"Beatrice" designed by Iris Niebach

Here is my first progress photo of my first doily from my first Iris Niebach book. How's that for firstsssss? Tatting this is a challenge for me. I am having to be very careful and remember to count twice and close once!

This is size 20 Flora thread in a very soft, variegated green/white. I will tat it again in HDT after I see how it goes.

More of Nancy Tracy's Loopy Earrings

This is what I have been doing for several days. Tatting and beading more of Nancy's earrings. Didn't you wonder why I was so quiet? LOL I thought I would just show you one photo of them together instead of each pair by themselves.

No telling where they might show up!

Two Early Woodcarvings

I wanted to share these woodcarvings with you. The little bird is especially early in my carving career. He was in the image of our first little rescued bird. We named "him" Valentino because Bill got him for me for Valentine's Day. He turned out to be a she and we just called her Tino. She would sit right under my chin on my chest and sleep with her beak tucked into her wing feathers. It was the sweetest thing. That's how I got the idea to carve her like this. Oh, nobody but nobody bothered Tino while she was sitting with "Mommy!" That like beak has about 200 lbs of pressure and was like a vise!

The other one is a spoon, of course. Dad and I did several of these with differnt flowers and or animals on them. I really enjoyed them. I painted very few of my carvings but this one seemed to call for it.

Now that I can no longer be outside in my workshop, the carving has stopped. Carving is not an "inside friendly" art. Especially if you are the one who has to do the sweeping up! Tatting was already at war with carving anyway. So now, we tat!

Thread Requirements

No pictures this time. I am going to try and start giving thread requirements for items I tat, whether my design or someone else's. I get very frustrated, as I am sure all of you do, with leftover thread on the shuttle. Worse yet, running out of thread before I finish.

Clyde has given me permission to tell you how much thread I used on his Ray of Hope doily that I test tatted for him. I used approximately 78 yards of hand dyed thread in size 80 for this 9" diameter doily.

This was Yarnplayer's Rhubarb Pie hand dyed thread. I had one skein of the Rhubarb Pie, one skein each of solid dark pink and solid medium pink. I also had a set of six solids that were 12 yards each. Of course, I used all of some of it and had some left of the others.

Now, to the earrings by Nancy Tracy. In Flora with medium picots, I used 1 1/2 yards for each earring. In DMC it only took 1 yard, I guess because it is softer. I perfer the Flora as it has more body. Well really I prefer hand dyed thread all the time, but wouldn't we all? I will get around to making some in HDT. I might add that this is a great way to use up those bits of thread from previous projects. I have a zip lock bag full of "bits." I have made all of these earrings from the leftover bits.

I hope this helps.

Tatted Loopy Earrings Part Two

Two more pair of Nancy's earrings from the Be-stitched newsletter. The purple ones are for MIL to match the little beaded amulet bag I gave her for her birthday. Still working on improving the scans.

If you haven't tatted these yet, you will enjoy them when you do.

Be-stitched Newsletter pattern

Nancy Tracy's Be-stitched newsletter brought this pattern for "Tatted Loopy Earrings." There is a link to Be-stitched on the side of this blog under links. I love this pattern! It was super fast and easy. I couldn't believe it. You can literally decide what color you are going to wear for the day and sit down and make a pair of earrings to match.

I tatted them in size 20 DMC Cebelia lavender with those same OLD irridescent beads I've been using forever. I wish the scans were better. That's why I put two on here. No matter what I did, I just couldn't get a clear scan.

Thanks Tracy.

One more

Being Lala

Allright, so sue me. I just couldn't resist showing off my grandbaby. It's been a while, so I don't feel bad about it. I know he is mine and I'm prejudiced, but if anyone has a cuter, sweeter baby than this, I want to see them!

He has brought so much joy to my life. Joy I thought never to experience. Thank you God for this child!

Floral Snowflake in HDT "Tulips"

This snowflake is still unidentified. Sorry. I tatted it this time in Lady Shuttle Maker's hand dyed thread named Tulips. It is size 80 and a scant 1 3/4" in diameter like the one in Winter Blend.

I see now that I should have taken more time to straighten out the chains before I scanned it, but I'm too tired to go back and do it over!

I have started tatting Iris Niebach's Beatrice in Flora size 20. Progress picture soon. I just had to join the crowd.

They've Been Framed!

This is a big deal as I sometimes never get around to framing important things - more important than this!

