Liz Metallic Rose and Raspberry Pink

Today was a three Ice Drop day! I was subbing, supervising standardized testing, and had plenty of time to tat.

I started with Liz Metallic Rose.

Isn't this a beautiful soft color? Another Grizzly Mountain Arts flat shuttle came in handy!

Raspberry Pink is the last of the Liz Metallic threads.

I love this deep pink! My TSA shuttle from Monica Braxton is another great one for using metallic threads. There are slits cut in to the two ends of the shuttle, perfect for sliding the thread in and out.

Last, but not least, is a plain old Ice Drop in Lizbeth Arctic Waters.

Not bad for a day of subbing!
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Getting ready...

My shuttles are wound, and I am ready for Jane Eborall's 2018 TIAS. I've only completed two of them, but I've started them all. My favorite was the scissors. I do have all of them printed out, so maybe I'll finish them all some day!

Today's Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth Arctic Waters. With the crackled glass gem, this one reminds me of Frozen, just like the one I tatted yesterday!

Shopping day

Dave and I went shopping at IKEA today. It's about an hour away, so shopping took up a good chunk of our day. We bought some benches that I've long admired, and we put them together as soon as we got home.

I did manage to finish another pendant. I had dreams of accomplishing so much more today. Oh,well!

Just one

With chores to finish, errands to run, and subbing in the afternoon, I only had time for one Ice Drop. I love this light blue frosted glass gem. It's from the same bag as the dark blue one I used a couple of days ago. I do love my blues!

Going dark

I found these beautiful frosted dark blue glass gems on a recent shopping trip, although I can't remember which store. I love the way they look with the Arctic Waters thread!

And now for four beads!

It's been weeks since I started this band. The pattern was very easy to follow, so I don't know why it took me so long. The top and bottom are the right side of the band, with the middle two being the back. I sent a picture to Mom this morning and told her I saw N for Nancy (Mom's name). Mom responded that she saw Zs. I guess it's all in your perspective!
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Today's Ice Drop has four beads in place of the picots.

Another pendant is done. I now have six! Christmas in the Village is December 9. I wonder how many Ice Drops and pendants I'll have finished by then?

Another day, another Ice Drop... or two!

Today I decided to use stacked beads instead of picots... just a touch of bling!

Once again, I've tatted a matching pendant. I put two of my newest shuttles in the picture just to prove that I do use the beautiful shuttles I purchase. 😁

Our soybeans were harvested today, and for the first time in more than 20 years, I thought to take before and after pictures.

One of the things I love about living in the country is seeing the changes in the fields with each season. I do love the fall!

I got carried away

I admit it. I really got carried away this time. I do love Rita Richmond's shuttles, and these beauties called out to me!

I'm enjoying tatting Ice Drops with Lizbeth Arctic Waters. I think the crackled glass gem adds to the frosty look!

Craftie sylvie asked about the bale, so I thought I'd share a couple of pictures showing what it looks like glued to the glass gem.

I glued bales to several glass gems before starting to tat, so I know they'll be sufficiently dried by the time I use them. I just slipped them into place according to the pattern.

The placement of the ribbons has to do with where I finished tatting. Although I'm pretty good at hiding my ends, I think the ribbon adds a nice touch. I'm hoping my Ice Drop pendants are a hit at our Christmas in the Village!

Trying something new

Periodically, someone will ask what we Ice Drop Addicts use them for other than decorations. Some use them as zipper pulls, others have added pin backs, and some have had ideas for using them in jewelry.

I recently watched a video about using paper to decorate glass gems and then adding a bale to use it as a necklace.

Of course I have plenty of glass gems, so all I needed to do was purchase the bales, which I found on Amazon.

I crackled some clear glass gems yesterday. I don't think they show up very clearly in the pictures, but they look nice in person. I was in the mood to work with blue again, and this time I chose Arctic Waters, Lizbeth #185.

After tatting an Ice Drop, I tatted the same pattern again, this time using one of the glass gems with a bale attached. I like it!

The next Ice Drop featured more picots.

The next Ice Drop pendant followed the same pattern.

I really like these bales. They're glued to the glass gem, so the weight of the pendant is not pulling on the thread. Why not give it a try? It's fun!

Arctic Waters Spinning Wheel

Dave had to work late tonight, so I had plenty of time to finish my Arctic Waters Spinning Wheel! What color should I grab next?

Two new projects

As you can see, I've started my next Spinning Wheel glass mat! This one is in size 10 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters #185.

I prefer white hankies to colored ones, but I had picked this one up at Hobby Lobby on the clearance rack. I really love sales! I spent quite a bit of time looking at hanky edgings, but couldn't find one that put me in the mood to tat. I decided to try and do my own thing. I think I had three false starts before I settled on this simple ring and chain combo. I have a feeling this will be a two-round edging, but we'll have to see how I feel as I proceed!

Mustika

Simple and elegant...

I love this snowflake! This is number 7 from Elegant Tatting Gems by Jon Yusoff. It's just under 5" in size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters. 

#8 is next on the list. It looks like one I'll really enjoy, but I'll have to keep a close eye on the pattern so that I don't mess it up!

Galuh

Galuh is the sixth pattern in Jon Yusoff's Elegant Tatting Gems. I had to pay attention to this one because of the shuttle switches, but luckily, Jon's color coded visual pattern helped me keep track of where I was!

Galuh is 4 1/4" across in size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters. 

It's not November yet, but I'm starting to feel the Christmas crunch! Are you?

Cintamani

Isn't it pretty when tatted correctly? I know it was pretty before, and I do appreciate all the ideas for salvaging the snowflake with the missing ring. Never fear! The mis-tatted Cintamani has a loving home!

