DVD now completed

My tuition DVD is now finished! Originally I had produced my tuition for beginners as a computer disc for PCs only, but now, thanks to my genious son, it is available on DVD.

This means that it can now be played on any computer or DVD player. So much better to be able to see it on decent sized TV screen and play, pause and rewind, as much as a new tatter needs!

My DVD not only shows the very basic beginnings but also shows how to join in a new thread without a knot, split rings, self closing mock rings and the dreaded split chain!

I haven't uploaded it onto my web site yet, but if you would like to purchase a copy please email me.

A New Venture!

I thought I would share with you my new venture. I have written a series - well 4 actually - of childrens stories. They are all about a family of field mice and are called "Field Mice Family Adventures"

The first book is called "Starting Out"

The second in the series is called "Moving On"

The next is "Mousetrap Mishaps!"

And the last that I have just finished is "Happy Holidays!"

I have printed out a copy of each one for my own record, but I have also produced them in PDF format.

If any of my regular readers have any children/grand children/nieces/nephews and would like a copy of the PDFs just email me and I will send them to you. The stories are aimed at 4 years old or so, to be read to, or 8 to 10 years old who can read for themselves.

I would appreciate any feedback on the stories so that I can see if they are good enough to approach a publisher. Not that I know any publishers - I suppose that is another project on its own! LOL

White Snowflakes

I've been doodling with white snowflakes, for no other reason than that it is almost Christmas!

Here are the results so far.

White Christmas Tree

This is the end result of decorating my white Christmas tree with the tatted ornaments that I have done recently - plus others that I had done in the past. My colour scheme is white/silver, red and green.

I'm really pleased with the finished look - although I can keep tatting more ornaments and just add them to the tree, I don't want to overdo it. Mind you, who can resist adding just one more dangly thing! LOL

Updated Web Site

This is just to let everyone know that I have updated my web site - getting rid of a lot of the gremlins!
Anyone who is familiar with my Tatting Specialities web site will notice that there are no free patterns on the site. Instead I have put a link from my web site to this blog, where there are all the links to the PDF files in my Free Patterns section on the right side bar.

Variations for the Christmas baubles

I thought you would all like to see the variations that I have done for my red Christmas baubles. My colour scheme is a White Xmas tree with fibre optic lights, decorated with the red baubles, that themselves are decorated with Christmas green tatting and some with silver beads.

My next project will be to tat some snowflakes, incorporating the red, green and silver colours.

60 years old today!

Today is my 60th birthday - I just can't believe it - where did the years go? I certainly don't feel anything like 60 - in fact, I think I shall simply just stay at 49! LOL

I have had so many phone calls and visitors today, that I have not had any time to tat! At this rate I shall start getting withdrawal symptoms. I think I shall just go and stroke a shuttle to calm me down!

Several friends and family members are all going to meet at a local posh pub for a meal, drinks and convivial chat this evening. It's a good excuse to dress up and have fun!

Bauble Design

In an earlier post I showed a new 8 pointed square motif. (Scroll down the page a little way.) I have adapted it into a 6 pointed star shape (which makes a very nice snowflake on its own) but then added a band of a double row of rings which fits tightly over the bauble. It fits so snugly that no further attaching is necessary.

I added silver sequins to this one, which doesn't show up very well on the photograph, but which sparkles prettily when the lights are on.

The next one (nearly completed) has silver beads in the centre of the two rings of each snowflake point.

This pattern reminds me of the Orb in our Crown Jewels! What do you think?

What an honour!

On Saturday I received the autumn edition of the Ring of Tatters newsletter, but didn't settle down to read it until this afternoon (Monday).

Imagine my surprise when I turned over the font page and saw my very own pattern - the stargazer lily - being used as the principle flowers in this lovely bride's bouquet; the bridesmaids' flowers; the little flower-girl's hair and also to decorate the wedding cake!

The article very kindly mentioned my name and I considered it an absolute honour that they used my pattern! The setting looks amazing and I hope the bride and groom had a wonderful day, indeed, I wish them a long and happy life together!

Pattern PDF for the Cross Bookmark

I have now put the PDF of the pattern for my Cross Bookmark into my free patterns section on the right side bar of my blog. It is an ideal pattern for beginners and I hope you enjoy trying it out!

And here is the link to the pattern PDF





A Thank You Gift

I'm well and truly back in the land of tatting!

I did not have surgery to my spine this time. I had, instead, an injection into the offending disc and vertabral joint. It worked very well indeed and my pain levels have reduced drastically! I am keeping everything crossed that this will last for a long time - if it does, I can just have it repeated - but if it doesn't, then it means that I will probably have to have the op!

The nurses and doctors were, as usual, wonderful and were dutifully thanked in the usual way, but my unsung heroine was Joan, who kept our ward immaculately clean and did everything she could to make my stay as comfortable as possible. As a special "thank you" to Joan I have designed this bookmark. She works tirelessly for her church and so thought that a bookmark in the shape of a cross would be just right.