I think they will look even prettier when I get the walls painted a soft green.

I am pleased with my Rhubarb Pie/Crisp doilies and cross. Tatting them was very pleasant and now looking at them will please me for many years.

My last birthday surprise!

INTRODUCING - Our newest hand dyed thread artisan - Pamela! (Will the full blessings of Yarnplayer and Lady Shuttle Maker I understand.)

I am so happy to be among the first to receive these beautiful hand dyed threads. I knew when I saw her post about the coral reefs and that magnificent doily that she tatted to represent them, that I had to have it. Then the apple blossom - oh so sweet.


Coral Reef


Apple Blossom


I wish the scans were better. I tried and tried. Maybe I need to use the camera. If I manage to do better, I will repost them.

I hope lots of you will have the opportunity to try Pamela's threads. We now have three very talented ladies painting threads for us.

Birthdays are the best!

Floral Snowflake in Winter Blend HDT

I am posting this not knowing who the designer is. A friend shared it with me and we are hoping someone will recognize it so we can give them credit. I would also like to pay for the pattern if necessary. She said it was originally in German text. Please help if you can.

I tatted this in Yarnplayer's Winter Blend hand dyed thread, size 80. It is 1 3/4" in diameter and so delicate and lacey. I love the 3d look with the picoted chains.

I know it may not be a traditional looking snowflake, but it is going on my rainbow snowflake tree!

Milky Way Snowflake #3 HDT

This time I tatted Jon's Milky Way snowflake in size 50 hand dyed thread from New Zealand. This was a gift from Clyde several months ago as well as the blue/green colorway I used on another snowflake previously. This thread is very shiny and smooth. It tats easily and "untats" easily! It is 3" in diameter tatted with
size 50.

Thanks again to Clyde for the thread and to Jon for her lovely patterns.

Birthday Shopping!

I've had fun with my birthday money as you can see! I've got my first Iris Niebach book, as recommended by Dianne. Can't wait to get into it.

I have my first silk hand dyed thread from Lady Shuttle Maker in size 100. The colors are Pensacola Beach, Weeping Cherry and Royalty. (I hope I got them in order of the picture.) She has already told me to unwind gently and that they are like tatting with "Angel Hair."

Then, you see Yarnplayer's Purple Punch hand dyed thread size 80 and a pair of her earrings that you tat onto. There is a link to a pattern to use. Yumm!

Last, but certainly not least, one of Jane's Roly Poly Bags! I love the color and the paisley. It came yesterday and I think it is so pretty. It has the nicest personalized tag inside that says it was handmade in England by Jane Eborall.

There is one more surprise to come.......

I love it when hubby and my girls give me shopping money for my birthday!

Milky Way Snowflake #2 (Flora)

I finished and it is okay, but I think the extra beads made it too heavy. I enjoyed doing the two beads down, one up, but I think this was the wrong application. I like the color combination though! And it does go on the Rainbow tree.

Now that I have finished, I can move on try again on something else. Right now I am going to do Jane's tree frog, I think. Then, another snowflake in Lady Shuttle Maker's HDT Grapefruit with orange beads.

Snowflake House

This is where my rainbow snowflakes live in the "off season." They have started to overlap! The white ones are wrapped up, but I can't stand to put these away.

I wonder how many more I can add before Christmas?

I got to visit a bead shop this weekend for the first time in years! I bought some red and purple vintage seed beads that I think will make lovely purses and dragons!

Tat, tat, tat!

Rhubarb Crisp/Rhubarb Pie Expo!

I thought you might like to see all of the Rhubarb Crisp/Rhubarb Pie tatted pretties together. I might have this for lunch!

Everything is size 20 except the new doily from Clyde's pattern which is tatted in size 80. Of course, this is all Yanrplayer's hand dyed thread.

I am taking the three large pieces to look for frames as soon as I can. The snowflakes went back into the "snowflake house" until time to decorate the Rainbow Christmas tree. I can see right now that I need many more RP snowflakes. I'll get right on that! I've made a picture of the snowflake house and will post it.

Hope you enjoy the candy.

Milky Way Snowflake in Yellow Flora

This is Jon's Milky Way Snowflake again, this time in Flora variegated yellow with those same OLD purple irridescent beads. I wanted to show it now while I am working on it with Lady Shuttle Maker's double shuttle. This is perfect for so many beads. I started this before Jane shared her new idea with us. Maybe I won't have to load so many beads again! I am using one bead up and two beads down on three of the chains of each "flower." I haven't done this before. It is slower, at least for me, but I really like doing it and the look of it.

