Irish Crochet/Tatted Rose Snowflake

This is what Diane and I have been working on that we were keeping secret. We are both excited about it. It was Diane's idea, but we all know she is a unable to tat or crochet at present. We know we can't copyright the Irish crochet technique, but the idea of the rose with my design for the tatted leaves we hope is unique. I made up a couple of the techniques I used on the leaves. I am going to check and see if anyone has done them before. I am so glad that things are starting to click and I am thinking of things to do without someone having to tell me or show me!

I wanted it to look as real as possible, so the leaves are not identical as you can tell. That's also why I added the "stem" looking things.

Clyde suggested that the leaves might better balance with the rose if they were tatted in size 50. I don't have any so I think I will combine two shades of size 80 and see what happens.

Thank you again to all of you who have taught me so much and thanks to Diane for the idea. Maybe one day I will have patterns that I will be able to share with others as some of you have with me.

Isaac 23 months

If anyone has a prettier, humpf Granddaddy says that's "more handsome", baby than this, I want to see them!

He is such a doll and you can really see the red hair developing now. I could just eat him up with a spoon.

I know every grandparent feels the same way about their babies. Just had to brag!

Heart gift tag from Sherry's pattern

Thanks for this pattern Sherry. I think I will be making more. This is the first time I have used size 80 hand dyed thread and I like it. Sherry made this one and I think the name is Patriotic. Since it has three colors, I think it would be better suited to something bigger. I'll work on that.

Sherry, Marilee and Clyde kept telling me that tatting with size 80 hand dyed thread is nothing like tatting with regular size 80. I was skeptical, but decided to give it a try. They were absolutely right. The rings close easily and it doesn't twist up like regular 80. I am sold! Oh, no! Now I need more thread.....

I did accomplish one more thing today, but it is still a secret!

Angelica Butterfly and Spring Poppy thread

This is Lady Shuttle Maker's pattern, thread and shuttle. This is the first pattern I have tatted from her book, "The Exquisite Collection of Tatted Butterflies", but it won't be the last. It is also the first of her Spring Poppy thread I have used. It is size 20 and I used DMC Cebelia for the rings. I thought I would take a break from snowflakes and before going back to Dame Margo and tat a butterfly. Then in the mail today, a surprise. My newest thread from Yarnplayer so that I can finish my Rhubarb Doily. It is gorgeous! Now I have to decide what I am going to do next.

Happy Tatting!

Surprise Package from my friend Clyde!

I recently received this card that Clyde The Mad Tatter made. In it were two skeins of HDT from New Zealand and the star and snowflake in the color of the skein pictured. They are for my Rainbow Christmas Tree this next Christmas. The other skein is on two of my shuttles and is what I used to make this blue/green/purple snowflake you have already seen.

The thread is size 50, but was much easier to tat with than I had expected. The hand dyeing really makes a difference. He is now going to send me some size 80 to try before I start buying more HDT! We are both in serious trouble with this addiction!

Clyde is a good friend and was very kind to share with me in this way. Good friends are hard to find.

Introducing Dame Margo - The Dancing Hippo!

If you are born a pink hippo, you are born to the stage! (What else is a pink hippo to do?) She is in Birmingham, Alabama for an extended engagement with the Alabama Ballet. Her further appearances will be published in a tour schedule later this month. We are having great difficulty finding a partner for the little darling. We've also had to order new toe shoes as they don't last long and are only available from a select few suppliers.

I really enjoyed tatting this project and appreciate Jane's hard work providing it for us. I hope there will be more to come, from her and other designers.

Rainbow Snowflake #2 for 2008

Thanks to the generosity of my friend Clyde for introducing me to this thread from Craft Supplies Ltd. in New Zealand. It is color #1204 size 50. All of you know I prefer size 20 thread. He wanted me to try the size 50 in DHT to see how much stronger it is and easier with which to tat. He was right. I love it! It is very smooth, doesn't twist and knot up and I didn't break it one single time. He also sent me some in another color. I know he tatted a doily with this one I just used. I'm not sure about the other one. Now, I won't have to be afraid of the smaller thread from Yarnplayer and Lady Shuttle Maker.

