Tiddlywinks and mirrors

My friend Denise and I have been having great fun tatting Ice Drops and Lucky Pennies! I know that many others have been enjoying making them also, because of all the pictures and comments I see on Facebook.

One reason Denise and I have been tatting Lucky Pennies is that they fit easily into a card, and they're thin enough to not cause problems in mailing. The two of us have been buying all the different colors of glass gems we see, but the challenge has been finding shiny flat pieces. I'm happy to say I've been up to that challenge!

One idea I had was to use tiddlywinks. How I came up with that one is beyond me! I was able to find them on Amazon, and they're much less expensive than the bags of glass gems I found there. However, they're also very light. I think I prefer a little more weight to my ornaments.

Another problem I see is that the thread does not fit the disc as snugly as the glass gems. I think I'll check my stash to see if I have size 40 in a color that looks festive.

I also found little glass mirrors on Amazon. The size is right, but I do worry about mailing little mirrors! The edges were a little rough, and I had to carefully sand them down. I do have to figure out a way to keep from smudging the mirror once I've inserted it into the tatting.

When Denise and I went shopping the other day, I found this pretty ribbon with glittery silver accents. It doesn't show well in the picture, but it does add extra sparkle!

I'm not sure I like the pearls with the pennies, but I have to keep trying new ideas!

My last tat of the day was another glass gem. I do love the blue!

Getting ready for the deep freeze

We're expecting plunging temperatures next week, including two days with a high of 6º. So, it seems fitting that one of my new shuttles that arrived today looks like frost on the window!

Lucky Pennies, Shuttle by Rita Richmond of Shuttle by Design

Isn't it beautiful? This may be my new favorite! I guess this really was my lucky day! ;-)

Lots of luck

Two more Lucky Pennies are on my little silver tree! I think I need lots of luck. I have a booth at my first craft/vendor show in years this coming Saturday. I was asked to bring my Ice Drops, and I'm very flattered that I've been asked. However, I'm not so sure people will be willing to pay my price.

I'm approaching this whole deal with a cautious attitude. I have never done well at craft shows. Granted, I've only participated in a handful, but I've never done more than cover the cost of the booth. So, I hope these Lucky Pennies bring me lots of luck!

Although I'm set in the price for my Ice Drops and Lucky Pennies, I'd be interested in knowing... what would you charge/pay for handmade ornaments like these?

Will this madness never end?

What madness, you might ask...

...collecting tatting shuttles, I would answer. It's true. It's a madness, and I truly hope that shuttle makers will continue creating little works of art that I cannot resist. Above you see my newest shuttles from Rita Richmond of Shuttle by Design and Dave Stanbrough of Grizzly Mountain Arts. Could this be a new trend, collecting shuttles in groups of three?

I subbed in third grade today, and I attended Georgia Seitz's Online Tatting Class this evening. Still, I managed to finish two Lucky Pennies today!

I think I've found a stitch count I like. Follow the directions for the Ice Drop, but make some minor changes in the stitch count... On the back rings are 6-6, chains are 6-6. On the front, rings are 5-4-5, chains are 7. I've found that I greatly prefer 1/8" ribbon to 1/4" ribbon. There's nothing quite like shiny new pennies!

Getting ready for the cold

It's supposed to get colder this week, so it's the perfect time to work on Ice Drops!

The little bag of Swarovski crystals I found in my stash are being put to good use! I have no idea what size they are.

Some of my Facebook friends have commented that they can't find the glass gems. A little fiddling with the stitch count can help make these fit coins or decorative discs.

This is a bit snug. I think I'll add one more stitch next time. I can always shrink the thread by soaking the finished Ice Drop in hot water for about 15 minutes, as suggested by Marie of West Pine Creations. I tried it, and it worked well!

November tatting

I only completed four Spinning Wheel glass mats in November, but I'm still ahead of my goal of tatting one per week for 2016.

This is the one I should have finished last week. It's in size 80 Lizbeth #708, River Blue Med. No worries... I will finish it this week!

Yes, these are two more of Rita Richmond's shuttles (Shuttle by Design). I'm developing quite a collection of these little beauties!

I finished two more Lucky Pennies today, for a total of five in the month of November.

That reminds me... I also tatted 42 Ice Drops in November... not too shabby! ;-)

Lucky pennies

I meant to post last night, but once I got on my computer I forgot! Luckily, there is no time clock for blog posting!

Last week, Denise and I decided it would be fun to use Edda Guastalla's instructions to tat around pennies. Denise was able to find rolls of new 2016 pennies at the bank, and she got started right away. I stuck to my goal of finishing one Ice Drop for each branch of my little silver tree before starting on pennies.

Since Denise had done some experimenting, I knew that five rings were all that were needed to cover a penny, compared to the six rings needed to hold a glass gem. The size 20 thread pretty much covers up the penny. Denise suggested that size 40 might work better, and I agree. However, I am much too lazy to walk upstairs to go through my stash of size 40! ;-)

I decided to try reversing the back and front, which really only means that I reversed the side of the coin inside the tatting and attached the ribbon the opposite way.

I think it looks fine, but it hangs funny on the tree. I guess I need to play around with the ribbon some more!

Now I'm thinking that I need to finish a lucky penny for each branch of my silver tree!