This split ring version was my first attempt and although I liked the alternating colours I wasn't happy with the overall dimensions. I felt that the "arms" were not broad enough.

I opted for a very simple ring and chain design that met my own idea of the correct dimensions.

I used Lizbeth size 20 for the yellow/orange and purple/yellow ones and Lizbeth size 40 for the variagated one.

This is a close-up of the one I have decided to give to Joan.

This is such a basic design that it could well have already been achieved by another desgner. If you think that it is new, and you haven't seen it before, then I will write out the pattern and publish the PDF.

No activity for a while

As I shall be in hospital having surgery to my spine (9th one), I shall be away from my computer for a while. I expect it many be as much a 3 weeks, but you can be sure that I will post as soon as I can!

Tiara motifs

In a previous post I told you about our future daughter-in-law being diagnosed with breast cancer. Well, it was supposed to be good news, as there was no lymph involvement, and she would only have to have radiotherapy after the lump was removed. But it now turns out that she is HER2+, and for those who do not not understand what this means (which I didn't until recently) it is not good news! HER2+ means that she has the most agressive form of cancer and therefore will have to have the most aggressive form of treatment! Chemo, radiotherapy and Herceptin....the whole kit and kaboodle!

She had been growing her hair for the wedding, Sept 4 2010, but of course, will now loose all her hair. She had it cut short last week so that loosing it would not be so traumatic! It looks fantastic and she is so pleased, because by the time the wedding comes round her hair will have grown to this length at least. We have all assured her that we think it suits her better than when it was longer! And....hand on heart.....we all really mean this! It suits the shape of her face so well - it gives her that urchin look!

Now that I've got all that off my chest, the reason for the tiara motifs is this. I was always going to make DIL's tiara anyway, so I thought, to cheer her (and myself) up a bit I would make a start on the design. The pictures show my doodles so far. They are a long way from the finished article - I may not use anything I have done so far! LOL - but any feedback/comments/suggestions from my valued tatting friends and followers would be most welcome. My tentative idea is to make a larger motif for the centre, with smaller motifs on either side, and maybe even smaller again, petering out. I must mention that DIL is only small with a cute little face, so the whole thing has to be on the smaller side. When I get the final design right, I shall be using real crystals, so that it sparkles - it will also match in with the sparkles on her wedding dress. I have several shapes of crystal including faceted droppers. My personal favourite motif, so far, is the centre white one in the top row, but I also love to use clunies. Oh what a wonderful dilemma, I'm loving every moment of it, especially because of the reason that I am doing it! It was always going to be a pleasure, but now its magnitude is a thousand fold!

New tatting demo for absolute beginners

I have put a link in my video section, on the right side bar of my blog, to a demo which is a shortened version of my latest video. It is specifically for people wanting to learn how to do the double stitch with the shuttle, plus a little extra! The longer version can be obtained on computer disc, email me if you are interested.

Revised square motif

I wasn't exactly thrilled with the way the square motifs were joining together when I used the size 20 Lisbeth thread and so have adjusted the pattern slightly to make it lie properly. The picture on the left is the original and the one on the right is the new variation. Can you spot the difference? I'm sure you'll all agree with me that it looks a lot better!

Square Motif

I wanted to tat two square doilies for my bedside cabinets and so, instead of trawling through my pattern books, I thought I would design one.

This is what I have come up with, but knowing tatting, there is probably something out in tatland that is almost, if not exactly, the same.

I have used a split ring to climb out of the centre ring and also self closing mock rings as part of the design.

I would be greatful if any of my followers could tell me if they recognise this pattern as another designer's. If it isn't the same as anyone elses then I will write the pattern out for it and publish it as a freebie.

Thank you, in advance, for your help with my quest!

The Great Monday Giveaway from Sherry!

This is a wonderful oportunity that LadyShuttleMaker is giving the tatting community. Just visit her blog and leave a comment and you will be entered into her weekly prize draw! What could be simpler?

30th Birthday Card

My future daughter-in-law is 30th tomorrow (Sept 7th) and this is the card that I have done for her. She is very special to us and is going through a trying time at the moment. 3 days after her birthday she will be having surgery for breast cancer! We are very hopeful for a full recovery as there does not appear to be any lymph involvement, which was very encouraging news!

Rose leaves

I have now done a pattern for the rose leaves that I used for the bridal bouquet and there is a link to the PDF on the right of my blog in my Free Patterns section.

Here also is the link to the pattern.

Finished Bridal Bouquet

For all of you who have been waiting to see the final result of the Bridal Bouquet then here it is in all it's glory!

New Links to Free Patterns!

You will find that if you click on the links to my free patterns it will take you to Google Docs - the PDF files are much clearer there and you can either just print them off or download them to your computer!

HAPPY TATTING!

Test tatting

I have just finished writing out the pattern - with diagrams - of the new daffodil pattern that I designed for the bridal bouquet. Jeff Hamilton has kindly agreed to test tat it for me - he's a real sweetie. I asked Jeff because I knew that he had worked my 3D flower patterns in the past.

