Registration is open!

The Lace Museum of Sunnyvale is offering classes next week. They are scheduled to coordinate with

UnCon 2020 of IOLI.

I will be teaching a beginning tatting series on 7-22 through 7-24 (Wed, Thurs and Fri) from 9 AM – 11 AM Pacific time (4 PM – 6 PM GMT). We will cover both needle and shuttle techniques. This is a real bargain for $35. Register on the Museum Shopify page here .

If you have mastered the basics, consider joining us the following weekend Sat 7-25 & Sun 7-26 from 9 AM – Noon Pacific time (4 PM – 7 PM GMT). We will be recreating a portion of the pretty mat (below) in the collection at the Museum. The inset works nicely as a coaster or ornament. The borders of the mat consist of repeating a portion of the inset worked with a lovely edging on both sides. We will be exploring several different paths to execution, designing with color, and adding embellishments. Come join us for a lively discussion and tat up a surprise. Offered also at $35 for the two morning sessions. Register here

I look forward to greeting IOLI members attending the UnCon sessions. Treat yourself to a morning of tatting fun sponsored by the Lace Museum of Sunnyvale!

Celtic cross

I love sitting in on the Monday class that AKTatter monitors. I’ve learned a lot. Found a ton of good patterns. Discovered tatters from all over the world. Most importantly, I’ve learned how to talk tatting.

Celtic Cross by Yvonne Reypa

This pattern discussed during was a recent class. I am always intrigued with “celtic” patterns and how the chains weave. With this cross, the weaving is done with rings; a bigger challenge. After sitting in on the discussion and looking at what others have said about the pattern, I attempted my version. The thread is size 10 Manuela. I felt like I was always one DS away from a mistake that would be hard to correct, but I think I’ve got it.

I think this will end up on a blanket a friend is knitting. Don’t know yet. We’ll see……..

snowflake from Lene Bjorn book 24 Snowflakes in Tatting

I have conquered block tatting! Finally! I’ve tried several patterns with block tatting sections before. They turned out OK, but I knew I wasn’t getting everything quite right. I hate that feeling. You’ve finished a project, it looks fine, but you know it isn’t quite right. This time I think I’ve used the correct stitch count and executed the chains in a much neater manner.

Snowflake by Lene Bjorn

I chose to use colors close to those used by the school we graduated from: University of Michigan. Go Blue!!

apron appliques

Ever have one of those weeks where you get distracted and just enjoy life? It’s been a good week. I’ve finished a couple of pieces that will be sewn onto my apron. First, from Handy Hands website: http://www.hhtatting.com/free-lace-fan-quilt.cfm Thank you for sharing this with us!

edging for fan quilt square courtesy of Handy Hands

pansy

Then, a redo of a pattern I have attempted before. The first time was a disaster. I really like pansy and violet flowers, so I attempted it a second time. It was better, but nothin’ to write home about. After another year of working on techniques, I finally mastered the basics enough to do a better job.  The pattern is from a Priscilla book on the Antique Library page Georgia maintains:  here look on page 18. I encourage you to look for a great tutorial made by Marilee Rockley craftsy.com class and study Sarah Danks rewrite that she shared with the OnLine tatting class: Sarah Danks rewrite Of course after I worked on the flower a day or so, I looked at the cat and said aloud, “I have to diagram this or I will lose my sanity.” I’m no artist, so you’ll have to wait until I can get one made on the computer to see what I came up with.

Now to sew these on the apron and pack the bag for the morning class and afternoon demonstration tomorrow.

progress on block snowflake

I indulged yesterday. I did some fun reading in a novel. I took a good long walk. And I worked on my block snowflake.

snowflake section from 24 Julestjerner i Orkis by Lene Bjorn

Now, this is a pattern that has intrigued me for quite a while.  The book is in Danish. And I don't speak Danish. But, I recently found a decent English version. I picked it up because I love doing Advent calendar things. 24 snowflakes rather than chocolate.....eat that ants!!

