December snowflakes

December 20, 2011 DW2 Comments

How did it get to be December – and so close to deadline for Christmas post? Yes, it’s that time of year when you wish you’d started making things for Christmas in August. I’ve been a bit quiet on here recently, but I have been making things. I’ll try and get some pictures over the next day or two – if we actually get some decent light. For now though, a tatting update.

Just like everyone else, I’m manically making snowflakes. Well, more or less:

As it happened, I had some spare (size 80) thread on a lone shuttle that I needed to use up. So I *had* to make one of these really. And for the first time, I’ve used beads! I really like it actually. Looks a bit spiky in real life – like a snowy holly wreath. Umm, I also had another shuttle of thread to use up so I’ve got another one on the go, with different beads. They’re coppery, and really pretty. Next year though, must find an addiction for a different pattern, this is getting silly.

So this one, I started, or attempted to start at the local Ravelry group meet up. We met for breakfast (sensible breakfast, in a pub, at 10.30am not too early), and I just couldn’t get to grips with it. For a start, I hate leaving bare threads when I make small flowers like the one in the middle, and so it worked out at 5 rings, not 6. Then trying to chat and read the pattern proved impossible, as it’s not worked in the way I’d worked out in my head. So I came away with nothing done! Managed to get to grips with it at home, and then finish it on the commute.

The one sort of centre in this shot, everyone who tats/blogs has made recently, and so I decided I should make it too. It’s a lovely pattern. From the look of it, this is size 80 thread though (I’ve forgotten), which makes it a bit weeny. Having said that, I’m still tempted to make another one, but with beads added. The beads for that size are too small to thread any way than on the thread at the beginning though, so I can’t do anything too tricksy. Also if you’re adding beads to your tatting, this is very useful to read. It talks about the difference between adding beads to the core vs shuttle thread. (Sadly, on the posy with one shuttle, both threads are the same!)

And finally, I bit the bullet and bought some size 40 Lisbeth thread. I noticed Fox saying she liked it, and recently I’ve been thinking some of the things I tat are a bit tiny to use.

This is one of Jon’s patterns. The left is size 80 and the right is size 40. (I made another of Jon’s patterns in size 40 too, but I’ve sent it out already). I dunno. I’m just not sure about tatting with thick thread. For some reason I just don’t enjoy the feel of it so much. Everything just looks gigantic! I’ve got a few things in mind to try next (like clunys, which always get twisted at size 80), but on the whole, while my eyes are able to cope with it, I think I’ll stick with smaller thread, I’ve got used to it now.

Blocked and unblocked

October 16, 2011 DW6 Comments

I finished the little piece I was working on before. I was pleased with it actually – it blocked really nicely.

It’s size 100 thread, and the pattern is from a beautiful Japanese book I bought via etsy. Look at the patten on the cover! It’s so nice. The whole book is beautifully photographed, and they’ve actually managed to make tatting look stylish, rather than like some kind of 70’s interior design horror, which is what most UK books seem to favour.

As ever with tatting, once you’ve made one, you might aswell make two:

This is one blocked and one unblocked — and I still need to sort the ends out. The second one I started on a week off, and finished on the train & bus when I got back. Once you know the pattern it’s not bad for commuting. (I sat next to a man on the bus who didn’t appear to look in my direction, but as I stood up for him to leave, he said ‘I just want you to know I think what you’re doing is very clever’. It confused me for a second, as i wasn’t sure what he was talking about!).

Anyway. I need a new pattern I think. Back to the books.

Tatting with quilting thread

October 11, 2011October 11, 2011 DW3 Comments

I went to the Knitting & Stitching show at the weekend, in North London. I had a great time – and an unexpected companion. Originally I’d planned to go with my mum, but various things conspired against us, and so I ended up thinking I’d be going alone.

I seem to be one of a small number who actually ends up talking to people on public transport. Over the last 5 years or so I’ve acquired a few ‘bus stop friends’ and a ‘tram friend’. We’re a bit of a gang at times – there can be up to 5 of us on the way to work in the mornings. After a chance conversation I found out a while ago that my tram friend makes lace! Odd thing to find out on a tram. So, after another chance conversation last week, in which I found out my tram friend wanted to go to the show but not alone, we made a hot date and went on Sunday.