Bridal bouquet

Bekah's bridal bouquet is coming along. I thought you would all like to see what I have done so far.

I have still got lots of leaves to make but I think you can see the shape getting there!

Wedding card

This is the end result of the heart pattern I designed specially for this card. The wedding was last Sunday and so I can now show it to you all!

I am now in the process of doing another one which will have a slight variation as I don't like to give two of exactly the same thing. I like my gifts to be unique!

The quote from Friedrich Halm is an absolute favourite of mine and so appropriate for this type of card!

DVD coming soon!

I am in the process of producing a DVD on tatting for beginners. I posted two small demos on YouTube about beading and split rings and had so many requests for making a DVD for beginners - literally starting from scratch, like winding the shuttle - that I thought that I had better get on with it!

I had thought that there were quite a few instructional videos available that I didn't need to add to the list, but the amount of subscribers to my videos on YouTube and their assurance that they liked my way of instructing, led me to think, OK, lets do it!

If all goes to plan I should finish the DVD today and then I will try to make a little promotional video to post on my blog and on YouTube.

It will not be a professional video - I am doing it entirely on my own with my own video camera and computer software - but I think it will be classed as a good amateur one!

Another Version of the Star Attraction Doily

Sonja from Holland sent me this picture today of my Star Attraction doily that she has done in green and white. I think the colours are perfect together, don't you?

Back to tatting!

I promised to show some pictures of my latest daffodil design that I am making for Rebekah's bridal bouquet. There will be other flowers in the bouquet, but Bekah wanted the white daffodil to be predominant.

I am really enjoying the wedding themes that I have got running at the moment. I'm a real sucker for romance! LOL!!!

Some time ago I designed a new heart to decorate a couple of wedding cards that I need to do. I have now made the hearts intertwined in fine perle size 12 and encased them in a heart-shaped edging. The picture shows how they will be assembled on the card. When the card is completed - with the famous quotation of Friedrich Halm - I will post a picture.

Wedding cake all finished!

The finsihed article!

Now I can relax until a couple of days before the wedding when I shall make the sponge cake for those who do not like fruit cake. Mind you! I have had people come up to me and say that they didn't like fruit cake, but they loved mine! Maybe it had something to do with the amount of alcohol I put in it ;-) !!! Fancy not liking rich fruit cake!

A little preview!

I thought you would all like to see the flower arrangements that I have done ready for my next cake which is for August 2nd. This wedding cake is going to be for my son's best friend, Adam and his lovely fiance, Lauren.
Today I marzipanned the three rich fruit tiers ready for icing tomorrow. I can't wait to see it finished! When I have a picture in my mind of what I want to do and what the bride wants it to look like I'm always relieved to see the finished article - it doesn't always look like I expect! LOL! But this one is going to be just right!

4th July Wedding Cake

Remeber the hibiscus sugar flowers I posted about last April? Well here they are on the cake they were made for.

I couldn't finish the cake until today because one of the tiers is made of sponge! I don't usually make one of the tiers in sponge because of the time limitations. My usual method is to make all of the tiers as rich fruit cakes that keep for months, even years so that I can decorate them well in advance. I then make a quick sponge cake, decorated with plain icing that can be kept in the kitchen of the venue and then cut for any guests who do not like fruit cake.

The reason I do this is that, being as I am only one on my own doing someone's very special wedding cake and relying on me to deliver, I like to be done well in advance in case of accidents or illness (you never know what is around the corner!). Big bakery companies have more than one deocrator they can call on! But on this occassion, the customer is one of long standing and extremely valued so I broke my own rules! LOL. Mind you, I breathed a great sigh of relief about an hour ago when I had finally completely finished! Phew!!!

21st birthday cake!

My brief for this cake was:
A 2-seater settee on which are:
A boy with light hair and glasses which a small black laptop on his knees;
A girl with long brown hair with a larger orange laptop on her knees;
A plaque with "happy 21st birthday Carly"


Here is what I came up with!

Prize Shuttle!

Here it is then!

I won!

I decided to enter the Ring Of Tatters 2009 competition as the theme was to decorate a card and as you all know, that was right up my street! After sending in my entry I promptly forgot all about it!

Well I had a lovely surprise in the post yesterday morning - I received notification that I had won one of the two prizes - and found a beautiful wooden shuttle in a little box!

Now that the competition is over I can let you all see the pictures of the card that I submitted.

Freesia

One of the requests I have received for a bulb flower pattern is for the freesia and so here it is in all it's glory!

Tulip - Edited Version

I decided that the yellow tulip was not really deep enough and so have edited the pattern to give an extra row of rings and chains on each petal.

This time I have done a two colour flower as tulips often have a very dark centre.

The centre chains are made with double double stitches to give extra support to the flower without having to wire the petals, as I did with my very first tulip pattern in my book From Petals To Pearls. This makes for a much easier way to assemble the finished flower!