Again, I used size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters. The finished size is 4 1/2". My craft rings arrived this week. I have some ideas for setting my snowflakes in the rings. I'll be sure to show you the results!

Lest you think I've been a slacker... after all, I have not been blogging much... I'll show you what else I've been working on...

These are infinity scarves I crocheted for my granddaughters. I just chained 40 for the youngest, 45 for the older girls, joined the circle, and double crocheted until I ran out of yarn. I used very soft bulky yarn, so they worked up fairly quickly. I think I'll try for a lacy look with finer yarn next time, and I think I'll make them just a little longer. 

I finished weaving another bag, and I've been practicing making fringe with my new fringe twister from Lacis. I actually ordered it from Amazon, because that's where I found it. I saved a couple of dollars, which means I can buy a little more yarn! ;-)

Baiduri

Baiduri was a fun snowflake to tat! I think I should have used longer picots, because when finished there was a lot of cupping. I was able to tame it with my steam iron, but I will use longer picots next time! This is the 4th pattern in Elegant Tatting Gems by Jon Yusoff. 

Again, I used size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters. The finished size is 4 1/2" across. I've ordered some 5" craft rings, and I'm hoping to successfully mount my snowflakes in the rings. I may have to drive to Michigan to get some help from my friend Sue. Road trip!

I finished another scarf this weekend. This one measures 60" after wet finishing, so there was more shrinkage than with the last scarf. Is 60" long enough? Should I make them longer? They're about 10" wide. I'd love to get your feedback!

Almas

I am really enjoying tatting snowflakes again! I can complete one in two or three evenings, and I don't get bored!

This is Almas from Jon Yusoff's Elegant Tatting Gems. I used size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters, and it measures 5" across. Time for another snowflake!

Adan

It took me a couple of days to finish Adan from Jon Yusoff's Elegant Tatting Gems, because I kept making mistakes on the last section. First, I need to remember that with a pattern like this, I need to count the rings on the inside, not the outside, to determine when I'm at the end. Retro-tatting is so time consuming! Second, I need to pay attention to where I'm supposed to join... again, retro-tatting is time consuming!

The finished size is 4 1/2" in size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters. 

One of Dave's customers requested a red and white bag. I found this really cool yarn that is very soft. I really like the way this bag turned out, but more importantly, Dave's customer liked it!

I really am enjoying my loom. This weekend I finished a scarf. I had so much fun, I started another!

Monday, Monday

I had great plans for today... get back in to a routine before school starts in three weeks, clean, meal plan, etc. Somehow, I got sidetracked! Instead of starting on the right foot, I went shopping with daughter Carol. We had a great time, and I was home by 2:00, so I still had time for some tatting and weaving. I guess the cleaning and meal planning will just have to wait!

This is motif No. 7. This was a fun tat, but not one that I'm likely to tat again. It's too loose a pattern for my liking. I'll be skipping No. 8, because it has too much bare thread. So, on to motif No. 9!

I love the way this little bag turned out! I will admit that I felt a strong craving for chocolate while I was working on it. ;-)

I could not get a good picture of this bag. The yarn is silver with a fine wrapping thread thread in sparkly pink, blue, green, and gold. It just shimmers in the light. I might just have to keep this one for myself! 

More tatting with Myra

 I took it easy today and tatted two more motifs from Tatting by Myra Piper.

No. 5 is a pretty little snowflake. Of course I wonder if I could adapt it to have a doodad in the center! Maybe I'll look to see where I stowed my doodads tomorrow.

No. 6 should make a pretty doily center. I guess my fascination with doilies continues, even if I don't the ambition to start another right now.

I finished another chenille bag. The inclusions are snippets from other bags I have made. I braided the strap with chenille and the yarn used in the inclusions.

I love the way this little bag turned out! The bottom half is a bulky acrylic, and the top half is a worsted weight with a ribbon wrap. The two braided together make a great strap. My favorite part is the button!

I can hardly wait for another day of creativity!

Done right!

It bothered me that I tatted this pretty motif incorrectly, so I tatted it again. I'm still working with size 20 Lizbeth, Arctic Waters. Isn't it a pretty color?

I do like this pattern, and I thing it would make a pretty doily center. Somehow, it still didn't look like the picture in the book.

I flipped it over and... ta da! This is what I was looking for! Motif No. 2 from  Tatting by Myra Piper is one of my favorites. Myra calls it a "Another 'Hanky Edge' Snowflake." I know I've stated this before, but I'll say it again. I cannot call this a snowflake, because it is a nine pattern repeat. Snowflakes have a symmetry based on six points. Still, it is a very pretty motif!

I skipped motif No. 3, because it has 7/8" of bare thread. I don't care for that much bare thread, which is why I haven't completed any mignonette patterns.

This is motif No. 4. The picture in the book has it blocked so that the chains are straight. I didn't bother because, again, I do not consider this a snowflake. Am I a snowflake snob? 

The bag-making continues. Here I was trying a technique called clasped weft weaving. It looked great on the loom, but I didn't take into consideration that the fabric would be folded to complete the bag, so the pattern was lost when the bag was completed.

Despite my design "mistake," Dave liked this bag the best of the ones I've made so far. I guess that just goes to show that we all see beauty differently!

This bag is one of my favorites. The beige is chenille yarn from Mom. The green inclusions are sari silk. I think the silk and the button really make this bag interesting.

I'm not much for pink, but this bag did turn out cute! I think it's the blue button. ;-)

One of the disadvantages of going on a creative binge is that I want to do everything! I've really had a strong urge to knit this week, but I couldn't think of a project that I really wanted to undertake, so I turned to dish cloths. I love knitting dish cloths! They make great little hostess gifts, and I love the thickness of them. Besides, I need to use up some of my cotton stash!