30 November 2009

Now for something different.


While you've all been looking at the snowsettia motif I've been quietly (well, no, not quietly - I never do anything quietly!) working on other 'stuff'!!!

Since changing over to the mac all I've wanted to do is play with the new drawing program.  So one of my priorities was to look again at this pattern which has caused people a few heartaches!!!!

This was originally done for the Palmetto Tat Days in 2004 and proved a steep learning curve for those taking part.  The main problem was that I tried to fit too many 'things' into the second SR.  Since then time has moved on and dear brain cell number 3 has moved in!!!!

So I've now re-written this pattern (for the better, I hope!) and will shortly upload it to replace the original.  IF there's anybody daft enough to want the original then I will warn you that it will be gone soon!!!!

This has also proved yet again how tatting has progressed even over the few years since I first did this pattern.  New techniques certainly help!!! 

27 November 2009

The Finale


Just messing around the other day and decided I wanted to see all the motifs in their full glory!!!!

Here they are - warts and all!!!  I just flung them on the scanner in no particular way.

Two more task nows - to add invisible hangers and give them away!!!!

26 November 2009

Last two


First of all thank you to Gina at the Tattinggoddess blog.  I've 'stolen' your suggestion for a search bar and I love it.


You'll be pleased to know that these are the last two!!!  I'm SO bored with these now.


This pair are for special people.  My son in law and daughter.  


I mention him first as he usually 'nags' for the tatted decorations - bless him.


Tomorrow there will be something special to celebrate the end of this phase of my tatting life!!!!!



25 November 2009

Now for yellow and white


I never realised how much easier life would become with the new mac!!!  Yesterday I decided to list some Christmassy things in my Etsy shop.  This is a 'chore' that I'm not fond of as I've no patience with myself and how long things take to do!!  I decided to list 'one or two' things but landed up putting loads up there.

All the things listed are what I've made 'in between' new designs.  I tend to tat what I want on those occasions with no particular goal in mind!!!  Thus the house fills up with pretties that eventually have to find their way out of the door.  Hopefully a few will make it out over the next few weeks!!!

Still on the lighter colours and I'm almost done with the Christmas dangles now.

Next thing on the list?  Ah, you wait and see!!!!!




24 November 2009

Something more 'ladylike'!!!


You're not going to believe these two. 

These are in 'ladylike' colours.  Considering my usual choices you may well be surprised!!!

I scanned the second one with the lid of the scanner up - a fabulous tip that Teri Dusenbury gave me some time ago. 

That gal rocks - not only a fantastic tatter and a tat land treasure but also very clever with the computer too.  Thank you, Teri.

23 November 2009

Who would ever have thought?

Well I wouldn't have!!!  Purple and orange together?  No WAY.

BUT I think it works!!!  Nope, I don't think it works.  I know it does!!!!  Positive thinking, OG, positive thinking in yer old age!!!!
  

21 November 2009

Aunty Nelly


I had an Aunty Nelly when I was little and I was her favourite goddaughter.  She married later in life and she and Uncle Earnest never had children.

I used to stay with her for a few days at a time in Coventry (just after the war) and remember things like seeing the bombed Cathedral etc.  I was born in 1943 so was very young.  I digress.
When I was a teenager I remember visiting her in a new skirt.  One which I adored.  My mother made it for me and it was blue with a green print on it.  Aunty Nelly was appalled and quoted 'blue and green should never be seen'.  
All my life since then I've wondered about colour combinations and this pair is just to prove Aunty Nelly wrong!!!!!





20 November 2009

Does my?



"Does my bum look big in this"?  Sorry, couldn't resist that!!!  It should read "does my BANNER look big in this"?  Thanks to all again for suggestions and taking the time to even look at the ramblings and struggling of this OG!!!  


Seriously I had poor old brain cell number 3 working on the banner for a while yesterday but am not sure if it's any better!!!


Two completely different dangles today.  Both made a few weeks ago (and lost and found!!).


The first one is done in my favourite combination of really outrageous colours - bright pink and bright orange!!

The second is green (obviously!) and a variegated thread called 'jelly bean' which is one of the Lizbeth number 20 range.


19 November 2009

Pink and Blue

Thank you to all those who told me my banner is oversized on the top of the blog!!!  I'm going to work on it today but that's a bit difficult when it looks fine to me on three browsers and two computers!!!  Tell you what, I'll dig out and polish off brain cell number 3 and get him to give me a hand!!!!

Now for two using pink and blue.

Another and new breed of poinsettia, do you think?!?!?

