Red & White Display

OK, OK!! I know it has been AGES since my last post, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been tatting....it simply means that I have been tatting surprises that I cannot blog about. But at last I have been able to do something I CAN talk about. This little display is for my next-door neighbour, Sue, who is an absolute treasure to me. She bought the red thread from a car-boot sale for just a few pence...didn't even really know if it was suitable for tatting....but got it anyway. She just happened to drop on to Coates vintage thread (size 20) in perfect condition and who better to tat it up for than for Sue herself. She isn't the doily type of person but loves this sort of thing.

Making Sugarcrat Roses

Roses - completed

These are the three sizes of roses that I have decided on for my design of the cake. The only thing that I have to do to them is to dust them with shiny, ivory petal dust, but I won't do this until they are very dry and hard. Now then, back to the next 3 dozen roses! LOL.

I cannot do any more to the cake as it is far too soon. Although rich fruit cake keeps for years, the marzipan colour can leach into the icing if it is done too soon. I always use the natural marzipan instead of the yellow, which helps to minimise this leaching, but I won't take any chances!

Roses - next stage

In this picture I have put three different sizes of the roses, so that you can see how they develope. When I am happy with the size and shape......each rose seems to develope a character all of its own - rarely are two exactly the same.....I finish them off with a green calyx and seed pod. I will post a picture to show the finished flowers.

Wedding Cake Roses

I have not done any tatting for a while now for two main reasons.

One: I have had to travel long distances to see a professor about my back problem and:

Two: I am now in the throws of making my son's wedding cake flowers. The rich fruit cake is already made and maturing nicely. I made it with a half bottle of brandy in the mix, so it should be well matured by the time the wedding comes along in September!

Charlie's bouquet is going to be roses and so she wants roses on the cake.

I start with making a teardrop shaped bud on a wire (as you can see in the first picture). I made 6 dozen centre buds! I then add each petal individually. So far I have done 3 dozen with 4 petals each. Some will stay as tight buds, the others will grow into larger flowers the more petals I put on them, and also increasing the petal size.

I will post more pictures as they develope.

Tatted Rose PDF

I have made my rose pattern (from Summer Collection of Tatted Flowers) into a PDF file as I have had several requests for this pattern on it's own!

If you are on HBT, The Ring of Chatters, TechnicalTatting groups, you will find the PDF in their files section. If not email me and I will send you a copy. It may take a little time because when I offer free PDF's I tend to get inundated! LOL

I have now added a link to the PDF pattern.

Mother's Day Card

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday I thought you would all like to see the card that I have made for my Mum. I have decorated it with roses as her name is Rose and her favourite colour is red. I have also used the wired clunies I posted about previously!