And a very nice time we had too. We walked our legs off. Me and a lady I’d never spent longer than 15 minutes with before.

Anyway. All that aside, I bought some quilting thread, which I assumed was around size 100. It looked like very shiny Valdani thread – especially as there was nothing else on the stall to compare it to.

When I took off the wrapper I couldn’t wait to get started and see if it was tattable – and so, as ever I started on the train on the way to work. (I have no train friend – the trains are too irregular, so the people are rarely the same!)

Needless to say, starting on the train doesn’t leave you with a ton of pattern options available, so I tatted a pattern that was already in my head – good thing about that being that I have alternate thread versions available for comparison..

So the white you see here is size 100. Looks huge by comparison.

After holding my breath and being very careful all the way round, the thread snapped on the last ring, so I had to join in new thread. It’s very shiny, so slips along easy-ish, but very thin, so breakable. You can also see the thread separating on the picots, which is annoying – and another problem is making the picot big enough to get a hook through.

Still, I enjoyed making it, and it’s nice to see it finished. I have a ton of this thread (it’s rayon) so if you want to try it for yourself, leave a message in the comments and I’ll send you some in the post.

—
ps – I did finish the piece in the previous post, will blog it next time!

A bumpy picot ride

September 22, 2011 DWLeave a comment

Well – it’s getting there slowly. Actually, they’re digging up the road so my bus journey is very bumpy. A little too bumpy for tiny picots, if you ask me, so I did a bit of this at home tonight. I’m really tired though, so quitting while I’m ahead!

Threadbare

September 22, 2011 DW2 Comments

Look! I actually managed to make a flat one this time. It’s not finished, there’s another round to go, but I was rather pleased with getting this far.

As always, I made it on the bus & train to work – a few different journeys. It’s size 100 thread. It still needs blocking and the ends sewing in, but I thought I’d post it now incase I manage to wreck it in round two.

Lets hear it for small creative triumphs for the commuter! It kept me calm while the bus was being diverted.

Everything at once

September 18, 2011 DW5 Comments

I should be doing the garden. I’ve been saying that since around 11am, and it’s just gone 4pm. I started making a pinwheel quilt this morning, and I must admit, I’ve been having a lovely time. Doesn’t mean I haven’t gone wrong and unpicked things, or that all my edges match up the way they should, but never mind.

I mentioned before that I treated myself to a rotary blade and a Hera marker – I also bought some fabric at the same time. I’m *very* new to sewing machines, so thought a pinwheel quilt would be a nice place to start. All straight lines, and if it ends up a bit wonky, well it’s not the end of the world.

I’ve made about 9 pieces so far (with breaks for a bacon sarnie, a quick watch of instructional Youtube video and a phone call). I’m using my hand-cranked Singer – and today I actually managed to work out how to get it to wind thread on to the bobbin too! Very exciting. Such a lovely machine – and it makes the most beautiful sound as you sew.

I’ve also been crocheting in the last week or so. I finished a scarf I was making – the pattern is on Ravelry.

In the end I added 2 rows of single crochet and a round of picots, as it felt a bit unfinished without. It’s very warm – the yarn is Debbie Bliss Andes – which is baby alpaca and silk. Had I realised I’d need 6 skeins I’d’ve chosen something a bit cheaper! (Luckily Kemps has a sale right on time.)

(The above shot is the scarf unblocked – I don’t think I’ll block it…)

I actually made it long enough to wrap around my neck twice. I had an internal battle over wanting to get it finished and wanting to make it long enough to wear the way I’d rather wear scarves. In the end, it took a little longer but I’m looking forward to wearing it.

I never took finished photos of the broomstick lace scarf either. For some reason, it doesn’t photograph well – but this is a shot of the edging. I added picots to that too – for a couple of reasons actually. Again, it felt more finished to me (less like a stitch swatch), but also, there are longish single bare threads on the edges, due to the nature of the stitch. I was worried that I’d end up catching them, so this was partly for protection too.