18 November 2009

YIKES!!!!


Just messing around on my new toy the other day and this is what I came up with - a self portrait!!!

Just so as not to frighten people too much I left out my sticky out teeth!!!

Seriously - I'm really enjoying this new drawing software and can't leave it alone!!  I've got a new banner here on the blog and a new one on my Etsy store.  I know I should be drawing tatting diagrams but wanted to do something else and 'just for fun'.

More of my motifs coming sooooon.

17 November 2009

Another pair


Now I made these two a few weeks ago when I was still working on the pattern.

I really like this combo.  Least I do until the next pair I make!!!

Watch out tomorrow for a frightening post - something different!!



16 November 2009

The 'other one'!


No wine (well, only a small glass!) on Saturday so the other green/orange one got finished.  Slightly different orange which I found on a pair of shuttles which I'd obviously left lying around to use and then gone off and got another pair.  Oh to have a tidy mind!!!

I'll show them both side by side.  Sorry, running a day late on blogging!!


14 November 2009

More to show!


Don't go yawning now!!!  I know it's more of the same thing but I really have a lot to make and not much time to do them in!!!

Having said that - I will be blogging other stuff in between!!!!

I just LOVE playing with colours but really need to look at the 'not quite so bright' ones.  These cheer up the dull winter evenings so much. 

There should've been another to go with this one - one with an orange middle.  Something went wrong yesterday evening - something to do with a glass of red wine and being tired.  I fell asleep (as often happens) with shuttles in my hand!!!!  Hopefully you'll get to see the other one tomorrow!!!!


13 November 2009

Nicole's work


For those of  you who remember - below are pictures of the finished piece that Nicole designed and made with the black strips I did for her back earlier this year.

Unfortunately the strips don't show up very well on the photos as the base fabric is this rather gorgeous blue.  I'm sure it looked stunning.

Nicole not only designed this dress but made it too.  She just ran out of time over the tatting as she's a full time student.  What a splendid advert for tatting.  Maybe as she becomes famous as a fashion designer her love of our craft will show through in more of her work.

12 November 2009

Another of the giveaways.


I've been dying to try this pattern out with different colours so this time I've used an ancient and no longer available variegated Manuela thread on the one pair of shuttles.  The other pair have white on.

Not sure if I really like it but somebody suggested a pale blue and white so I may have a 'go' at that soon too. 

I counted up yesterday and found I need almost 20 giveaways this year.  My one son in law always 'nags' me for them so he's priority.  Shame his wife no longer tats!!!

11 November 2009

Question - when is a fairy NOT a fairy?


Answer - when it's either a snowman or a Santa!!!!


These were both made by Geraldine who said:


'Hi jane, just finished this little man it go's with my snowman. Yes feel free to blog . It's your pattern. Have made a copy of your e-mails and blog.'

Just for those who don't know - Geraldine has taken the flower fairy pattern and used it as a basis for these two little decorations.  Guess what I'll be making soon - when I've done another one or two of the Snowsettias!!!!

   

10 November 2009

More of the same but with news


Just thought I'd let you all know (and myself too!) that I've decided on which drawing programme I'm going to use on the mac.  I tested many.  Some free and others 'not so free'!!!

I didn't go for the high end ones as I knew I'd never need all the 'bells and whistles' either.  I actually finished up with EazyDraw which you can find here.  You can download a trial of it but it does limit you to what you can do.  I tested it out by deleting as I tested over the space of several days.  I then decided to go ahead and take the $20 option and will make a further payment for the full licence in a couple of months time.  Hopefully there will be 'pennies' in the bank by then!!!!

Now what I DO like about this package is the 'drawing a curve' tool.  I've found that I can get instant and very beautiful curves with this.  Apart from the learning curves of new technical words (for the same things as Serif) the whole thing is drop dead easy.  IF there's anybody out there in tat land who uses this package or who intends to try it then I'll happily exchange ideas and 'tricks'!!!

Below is a very quick drawing I did when I found out how to add little 'nodes' (well, that's what I call 'em!) to an already 'noded' line.  Took about five minutes!!!


9 November 2009

The end!


The last few centimetres.  This will soon be winging it's way to London.  Thank goodness the Postal strikes are now over!!!

Next project?  Well I've still to make my Secret Santa package up but have decided finally what I'm going to make!!! 

I'll also need to do lots more giveaways too. Watch this space for more fun on it's way!!!!

7 November 2009

The penultimate 'bit'!


Nearly there now with the random tatting!!

I've also put the new Snowsettia (thanks Carol for the name suggestion) up on my site.  The direct link is here .

