A better choice?

I tatted two more floral motifs in Juicy Watermelon, one of my favorite color combos! These motifs are a hair smaller than the solid color motifs, but I think they work well.

I'm thinking of tatting two more of each pair. Then I can mix and match!

How would you mix and match these motifs?

Lovin' Mary Konior!

Yup... I had the urge to tat another Spinning Wheel glass mat by Mary Konior! The Lizbeth "Juicy Watermelon" just kept calling my name and urging me to tat with it! What's a girl to do?

I did decide to expand my horizons and tat another design from Mary's fabulous Tatting with Visual Patterns. Call me silly, but I never had the urge to tat the little piece in Lizbeth "Caribbean" because of it's name... "Dress Trim." I didn't have a dress I wanted to trim, so there was no need to tat it!

The other night, I was taking a break from tatting, and I decided to read... yes, I said READ... some of Tatting with Visual Patterns. I was interested in Mary's information on designing with hexagons. Funny, I had never thought of this design as a hexagon until I read the information. Sometimes I can be so dense!

So now my next decision is... do I content myself with one motif and move on to another design? Or, should I tat some more and make a doily or a table scarf? I guess I'll just have to wait and see where inspiration takes me!

Starting the new year off right

I spent about an hour working on reorganizing my sewing room yesterday... what a mess! At the rate I'm going, I won't be finished until next January. I think I spend too much time reminiscing as I go through my stuff. Anyway, I was appalled at the number of works-in-progress that I have! (I think works-in-progress sounds more positive than UFOs.) So, last night I sat down and finished a WIP that's been sitting by my chair for a couple of weeks.

This is "Pretty Practical Tatted Bookmark" by Linda S Davies. I started this bookmark so that I could help answer a question at InTatters. I made a minor adjustment to suit my needs... I only tatted 15 rings on each side instead of 20. This is a very simple pattern, easy to follow, quick to tat. I used one of my decoupaged Sew Mate shuttles. If you're thinking of trying decoupage, I highly recommend using fabric... it doesn't wrinkle the way paper does, and the little bit of texture helps me hold on to my shuttle. Yes, I have been known to send my shuttles flying across the room! I've lost the tag to the thread. It's Lizbeth size 40, and I think it might be color #116. Luckily, my husband is 100% Italian, so I can tat with these colors year 'round and use the excuse that I'm thinking of his Italian heritage! ; )

Hot off the shuttles!

Here it is! I am thrilled with my second Primrose Path doily! I'm glad I paid attention to where the color change occurred when I started each motif. I think it makes a big difference. I would show it next to the first doily, but my friend Nancy asked me for a doily to hold an angel planter that was given to her as a get well gift. She's been ill since February, and I'm glad she asked me for one of my tatted doilies.


Dave noticed that I was having trouble finding a place to photograph my tatting, so he made this table for me. He got the idea from a table he saw at a floral shop. He helped cut a tree down at a friend's house last fall, and he spirited the wood pieces into the basement without my knowledge. I never go down to the basement any more, so he knew the project would remain a secret! He surprised me with it on Sunday. I'll have to practice taking pictures in different lighting, so I guess I'd better keep tatting!


I think this may be the perfect home for my newly finished doily. The colors go well with my little creamer from Tom Jones Pottery. Hmm... maybe I should have dusted first!

Pattern: Primrose Path from A Pattern Book of Tatting by Mary Konior
Thread: Lizbeth, size 20, color #117 & #684

Primrose Path Completed!

Well, it's complete except for proper blocking. I was so excited to finish this, that I performed a quick steam job and placed it on the scanner. I didn't even take time to place it neatly on the scanner bed. I just couldn't help myself!

I love everything about this doily... the pattern, the thread, the size. Now I'll have to complete the second one where I pay attention to the color changes. I have a few other projects I need to finish first, though.

Pattern: Primrose Path from A Pattern Book of Tatting by Mary Konior
Thread: Lizbeth, size 20, color #117 and #651
Finished size: 8"

Happy Tatting Day!

Oh, how I wish I could stay home and tat all day long! It is an early dismissal day, though, so I can't complain too much! I'm hoping that Carol will cook dinner or go for carry-out so that I can spend some quality tatting time today!


I"m slowly but surely making progress on my Primrose Path doily. Have I mentioned that I love this pattern? It's challenging enough that I don't fall asleep while working on it, but simple enough that I can work on it while I'm watching t.v. or listening to music. I love the colors I've chosen. This is my "trial" doily, where I haven't paid attention to where I started tatting the floral motifs with the variegated thread. When I get to that one, I'm thinking of using green for the second section, even though it's a lighter shade. Or, maybe I should stick with the blue. What do you think?