Anyway, I recognize that chains are difficult to keep looking exactly the same, and this pattern will show it! I wanted to use 2 different colors, but light, bright, and even Christmas colors just weren’t grabbing me. I tried it a long time ago with a variegated thread. That didn’t work. Well, it didn’t look interesting. It did help me work on my technique. I decided to try these two colors because my hands just kept picking them up together. Can you tell I try to listen to my inner kid?

bookmark in progress and Maria's finished

Today is my second session on the squares bookmark.The pattern is now listed on the patterns page (see tab at top of blog).  The name of squares bookmark seems to be sticking with this one. Here's Maria's version of Monica Hahn's Bible Bookmark from Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns and the variation I came up with:

Thank you for sharing with us, Maria!!!!!

And now here's a photo to help illustrated the path I use to work the inside rings with chains:

squares bookmark in progress to illustrate the path

If you're looking at the PDF posted on Georgia's class site: http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2012/melsqbkmkpattern.pdf the end of the yellow chain next to the all-blue cloverleaf is the start point (the yellow dot in the diagram on page 1). I have stopped work after completing the first large ring in the 4th square. I'll work several more sides of the square, finish off a square to turn around and then work back up the side to end next to the first cloverleaf (the green dot in the diagram on page 3). Then it'll be time for the edging.

If you have any questions, please email me! Thank you for visiting.

Jelly Bean doily

I’ve been knocking around an idea in my brain and getting nowhere. So, I decided to try a test of some parts using a fun variegated: Jelly Bean. Well, I  didn’t have success at first, so I decided to try out the thread in a fun doily:

Once in a Lifetime Doily by Jane Eborall

The pattern had a few surprises in it for me. And this was just the first few rounds. It’s easy enough to tat, just an unexpected twist here and there. Thank you for the challenge, Jane!

another bookmark experiement

I’ve been mulling over a pattern found in an old Workbasket magazine. These publications are always interesting to flip through. I feel a bit like an archeologist as the pages turn. A pattern for a flag caught my eye several years ago. I feel it’s time now to update the pattern. The first puzzle for me is the join between rows; just a bit counterintuitive for this tatter. But, I was able to persevere and figure it out:

tatted American flag sample

Now I need to figure out exactly how many rings and chains to do in each row to make the proportions correct. And then there's the stars to dream about.

I think this sample will go to my chaplain friend for her stash of bookmarks to give out.

Old Glory

Well, this is what I’ve been working on. It’s Old Glory Heart by Nancy “Nell” Corns.

Tatted Old Glory Heart

I’m not real crazy about the pattern. The concept is good, it looks OK, it was just really fiddly to execute. I’d like to see if I can adapt it to using different techniques. I really didn’t like hiding 22 ends and didn't like all the blips in the joins between the red and white rings. I know, picky, picky……..

I’m going to work through another older pattern that creates a true American flag. More later on that.

Pictures of bookmark in progress

I’m using this space to make class easier. If I were presenting in person, I would make this into a poster packet to display or pass around. As the session will be online, I need a place to post. No website yet (I know, I know….I’ll get it up soon.), so here is my pictures of how the bookmark looks in progress:

This is where you want to end up. Completed Split Ring T.

This is a photo of Split Ring A



This is a photo of Ring B

This is after Ring I

After Ring Q

After completing Ring S

Now with just one more Split Ring, you'll end up with a wonderful bookmark looking like the first picture up top.
Thanks for your patience and tat on!

Heart decision

I made a decision regarding which heart I felt would be good for the “beginners” to learn. I wanted a simple rings and chains heart. There are some very simple ones already designed. I haven’t been able to reach some of the designers to obtain their permission to use/teach their design. I feel it is only respectful to attempt to reach them. I understand one lady who self-published her design is no longer using the email on the pattern. So, I put out a request on the forums I monitor to see if anyone can put us in contact. If all goes well, I would prefer to use Butterfly heart designed by Irene Woo:

Butterfly heart designed by Irene Woo