I love this scarf (my first) but I should’ve forced myself to make it longer. It’s a wee bit short.

Anyway – the garden calls. First though, I just need to cut some fabric for another tatted lavender bag, before I put stuff away… Lets hope it’s not started getting dark before the time I step outside.

New tools

August 30, 2011 DWLeave a comment

Still here! And still making a few little things… Actually I would post more, but every time I take a picture of the things I’ve been doing, it never comes out quite the way I want.

Anyway. Just imagine all these photos are wonderful, and we’ll be alright.

I made these little roses a while back:

They’re crocheted in Perlé size 12. This thread isn’t bad for crochet actually, but I don’t like it for tatting. That’s a hairslide I made potentially as a little gift for someone, but I keep forgetting to give it to her. Not sure what to do with the others, they’re in a tiny jam jar at the moment, and I can’t help but get them out and look at them now and again. They’re really pretty in real life – even if I do say so myself.

This is actually a very delicate looking scarf in real life. It’s been impossible to photograph so far though! I’m probably about 1/3 of the way through. It’s ‘angel hair’ weight yarn – very thin, basically, and I’m using a 1.75mm hook. Why on earth I decided to make such a dense looking scarf with such a light thread, we’ll never know – but the different tones of green are really beautiful; it looks like dark moss. I did actually crochet quite a few rows on the train, which is a first for me, as that time is usually reserved for tatting. Usually i think crochet projects are too big to carry around, but in the beginning this packed up really small.

I’m also working on another broomstick lace scarf. It’s in the same bamboo yarn as the previous one, but in blue. No photos of that yet.

I had a few friends’ birthdays recently, so made some more lavender bags. Three in fact – one of which is above.

Then I made another one the same as that – and yet another the same as the one in the post before this. I know. I should mix it up a bit, but when under pressure on the train or bus, it’s easier to tat what you know!

I also got some new toys! A Hera marker (the white thing, above), which is for marking cloth by putting in a visible crease, and a rotary cutter. They’re both great actually and, well, given time, I might actually be able to make my lavender bags square, or at least straight. Ahem. No point rushing into it though. Both of these tools came from Quiltessential in Derbyshire, where a very nice lady let me try out two different types of rotary cutter before I made my choice. I also bought some lovely fabric, but more of that another time. If you’re anywhere near Derbyshire, it’s worth a visit.

And finally, this was another little experiment. Its supposed to be flat, but it’s so pretty as it is. It’s size 100 thread, and I made it on the bus. Sometimes it amazes me that I can make such delicate things. Not because I’m amazing personally – but you know. I just need to make one flat, and then I can get on with the next round. Believe it or not though, I have yet ANOTHER Mary Konior posy on the shuttles to finish first. I’m such an idiot.

Bye!

Win some, lose some

July 3, 2011July 3, 2011 DW3 Comments

I’m a bit behind with updates – although really, I’ve not made anything major. I finished the primrose posy that was on the shuttle last time I posted – and it’s already been rehoused with a friend. She’d not seen tatting before, and was very complimentary, which was really sweet. My sewing leaves a lot to be desired, but she was nice enough not to notice that bit…

This is the hand dyed thread from Yarnplayer – which is lovely actually. I have made another one, which I might put on black, if i can find something black to attach it to – really makes the colours stand out.

I decided it was time to make up my own design, so I’ve been doing that on the train recently. I thought it would be good to make an edging, so I’ve been sketching a bit – but with thread instead of a pencil:

I finally decided on a design I liked – very simple, and probably been done before, but actually, while it tats up nicely, it looks pretty terrible on the bag:

If you ignore the clash with the ribbon – which kind of goes without saying – it just looks terrible sewn straight into the fabric. It needs to be sewn into a border of some sort. What do people normally do with this kind of thing?

It’s also too long I think. Getting edging the right length could well be an art in itself.

