Feelin' flaky!

I really thought I'd finish at least six snowflakes this weekend, but somehow time got away from me!

This is an extended version of my first snowflake. The first one had three Josephine knots on each chain. This one has five. I don't think it looks much like a snowflake, but it's still pretty!

I didn't feel like looking back at my patterns, so I just doodled again. I'm really not sure if this is one of the flakes I made in Christmas Delight or not. I think it looks nice in the Blue Ice.

I don't really like the way this one turned out. I think I need to have longer chains. So, back to the drawing board! Or maybe I should say back to the tatting shuttles!

A fabulous day for the Tollway Tatters!

We had a beautiful day for our Tollway Tatters meeting! Tatters came from far and wide, some die-hards, some newbies... we had so much fun!

My daughter Alison worked on her first doodad snowflake.

Cheryl is a newbie... she's only been tatting six weeks, and her work is beautiful! She worked on the Amusement Doily in size 10. I really find it hard to believe that she's been tatting for such a short time!

Cheryl's mentor is Sue aka God's Kid. Sue brought along some beautiful examples of her tatting, including her doodad snowflakes! These two ladies drove in from Michigan... made me feel like a rock star! ;-)

Barbara, always so cheerful and full of wonderful stories, makes all of us feel so good about what we're working on. She's quite a talented lady. Her tatting is lovely, and she also makes beautiful bobbin lace! She wasn't able to join us last time. I sure am glad she was able to make it today!

Granddaughter Eva is the youngest in our group. She makes beautiful chains, and she thinks she might be ready to learn how to make rings... makes a grandma proud!

Carol is amazing! She tats, she blogs, she embroiders... she inspires us to try new things. Today she brought along matchbook style needle holders for us to decorate. She's such a generous lady!

The oh-so-talented Marilee brought along her latest pendants for us to admire. She also brought along some of her gorgeous HDT. Of course I had to buy some! ;-)

Marilee showed us some of her goodies from Palmetto Tat Days. Boy, I sure wish I could have gone!

The ever-vivacious Sue Anna had us all enthralled! I think she brought along everything she had from Palmetto Tat Days, plus she showed us tons of pictures and videos. She had shuttles, threads, patterns, lessons... if it was at Tat Days, Sue Anna had it! I am going to attend Palmetto Tat Days, probably when I retire in four years. I sure hope Sue Anna will go with me!

Denise worked on an angel for her Doodad Double Dare, and it is adorable! She wants to tweak it some, and then she's going to try writing up the pattern. Who knows... maybe she'll share it with us!

Yes, I managed to do some tatting also. I worked on a Spinning Wheel glass mat in Navy Greens from Jess. I also tatted a doodad snowflake in 4-Eva, another of Jess's color ways, but I forgot to take a picture of it before giving it to my granddaughter. Oops!

I am one proud mama... this is daughter Alison's first doodad snowflake!

Who knows, maybe we'll be able to meet some more tatters at our next meeting. I sure hope so!

Doodad Double Dare #17!

Well, sort of...

Irma Luna tatted a beautiful snowflake and sent me the link to her blog today. I love the color she chose! The doodad that she used in the middle is very pretty... just not one of mine! I'll have to do a search to see if I can find one for it. It's just calling to me... snowflake! snowflake! snowflake!

Blue Ice ~ Doodad Snowflake #2

I meant to start this set of six in Blue Ice with Doodad Snowflake #1, but I added the wrong size jump ring, and I didn't want to start all over. So, I'll be tatting this set out of order. Does it really matter? No! I'm letting it go. It's difficult, but I'm letting it go. I am not going to obsess over tatting my snowflakes in a specific order.

Tomorrow I'll start Snowflake #1. The next day I'll start Snowflake #3, then #4, #5, #6... but I will not obsess!

Eileen Stafford's Snowflake

I decided to take a break from my doodling to tat Eileen Stafford's Snowflake. Since I added a doodad to the middle, I did have to change the stitch count for the center ring. My chains on the first round aren't as U-shaped as the original pattern, but I think it works well.

I think I'll get back to doodling now! 

And the doodads keep on coming!

Doodad Double Dare #4 was from Michelle, and she has finished tatting another gorgeous bookmark with her second doodad. I'm very flattered... she chose to tat my revised version of Toshti by Jon... the one where I joined in the wrong places! Please pop on over and leave a comment about her beautiful tatting!

In the meantime, I worked on another doodad snowflake...

Each of my doodad snowflakes has just been doodling with shuttles and thread. I haven't looked at any snowflake patterns, although I have tons of them. I guess I wanted to see what I could accomplish on my own. I started this one before re-tatting my first six snowflakes without doodads. When I picked it up to work on it again, I realized something very interesting...