Let me tell you a little bit about this pattern.  First of all it's a four shuttle pattern with a lot of alligator joins.  The two colours interweave over and around each other.  It looks a little complicated but it really isn't.   There's one VERY small split chain (which you can avoid!!!) and the rest consists mainly of split rings.  I hope I've written it down clearly enough for most people to follow!!

6 November 2009

A few more centimetres along the way


This is the 'story so far'!!

Another day, another few centimetres!!!

During the day I'm doing something I've been promising myself for ages.  I'm tidying up my computer.  The new mac, that is.

Over the years I've collected SO much on tatting that I've just flung into a folder called 'tatting stuff'.  I did start making sub folders some years ago and there are a lot of famous names who have folders on the mac!!!  Some contain test tatting I've done, some have patterns and others have pictures.  There's still a lot of stuff which needs filing though.

Also the search for a new drawing program continues.  I've got it narrowed down to a choice of one!!!  I'll fill you in on that when I've finally decided.  I've got a limited trial version at the moment and so far have found it to be as good as if not better than the one I was using on the PC!!!

5 November 2009

Another day, more progress

Before I start my daily talk to myself I must remember to tell myself (you, it, him, her, them, etc!!!!) that I listed some more bags in my Etsy shop yesterday.  Is there anybody out there who's interested?  Well, just in case, here's the link!!!!!

I have until the 4th December to get this back to Nicole so I don't feel under any stress at all.  It's going to be hard, very hard to get back to a pattern again!!!

The main problem with working  on this and which has to be 'checked' with a tape measure every half hour or so, is keeping within the .05 and 4.00 centimetre specification!!!  Having said that it does keep me out of mischief!!!

4 November 2009

Now that Halloween's over!!!


Before I bought the new mac I was working hard on a new pattern.  I haven't rushed things as I knew that all those who celebrate Halloween would maybe miss this post!!!  It's just a small motif but a little bit different, I think.  It's going to be my Christmas giveaway.

As it's quite a 'dense' piece it doesn't really need to be in a metal ring and stands up well 'as is'.  I MAY stiffen it but maybe I won't.  Dithering again, Jane!!!!

I'm still not quite finished with the destructions (whooops, mean instructions/pattern) but I'm hoping to be finished by the end of this week.  Then the only problem will be 'resolving' it all on the new 'toy'!!!!!

It will measure just 3" across when worked in a number 20 thread.  I've made quite a few of them so shortly you'll see lots of samples!!!

I've thought of giving this design a name.  Now, now, don't collapse in amazement!! I did think of calling it a poinsettia!!!  Not sure it's enough like one, though!!!

3 November 2009

Further along!!!


I'm now at 28 centimetres and Nicole needs 65.  Still enjoying the fact that I'm not writing it down as I go along like I usually do when designing.  I use a laptop for that which makes it a lot easier and more efficient to do 'on the hoof'.

Here is the latest part and the whole thing so far.  This will be the last time you'll see the piece in it's entirety as it won't fit on the scanner any longer!!!!

Did I tell you what it's going to be used for?  It's an 'insert/outsert' to go in a dress or skirt.  It will 'meander' between two pieces of fabric and over the fabric too.  Sounds quite a task to me.
 



2 November 2009

Fascinating stuff


This is a really seriously weird way to tat - with no pattern and no real 'direction' except a 'straightish' line!!!

I think I might have to take an evening 'off' soon as it's not as easy as it looks.  Making decisions about which way to go next and how to get there.  Sounds like my life in general and I try not to be forced to make those sorts of decisions EVER!!!

I just hope that Nicole is pleased with it.  In a strange sort of way I'm learning from doing it but I'm very, very glad I've got a few years tatting experience to use!!!  There's only been one 'tie and cut' so far as I'm trying to make it flow from one part to the other.

For those curious as to what Nicole is going to do with this - I believe she's inserting it between two seams in a garment.  I'll be able to show you the completed item when she's finished it - I hope.

1 November 2009

Something new!


As I've mentioned before (I think!) I'm currently working on a commissioned piece of work for the lass I did the black strips for. 

The task she's set me is to make a long piece of 'random' tatting.  No pattern at all.  This was rather daunting at first and I wondered if I'd be able to 'just tat'.  The specification was that it should be between 0.5 cm to 4.0 cm in width. 

Well I started off and this is what happened.  I ran it by her and she said it's exactly what she's looking for.

I'm using a number 80 thread which means it's going to take some time, I think.



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Happy Beaks

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