GreyTatter

ICON - Institute of Conservation - How to care for...

2007-11-05T11:04:00.000-05:00

ICON - Institute of Conservation - How to care for...

New Emma Pic!

2007-07-31T16:19:00.001-04:00

Isn't she just beautiful!

And we're now a certified Therapy Dog Team, and she is an AKA Canine Good Citizen.

Yeah, Rah Emma!

Twelfh Motif

2007-05-09T16:33:00.000-04:00

These are from a Snowgoose publication, done with two strands of Sulky thread. I did these as a Holiday present, and have finally gotten round to posting the picture. If anyone is curious as to the threads, please leave a comment, and I'll go scrounge in my stash and find them and let you all know.

The Eleventh Motif

2007-04-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

It's the Viola Heart by Sue Hanson
Published in the Tatting Calendar

Sent to my sister, who plays the viola, and she's keeping it in her viola case.

Size 20 Flora, for those that want to know! :-)

Emma on the couch, again!

2007-02-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

Knitting!

2007-02-28T16:54:00.000-05:00

As if I did not have enough to do with my hands, I've taken up knitting

I've now made 3 of these bags, about the size of a credit card. But being garter stitch, they'll stretch.

I've also made two hats, and am halfway thru a shawl for a friend.

It's something to do with my hands, and does not take the attention that tatting does.

Maybe I need a 'greyknitter' site!

The Tenth Motif

2007-02-28T16:43:00.000-05:00

A pair of Peacock Hearts

The large one is done in a 20 Flora, and went to India as part of the 2007 Heart Exchange

The small one is done in a Coats Machine Quilting thread, and went to London, to see the Queen

[Update] - The Coats thread came from a local Wal-Mart, in their fabric section. The Tattinggoddess list was talking about this thread several months ago, and of course, I had to try it. There are other colors available, and the thread should be available in other stores that carry Coats thread.

Ninth Motif

2007-02-28T16:40:00.000-05:00

It's the Heartfelt Heart, by Karey Solomon

I did this one for the Heart Exchange 2007

Housewifes

2007-02-02T15:20:00.000-05:00

I was intrigued by the idea of housewifes a/k/a hussifs, as mentioned last year on various tatting lists. The quilt store downtown had a sale [beware!] and I went.
Oh, the fabrics, and the colors, and the large % off of holiday fabrics.

As you can tell, I went slightly overboard. I made 3 more in addition to what is pictured. One went to the Fort Wayne Tatting Guild holiday exchange, and two went to the other officers in the Guild.
The purple one is headed overseas - tho I would like to keep it, [the person it's going to really really needs it - more than I do!]
[UPDATE] And I've heard from her, and she loves it! especially the feel, as it is a brushed almost flannel like cloth
BUT, the quilt shop has had another sale, and I have more fabric. To make others!

[Update]The poinsettia one was the luck of the cloth, so to speak. I had gotten the fabric in a 'grab bag' at the quilt shop, and there was enough to lay out the housewife so that the flowers and petals just 'bloomed' in position. The striped piece that is the back of the front pocket also came from this grab bag, already pieced.
I did buy more of the poinsettia cloth, to make one, maybe two more housewifes for the 2007 holiday season.

And the reason for lots of ribbon to tie them shut? In case the recipient wants some ribbon to tie to the end of a picot gauge - they have the ribbon that matches - Smart, huh?

[Update 2] What's a housewife for? - stuff - pattern, thread, shuttles, tape, needles, pen, highlighter, paper, whatever is needed to accompany a tatting project, so that it's portable, accessible in a purse or carry-on, or briefcase.

The Eighth Motif

2007-02-02T15:00:00.000-05:00

This is Ruth Perry's Celtic Snowflake 2006. I tatted it a number of times, and this one went to my Tattinggoddess Secret Santa exchange person.

It's pictured on the housewife that I made for her.

Another view of Emma

2007-02-02T14:56:00.000-05:00

Told you, not a happy dog.

Tried to clicker train her to look left, and look right. Those she got.

The up and down looks - she did not get.