It's almost the first round of Norma Benporath's Lace Mat that Jon is using for her tat-along! Honest... this was just a doodle! Still, I'm considering it to be my Norma Benporath inspired snowflake!

Here it is, beautiful little decorative hook included, ready for fund-raising! With that pretty hook, I think I should call them Santaflakes!

Snowflake #6 without the doodad ~ Pattern included

Now that I've completed my six snowflakes both with and without doodads, I can state with confidence that I much prefer the ones with the doodads. Those little metal links add just enough weight to the snowflakes to let them hang nicely. I also think that the findings help the snowflakes hold their shapes better.

So, pattern #6...

size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116

2 shuttles wound CTM

Pewter Flower from Fire Mountain Gems, stock #H20-9117FY

*Ring: 4 - 4 + 4 - 4 (if tatting without doodad, make the join a picot); do not reverse work; switch shuttles

Chain 8; reverse work

Ring: 4 - 4 - 4 - 4

Ring: 4 + 4 - 2 - 2 - 4 - 4 

Ring: 4 + 4 - 4 - 4; reverse work

Chain 8; do not reverse work; switch shuttles

Repeat from * 5 times.

Remember that on the last center ring, the final picot should be a join to the first picot of the first ring.

Doodad Double Dare #16!

Monica has adapted Frivole's Square Elegance for her Doodad Double Dare. She used a gorgeous shade of thread that nicely compliments the antique color of her doodad. Monica is looking for suggestions, so please pop over to her blog and leave a comment.

I've been having so much fun with this Doodad Double Dare, that I'm tempted to order more doodads to share! I'm tempted, but I won't be doing it right now. ;-)

Snowflake #5 without the doodad ~ Pattern included

This one took me forever to tat the second time. I kept getting distracted by other patterns!

size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116
2 shuttles wound CTM
Pewter flower link from Fire Mountain Gems, stock #H20-9117FY

*Ring: 4 - 4 + 4 - 4 (if not using metal finding, make join a picot); reverse work

Chain 8; switch shuttles

Ring: 4 - 4 - 4 - 4

Ring: 4 + 4 - 2 - 2 - 4 - 4

Ring: 4 + 4 - 4 - 4; switch shuttles

Chain 8; reverse work

Repeat from *.

Remember, on the last center ring, the last picot is a join to the first picot of the first ring.

Enjoy!

Doodad Double Dare #15!

Marie at West Pine Creations finished her Doodad Double Dare... a pair of gorgeous earrings! Go take a look, and please leave a comment!

Doodad Double Dare #14!

Crazy Mom finished tatting with her doodads! Wait 'til you see what she's made with some of Karey's HDT and some adorable charms!

Last night I finished the first round of Jon's Tat-Along for the second time, this time in Lizbeth Denim Blue Lt. #650. That's right... the second time. I started it in size 40 Berry Burst, but I can't find where I put it. I know it's attached to two shuttles, so it can't have gone far!

Doodad Double Dare #13!

Allison finished her Doodad Double Dare, which was doubly challenging for her... she received the tiniest of doodads, and since they were so small, I sent her four!

Lucky me...

Allison sent me one of the snowflakes she tatted for the Double Dare! Thank you Allison!

Frivole's Square Elegance

I love this pattern!

My goal is to someday tat it as beautifully as Frivole does!

Oops! Forgot details... size 20 Lizbeth #650, Denim Blue Lt.

The Next Tollway Tatters Meeting

I decided that it might not be the best idea in the world to post all of the details of our next Tollway Tatters meeting on my blog for all the world to see.

If you are interested in attending on Saturday, Sept. 29, send me an email and I will give you the pertinent information.

Hope you can join us!

A wonderful weekend!

The weather was absolutely fantastic this weekend! Our granddaughter Eva spent the weekend with us, so I didn't get a lot of tatting done, but I did finish one piece.

This is Maria from Tatted Bookmarks - cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn, with two modifications. I left the picots off the rings, and I changed the rings at the ends of the tassels. I was hoping for a more masculine look. Do you think I succeeded? The thread is size 20 Lizbeth #173, Purple Marble.

When we arrived home, I found two very special packages in the mail. First, some luscious new HDT from Monica! Monica proposed a swap when she saw my rose shuttles... HDT for shuttles. Being an HDT addict, I quickly agreed, and I'm so glad I did! Aren't the colors gorgeous?

