Hanky

Hanky

     This was a lovely gift I received from my parents, a delicate hanky.  They found it, while visiting Colorado.  The hanky looks too pretty to leave in a drawer and too delicate to use.  So, I'm using it as a doily on my grandmother's armoire.  The little painting, I made for her, about 15 years ago and the yellow doily was one I found at an estate sale.

Thrift Store Find

Thrift Store Find

     A little pin with a bail on the back to wear as a necklace.  The tatting was done with Lizbeth, size 20, springtime.
 

Bird Nest Earrings

Bird Nest Earrings

      This was a special order, a friend wanted a beautiful stick pin made into a pair of earrings.  The pin was a gift from her mom, a souvenir from Australia.  I carefully separated the sections with a jewelers saw and smoothed the edges down with a rubber polishing point on a Dremel.  The tatting was done with two strands of sewing thread.  These remind me of a birds nest.

      Remember, for those who have ever needle tatted, the "Needle Tatting Forum"  is having a tatting exchange.  The last day for sign up is Friday, 31 January.

LWML

LWML

       LWML stands for Lutheran Women's Mission League.  Made 50 some, guardian angel pins for LWML Sunday.  This is a simple doodle, using Lizbeth, size 20, purple.

 

Polymer Doo-Dads

Polymer Doo-Dads

     Had a little extra polymer clay.  Made these with candy molds and drilled a hole on the corners to tat around.

 

Hematite

Hematite

    Decided to bling this pair of Tatsmithed earrings with a few beads.  They were tatted with two strands of gold sewing thread and are for sale on West Pine Creations.

 


 

Pink

Pink

    Another pair of Tatsmithed earrings, done with two strands of silver sewing thread.  These pink shell earrings for sale at West Pine Creations.
 

      

     My neighbor brought me over a late Christmas present....a "Little House on the Prairie" type doll.  She usually makes the dresses with vintage pillow cases, but lately started making dresses out of material. 

Blue

Blue

 
     No...not my mood.  These gorgeous Tatsmithed earrings.  These were tatted with two strands of silver sewing thread, around blue cats-eyes.

     For you needle tatters out there, the Needle Tatting Forum is having a Spring Tatting Exchange.

 

Flowery Cross

Flowery Cross

      This pattern is one of my favorites!!  The pattern was from Roger at "Needle Tatting" and was tatted with size 30 crochet thread.  This was a gift for a little girl.  A friend had given her a little pink Bible.

 

Special Order....Opals

Special Order....Opals

     This was a special order...small Spencer (Idaho opals) opal earrings.  They came out so pretty, may need to make myself a pair.

 

Calender & TIAS

Calender and TIAS

      This is a wonderful calender I won from Northern Lights Lace Makers, in Canada.  The calender has pictures of bobbin lace and tatting pictures...here are a few pictures:

 

My day 5 progress of Jan'es TIAS:

Dragonfly Earrings

Dragonfly Earrings

     Someone was asking for dragonfly earrings, so quickly threw it together.  They were made with Lizbeth, size 40 thread.  They were so simple, I'm sure there is a pattern similar to it.

Gold Tips

Gold Tips

     Last angel made with size 20 thread with two strand of gold sewing thread on the tips.  Like this one the best.

 

Colorless Crystal

Colorless Crystal

     Another angel tatted in size 20 thread, with a colorless crystal and a gold, wire halo.  These little darlings made great gifts and are fast to make.

Crystal Angel

Crystal Angel

     This little darling pattern was from Crysta Burr, "Crystal Angel with Tatted Wings."  The angel was tatted with size 20 crochet thread.  She looks wonderful on my little Christmas tree.  The halo was made with gold, glitter fabric paint.

 

Chinese, Japanese Book

Chinese, Japanese Book

     This was a book I found on ebay for less than the book, pictured on the cover.  The book is in Chinese but all diagrammed well.  The book consist of three "Tatting Lace" books by Sumi Fujishige.

The bookmark was just a doodle...trying to use up the size 3 thread on one of my shuttles. 

Seagreen Corner Bookmark

Seagreen Corner Bookmark

     Finally tatted one of these bookmarks for myself.  This one was done with size 10 crochet thread with a gold filament.

 

Corner Bookmark

Corner Bookmark

     This is one of my favorite patterns by Nina Libin. This was done for a tatting exchange through the Needle Tatting Forum.  The tatting was done with a shuttle, using size 10 crochet thread with a gold filament.  