When I finish this, there will be two more rainbow snowflakes ready for my tree!

Tatting never ceases to amaze me! So many new things to learn and try. Never a dull moment!

I promise never to use Picasa again to blog a photo!

This seems to happen every time I try to blog a photo from Picasa lately. No more, even though it is so much easier when it works!

Sorry!

Jon's snowflake "Milky Way"

 

Whoo Hoo! I love this snowflake. It will look great on my tree with the other beauties! This is from Jon's book of snowflakes and is called Milky Way. I'm sorry I can't put in links from this computer. You can get to her blog and this book from the link list on the left side of my blog.

I tatted it in size 20 hand dyed thread called "Rose" from Yarnplayer. Again, the link to her is on the left. I was afraid I would run out of thread before I finished. In fact, I was planning to do each spoke in a differnt thread if I had to, (which could be interesting.) Then I found where I had put more of the thread in a little bag in the HDT drawer. Happy Days! I am trying to do better about taking the thread off of the shuttles and putting it in bags with labels. What's wrong with me? I'm starting to sound organized and that's totally out of character!

The yellow beads were a gift from Gina our Tatting Goddess. They are tiny little glass seed beads.

I haven't measured the snowflake but I would guess it's about 3 1/2". Neither has it been blocked. That will take away the swirled look, I think. I kind of like it this way.

I have loaded purple, irridescent beads onto variegated yellow Flora thread to make another of these. It is a very easy tat. One spoke and you are off and running without the pattern! Great for traveling or standing in line somewhere. Sharon could tat this waiting at the grocery store!

Back to tatting. Happy 4th of July to my American friends and to any others who have a holiday today!

Spun Sugar 2nd attempt

 

I hope this works. The picture was there at first and then it disappeared. Sorry!

Spun Sugar Doily Finished!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!

Presenting - Clyde The Mad Tatter's doily pattern - Ray Of Hope
Hand Dyed Thread in Rhubarb Pie by Yarnplayer
My tatting and color arrangement

Here it is!

 

This doily was an absolute joy to tat! If you go over it with a magnifying glass, especially the last round, I promise you will find some faults. You will not however find any fault with Clyde's pattern. It was a breeze start to finish.

I had been saving this thread for some time looking for just the right pattern. I think I found it. Clyde was so generous to let me test tat this for him. I hope he will be proud of it - I am!

I will sit down and add up how much thread I used as soon as I can. It is only 9" in diameter in size 80 thread.

Set Stitch Tatted Bag

 

I finally did it! One of my birthday presents was Diana Stevens' book "It's In The Bag." I have been wanting to make one of her designs almost since the advent of my tatting adventure. I tatted it in size 20 Flora thread with size 11 seed beads from Michael's. I haven't lined it yet, as you can see. I will have to find a scrap of the right material and sew it by hand. I've no machine, and don't want one. (They don't like me.)

I know I haven't finished the doily. That I will do before I start anything else. I just had to take a couple of days and work on this bag. It has been an incredibly difficult week in my house. Maybe that's why the bag isn't lined - so I can drop my problems in and they will fly away. That's an idea.

I'll spare you the details of each problem, but the biggest of them was two sick dogs. One is still not well. The other has gone to a better place as of yesterday afternoon at 3:00. She was 17 years old, as is the one remaining, and had a very good life. She was my mother's dog and I promised to take care of her. I have done that to the best of my ability and now maybe she and mother are together eating pizza or chicken.

Some of you love animals as I do and will understand my grief for her yet joy in her freedom from suffering. Enough of that before I start crying again! My little dog Boudreaux is taking some medicine that I hope will have him better soon.

We also have an official addition to our little family. The little kitty we have been feeding outside for about five years, has moved in as of last week. I took her to the vet on Wednesday and had her checked and vaccinated. She had already been spayed. She is a tiny little thing weighing in at just over six pounds. (My other two weigh 10 and 18 pounds.) She holds her own with them, so don't worry. She is street smart and has long, scary claws!

I have been reading blogs and commenting as I can. There is lots of beautiful tatting going on and I think many of you are making great contributions to the advancement of tatting as a recognized art form. Good work! You know who you are!

