Stitching by Sharon

Single Shuttle Split Rings

2011-10-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

Has it really been over a month since I posted??? Where is all of my time going? I have been tatting. I just have not been scanning or photographing. Monday night in the online class we worked on Anne Bruvold's Nettie the Newt. Nettie required me to master the techniques of Loop Tatted Rings and Single Shuttle Split Rings. I wasted a bit of thread, and said a few bad words, but I finally got the hang of both. After breaking size 20 thread a couple of times, I practiced with size 10, then made Nettie in size 10 Cebelia. I started with some 20 that was left on a shuttle, and ran out before I got to the back legs. Then I found another partial filled shuttle of green size 20 and got most of the way down the tail before I ran out of thread.

Another Snowflake

2011-09-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've really gotten into the Winter Wonderland theme for Tat Days.

This gorgeous flake is called Kencana. My favorite type of pattern, done in one pass.

It's from Jon's latest book. Elegant Tatting Gems.

Learning and Teaching

2011-08-31T21:14:00.000-07:00

Patmetto Tat days is less than a month away. I was already excited about heading south and visiting with my tatting friends. I carefully chose my classes, talked hubby into coming along (assured him he would not have to learn to tat, or play golf) and sent in my check. Then I got an email from Joanie asking if I'd be a teaching assistant. What an honor. I agreed to assist in Sharren Morgan's Choose Your Own Snowflake Class. Joanie sent me the pattern (teaching assistant must work the pattern ahead of time) and email's have been zipping back and forth between Sharren and I .First time through I made a few mistakes, started again, and again, and finally realized that I was over-thinking the last few steps of the pattern. I'm proud to say my third time was a charm. I am happy to display this terrific pattern done in Lizbeth Easter Egg colorway.

Another Snowflake

2011-07-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

This lovely snowflake is the Wheel of Fortune snowflake pattern by Teri Dusenbury. This was a fun pattern to work once I figured out which shuttle made the chains. Just for fun I may make this one again in different thread sizes, or add some beads to the next one.

I can do it!

2011-06-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Size 20 has been my preferred thread size for most of the time I have been tatting. I like size 20, and have collected a nice size supply in various colors. Georgia recently asked for small motifs and edgings for a project for the Palmetto Tatters Scholorship fund. Smaller motifs mean smaller thread, so last night while listening to an audio book I challenged myself to tat RoseMarie Peel's Valentine Heart in size 20, 40 and 80 thread.

I did it! I did it. Size 80 thread. I tatted with size 80.

Doing the splits

2011-06-23T21:27:00.000-07:00

I've been busily practicing my split rings. I looked at this pattern for a while, but was a bit intimidated by all the split rings. I decided to give it a try, and now I have a new understanding and appreciation of split rings. Thanks Jane Eborall for sharing your Fandango bookmark pattern. First is Carribean on shuttle one and matching aqua on shuttle two. Underneath I used Turquoise twist on both shuttles. I had not been happy with how this colorway worked up in a previous pattern, but this thread is Beautiful in this bookmark. When Mom asked for a new bookmark. She didn't know that I had been playing with a new bookmark pattern. This lovely Island Breeze Fandango bookmark will soon be in an envelope heading to Mom's house. It was actually the first Fandango bookmark that I finished. I used the same thread on both shuttles.

Black Magic

2011-06-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

I love this bookmark pattern. It's from Mary Konior's tatting with visual patterns. the purple on the left is Flora and the one on the right is Lizbeth Carribean. Size 20 threads. My mother wanted a bookmark and chose the Carribean. Mom does a lot of reading, but managed to hold onto the bookmark for more than 6 months. Yesterday I got an email saying she had lost her bookmark. Somewhere between Texas and Virginia there is a hotel maid with a new colorful bookmark. I hope it will be treasured.

Small Snowflakes

2011-05-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

These lovely little flakes are from the Mini Tats book. I probably should have scanned a coin along with the snowflakes for size comparison. The flake on the right is perfect for when I have a partial shuttle full of white size 20. Wind a yard or so onto a second shuttle and away I go. The original pattern used one shuttle and the shoelace trick. I perfer to work it with switching shuttles instead.

Procrastinating

2011-05-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

I told myself that I would do more scanning and photographing and blogging about my tatting in 2011. Great plan, limited follow through. I have been doing lots of tatting, just not much finishing. I dislike working in those pesky thread tails. Just call me the Queen of Procrastination. I haven't posted in months. It's the first of May, and I'm down to the wire for getting my snowflakes in the mail for the Palmetto Quilt project. 7 flakes done, tails worked in, gave them a light pressing, scanned the new ones. Now to find the address, stick them in a padded envelope and drop them at the post office on my way home from work tomorrow.

This is the Onion ring snowflake that was taught by Kaye Judt at ZigZag Corner last fall.