 

 

Embellishments (Last Part)

Turquoise Pendent (Part 3 of 3)

      This is the final piece.  I used a size 16 crochet hook for the beads, size 14 for the picot joins.  Since I didn't start out with any picots, I used a stiff needle to slightly raise a picot between the desired DS. 

      Most of the rings were 3-3 and the most of the chains were 4-4.  This piece looks great with two rows.  You could also make a third row.  Usually, I'll make the second row consisting of chains, first then the third row.  Thumb through my previous post to get an idea, on how to proceed with your doo-dad.  There is no written pattern for most doo-dads, which makes them so unique.

Once you are done tatting, block and stiffen you piece.  I use hairspray (probably another no-no).  It was always the old stand-by for drawings when Fixative wasn't in the budget.  Next add your jump ring.  I always add a small dab of fingernail polish where the ends of the jump ring meets to prevent fraying on the tatted part.  

Another note:  I don't like to add jump rings to picots!!  I want my piece sturdy and a picot is a single strand on string...won't wear long.  I prefer a sturdy tatted ring or chain to add my jump ring to.  A good number of DS, in a ring is 12 DS.

      Good luck and have fun!!  Remember, I'm here to help...don't be afraid to ask.  Hope to see all of your embellishments on your blogs.

Embellishments (Part 2)

Turquoise Pendent (Part 2 of 3)

 One of my high school art teachers made us draw out three designs for every project.  She would choose which one would challenge us most.  

Start out by drawing around your "cleaned-up" doo-dad.  Look at the designs and colors in the doo-dad.  This doo-dad has scrolls, turquoise and silver for color.

I like to incorporate the doo-dad into tatting.  I'm using Lizbeth, size 40, Ocean Teal Dk; silver, glass seed beads, and part of the scroll design from the doo-dad. 

 

     

Now you are ready for the base layer.  I want my pieces sturdy, so I rarely do any fancy tatting in this step.  If you tat tight or a beginner, you may want to make a picot every two or three DS.  

Tat around your piece connecting when ever you can (don't connect, if it will cover your doo-dads pattern.)  When I connect, I use the Catherine Wheel stitch.  As you can see from the picture, I don't have any picots.  I make my picot-joins very small and I don't tat extremely tight.  This allows me to insert a needle, between the DS and raise an very,very,  small picot.  I'm sure this is a HUGE NO, NO.  But it works for me!!

 

 

Embelishments

Turquoise Pendent (Part 1 of 3)

      I'm continually asked, how I go about designating and tatting around old jewelry.  I'll repost this section, in hopes it will give you some insight.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  If you have a special piece of jewelry, I'll help you design something special.  I will not design it, but will help you think it through.  This is how I go about designing and making a pendent around a doo-dad.

 

 Find a piece of old jewelry.  This was a single earring.

 

 These are the tools I use:  dikes, dremel bits (grinding stone, diamond grinding bit, rubber polishing point, and polishing brush...don't need the last bit); and a dremel.

 

Using your dikes, remove any appendages that would interfere with your tatted design. 

Use the grinding stone bit to remove most of the leftover appendages.  Next, use the diamond bit to bring the appendages down, level with the surface of the doo-dad.  Finally, use the rubber polishing point to smooth the surface down.  NOTE:  When using a dremel, hold it in your left hand, if possible.  This way, causes the dust to fall towards the floor and not your face.  Also, wear safety glasses. 

NOTE:  A metal file and 800 grit can be used instead of dremel bits.

Carefully clean you finished doo-dad.  I like to run the soft, rubber polishing brush over the piece to give it a shine.  A soft, damp clothe will also work.  

Finally, check the stones.  Replace missing or loose stones.  Use 5-minute Epoxy for glued in stones.  Make sure the packaging said "colorless" for the dried color.  Otherwise, the glue may dry yellow.  Use the outside edge of your dikes to gently push prongs back in place.

      Jane is doing her "Tat It And See".  Here is my day 1 with variegated crochet thread.  Lottie made me the beautiful green shuttle, using removable Tattoos.

TIAS 2014

TIAS 2014

     Jane, is starting her TIAS, for 2014, TOMORROW!!!!!!  See her site and get your two tatting shuttle loaded for tomorrow!!

Sparkly

Sparkly

     Can't remember where I found this little pin.  It was tatted with Lizbeth, size 20, blue river glades (one of my favorite colors).
 

For Sale on West Pine Creations.

Gold

Gold

     This pin, I found two years ago at an antique show.  The tatting was done with two strands of sewing thread.

For sale on West Pine Creations.

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

     This is another pin, I found at an antique show.  The tatting was done with Lizbeth, size 20, azelea.