My other package contained the most beautiful rose pin I have ever seen! This gorgeous embroidery on felt is by my dear friend Paulette aka Beedeebabee. I just adore her work, and I would recommend her to anyone! Right now, she has two Halloween-themed pins that I am sorely tempted to buy... an adorable witch's hat and a pumpkin. I wonder if she'll be making a black cat as well? I'll have to ask her!

I hope all of you had as wonderful a weekend as I did. My batteries are re-charged, and I'm ready for another fun-filled week at school!

Doodad Double Dare #12!

Margaret has finished her Doodad Double Dare! She did a beautiful job with two different patterns. One is an Anna pattern in Scottish Thistle, a favorite color of mine. The other is Fox's Athalia in Summer Fun.

No pics in this post... you'll just have to pop over to Margaret's blog to see what she's done! 

Snowflake #4 without the doodad ~ Pattern included

I decided to go back to taking pictures with my laptop as the background. I think the scans do a great job of showing the tatting, but the colors just don't look as vibrant. Maybe I'll learn how to scan beautiful pictures some day... or maybe I'll just tat. :-)

Would you like the pattern for this one?

size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116
two shuttles wound CTM
Pewter Flower from Fire Mountain Gems, stock #H20-9117FY

*Ring: 4 -- 4 + 4 -- 4 (if tatting without the doodad/finding, replace join with a picot); do not reverse work, switch shuttles

Chain 8; reverse work

Ring: 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 (5 picots separated by 2 ds); reverse work

Chain 8; do not reverse work, switch shuttles

Repeat from * 5 times. Remember that on the last center ring, there is no final picot... join to first picot of first ring.

As always, if you find a mistake in the pattern, please let me know so that I can correct it. Enjoy!

Snowflake #3 without the doodad ~ Pattern included

I found some lovely hand-crafted ornament hooks online today at Wirestorm Creations. I think the 1 1/4" size would be perfect with these snowflakes!

Are you ready for another pattern?

size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116
Pewter flower finding from Fire Mountain Gems #H20-9117FY
2 shuttles wound CTM

*Ring: 4 -- 4 + 4 -- 4 (if not using the doodad/finding, picot instead of join); reverse work

Chain 4; switch shuttles

Josephine knot: 10 (I use the second half of the double stitch); switch shuttles

Chain 4; switch shuttles

Ring: 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 (6 picots divided by 2 ds); switch shuttles;

Chain 4; switch shuttles

Josephine knot: 10; switch shuttles

Chain 4; reverse work

Repeat from * five times. On last center ring, instead of third picot, join to first picot of first ring.

Cut, tie, hide ends.

Snowflake #2 without the doodad ~ Pattern included

Again, the doodad adds a little weight and does help the snowflake hold its shape a little better. Still, it's pretty on its own!

Ready for another pattern?

size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116
Flower component #H20-9117FY from Fire Mountain Gems

Wind thread on two shuttles CTM.

*Ring: 4 -- 4 + 4 -- 4 (if not using a doodad, use a picot instead of a join); reverse work

Chain 8; switch shuttles

Ring 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 (that's 8 picots separated by 2 ds); switch shuttles

Chain 8; reverse work

Repeat from *

When you get to the last center ring, remember to that the last picot should be a join to the first picot of the first ring.

If you find any problems with the pattern, please let me know so that I can correct it.

Doodad Double Dare #9, #10, and #11!

Marty posted her progress with the Doodad Double Dare. I love the thread she chose. I also love that she calls them Duded Doodads! Check out her blog to see what a domed doodad looks like.

Stephanie spent time at Tat Days working with her doodads, with beautiful results! She sent me the sweetest email...

HI Diane!

Of all the crazy things - I was at Tat Days over the weekend, and instead of playing around with my 'projects' from the classes, there I was, playing with those 2 little doodads.  Now I'm home, and finishing my Tat Days class projects.  Funny how I do things so backwards sometimes.  Had a great time, though, and hope you can come to Tat Days next year so we can meet in person.

I was sort of thinking 'earrings' when I did these, but since this is my first attempt at both tatting around a metal thingie AND coming up with a 'design' of sorts, they may end up being re-done at some vague future 'time.'  Still....it WORKED!   ;-)

Don't have a web page, so I've attached a scan.  Haven't decided yet if I'm going to make a small ring as a 'hanger' or just hide the ends and thread the ear wire through one of the center picots on one of the chains.  Either way would work.

Have a wonderful week!  Thanks again for sending the metal thingies.  It was fun to participate.

Big hug!

Stephanie

Frivole also finished her first doodad, calling it Square Elegance... oh, how I wish I had her flare for design!

