#2 for 25 Motif Challenge - Flower Paperclips

My friend, Marty, asked me how long I'd been tatting, I told her since Sept. But once I started to think about it, I realized that was when I was placed on my teacher's waiting list for class. I checked my calendar and found my first lesson was on November 1, 2007.

That being said, this is Mary Smith's Flower Paperclip pattern that I found on the Internet shortly after I began tatting. I've given at least one to everyone who has shown an interest in my work. Of course I didn't take a picture of a single one before I gave them away, so yesterday when I realized I have no pictures to post this week, I "quickly" made up these two.

In the nature of using my HDT-s the one on the left is Sherry's size 20 "Spring Poppies" and the one on the right is Marilee's size 30 "Roses". (Now do you see why I am addicted to their HDT-s!!) I wanted you to see the original pattern which is the "Spring Poppies". However, in the "Roses" clip, I added the seed beads. I also altered the pattern to include an extra ring at the end which I then wove the other rings around. I'm sorry the extra ring doesn't show up very well in this picture but it does give it a little something extra in the middle.

I am going to count these as #2 of the 25 Motif Challenge.

Happy Tatting,


Bonnie

H.D.T.A.

With a sense of relief, I learned there is a name for my condition. It is H.D.T.A. (Hand Dyed Thread Addicts.) Cylde (AKA The Mad Tatter) explained the condition quite well in his Sat, Jan 19, 2008 and Sun, Jan 13, 2008 posts. I am totally addicted. I rush home from work every day to see what Marilee and Sherry may have listed on Etsy while I was at work. I'd hate to miss out on anything!

I just read Sapna's blog and wow did it hit home. I too am a collector of HDT-s, she wrote..... "I must admit though that I have been saving them for God knows what! I think its time I used them… for only then I can do more justice and buy more." It was like a "dah" moment for me. What good are they if I just gaze at them? I need to create with them and only then can I justify to myself getting more. So I'm making a promise to myself to use at least one of my HDT-s this week.

Happy Tatting,

Bonnie

Request for Help

Greetings fellow Tatters. I am looking for some help. I want to start larger projects but with smaller thread and I'd like advice on the correct way to hide threads, both starting and stopping a project, as well as adding. Do you weave the ends in the finished piece with a needle. What is your preference? Is there a special trick? I was taught to tie off and seal with fray check, but I really don't think that can be the proper way. I wonder if I am tatting to tight, on my size 30 and below tread I'm unable to weave the ends in without problems.

Thank You and Happy Tatting,

Bonnie

Hand Dyed Thread - #1 Motif

I am addicted to them, now that I have some I am afraid to use them .... my fear is a couple fold.

First, as Gina suggested in her blog dated Thursday Jan 17, 2008, the color choice can make or break a piece. I do not have enough tatting experience to have mastered the right or wrong of color yet.

Next I fear I will have picked out a pattern that is to advanced for me and I will waste "My Good Thread" which is hand dyed thread from Marilee (Yarnplayer) and Sherry (Lady Shuttlemaker) 's Etsy shops. I can tell they each must use a wonderful base thread as it is a dream to work with. (If you haven't treated yourself to at least one of their skeins please do so.) I discovered Etsy about a month ago and since then every day I come home from work and check to see what lovely threads the ladies may have listed while I was at work. I'd hate to miss out on anything! Now to find patterns worthy of My Good Thread.

For my first couple of tatting pieces I did the first one a plan white to make sure I could do it and see how it would look before I ventured into the variegated threads which are my favorite. However then I realized that it is alot of work to do it in white AND do it again in color.

After the bookmark I made for a friend this is the next completed piece I made. As you can see I made the first one in white as a practice piece, it is a size 20 thread. The other one was made using Marilee's Deep Ocean size 30 thread. And I might add that it is the first piece I made where I didn't have to cut and restart the thread.

I did make a variegated teal one to send to my GUF so he could see what I've been up to. It is my pattern of choice right now. It is fun to make and I've really learned to make my picots consitant size. I think I've made 4 or 5 of them now. Everyone I know is going to end up with one.

Sadly I do not know who to give credit to for the pattern as Betty (my teacher) gave me a picture of a finished piece which I looked at it and made my own version of. ****Monday, Jan 21, 2008, Thank you to Sharon for letting me know this pattern is called "Heart of the Butterfly by Irene Woo which was printed in the Official Tat_Chat Pattern Book edited by Georgia Seitz" Although I made it from a picture and didn't have her pattern (so I'm sure the the stitches probably aren't the exact same as Irene's) I'm very pleased to be able to give her credit for a beautiful pattern.****

Even though there is 2 here, I will count this as my first motif for the 25 Motif Challenge.

Happy Tatting,


Bonnie

GUFrancis' Tatted Cross Bookmark

My first experience with tatting was when I went to visit my parents many years ago........... oh at least 15 years ago, and saw one of my Great Uncle Francis' (GUF) tatted cross bookmarks. GUF is 94 as of June 2007, and he still actively tats.

If GUF and I wouldn't have lived so many states apart I would have greatly enjoyed learning to tat from a relative. But it couldn't happen so when I got home, I knew I had to try to teach myself this lovely art form. Sadly I was was unsuccessful at the time. (This was way before I became involved in the Internet, probably 15 years ago, as I wrote that it made me I wonder what I did with the shuttle and other information I had at that time........... hummmm)

In our 2007 Christmas card my mother included this cross bookmark, one of GUF's works of art. My understanding is that it is his favorite pattern. What lovely work he does. I hope that when I am 94 I am still tatting.

Although I am sure GUF will never see my blog, I wanted to show his work and acknowledging him as the primary person responsible for my original interest in tatting.

Thank you GU Francis!

In my next post I will post a picture of my second completed work. (I gave the first as a Christmas present to a friend and didn't think to take a picture of it.)

Happy Tatting,

Bonnie

First Blog Ever

I went and did it, I created a tatting blog. Actually the first blog I've been a part of, so please bear with me as I try to learn my way around here.

My name is Bonnie. I am originally from Minot, ND but moved to Cassadaga, NY in 1988. I married my husband, Mark, 24 years ago, actually next week we will celebrate our 24th Anni. We have a daughter, Holly, who lives about a hour away. One of my greatest passions is to become a grandmother some day :-) (No pressure, Holly.)

That's a bit about me now on to tatting..........

I started taking tatting lessons in late September 2007. My teacher's name was Betty. When I went to her for my second lesson she said I was as advanced as people usually are in their 4th lesson. I think I had 5 lessons with her, and on the final lesson I really felt that I had learned everything she could teach me, her true passions are spinning and weaving. That's it I am HOOKED! I have really taken to tatting and because of the internet and alot of bloggers, I have learned alot more than just the basics. Currently I only shuttle tat, but will take have a class with Betty tomorrow where she will show me the basics of needle tatting. I am not sure I care to learn needle tatting but I would like to see what it's about.

I am hoping that in addition to sharing my tatting experience with others, I can become a part of a tatting community.

I am actively searching for patterns that are more "exciting" then doilies and snowflakes. Now, please don't get me wrong here, my first completed project was a doily and I purchased a book with snowflake patterns, but I'd really like to make jewelry or flowers or things like that. I would gladly welcome any book names/patterns that you can suggest that feature these fun items.

I have made a few small pieces which I hope to share here, but as of yet I haven't taken any pictures. It looks pretty self explanatory on how to post a picture here so I hope to have at least one up in the next few days. Please stay tuned for that.

I would really like to form relationships with many of you experienced tatters who's blogs I have been visiting for months now.

Sincerely,


Bonnie