "star" (or a couple of stars) about every yard or so, unless of course, the "star" ends up as your core thread. 

I know I have at least 2 size 20's and 1 size 40 with "stars"

However, I guess if you were really good at the SLT you could get around the "stars" without them showing up.

Brief Update from my Out of town days...

Hello!  I found a computer, so I thought I'd send out a little "hello!" and try to catch up on replying to emails before "lupper" is ready.

I still have my shop open and have actually stayed on top on the orders Well, the whole 2 that have come in since I've been away from home.  I am very thankful for those 2 though :o)

I brought a bunch of tatting books, but what have I been tatting?  Well, I've been working on Jon's Chinese Coin Bookmark, which I memorized before I left.  Also, I'm working on the "4 square ring" mat/ mini quilt that I was working on a few weeks ago.  Do you see a "pattern" here..... no patterns from any of my pattern books.  Sheesh. lol

So, since I am on my aunt's computer, I don't have any pictures to share.  But I do have some color ideas for when I get in town.

And also, as a reminder to myself, I'll get a picture of all the lovely cards that Livi received last week for her birthday.  She got so tickled with them.  She's even been telling my family that she got cards from all over the world. She is such a sweetie!

As far as farm matters are concerned:  We've been walking around, watching the donkeys and the cows.  We watched my uncle on a tractor, but I haven't asked for him to give Livi a ride yet.  I think she would enjoy it though.  


I hope you all are having fun out there in Tatland and I will look forward to catching up on the blogs when I get back in town this weekend!!

<3<3<3

"French Country" and "Jade n Salmon"

So, I actually dyed this up last week, but when I went to take pictures of the thread that I was posting I forgot to photograph this one. 

This suggestion was from Texas Tatter!

And here's another picture of "Jade n Salmon"

The flower is from The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito.

And I pulled another "Jess!" move... turned a motif of six repeats into a motif of five repeats.  

Why do I do this? 

I get bored.lol 

and over anxious to finish things. 

I also left off the picots on the top and substituted "ruffle" "BDS" stitches.

I quite like it!

Livi had a spectacular birthday!

She got loads of birthday cards (Thank you everyone that sent one, or is still sending her one.  She has really enjoyed the mail!)!  My little brother (he's 24) took her and I to her first baseball game.  

Then we went to her favorite restaurant El Porton for dinner.  She picked there, even though we go there like once a week because she wanted to where the hat and get cream on her nose.

OH! AND I will be out of town next week. I am going to the Granny's.  I plan to keep the shop open though.  At least if I get orders, I'll have a reason to get out of the house which will help keep me from getting too bored. I love going to visit, but other than walk around the farm, watch t.v., and swing on the porch, there's not a lot to do.  This will be an extreme change from my usual never stopping routine.

I also made some t-shirt yarn and dyed it.  It was a lot of fun.  I'm thinking about offering it in my shop. Maybe it will interest braiders, if not crocheter and knitters.

This little ball is only about 8 yards though.

Maybe I'll learn how to crochet and then learn to crochet a flower.  My SIL wants a flower for a headband for my baby neice.

Happy Birthday Livi!! (and Jade and Salmon)

Woohoo!! Livi is 5!!!!

Such a sweet girl!

These won't be in the shop until late tonight or tomorrow.  We are celebrating today!

However, if you really want one you can reserve one with me through email.  Not all orders have to go through Etsy. :o)

Can you feel the ORANGE tonight...

I did say I was going to get some dyeing done this summer :o)

So, this week's colorways are quite ORANGE: (ish)

Here is Marty's suggested Sunrise and Susie's Suggested Sun colorway that will be named: "Susie Sunshine"

I put them side by side so you could get a better feel for them through comparison.  If you were to just glimpse at the two photos below, your eyes could be tricked into thinking they were of the same thing.

But believe, they are VERY different.

Sunrise: Will be available in sizes 20 and 40

Susie Sunshine: Will be available in size 20 only for right now.

What will be next, you ask? 

Well, for one, I haven't done any tatting since I finished my square the other day, so I'd like to get some tatting done.  ESPECIALLY since I bought 3 new books that I haven't even touched yet.

But, as far as dyes are concerned, I would like to get some more "Mother of Pearl" dyed up, it was a smashing success.

Also, I would like to tackle Bree's salmon, Neeneral's fruit pie, and the two chocolate suggestions

And also, I've been in contact with some people through email and want to tackle their suggestions as well.

Next week, I will look at some of the other suggestions and see what I can do. :o)

I also need to revisit Kaleidoscope and Harvest.

Also, I've got some idea of my own

Which of these do YOU find most interesting:

Summer's Bliss was actually a suggestion that I sent in to Handy Hands.  It was when I got tired of waiting to see if they would pick it or not that I decided I would like try dyeing for myself.  Of course, you can see how far that has gone. :o)

So, this one should definitely be done!

So, I have lots planned and I am just getting started!  Of course once school starts in the fall, I'll have to slow down again.

Also, it's still not official, but I've talked myself into it enough that I'll mention it.  I really really want to go down to Tat Days in September. Even if I can't afford to take the classes, I want to go and sell my HDT.  I'll have Livi with me though, but she's already super excited! 

That's another reason for my push to dye more this summer.

For one, to save up some money to afford the eight hour or so drive, a place to stay and food to eat.

And secondly, to have a wide range of colors to offer.

<3<3<3

Preview of Sunrise!!!

Opposite sides of the earth!

So there's roughly 10, 000 miles between where I am and where Umintsuru is. The circumference of the earth is about 25,000 miles.  So, it's pretty safe to safe to say that we are on opposite sides of the world.

It's pretty amazing really!

Anyway, back to my original purpose for this blog...