Tatting and Beads

2010-12-23T21:18:00.000-08:00

I've been tatting and beading - at the same time of course. This lovely ornament is from a pattern and kit by Debbie Arnold. This was so much fun to make, that I ordered several more kits and extra dagger beads.

Dream Snowflake

2010-12-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is Anitra Stone's Tatted Dream Snowflake taught at Palmetto 2010. Pattern is available on the Palmetto CD. I struggled a bit in class. Chains change directions, rings facing in and out, reverse work, Don't reverse work etc. Now that I have had a few more months of tatting experience (practice) last night I worked this lovely design with very few "stop and think and pick out" moments. No rings that had to be re-opened, and no scissors till I was ready to finish the ending. The tatting Gods were smiling on me last night!

2010-12-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

More snowflakes. This is Snowflake 7 from Festive Snowflakes & Ornaments edited by Barbara Foster. Although this pattern called for Shuttle & Ball, I found it easier to work with 2 shuttles and avoid the shoelace trick before and after the center rings. Snowflake on the left is Yarnplayers snowflake colorway.

Angels in the snow

2010-12-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

I have had a wonderful time tatting Miranda's Angels in the snow pattern. This one looks sooo nice in variegated colors. The one on the left is Yarnplayer's snowflake colorway.

2010-12-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Tatted ornament cover. Lizbeth size 20 in Carribean. Iridescent beads. Pattern is from Be-stitched.

I have been such a slacker about photographing my tatting, and updating my blog.
Since I last posted, I went to Palmetto tat days, watched my nephew get married, went to ZigZag corner tat day, and tatted, and tatted some more.

I've probably done more than enough different items for the challenge, so as 2010 draws to a close, I'm going to stop procrastinating and start displaying my pretties.

2010-05-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

I read constantly, and I love having pretty bookmarks. This pattern is called Lacy Bookmark. I got a lot of practice with the picot guage doing these. I love all the pretty variegated colors available in Lizbeth Thread. This is #7 for the challenge.

2010-05-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

My blog has been neglected. I can hardly believe it's been almost four months since I posted. Between work and sleep and goats kidding, computer time has been limited. I have been tatting. Lots and lots of tatting. My block for the Palmetto project is in an envelope and ready to send. Several of these motifs were new to me.

Leaf braid and the blue flowers from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns

Threes Snowflake from Lady Tats

The trefoil edging is May from Rosemarie Peel

Bright yellow round motif is from Lynn Morton's 6th book "Easy Tatting"

I love this color

2010-01-21T23:26:00.000-08:00

Once again I have worked Mary Konior's Queen of Hearts, this time in Lizbeth 20 Carribean. I just love the colors. The colors speak to me, I bought some at HobbyLobby, and more at Palmetto, and and somehow I now have 3 balls of it. I really ought to make an inventory list before I order more thread. These don't count for "the Challenge" as I've done these before.

I've been making little butterflies to empty shuttles.

Thanks to Anke, the heart I posted about a few days ago has been identified.

It's the Tri-Heart by Susan Taliaferro.

Butterfly Hearts

2010-01-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

#2 for my 25 motif challenge.

The pattern for these lovely hearts came from a booklet by Karey Solomon.

I've joined the 25 motif challenge

2010-01-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

This is the first of 25 different tatted motifs for 2010. I have joined other tatters in challenging myself to reach this goal.

I have had some ISP issues this past month, the service guy was here yesterday and hopefully that is fixed for good.

I love this little heart motif. It is a fun design to work. A while back, I did a copy/paste on the pattern, have it in my files, but do not know the name of the designer. If anyone recognizes this design, please let me know so that I can give the designer credit.

2009-12-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

Queen of Hearts from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns

Thanks to help from my online tatting friends, I was able to complete this pattern. First I used size 10 thread. Manuela from my stash. I learned that this type design, with chains changing directions, is easier with 2 shuttles. After completing the design and having it actually look like a heart, I did it again in size 20 Lizbeth thread. I think the color is called Summer Fun. On the second effort, I made the joining picots smaller.

2009-12-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

This is my tatting helper. Miss Bookie thinks she needs to be in the middle of whatever I happen to be doing. She's a sweetie, but can also be a pest. By kitty's rule all shuttles need to be on the floor - as soon as I get up, she puts them there.

2009-11-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

As the Christmas holidays approach, I've been tatting snowflakes. Top left is Nancy Tracy's layered snowflake. Top right is from Patty Duff's Mini Tats. Lower right is the SCMR snowflake by Sally McGill.

Stitching By Sharon

2009-11-30T20:52:00.000-08:00

I am starting this blog to share my needlework. I've crocheted and knitted since grade school. A few years ago I learned to tat. Tatting is lace made with a shuttle and lots of knots. My preferred thread is size 20.