Fame!

I feel famous! Meagan Morrow has posted a YouTube video on how to tat my Ice Drop pattern!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbEEr4Fy__Y&t=41s

She did a marvelous job, and she tats very much like I do. The only difference between our styles is that on the second side, Meagan folds the ring toward her and moves the ball thread to the back to avoid having to reverse work between rings and chains. I fold the ring away from me and move the ball thread to the front.

The only difference you will see is the orientation of the final ring. Meagan's video clearly shows what to do. I just prefer my way because the orientation of the final ring is more natural for me. I recommend that you try both ways and use the one that works best for you!

I'm still playing with sequins. I've found a method that works for me. Instead of stringing the sequins before winding the shuttle, I added the sequins as I tatted.

Just tat up to the point where you would add the picot. Lay the sequin on top of the thread. I used a size 12 crochet hook and pulled the picot loop up through the hole. Slide the shuttle through the loop and snug it up, just not too tightly. Tat the second half of the double stitch and then continue with the stitch count.

Using sequins does take me more time, but I like the look!

If you have any modifications that might work better, please let me know. I love learning from all of you!

Color explosion!

Island Breeze is quickly becoming one of my favorite colors!

Although it's been in my stash for a while, I think this is the first time I've used it. I can see so many possibilities for accent colors!

Adding sequins and a different colored ribbon give the thread a totally different look.

No I need to find a way to add the sequins so that they don't flop all over the place! Have any of you tatted with sequins?

Time to clean up

I've been enjoying tatting today, but it's time to start the Christmas clean-up. Once I start, Dave will be more inclined to take over and get it all done quickly! ;-)

I finished up an Ice Drop based on #32 in Patti Duff's Minitats.

I think the back is just as pretty as the front!

I started off my day with another Ice Drop.

I can't really tell you why I have this sudden affinity for pink!

After breakfast, I decided to play with sequins.

Daughters Carol and Joanne should really love this one. Carol's favorite color was always purple when she was little, and Joanne's was pink.

After lunch, I played with Jelly Beans... the thread!

It looks good enough to eat!

I also tried out another Norma Benporath edging, #4.

Playing with color

I do love my Ice Drops in white, but I'm determined to play with color!

This is size 20 Flora #62.

The more I tat with pink, the more I like it!

Here I used size 20 Lizbeth #112, Carousel.

I think the purple ribbon is perfect!

This one is in size 20 Lizbeth #124, Spring Garden.

I'm not sure I chose the right ribbon for this one, but I like it.

I worked some more with Heritage Patterns by Norma Benporath. This is Edging 3, a two shuttle pattern. The suggested size is 40, but since I'm just experimenting, I used the size 20 that was close by. I really like this one!

Back and forth

I did a little back and forth today... reading, tatting, reading, tatting... you get the idea.

I like to check my email first thing in the morning, and my friend Denise sent me a picture of her latest Ice Drop, adapted from Vida Sunderman's Tatted Snowflakes.  I know the book is still available from Handy Hands. I do own it, but it's somewhere very safe, and I can't find it right now!

I also spent time looking at the patterns in Heritage Patterns by Norma Benporath. This is Edging 2. My sample is in size 20 thread, mainly because that's what was next to my chair. I love the pattern, but the rings are too large for my liking in size 20. Some day soon, I'll probably try it in size 80 thread, which I think will be much more appealing. The recommend size is 50, but my size 50 is all the way upstairs!

I also spent time with Patti Duff's Minitats, looking for patterns that I thought would work with Ice Drops.

This is an adaptation of #5. I'm starting to grow fond of pink!

If you have a copy of this book, treasure it! It's no longer available.

This is an adaptation of #7 from Minitats.

I got myself into a bit of a muddle with the last join. I managed to get the picots caught in the ring, and the more I tried to fix it, the more tangled it got. Luckily, I remained calm and untangled my mess!

This one is an adaptation of #11 from Minitats. The gem is a bit smaller than the ones I've been using, a mere 1/2". So I reduced the number of rings to 5.

On the Patti Duff side, I also reduced the size of the small rings. I think I could have left them as written, though.

If you're on Facebook and have any interest in Ice Drops, we'd love to have you join us on the Ice Drop Addicts page. We truly are a group addicted to tatting these little ornaments!

Heritage Patterns by Norma Benporath

I really thought I'd spend time looking through tatting books today, but I spent the whole day working with just one, Heritage Patterns by Norma Benporath.

I love this little book! It was a present from Maureen in Australia several years ago. I'm not sure if it's still available or not.

My focus was on the first pattern in the book, Edging 1. I really struggled with this pattern! First, I didn't look at the pattern carefully, so I missed the daisy center for the five ring motif. Not a big deal, right? Since I was just experimenting, I just continued with the pattern and continued, successfully tatting the daisy center, or so I thought. After closing the ring, I read the instructions and realized I was not supposed to reverse my work before tatting the daisy center. Snip!

I started again, and everything seemed to be going fine, but I ran out of thread. Snip!

I rewound my shuttle and proceeded confidently! However, this does not look right at all! I'm sure I'll get back to this pattern and figure it out, but not today. If anyone has tried this pattern and can give me some hints, I'll be happy to try again!

I am not ready to give up on Ice Drops yet! I am having too much fun playing with colors and seeing how everything works together.

I will probably make these all year long!

Happy New Year!

What better way to start the new year than with tatting?

I hope you all have a happy and healthy 2017!