I was lucky enough to win a tatted bookmark from my friend Laura. Isn't it gorgeous? What I wasn't expecting was the bonus of two hankies and two bobbins! Thank you, Laura! How did you know I've been thinking about hanky edgings and bobbin lace?

More Primrose Path

I finally finished the second section of Primrose Path by Mary Konior. I was almost finished with this section when I realized I was short one section of chain on the first round! So, I cut out all the blue and re-tatted. I find tatting lots of chains to be pretty boring, so this took me longer than it should have. Anyway, I'm ready to start the last section, and I'm really liking the way the pattern goes together.

Primrose Path is from A Pattern Book of Tatting by Mary Konior. The thread is size 20 Lizbeth: inner section color #117, outer section color #651.

Tribute to Myra completed

I am very pleased with the way this little doily turned out. It's about 5 1/2" across. The threads are Lizbeth Country Grape dk. #682, Violet/Pink Med. #634, and Leaf Green Lt. #683. I did consider more rounds, but I think that the center motif would be completely lost if I added any more to it. I wanted the look of a bouquet of flowers with greenery, and I think that's what I have.

I did make two additions to the pattern indicating how and where to join the last pattern repeat. The changes are in italics. If you decide to try this, would you let me know? I'd love to see your interpretation! I'd also like to know if the pattern can be followed by someone other than me!

I think this is the perfect way to complete the 25 Motif Challenge!

My tribute to Myra...

I love Myra's little 5 petal motif, and I think it would make a lovely doily center. So, I sat down and started "designing" one! I give a lot of credit to Krystle... this edging is based on her interpretation of a Julia Sanders edging. I don't think I'd ever have come up with it on my own!

I have the directions written down for the first pattern repeat, and I'm ready to start the next repeat to see if I've written them correctly! As I'm working on this, I see changes I'd like to make already. I guess that means that if I like the way it looks when I'm finished, I'll be making more!

Marty, are you feeling brave? ; )

Tatting in purple

I knew when I tatted this motif the last time that the color changes were not right for showing off Myra Piper's design. So, here it is in purple! The dark thread is Lizbeth No. 682, Country Grape dk. The lighter thread is Lizbeth No. 634, Violet/Pink Med.

I think I need to tat this one in white and green now... it will look just like the Star Jasmine that Dave puts out in our yard every year!

This makes #24 for the 25 Motif Challenge!

Tatting with Myra again!

I believe this is the first square motif I've ever tatted! This is No. 11 from Tatting by Myra Piper, Lizbeth Turquoise Lt from Handy Hands. Some day I may get ambitious and try putting several together for a doily. This motif measures about 2 1/4" across in size 20 thread.

I can't believe I'm already up to #22 of the 25 Motif Challenge!

Back to tatting

No, I haven't given up tatting for bobbin lace. The two are cohabiting quite nicely, thank you! As you can see, I've been working on a larger project, Stella Alpina from Tatting Fantasia by Iris Niebach. I have a love/hate relationship with this doily... I love the pattern... I hate that I've never been able to get through it without making major mistakes! It's not Iris's fault... the directions are fine. I must get over-confident in my ability to follow patterns, and I make terrible mistakes that cannot be ignored! This time I had to cut out... yes, I said cut out... two sections because I counted rings and chains incorrectly! When I was visiting Eileen earlier in the week, I took along tatting samples, and their were two pieces of Stella Alpina that I gave up on last year.

If you look closely, you will see that there is one place where I forgot to join. Oh, well! I love the color. I love the pattern. I love that it's finished, except for blocking. This one will find a home in the tatting shuttle display case that my dad made for me. It's 8 1/2" from point to point, and I used Lizbeth Turqouise Lt. #662, size 20 from Handy Hands.

I think I'll go back to Myra Piper's book now and give my brain a rest! As for bobbin lace... I have another bookworm ready to go! I'm going to keep making those little creatures until I'm happy with the end result. That should give me enough for Christmas presents for family members. Do you think they'll be happy with receiving just a bookworm? Probably not, so I'll have to come up with some more ideas... there's nothing like planning ahead!

More tatting with Myra...

I couldn't help myself! Myra's patterns are like popcorn... I just can't stop! This is No. 2 Another "Hanky Edge" Snowflake from Tatting by Myra Piper. Can you tell what thread this is? Yup... Lizbeth Spring Green!

