Yarn and Thread

We are really in the 4th month of the year. Well that would be halfway through the 4th month. Easter seemed so far away and now it's only 7 days away.
Right now I'm working on a C2C baby blanket that I wanted to present by Easter. I'm working toward the last corner but I'm not sure I'll be finished and have it blocked in the time I have left. 😓

This weekend I started working on Smash again. I decided to go with the purple Hawthorne Tonal, Eugene, instead of the more red tonal that  I bought. The Eugene seems to match the purple specks better.

I've joined the Ice Drop Addicts FB group. I've completed a few and 2 pop cap Ice Drops. I would like to work to one-per-week. I haven't made it there yet. There are do many variations, I'd like to have one each for myself as well as enough done for Christmas gifts. Fingers crossed.

I've been looking for a way to wear/display my enamel pins. Thanks to All About Ami, I think I have the perfect solution. I'm using her instructions to make a liner for a see through bag. The first base I started  was a little to big, (I think my bag is smaller than hers.) so I decreased the number of stitches on my second try. Fingers crossed that it won't be too small.  

I'm using the recommended 24/7 Lion Brand yarn, but I'm using Aqua instead of the Ecru.

Thanks for your visit.

Make All The Things!

Some 2018 tatting.

Would you believe I have some tatting to report? I know, I know but it's a reality so here goes......

The year is almost over. I am happy that I finally picked up my shuttles again. I was able to complete 12 motifs that I used for ornaments. The frames were from Michaels. I think they turned out very well. The best part was I got them in the mail in time to arrive at each location before Christmas.

Square motif

found online: Free-Tattig.com

Lizbeth sz 20 white

This angel by Renulek  was tatted for a close friend and co-worker who retired this month. I'm still working on my presentation. The wings are not as stiff as I would like.  I used liquid starch, now I'm considering using some glue. 

Angel 1

Renulek

Lizbeth sz 20 white

I finally tried tatting an Ice Drop. This is a basic design from a tutorial by Diane .

Ice Drop 

Diane Cademartori

Lizbeth sz 20 white

By for now, 

Thanks for stopping by,
Gwen

Cross and Bag

I was looking for a quick cross pattern to tat. I found this on online through the Wayback Machine. I really like the way it tatted up.

Cross Bookmark

Sharon Albers

DMC Cebelia sz 20 blanc

Today I made this project bag for a friend that will be leaving the area soon. Can you guess what her favorite color is?  :-). I will miss seeing her at our weekly Knit night. I don't feel too badly though, she is moving to an area that has at least 3 knit shops close by. I'm just a little bit green.

Thanks for your visit,

Gwen

Hello again!

Hi All, It's 2017 and I didn't post anything to this blog in 2016. Hope to do better this year.

I did accomplish a few things last year, some of them may make an appearance here later. Over the holidays, I picked up my tatting shuttle again and make these two sets. 

A pair of earrings:
Silk thread from Japan
Design from Flower Motif Tatting Lace

Silk thread: Dakoru 

Design from: NHK's ETV educational channel, Japan's educational TV

 A second pair and a pendant. The chain is blue and white strung beads.

This is the Boom shawl knitted with Caron Cake, Red Velvet using size 10 needles. The shawl pattern is a free download from Ravelry. The yarn from Michaels.

In November 2016, I was fortunate to attend the Houston Quilt Show for the first time. What a treat, oh what temptations! I could resist signing up for Shabby Fabrics BOM, Wall Hanging Club! The first of the 12 monthly kits arrived last week. Yesterday I attached the borders and positioned the pieces then ironed them in place. My decorative stitching on the machine isn't what I would like it to be, so I may wind up doing the embellishment by hand. Not really what I want to do, but I'm afraid to ruin my block.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Ahhhhh

August 1 has come and gone. I was able to get the baby blanket done in time for the shower. Yeah!! I also managed to knit a hat.

Now that that deadline has passed its time to get back to my projects in waiting. 

My Round 4 of  Renulek's Spring Doily is done!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Round Three and more

I've completed round three of Renulke's Spring Doily.

Now on to Round Four.....

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

 

Posted with Blogsy

A Huge Thank You to Sue

Last month I was fortunate to win a Giveaway hosted by Sue of Tatting Lace in Grace. Sue was celebrating her 5th year of tatting and blogging. She was very generous and offered 5 prizes. I received the blue tatted cross. Yeah!!!! I found a Lucite frame to display it, so that it's beauty could be viewed from both sides. Thank you Sue for a beautiful work of art. I love it!!