The pattern is from Gun Blomqvist and Elwy Persson's book "Tatting Patterns and Designs."

There are so many things I want to do. I finished a baby hat yesterday, but it is too small. I have downloaded another pattern this morning to try. Diane and I are working on a new idea, (her's), that I think you will all like, but no clues. And I have so many different colors of HDT that I want to tat with. So little time...

Back to my projects. And, I probably need to find something to cook for DH.

TIAS Round Nine

Well, Jane has changed my mind again. Now I'm sure I'm right, but I'm still not going to tell. I'll have to check back with Jane again and see if I can guess right this time.

Pink is still a funny color for this critter!

Tat It And See Day Seven

I had gotten a couple of days behind with this and had to catch up. I guess my color choice is funny now that it has developed this far, but that's probably part of Jane's fun! Tatting without knowing what you are doing is very interesting.

Rose Snowflake for Rainbow Tree 2008

I have been tatting on this occasionally for a couple of weeks, at least. The center is the same one from Denise Munoz' book that I have tatted so many times, but the leaves are all mine. I wanted to see if I could make up my own outer round, so I just did it. You wait and see - one day I'll start from scratch and do the whole thing on my own! (I hope.)


I was kind of worried about the leaves being too frilly, but I like them. I had first drawn it out to chain around them for an outline, but I didn't like the way it looked. I know in real life rose leaves are not frilly, but in my world they now are!

The red thread is Sherry's hand dyed Red velvet size 20 and the green is DMC Cebelia size 20.

I just got two skeins of hand dyed thread from Sherry today. I hope be tatting snowflakes all year for the next rainbow Christmas tree. Clyde and I definitely have a problem with HDTA. However, we really don't want any help towards a cure!

Snow Storm LOL

The best thing I can show you about our "snow storm" is my orchids with the little bit of snow behind them through the windows! Our 1" to 4" turned out to be less than 1/2". Still, I got a cake and chili out of it!

The pink Dendrobium orchid has been in full bloom for a couple of months. The one that is showing just a bit of white is a Jewel orchid with 7 bloom spikes about to burst open. I am very pleased with them.

I am not going to do anymore tatting on the doily until I get some thread from Marilee. Meantime, I am finishing a snowflake that I started weeks ago and then I'm going to start some more with some NEW HAND DYED THREAD!!!! Yahoo! Two skeins came from Sherry (Lady Shuttle Maker) today and I have two more coming from Marilee (Yarnplayer.)

Tatter's Dream Cake for Valentine's Day

Or, for today if you are snowed in or just hungry!

Since they were telling us yesterday that we would be snowed in today, I decided to bake a cake while making chili. I was going to make just one layer of Mark's chocolate cake but I had used my last box of Dark Chocolate cake mix. All I had was French Vanilla. Necessity being the mother of invention, I had to make that work.

With Mark's generous permission, here is what I did.

1 pkg. French Vanilla cake mix
2 eggs
1 can cherry pie filling

Preheat ove to 350 degrees F.

Stir together by hand and pour into a greased 9 x 13" pan. It will be thick like brownie mix.

Bake for about 40 minutes and cool completely.

In the meantime, I made cream cheese frosting like this. (Probably the same recipe you all use.)

2 pkgs. 8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter or margarine
1 box (lb.) of confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon of vanilla
about 3 Tablespoons of milk

Cream softened cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla. Add confectioner's sugar slowly and beat until smooth. One trick I have found to keep the mess down is to sit the mixing bowl in the sink for this part of the process. When smooth, add enough milk to make spreading consistency.

Spread over cooled cake either in the pan or removed from the pan. I left mine in the pan as it was just for us.

It made a beautiful pink layer and I think it would be a nice Valentine cake, especially if baked in a heart shaped pan, or cut into a heart shape. I had some Valentine sprinkles that I put on top.

Thanks for the inspiration Mark. I hope some of you will find a use for this cake and enjoy it as much as we are.

