Pineapple bookmark

I really set out to crochet a small doily, but as I was looking through my books I found this pattern, and it just called out to me! My friend Denise's favorite crochet motif is the pineapple, so I think of her whenever I see one. Denise has made several of the bookmarks from this leaflet, but this is my first one. I know this is not a typical pineapple color, but it still looks pretty to me!

Tatted flower bookmark

My apologies to Sharon Briggs... I did not follow her directions carefully, so I did not practice using a paperclip to make a beginning picot. In fact, since I didn't read the directions until after I finished the bookmark (I just looked at the diagram), I really didn't make this the way Sharon intended at all! I will do it again, following Sharon's written directions, so that I can learn something new! I also changed the end of the bookmark... I don't make very nice tassels, so I tatted a little motif instead.

This is "Flower Bookmark" from Transitions in Tatting from Flat to Floral by Sharon Briggs. I highly recommend this book. Sharon has written wonderful directions and helps the tatter move smoothly from very simple tatted pieces to more complex pieces. No, I haven't tatted them all, but I can tell from reading the book that this is true!

The thread is "Meadow" colorway from Bre-Aly Threads, size 20. Isn't it strange that the photographed color looks so different from the scanned color? Pay attention to the photo for a better idea of the true color! I used one of my old-faithful Clover shuttles. Oooh... another piece completed for my personal challenge! Yipee!

Thank you, Ruth!

Ruth is the president of our PTO (Parent Teacher Organization), and she has done a great deal to promote positive involvement with the schools in her four years of presidency. Beyond that, Ruth has helped me tremendously this school year. She subbed for me the three times I flew to Alabama to be with my parents, and she subbed for most of my absence with my broken arm. If any of you out there are teachers, you know how difficult it can be to find a sub who can or will follow your lesson plans. Without Ruth's help, my students would never have been able to complete the tasks and learn the skills I think they need to succeed throughout this school year and prepare for the next school year. I can never thank Ruth enough for all she's done for me this year, but I hope this little doily/coaster helps her understand how much she is appreciated!

The doily is #23 from Mini Masterpieces: 30 Little Doilies by Patricia Kristoffersen (my favorite crochet designer). I used some more of my Bre-Aly hand-dyed thread (there's still enough left to make another little doily). My Hitty basket from Grizzly Mountain Arts has become my new favorite sewing basket. The crochet hook is from Janel Brown, whose shop is on eBay. Can you tell I love to collect all kinds of needlework tools and accessories?

Bre-Aly Thread

Zarina asked me how I liked the Bre-Aly thread I purchased, and honestly, I hadn't tried it yet! So, my task this weekend was to try my new hand-dyed thread.

I don't really care to work with size 10 thread for tatting, and I really purchased it to make a Patricia Kristoffersen doily (#52 from 99 Little Doilies, published by Leisure Arts). I'm really happy with this thread as a crochet cotton. It was easy to work with and blocked very nicely. I also like the way the color flows, especially in this little doily.

It's really not bad as a tatting thread either! I tried tatting Mary Konior's "Curds & Whey" from Tatting with Visual Patterns. I had a terrible time with the pattern. It's charted beautifully, but I kept counting incorrectly and reversing my work at the wrong time. I literally retro-tatted each ring! After the last mistake, I just gave up and cut the thread. This thread was surprisingly easy to undo, and I think it held up very well considering all I put it through. I never felt like the thread was going to break, and although it did become fuzzy from unpicking the knots, I think it still looks pretty nice in the rings I finished. I then tatted a little clover... no unpicking necessary... so maybe you can click for a close-up and see how the thread held up.

I will definitely buy more of Brenda and Alyssa's thread. I love the feel of the thread and the color (which is definitely pastel in person... the colors show up much better in Brenda's Etsy shop), and it's packaged in neat little cakes that don't roll away!