Cross Tatted by Sue, Tatting in Grace

Meant to post this last Friday but forgot.

Gwen

International Tatting Day 2015

It's International Tatting Day!!! It's almost Easter and I have been working on some covered eggs. The blue egg is paper-mache and the red a wooden egg, both found at local hobby stores. The eggs were painted with acrylic paint and sealed with Mod Podge.

Blue: Sz 30 DMC Cebelia

Pattern: Christiane Eichler

Red: Sz 30 DMC Cebelia

Pattern: Renulek

Off to do some tatting and have some  chocolate.

Pins and Shuttles

This month at guild meeting we had a program on pin cubes. Some were stitched, some not, some were old, and some were new. As part of the monthly program we had the opportunity to make a paper pin cube. 

Some stitched pin cubes.

A paper pin cube and 2 pin towers.

An antique pin cube

The two large pin cubes are new but have been given an

antique finish. 

My paper pin cube.

Now that my paper pin cube is done, I am working on a stitched pin cube. I am working on one that appeared online as an SAL in 2009. I decided to stitch something on each side, five of the six are complete.

On that tatting front. I made 2 starts on the Spring 2015 doily by Renulek. The first I used to make a cupcake pin cushion for a friend and the second a for the doily. I started late, got to the first part of round 2 then stopped to make some Easter eggs. I have one egg complete and I'm working on the second. Should have that done soon. Easter is almost here.

Spring 2015 doily by Renulek

Cupcake pincushion.

Thanks for stopping by,

February Week 1.5

My Snowflakes for February are Snowflake #4 from Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments.

Snowflake #4

Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments

by Barbara Foster

Lizbeth sz20. white

I made a start on Jane's tat-a-long, Tat It and See 2015 and made it to Day 8. Though the 2015 TIAS was finished up over the weekend, I plan to  continue and finish mine as well. Up until the very end I though I would wind up with a blue bunny. As it turns out the TIAS was a pair of scissors. Now that all is revealed I have the blades done and need to add the handles.

TIAS 2015

Manuela sz20

My knitting has been on two projects. My version of the Purple Sweater by Jenifer Stark on Ravelry. I am doing mine in Vanna's Choice Yarn by Lion Brand. The sleeves are the next portion of my sweater that I need to work on. The pattern calls for long sleeves but I want to make 3/4 length sleeves, (well just below the elbow). Hopefully I can get 2 sleeves that match and have a nice taper. (LOL)

Purple Sweater by Jenifer Stark

Ravelry

Vanna's Choice, Oatmeal, 

sz 10.5 cir. needles

My second knitting project was to be a pair of oven mitts made with Sugar and Cream. Well mine will be Peaches and Cream because that's what I have on hand. My knit group is working on these as a Knit-a-Long. Since I am learning some new to me techniques, I will be sticking with the yarn I have already, My first choice of colors wasn't pleasing to me so after group on Monday I tink-ed the portion I had done. (tink- un-knitted, unraveled). Need to see how much I can get done before we meet again next week.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Snowflakes

Snowflakes number one and two are done. It's hard to tell from the picture but I have one of the Snowflake No. 1 attached to the ball ornament. It is a pearlscent white and the white thread didn't photograph well. I have a second ball that I will attach the other snowflake to.

Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments

by Barbara Foster

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Knits and Tats

My shawl is very close to being finished. I am working on 'Harvey' from the book Sock-Yarn Shawls, by Jen Lucas. This is my first attempt at making a lace shawl. I pulled out my first 3-4 starts, before I got the hang of it. Then I figured out how to read a simple chart and learned the value of a life line, all the while learning how to read the stitches on the needle. These lessons should be invaluable in improving my knitting. I have about 6 more rows of the lace pattern then the final border, after which will be the lesson in blocking.

Here is my progress (1/2 of the shawl):

Harvey

Sock-Yarn Shawls

Patons: Krory Socks FX 

Color:57210

I managed to complete several sets for earrings, and a pendant that I used for Christmas gifts. The ds count was the same but the threads were different and so was the final size. I used several size 20, Lizbeth Threads and some DMC Fil argent, Art. 285, the beads were seed beads from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

The Knitting Bug

I can hardly believe the date of my last post to this blog. It didn't feel as if I had been away that long. I know I've worked on a few things since July. Maybe I can find the pictures and do a 2014 round up later this month.

Last month I was required to work some very long hours. When I got home there wasn't much energy left for creativity. I did manage to knit a few items. They will be used for birthday and Christmas gifts. Most of the patterns used were from Ravelry.