Eye Candy

I gave out some of my tatting business cards today. It occurred to me that anyone visiting my blog for the first time wouldn't know where to find the eye candy as things get lost down in the blog.

If you are here for the first time, please click on the Flickr button to see pictures. Or, you can look down the left side of the blog and click on the labels for things you want to see like hearts or snowflakes.

Please be sure and check out my favorite tatting blogs which are also on the left side.

I hope you enjoy!

A Query

O.k. I will soon be ready to start tatting bags and dragons. If you experts, otherwise known as "mass consumers of beads", would please tell me where you get your beads I would be most appreciative. There are lots of them in hanks on ebay but I want good, uniform beads if I am going to put this much work into my tatting.

Thanks in advance1

Awards and Tagging

Whew! That was a lot. I hope I got it all right. TattingChic put a disclaimer on her blog that no one should feel obligated in any way to participate in any awards or tags. I must echo that. Please just consider the honor if you don't want to do it or have been tagged too many times.

TattingChic tagged me several days ago and I haven't done anything about it. I just haven't had time or a clear head. Sorry. Everybody already knows the weird things about me anyway!

Arte y Pico Award

Arte y Pico Award
I have been given this award by Clyde and by Ais. I am so honored to be recognized by these two wonderful members of the tatting community. Thank you both so much.

There are some rules to the award.


Rules:
1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you copnsider deserve this award,
creativity, design, interesting material, and also contrubuites to the blogger
community, no matter of language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the
author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each
award-winning, has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog
thathas given her or him the award itself.
4) Award-winning and the one who
has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y pico"blog , so
everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) To show these rules.

My first pick must be Jane Eborall. She was my first and best mentor. I love her designs and she is always so helpful no matter what. Besides that, she is the one of the most amusing people I know. Thank you Jane.

My second is Jon. She was one of the first to share her patterns with me and has become a great advisor, teacher and friend.

My third is Sharon. She encouraged me to join the 25 Motif Challenge. If not for her encouragement and help since I joined, I seriously doubt I would be where I am today. The challenge kept me tatting! Thank you Sharon for all that you do for us.

My fourth is Pamela. Pamela is the most wonderful adivsor on all things animal and helps everyone get their tatted animals right. She is a wonderful tatter and has become a good friend who encourages me tremendously.

I'm not going to name a fifth as I can't leave anyone out. So, thanks to all of you especially Clyde who is one of my best friends, Yarnplayer, Lady Shuttle Maker, Tatting Goddess and Lace Lovin Librarian. Also, Georgia Seitz, AK Tatter, wrote two of the first books I purchased and contributes greatly to the community. My adopted son that we all fight over, Tatman Mark, wrote some of the first patterns that I ever tatted. If I have failed to mention you, please forgive me and know that you are there and important to me.

More pictures

 

 

 

 

Here are two more pictures of the Mimosa tree. Also, a lovely bush that was my dad's. Unfortunately, I didn't pay much attention when he told me what it was. The bloom is lovely and then it makes the pretty orange fruit which isn't edible to my knowledge. I think the flower would be lovely tatted, especially in HDT! It's really a much more orange than the picture shows. I wish I could get a true color of it.

Painting Inspiration

 

 

 

 

This is the one Mimosa Tree DH allows to grow. He hates them as do many men I have discovered. If anyone knows why, please tell me!

From my front door I can see a branch that is so graceful and lovely it is begging to be captured on canvas. I'm going to try my best to oblige. I made these pictures for reference and thought you might enjoy seeing them. Maybe someone will want to tat them?

Let's try this picture again!

Snowflake HDT Rose & DMC

 

I broke a thread on my doily and can't see to fix it tonight so I thought I would finish tatting this snowflake. I started this snowflake so many weeks ago that I can't find the pattern I was using or remember who the designer is! Senior Moment? Nah, just too much stuff right?

It's size 20 hand dyed thread by Yarnplayer named Rose. The yellow is DMC Cebelia. After working with the size 80 HDT this is SO BIG!

Tomorrow morning will be back to tatting the doily. I'm almost halfway around the last row.

"All Done" as Isaac says!

Beads and stuff

 

Flora size 20, Altin Basak and DMC Perle Cotton

 

Hankys, SOME crocket hooks and other helpful tools

 

Tatting Books. I think this is all of them, but I won't promise!