The greatest part of this Double Dare is seeing what each person has decided to create! Each creation gives me reason to smile, although I do smile a lot already! ;-)

Snowflake #1 without the doodad ~ Pattern included

I was interested to see how my snowflakes would look without the doodads, so here's #1 with and without. I like them both, but I really like the extra weight the doodad adds.

In case you want to give this a try, I'll give you my pattern...

These snowflakes are tatted in size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116. The doodad is from Fire Mountain Gems, H20-9117FY. A pack of 50 is under $5.

Use two shuttles, wind CTM.

**Center Ring: 4 -- 4 + 4 -- 4 (join is to hole in doodad, picot if not using doodad); reverse work

*Chain 4; switch shuttles

Josephine ring: 14 (I use the second half of the double stitch); repeat from * two times

Chain 4; reverse work**

Repeat from ** to ** five times. On the sixth center ring, make sure you join the last picot to the first picot of the first ring.

Cut, tie, and hide ends.

Christmas Delight ~ Doodad Snowflake #6

This is the way I intended the last snowflake to look!

Now that I see them side-by-side, I'm not sure that I really prefer one over the other. What do you think?

Christmas Delight ~ Doodad Snowflake #5

I meant to have concave chains on this one, but I reversed my work when I shouldn't have giving me convex chains. I guess I'll just have to try again!

Christmas Delight ~ Doodad Snowflake #4

I think this one is my favorite so far!

Christmas Delight ~ Doodad Snowflake #3

I could have finished this last night, but I ran out of thread. I didn't want to disrupt the flow of the colors, so I rewound my shuttles and started over. I'm glad I did!

I have three new snowflakes for my Christmas tree, and I'm sure there will be several more. I wonder where this doodad madness will lead me?

Doodad Double Dare #8!

Wanda at Wanda's Knotty Thoughts has finished her Doodad Double Dare! She was very brave and added seed beads. You'll just have to go take a look.

Thanks for joining in the fun, Wanda!

By the way, in case you're wondering why I don't just re-post the pictures... I'm hoping to introduce you to blogs that may not be familiar to you. It's so much fun finding a new tatting friend and discovering all of the treasures hidden on the Internet!

Christmas Delight ~ Doodad Snowflake #2

This looks much more like a snowflake to me, and it was great fun to tat! I'm beginning to feel like a designer! ;-)

For those of you with inquiring minds, the doodads are from Fire Mountain Gems. This particular doodad is listed as a 6 petal flower, pewter component, stock #H20-9117FY. The cost is $4.31 for a package of 50, which works out to about 9 cents each. Not bad to my way of thinking!

By the way, I'm not really into pattern writing. Please feel free to enlarge the pictures and trying out the ones I have doodled. On this one, the rings attached to the flower are 4-4-4-4. Each chain is 8 ds. The thrown off rings are 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2... for those of you who don't like to count dashes, that's 8 picots separated by 2 ds.

Whew! That was tough! I wonder if I have enough energy left to doodle another doodad snowflake tonight?

Doodad Snowflake

I'm not quite sure it looks like a snowflake, but it does have six rings... so, it's a snowflake! I used size 20 Lizbeth, Christmas Delight #116. As I was tatting, I kept thinking of different variations. Maybe I have my Christmas ornament of the year chosen!

Just plain stubborn!

Yup, that's me! Yesterday I tatted the last ring of this pretty little motif, Toshti, designed by Jon and named by Fox. When I finished the ring, I realized that I had joined it to the wrong picot. I tried to retro-tat, and I managed to tighten one of the knots tighter than I had ever done before... not a good thing!

I spent hours trying to get that knot out... at least three hours yesterday, and at least an hour today. Finally, I decided to take the scissors and snip the darned thing out. After all, I could have re-tatted the whole motif in that time!

I very carefully tatted and joined the last ring, and to my dismay, I realized that I never needed the ring in the first place! I had forgotten to join the last clover to the correct ring. I took out the last ring and just did a little sewing to join at the forgotten spot. I did consider retro-tatting to fix the join properly, but I had already spent way too much time in this one spot. You'd better believe, I won't be making that mistake again!

By the way, this is size 40 Lizbeth, Niagara Falls #158. The finished size is about 3 1/4" square.

Doodad Double Dare #7!

Lady Picot finished her Doodad Double Dare in a way I never thought of, and it looks spectacular! You're just going to have to hop on over to her blog to see what she's done!

I've started on another doodad, goldtone this time, using size 40 Lizbeth #158, Niagara Falls. Isn't the color pretty? I'm working Jon's new design again. This time I will be joining it in the correct spot!