Purple: Mobius, Vanna's Choice, 145 Eggplant

Mulberry Mix: Hat POP! , by Kristy Vine, Red Heart Super Saver

White : basic beanie, Bernat Deniumstyle

Pink Hat: Red Sparkle Hat by Elena Chen, 

                       Scarf: The Big Easy Scarf by Lee Samsami Stein

Vanna's Choice, 101 Pink

The Mobius was an experiment. I wanted to use up some left over yarn from another hat I made, so I decided to try Cat Bordhi's Mobius Cast On. The other hat didn't make the photo shoot. It was hiding somewhere on the couch. The first row of the Mobius was a bit fiddly, but after that it was fun to watch it grow. For this first trial I simply knitted 4 rows then purled 4 rows until most of the yarn was gone then bound off. I have already added a few patterns to my wish list on Revelry, As soon as my new yarn arrives I will be deciding which one to try first. 

I used Silfoxes Tatting stitch count to make this set. I haven't gotten the beads just right but I am happy with them and will be making a few more.

Lizbeth size 20, Color 633

Seed beads from stash

I need to finish my ends and add some findings to make a pair of earrings and a pendant.

Next post I hope to share the shawl I am working on.

Thanks for hanging in with me and continuing to stop by,

Gwen

Happy Fourth

The start of a handkerchief edging.

Card from this week's card group.

Happy Fourth!!!

April Wrap Up

I got more crafting done this month than it would appear. I made 2 teapot sets from SVG Cuts. The Victorian Teapot set was for a friend and the teapot from Tea For You and Me is mine. Will have to take a picture to share next time. I made some Easter cards and my first Card in a Box. The cards were off in the mail before I realized that I had not taken a picture of either one. Hopefully I will remember next time. What I want to share today is one of the teapot sets and a few tatted crosses that I managed to take pictures of.

Honeybee Tea SVG Kit

SVG Cuts

(Just noticed their latest design is a Card in Box. Can't wait to try this out. Yeah!!!)

Pattern: Free-tatting

Thread: Lizbeth sz20 , white

Though most have gone the way of electronic readers, I still enjoy making bookmarks. I enclosed one of these in few of the Easter Cards I sent out. Hope the recipients will find a use for them. I also made one in DMC sz80, green tatting thread, that  I used as a pin on Palm Sunday. I had to tweak the pattern, diagram and tatted model but, I love the way they turned out.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Jan 29

I want to make a 3D Christmas Tree so I got out my books and found one this pattern. In my first attempt I made mistake that would make it hard to join in the other parts. Soooo I am keeping this as a stand alone ornament and will start over as soon as I remember where I stashed my book.

My next project will be Martha Ess's Anything Teapot.  I have all but the handle and back portion done.

 

Lizbeth size 20 Color 121

Aside from tatting I have been playing with a new software program from the Andy at Make the Cut. Popup Card Studio (PCS)  makes it very easy to make popup cards and other popup architecture. Some users have made some amazing designs since the software launched at CHA. I wish I had more time to play. Here is my first card using Popup Card Studio.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Today I want to share some of my recent tatting. I made 4 of Ruth Perry's Christmas Trees. I turned 2 of them into snow globes. I managed to break 3 bulbs trying to get my tree straight in the bulb. I finally gave up and let it hang the  way it wanted to. Here is the picture of one of the globes.

The large snowflake is a Ten Point Snowflake, a free pattern from Be-Stitched newsletter, and finally a small snowflake that I made just playing around with stitch counts. While making the Ten Point Snowflake I discovered this YouTube video demonstrating Marie's way of making a split chain. It is the easiest way that I have tried so far. I now have a new favorite way to tat a split chain. Yeah!! Thanks for all who are willing to share their knowledge to keep our craft growing.



I made some items to share with co-workers and will be taking them to work tomorrow.
Each of the techs will receive their initial. These were cut from a cartridge I borrowed from a friend. The letters are chip board from Hobby Lobby's Chip Decor Line. I painted the sides and cut pattern paper for the front and a magnet for the back. I also made some Tic Tac Covers using Make The Cut and my electronic cutter. I used Stampin Up's All Dressed Up die to cut the dresses. I used ribbon, flat back pearls and rhinestones to add some bling. Each contains a Chap Stick. Every girl needs a LiL Black Dress, don't you know!

The last thing of this post is a recycling project. Using soda cans I made these ornaments. I saw this demonstrated at a scrapbooking expo this summer. The demonstrator used the technique to make items to attach to cards, but when I saw these dies I knew how I wanted to use the technique.






Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Thanks for stopping by, happy crafting,

 Gwen