Tatting Fantasia by Iris Niebach

Did I say Tatted Doilies is my favorite Iris Niebach book? I may have lied! Tatting Fantasia is a fabulous book! Again, everything is clearly explained and diagrammed. This book includes three doilies, three hexagons, three squares, and three edgings. What more could a tatter ask for?

If the tatting pattern police do knock at my door, I may have to find a good hiding place for my Iris Niebach pattern books... maybe in my sewing room!

Focusing does pay!

I know I've mentioned before that I suffer from what my friend Denise calls "flights of fancy." Denise suffers from this malady as well, which is probably why we're such good friends! But, for the past two weeks I've done my best to stay focused on Stella Alpina, and that focused energy paid off! I'm so happy with the way this little doily (about 7 1/2") turned out! It's from Tatting Fantasia by Iris Niebach. I used Altin Basak size 50, color # 381. I loaded up four of my David Reed Smith shuttles, but only used three of them. Oh, darn! Now I'm going to have to find something to tat with that thread on the fourth shuttle! ; )

This one qualifies for my personal challenge!

Tatting "Stella Alpina"

I can't help myself. I am addicted to Iris Niebach's designs! I've started "Stella Alpina" from her book Tatting Fantasia. I'm using Altin Basak #3052.

I looked through several of my tatting books trying to decide which pattern to make for my personal challenge. I kept coming back to my Iris Niebach books. I am so tempted to change my challenge to tatting all the designs in one book!

A little bit of "Honesty"

It must be my Scottish blood... I just can't get rid of that little bit of thread left on the shuttle. So, I tatted a little bit of "Honesty" from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior, page 40, size 20 Flora.

The circular piece is "Posy" from page 93 of the same book, using the same thread. This one definitely has a right and wrong side because of a thread that carries across the back to join each section of the motif. I really like the effect with the variegated thread!

I've completed one full pattern repeat of "Stella alpina" from Iris Niebach's Tatting Fantasia. I've had Iris's book for quite a while, but felt intimidated because of the size of each piece. Arlene (see link on right side) has been a great inspiration to me, meaning that I looked at the patterns even more carefully than before... ha! ha! ha! Then I received an e-mail from Iris! She told me that she thought I could tat one of her pieces and that her first book had some simple doilies. So, a few nights ago, I pulled out the book, an already wound shuttle, and got to work. What can I say other than I love the way this pattern goes together! Now that I have one full pattern repeat finished, I'm really getting into a rhythm!