So that was all frustrating. I need a new project to work on. I’m making another broomstick lace scarf as a gift for someone, and I have another stashbuster crochet scarf knocking about, but nothing I’m that excited about. Time to get the books out maybe…

Rinse, repeat

June 5, 2011 DW3 Comments

Since I last posted, I’ve been unable to break the habit of tatting the Posey pattern. It’s just the simplest easiest thing to do on the road. I did actually start, and complete over half, of Mary Konior’s ‘Hearts Desire’ – but managed to screw it up when I changed from the train to the bus and the man siting next to me started up a conversation. Now it’s a lacy 90degree angle, and no use to anyone.(Or does anyone need a lace set square? Let me know) so I finished off the shuttle with another posey, of course, that being the joy of a shuttle only pattern.

I’ve made three of them into more lavender bags. Another posey – not made into a bag- is loitering on my desk, and one more is on the shuttle. Actually it IS getting kind of silly. Must find something else to do.

Ages ago I made this motif when I was testing out the linen thread. It’s really dense – so dense it looks like it’s machine made when you see it close up. As that’s just been hanging about too, I thought I’d use it on another lavender bag. Then I thought I’d try adding a border to see how that looked. I tried three different borders in the end, and this is the most basic. It looks ok, but I must admit, I don’t love it… I think this linen is a bit thick for this kind of work – but at least now I know. Next time maybe I’ll use DMC Perle or something. I did enjoy making it though – perhaps this is the ideal kind of project for someone who likes making lace (in various forms) but doesn’t know where she’d put a doily. Also, I have to say, i LOVE this ribbon. It’s so cute, and umm, so CHEAP.

I’ve also been making another one of these. I must’ve made about 5 now! It’s a gift for a friend who’s having a bit of a rough time at the moment. I was wondering what to make her, and I went back through my flickr stream and noticed she’d commented on the first one I made, so I thought she might appreciate one. I really hope she likes it. It’s very similar to the one I made for myself – but I managed to fit on two wee buttons on her dress. It’s such a great pattern, probably the best, and most used pattern I’ve ever bought.

It’s chucking it down outside (hence crappy photos again). Oddly, it’s quite nice. I keep looking at my tomato and chilli plants and thinking how happy they look. It’s not been the best of weekends, but I feel a bit more cheerful now. Maybe it’s default aromatherapy. This room smells like a lavender farm 🙂

Doing something with my tatting

May 8, 2011 DW5 Comments

So, last week (the week before?) I mentioned I’d been tatting and chatting a bit, making some Mary Konior posy designs. I’ve also finished the pieces I was doing on my commute, so I thought for once i should do something with them.

At the end of last year, I was given a 1930s Singer sewing machine. It’s hand cranked, very gentle, and to be honest, all you really need to do is turn the handle – it’ll guide the fabric through pretty straight on it’s own. I’m scared of sewing machines on the whole, but I do love this one. It was given to me on the death of a neighbour of mine – she’d been a neighbour for about 30 years. Also, my parents went to a great deal of trouble to get it all fixed up and working again, so I love it because it’s simple, beautiful and sentimental.

As you can see, I’m taking it pretty slowly! I decided to make some lavender bags…

The top ones are smaller, so they have little hang tags to go on a hanger. The ones directly above are slightly larger and I finished these off with ‘piping’ – which is actually just a crocheted linen chain. I hand-stitched that and I think it was worth it – does finish them off quite nicely. I’m half tempted to tat a border for them, but they’re quite small, and I have a feeling a border might overwhelm them. They’re just to slip in a drawer to make your clothes smell nice.

How big are they? We’ll here’s a little helper for scale:

And finally, the whole lot. They smell amazing – I bought the lavender, as it’s too early to pick in the uk. I have some left too, so I’ll get tatting and make some more.

The good thing about these, is that at least they have a use… Even if you give them to people and they don’t really like the look of them, they can still chuck ’em in a drawer and they’ll do what they’re meant to (make things smell nice). Otherwise I have a terrible habit of just chucking the tatting in the drawer as it is, and that’s not a lot of use to anyone…

Now I just have to ween myself off the posy pattern. As I do most of my tatting in transit, it has to be *the* ideal pattern. I know I’ve said that before, but actually, the more I do it, the more I love it.

Occasional Crafter

Crafting, occasionally.

Category: tatting