I had planned on then working on "Yes" and "No", but she got her collar off before then.

Thanksgiving

2007-02-02T14:50:00.000-05:00

Emma got spayed Tuesday before Thanksgiving - and she had to have a tuck - which meant she had to wear a collar. For ten very long, very entertainingly depressing days.

The collar prevented her from access to her stitches. She moped, and you can tell from her expression, that this is not a happy dog.

Poor Emma.

The Seventh Motif

2006-11-17T15:59:00.000-05:00

It's a Baby Boo Pumpkin! that I grew in my garden - seeds came from KMart. It's a small pumpkin, about the size of an apple, or small orange.

Oh, you want to know about the tatting, right? Cotton perle, with orange beads. It's Wally Sosa's September tatalong project, with seven repeats of the clover, instead of 8. I didn't attach it to the pumpkin, just laid the tatting on top, so I can remove the tatting, and use it again next year.

The Sixth Motif

2006-11-03T15:50:00.001-05:00

A new motif - If a bookmark can be called a motive.

This is a Bina Madden design, available at http://www.paradisetreasures.com/sabms.html

And I learned how to do a Self Closing Mock Ring! Actually, 12 of them in the entire bookmark.

I know you'll all curious as to why - and why the matching angel.

Well, I'm going to be a grandmother for the first time in April 2007, and I wanted to tat something for my DDIL for her pregnancy book and then for the baby book. And since we all won't know the sex until the babe makes it's appearance, a multi colored Flora 20 was called for. The angels [there are 6 of them - just not all pictured] are for the to be parents and grandparents to carry to keep mother and child safe and healthy.

More of Martha Ess's Designs

2006-11-03T15:35:00.001-05:00

If I'm going to hold to the 25 motifs by 25 designers, I can't count these - alas.

It's the swan from the Critters book [if you don't already have this book, it's a must have! Reasonably priced, lots of cute animals in block tatting, good for babies, or little boys, or those that just like animals]

And the Angel is one of the free patterns on her web site.

The Fort Wayne Tatter's Guild does two wreaths a year for the Botanical Gardens Christmas Wreath display / sale. This year one will be tatted snowflakes and the other will be angels. Thus the angel
It's a silent auction, and each wreath will go for upwards of $70.

And the best part - I finally did a split chain! Yeah, Rah!

The fall gardens

2006-10-19T16:27:00.000-04:00

This is the garden bed on the east side of the house. Also known as the hosta bed - There must be 15 different types of hostas.

And there are toad lilies! They are the small purple flowers in the picture on the left.

As you can see, the leaves are piling up. Oh, well. I can either tat and train Emma the wonder dog, or do yard work.

Chickens

2006-10-19T16:24:00.000-04:00

I know, I promised chickens.
[See above tag line]

Here are some of the girls. All females, great eggs. They are so different. And they have personalities - some are shyer, some friendlier.

And they talk, and chatter, and loudly announce their egg production.

Emma at 6 months!

2006-10-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, I know

She's so darn cute!

Look at that smile. Just a wonder dog.

What I got for 50 Cents

2006-10-12T16:37:00.000-04:00

At a church rummage sale

Better than Ebay - Instant gratification!

There were two more balls of the size 70/80 - but they shattered into tiny pieces, and the little bit of tatting is also shattering. Little rings and chain pieces in the bottom of the ziploc bag.

The Fifth Motif

2006-10-12T16:26:00.000-04:00

A Snowflake!

It's Winter Rose from Teeny Tatted Snowflakes by Samantha Melnychuk

Her website is at
http://www.geocities.com/sugar_lips_girl/home.html

It's not been updated for two years, so take caution.

I bought my copy of the book from ZigZag Corner, and it has some very nice snowflakes.

Emma, again!

2006-10-06T16:15:00.000-04:00

It's Emma, on the couch!

I finally have a dog that will sit on the couch next to me - Yeah, rah!

We're in Dog 2 class now, with Canine Companions in Huntington, Indiana - a great group of trainers.