A few weeks ago, I went to Knoxville, right? (just agree) Anyway, right before I left, I ordered a couple of tatting books. One was Mary Maynard's Tatting a 4 square ring, and the other was Iris Neibach's Tatting Together square motifs.
Now, while I was out of town and before the books arrived, Umintusuru received her new copy of the same book (Tatting Together) and posted a motif from it! So, I sent her an email saying that I was so excited to be tatting through this book with her!  So she so wonderfully suggested that I pick a pattern and we actually tat one together. So fun!! (Which is so appropriate right? With a book named "Tatting Together")
So, when I got back in town and had my book in hand I picked Lis Christiansen's pattern (it's on page 10)
It's a very lovely pattern.
BUT, the rings are very large and the chains are very long.

Frankly, I got bored. That does not make for fun tatting or for a project that will get done quickly.

So, after fighting with myself and changing colors a couple of times.

I decided to scale the entire pattern down by only doing half the prescribed stitches.

I'll just say this... it worked like a charm!!

I used my own Mindanao Gum size 80 with Lizbeth Fudge Dk size 80.

It's sitting on top of a cotton hanky that I got from Handy Hands that is 4 inches in diameter.  (which I dyed myself) So, I would guess, that makes this motif about 2" X 2".  Which makes each square about 1" X 1"

Also, I didn't do a very good job at it, but I actually blocked this one! Why?  It didn't necessary need blocking since I only did half the stitches. I did so because I was tatting with Umintsuru.  I love how she blocks her work!  I even tried putting the pins in the picots so I could pull them out (so I too could have spiky elegance).. it just didn't work for me.  Go figure. :o(

This is my first time to actually block something with pins though.  I wish I had taken a before picture.  But, I'll do that next time! :o)

Thanks for tatting along with me, Umintsuru! 

It was fun!!

<3<3<3

On another note however, and as a result of thinking about this cotton doily that I have dyed:

Would anyone be interested in a matching set of dyed doily and thread?

Maybe that could be a custom order type thing.  

I was thinking the same of baby onesies.  Wouldn't it be cute to put an edging on a baby onesie, and the thread match beautifully to the onesie, because the onesie would be a shade thats in the thread. 

Or even an adult shirt.  

or socks

or anything else that's made of cotton.

:o)

Choosing a winner is always Bittersweet.

Why is it bittersweet?  Well, because I would desperately love to be able to have just as many winner as I have entrants.
But it's always fun having these giveaways.  I loved all the entries!  I have dyed up some of the suggestions already and will hold to my agreement: If I dye up your suggestions, I will send you a skein of the colorway.

But, for the giveaway:

Congratulations go to MARTY!!!

Marty's suggestions was "Sunrise" with soft pinks and soft yellows.  I will get on that either this weekend or early next week.  I already have a "Pink Lemonade" but it is a very bright colorway. 

ALSO! If you had a "red" colorway, I broke down and bought a dark red dye.  So I will be working on those along with some others. 

Also, if you really really want your colorway to be dyed up, email me and I'll put a higher priority on it.  I realize some of the suggestions make have been put out there just because I asked for a suggestion.  With that in mind, if you really do want those colors, then I will feel more motivated to hurry up with it, if that makes any sense. 

So far I have dyed and LISTED:

Purple Pansy (suggested by Kay)

Just Jonquils (suggested by Frances)

Mother of Pearl (suggested by Bonnie)

Tiger Lily-icious (suggested by Monica)

and ones that have not been listed yet:

Kaleidoscope (suggested by Ladytats)

French Country (suggested by Texas Tatter)

and a couple of others that I haven't completely worked out the details or otherwise need major readjustments. :o)

Also, I had dyed some more Red White and Blue, earlier this week.  It's the same Red White and Blue that I did a few months ago.  

I may do another to honor the red white and blue suggestion from the giveaway. :o)

dyeing..... trials and errors... and a birthday request.

So, I have been working on the suggestions from my little giveaway.

So far, I have gotten to "Kaleidoscope", "Mother of Pearl" and "Harvest"
Kaleidoscope, (thank you Ladytats!) needs to be re-done , because the transistion between purple and orange needs to eased.  Also, I think the green needs to be darkened just a smidge.
What do you think?

Next, Bonnie's suggestion for "Mother of Pearl" had me scratching my head.  How in the world was I going to make this one happen?

I waited a little too late today to take pictures.  There was kind of an overcast, so this picture is actually  a little darker than the actual colors.

And then Martha's suggestion for Harvest had me really excited.  Except, I seem to have trouble with my browns.  This time it turned our really gray.  So, I think when I redo this one, I will use the same brown that I used in Peacock.  THEN, I tried to wing a dark red... and you as you can see, it looks like dark red violet.  

Plus, there are my usual holes that come with this dark pink color.  I really need to figure out how to fix that. I think I found a product that will help though today. :o)

So Martha, thank you so much for the idea.  I will try again to get something that I feel does your suggestion more justice though. 

SOOO, the skeins that are not going to the inspiring persons, will start to go in the shop on Friday!

OH and I did my first dyeing attempt at yarn the other day.

The reason for my dyeing yarn was so that I could send it a lady in Alaska who is going to crochet an elephant for Livi with it.

I am so excited to see how the elephant will turn out!!

But, here's what  the yarn looked like before I sent it:

ALSO, I have a somewhat silly favor to ask.  Next week is Livi's 5th birthday. (June 13th).  If anyone would like to send her a birthday card, I know that she would get the biggest kick out of it!  She absolutely loves to  go through the blogs with me.  So I know it will mean a lot to her. 

Anyway, if you send her a birthday card, I'll send you a coupon for free shipping to be used in my etsy shop. 

The coupon will be individual, so that means that you can use whenever you want.