Rhubarb Crisp Doily Rounds 1 thru 4

Henceforth to be called Rainbow Doily Number 1.

ere is the next installment. Even with the scanner, I just can't make this look like it does in person. I don't know why. This will be the last time I can scan it. The next round will make it too big. (Maybe photos will be better anyway.) I haven't decided what color scheme the next row of tatting will be. That will be another surprise, for you and for me!

I know I have probably said this before, but I feel it can not be said too much. Tatting brings me so much pleasure and sense of accomplishment. This is increasingly important since I am unable to work. I had been at the same job for 21 years and these last 2 1/2 years have been a huge adjustment. I get out so little that I would really be lost without my tatting and my connection to all of my internet tatting friends. You have all become like a part of my family and I thank all of you for what you have given to my life.

Isaac's 1st day of school

Not the pictures you are used to seeing of my baby! Isaac had a rather eventful 1st day of school. Running on low pile carpet when you are used to running on hardwood floors for the most part has it's difficulties. However, he had a wonderful time, was in no way anxious to leave and is ready to go back. Despite how bad the injury looks, he seems to feel no pain, thankfully. When it scabs over and starts itching, the climate may change!

All in all, it was much worse on those of us who love him so dearly and have protected him so well to date.

Good luck to him tomorrow!

Isaac's first day of "school"

He and I both survived it, though he didn't look so good when I went to pick him up. First day there and already a "boo boo". He fell playing on carpet and his nose looks awful. It is so red and there is a little place on his forehead too. I was afraid it was broken, but looks like it is just carpet burn. Poor baby. I know I can't protect him for the rest of his life, but it sure is hard to let go. Maybe he will do better Thursday. He had so much fun. He ran right in and started playing and told me bye bye when I left. He was glad to see me when I got there, but not all that interested in leaving. I guess that's a good sign.

I didn't do any tatting today except Jane's TIAS. I am having lots of pain between my shoulder blades and just don't feel like it. You know it must be bad to take me from my tatting!

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Rhubarb Crisp Doily Rounds 1 thru 3

Some of you thought you had figured out what I was doing. Were you right? In any case, I hope you like it. I am so excited about it and trying to decide exactly what to do next. I have some interesting ideas.

Stay tuned for further tatting developments. This next round should go much faster. It's mostly little rings and long chains.

Back to my tatting!

Tat It And See Round Three

This is all of the tatting I have accomplished today, so far anyway. Maybe I'll get some tatting done on the doily before I go to bed. I can't wait until Tuesday to see what the next step is.

Tat It And See Round Two

This is so much fun! I love waiting for the surprise to be revealed. And, I needed the practice on front side, back side tatting. The thread is Flora size 20. I hope I picked a good color for whatever this is going to be. Thanks again Jane.

I haven't got the next round of the doily ready. I was too tired today to do anything but make mistakes. Maybe tomorrow. Tatting while tired or distracted should be a misdemeanor!

Doily Update

I have made an unconventional move, at least for me, on round 3 of the doily. I'm not ready to show a picture, but I think you will be surprised. I know I am! It means slower tatting because of ends to hide. That's all of the hint you are going to get.

Also, I have finished round two on my Tat It And See, as I'm sure most of you have. It is so much fun wondering what I am tatting.

Hooray! I awoke this morning to my second sale on Etsy! And, it was highest priced item on there - the piano bench cover. Now I can buy more hand dyed tatting thread.

I'm off to check Marilee and Sherry's sites to spend my money.

Pictures tomorrow.

Rhubarb Crisp Doily Rounds 1 and 2

Here are the first two rounds on the doily. I am not at all happy with the picture, but this is the best I could do. I made EIGHT scans and couldn't get one good one, so I got out the camera. It really is much prettier than it looks here. The outer round is a DMC Cebelia buttercup yellow.

I want to make the Rhubarb Crisp go as far as possible. I only have three skeins, so I might have to do every other row. We will see. I really want the outer round to be the same as the center.

This is the same pattern as the friendship doily. It is from the DMC Book of Charted Designs.

Thanks again to Yarnplayer, Marilee, for the lovely hand dyed thread.