My goal with Emma is a Therapy Dog, she's got the personality for it. Especially the Paws to Read program at the local library - something dear to this librarian's heart

The Fourth Motif

2006-10-06T15:52:00.000-04:00

This is Rigel, the key from Contemporary Tatting : New Designs from an Old Art by Judith Conners, ISBN 0-684-04278-9. It's a wonderful book, great designs, and a great section in front where she has defined and diagrammed techniques. The section on split chain is a nice one, and it's tempting me to learn how to do it, finally.
There's lots that I want to add to my tat to do list!

Yes, it's the same thread as two of the other motives - That's what happens sometimes when you like a color, and put too much thread on shuttles :-)

The 3.5th motif

2006-10-03T16:08:00.000-04:00

It's not really a full size motif - but I had extra thread on my shuttle from the floral, and I turned to Tatting Collage by Linday Rogers. ISBN 1-86108-020-4, and found this cheerful pattern.

They are for cards, with tatting applied to them, thus the slightly unfinished look.

The Third Motif

2006-09-25T16:33:00.000-04:00

This is from Martha Ess - New Critters on the Block

It's a charming little book, full of little block tatted animals - I have to do more of them, especially the flamingo. I had a request for this one from my partner who 'needed' it for her truck.

Since she usually despairs when I drag out my tatting, and show her some new technique, or tatted piece, I thought I'd do this for her first.

You can order the book from Martha at her website. http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=318278&ck=

The Second Motif

2006-09-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

Okay, I had this lovely Flora 50, that I just had to use - You know how it is - the color and the mood coincide.

And I was looking thru 24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Bjorn {Published by Akacia, ISBN 87-7847-052-8} and saw Third Day of December.

This is the center of that snowflake. Cool, huh?

The finished piece is a little over an inch in diameter, and looks quite nice pinned to a collar or lapel.

I'm now wondering about using beads in the motif, and other possibilities!

Stay Tuned. Same tat channel, some tat time :-)

I promised dogs, right?

2006-09-21T16:09:00.000-04:00

This is Emma, my 5 month old yellow lab. We share morning bananas. I eat mine with my cereal, she eats hers plain.

Doesn't she wear her sticker with pride?

I do have several motifs to post - tomorrow

25 Motif Challenge

2006-09-08T16:49:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm going to do it. The 25 motifs in a year - shouldn't be too hard, right? And I have the first two done :-)

My plan is to do 25 different designs, by 25 different tatting designers. And put a link to their websites on this blog, so you'll know where to find them, or more information about that person.

The website for the challenge is http://25motifchallenge.blogspot.com/

And this is my first Motif!

It's from http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2005/gerdabfly.html
A Schraf type leaf. I've done 3 now, two for the white rose, and then this one. All three look different, with this one being closest to the pattern as diagramed. It's really easy to get lost in that pattern.

I promise, the next motif will be one I haven't done before!

The Tatted Rose

2006-09-08T16:44:00.000-04:00

This is the rose that I've tatted for my sister.

It's the same pattern as the white rose, on the red hat, picture below.

Back to the Blog!

2006-08-28T16:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's been months. And this blog has set languid, riding the interent tubes, waiting for inspiration

I did the trimming for this hat in April. It's a Mary Konior rose, from her Tatting with Visual Patterns book. I've got the hat at work, sitting on my credenza. It's a nice reminder that there is life after 5 doing creative things.

I need to finish blocking the one that I'm doing for my sister, and post that one tomorrow.

All for now - Tho I should tell you about the puppy!
Another post, another time.

What I've been doing

2006-02-01T15:52:00.000-05:00

Other than learning how to blog?

I've been pearl tatting, with beads, making bracelets.

I've finished my heart for my Secret Valentine on tattinggoddess. I'd like to post a picture, but until she gets it, it has to be a secret.

I had some help from Sue H in deciphering the pattern - Thank you Sue!

And with every exchange, I try to learn and do something new. For this exchange, I learned to tat with embroidery thread, and how to split it with out help from the cats.

My First Post

2006-02-01T15:43:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's a blog.
Okay, it's mine.

Okay, the topics of discussion will be tatting
and chickens
and whatever else I can think of