I took my Lacis bobbin lace kit out today and put all the pins in my little hedgehog pin cushion that I bought at the Lafayette Lacers Lace Days two years ago... I knew I'd find the perfect use for it! I read through the instruction sheet, but didn't get any further than reading. I have to choose fabric to cover the board, and I have too much fabric to choose from! I also spent time going through my new book, Bobbin Lace by Gilian Dye and Adrienne Thunder. It's a very inspirational book!

I almost forgot! This makes #17 for the 25 Motif Challenge!

Tatting with Myra Piper

I really wanted to justify my lace day purchases, so I set to work with my new book Tatting by Myra Piper. This is the first design in the book, described by Myra as "...my first tatted snowflake pattern, a revised edging which I made for handkerchiefs." This was a fun one to tat in Lizbeth Raspberry Pink Lt. #623. There are 47 designs in this book, and I think I might have to tat every single one... if they're all as easy to understand!

If you've been thinking of trying Lizbeth thread, I highly recommend it. The colors are gorgeous, and it's very smooth.

This is #16 for the 25 Motif Challenge.

A Tatter's Bookmark 2

Here it is... another bookmark! This one's adapted from tatted edge #2 from A Tatter's Workbook. It's in Lizbeth Spring Green, size 20. If I had made longer picots, this edging would be straight, but I didn't, and I ended up with this pretty little motif that just called to me, "Bookmark! I want to be a bookmark!" I can't imagine what I'll do with another bookmark, unless I use it to hold my pace in one of my tatting books... hmmm... what a novel idea! Pun intended! Sometimes I just crack myself up... she says, chuckling to herself, sitting all alone in her cold, dark living room, sipping her early morning coffee...

I think I'd better choose another pattern to tat quickly!

P.S. - This makes #15 for the 25 Motif Challenge!

A Tatter's Bookmark

This is an adaptation of the first pattern in A Tatter's Workbook by A. Tatter. I wanted something quick and easy to tat, and this fit the bill. It's in Lizbeth # 651 from Handy Hands. I'd sure like to come up with some clever banter, but tonight I'm just plain tuckered out! More later...

Beatrice - Spring Green

Have I told you that Beatrice is one of my favorite Iris Niebach patterns? I don't know how many of these I've made, but I never get tired of Beatrice. This one is in Lizbeth Spring Green from Handy Hands. There is one mistake where I forgot to join, but as my friend Shirlee would say... it's good enough for who it's for... me!

Maybe I should block it now...

Knitty Gritty Daffodil

I haven't been blogging much lately. I've just been too busy! I've had to make choices... do I blog, or do I tat? Guess what wins?

Didn't this turn out great? It's the Daffodil Doily from Learn to Tat by Janette Baker in size 20 Knitty Gritty from Yarnplayer (Marilee Rockley). I love this color combination! I followed my own corrections, and I think the doily turned out beautifully! I may play with the outside edging another time. The doily lies perfectly flat until the last round is tatted. I have some ideas for changing the edging slightly so that the doily doesn't require as much blocking.

I've been inspired by Bev and Marty to tat another Iris Niebach doily. Iris's designs are challenging, fun, and beautiful! Right now I'm working on Beatrice... I know... I've already made a few of these. What can I say? I love the pattern! I'm using Lizbeth Spring Green from Handy Hands. My replacement thread arrived Monday. I'm so glad Barbara was able to get the thread manufactured to her specifications. The new batch is fabulous! It has a beautiful sheen, nice hand, is very smooth, and most importantly, it is tats up very nicely. I know I'm only on my first ball, but if all the other colors I have are as nice as this one, I think anyone would be pleased with it.

Hedgerow

I couldn't get online earlier to get my T.I.A.S. directions, so I sat down with an edging that I started last night. "Hedgerow" is from Tatting in Lace by Mary Konior. The pattern calls for size 20 thread, and I have quite a bit of that, so I decided to get started. I really like the way it's turning out. This is one full pattern repeat in Handy Hands Lizbeth size 20, color #122. The pattern says it adapts to a curve, so I'm hoping to attach it to a circular blank that I purchased earlier this year. Now that I'm online, I think I'd better get my directions!

Design 7

This was a fun little design to tat. It's in the new Lizbeth thread from Handy Hands, size 20, color #680.

Christel Weidmann's book Tatting: 60 Original Lace Treasures has given me the mental break I needed. I'm starting to get back into the groove at school, so I think I can get back to something a little more challenging. I'm really feeling the pull of Eleonora, and I want to get back to the T.A.T. program. I'm sure Bonnie thinks I've forgotten all about it... I haven't forgotten, Bonnie! We'll see what I'm in the mood to work on tomorrow!