New Doily

I thought I would be ready to post the first picture of the new doily I am tatting by tonight, but I'm not quite there. I am trying to be so careful not to make a mistake with my precious thread! I am supposed to be knitting baby caps for the hospital, but I am being selfish and tatting instead. Shame on me! Actually, the thread with which I was knitting is so stiff and rough it wouldn't be fit for a baby. I don't know where I am going to find patriotic red and blue baby thread. White is no problem, of course. If any of you know where I can find this, please let me know. In the meantime, I guess I will be forced to go on tatting!

I am tatting!

I've had a couple of frustrating days, but I am managing a little tatting. I was stupid, or senile, last night and took this morning's meds instead of last night's meds. Boy, have I been a mess today. (More than usual.) I got my first installment of Jane's "Tat It And See" done today. I think this will be fun. I have also started my doily with Marilee's "Rhubarb Crisp" hand dyed thread. I have agonized over this pattern decision and finally decided to retat the friendship doily that Elizabeth, J.B. and I did last year. It is a simple pattern, but I think it will show off the thread beautifully. When I get the center done, I will post a progress picture. It won't be near as intricate and delicate as Clyde's, but I think the thread will be a nice presentation. Thanks very much to Clyde for advising and assisting me in picking out a pattern. Tatting with hand dyed thread is such a special pleasure and I don't want to waste an inch!

A Rainbow Snowstorm!

I wanted to see all of this year's snowflakes together and thought I would document it here - for me and for anyone who is interested. There are 27 here plus 5 that I gave away. That's not a bad couple of months tatting, if I do say so myself. I didn't put the trees in with these.

I'm sure you can recognize the patterns and the threads.

Rainbow Tree final pictures for Christmas 2007

My friends Karl and Madeline wanted me to put everything on one side of the tree and make one final picture. Great idea - almost impossible to do. I just had to get two pictures. I know they won't all show up, but lots of them will. Now, I just have to tat this many more to cover the other side of the tree! It's a good thing I am in the process of finishing up my, (I hate to say this), last UFO! I'm also going to be knitting newborn baby hats for the floor where my daughter is a nurse. They are out. They especially need red, white and blue ones for babies of servicemen. Isn't that sweet? If anybody wants to help, please feel free!

Tatting all of the ornaments, mostly snowflakes, has brought me so much joy in the last couple of months. Many thanks to my tatting mentors, designers, hand dyed thread producers and cheerleaders!

If I can accomplish as much tatting this year as I did last year, I will be very happy.

Rainbow Snowflake

Okay, here we go. It is almost ALL MINE! About a month ago I started the center rings from a pattern in Gwyn and Elwy's book. I just couldn't figure out how to go any further with the pattern, so I put it aside hating to throw it away. Finally, yesterday I picked it up and just started tatting. Yes, you heard me - I just started tatting! It was great fun and I figured I had nothing to lose except a little time. It was very difficult to keep it from ruffling as the rings were so close together. So, I pressed it flat and kept going. Next, I used ends from Marilee's Rhubarb Crisp and Sherry's Grapefruit to do the little test tat in the second picture. I absolutely cannot stand to throw an inch of these threads away. I don't know what it is, but it inspired me and helped me to see what would fit on the snowflake. Then, I studied it and tried to figure out what would tie them together and how I could do it in one run. I used a Flora size 20 variegated green for the chains and Sherry's grapefruit for the rings.

I am so happy with this snowfake. I know I can't call it my own design completely, but it is the closest I have come except the little flower I did last year. Maybe this will set me on the road to designing from scratch.

Thanks everybody!

Rainbow Tree in Grapefruit Thread

Since Clyde has renamed my Christmas Tree to Rainbow Tree, I had the bright idea to tat a rainbow tree to go ON the rainbow tree! This is Sherry's hand dyed grapefruit thread. We can't grow grapefruit trees in Alabama, so I had to make us one.

This is the same pattern from the Be-stitched newsletter that I used for the green tree. I'm going to put beads on that one.

Tatting trees isn't as much fun as tatting snowflakes, so look for more snowflakes. At some point, I have to start tatting a doily with Marilee's Rhubarb Crisp thread. I am just trying to be sure I have the right pattern before I start tatting.