Everything The Tatting Box Can Hold

Here's how roomy this little box is. It holds 3 balls of Lizbeth, several shuttles, my pattern cards & a tool tin. Up, inside the lid, is a wee, zippered bag that holds shuttles. It just fits inside the lid.

Tatting Box

I love learning crafts! It means acquiring the tools of the craft! I call it craft tool acquisition, & it can be very addictive.

While searching online for tatting patterns, I came across an old publication online that had a picture of a victorian tatting box. Here it is:

Here's my Hobby Lobby find:

Latest Pendants

I seem to have this need for tatted pendants. It's all Yarnplayer's fault for designing new patterns! I tend to use her earring patterns for pendants.  I just received her Keyed Up pattern. Here are my pendants with that pattern & with the Carnival Earrings pattern:

The yarns are all Lizbeth size 20.

Hand Dyed Thread

I LOVE HDT!! I have lots of Lizbeth thread, & just ordered some of Yarnplayer's Midnight Oil. I decided to try my own HDT, since I already had some dyes.

Here's the result:

I'm ok with it, but would've like the colors to be more saturated.

Quadrille

I've been adding beads to my tatting, & pendants are the perfect medium for that. I've been using earring patterns for pendants. Here's Quadrille done in red hat colors of red with purple:

The pattern can be purchased at Yarnplayer's etsy store here:
Yarnplayer's etsy

Split Rings & Li'l Critters

I'm continuing to expand my tatting knowledge, so I had to move on to the dreaded split ring!! I had myself abosolutely terrified about them! I looked at the video, looked at on-line directions, tried & failed.

I got with my tatting teacher, Dot & she showed me. I shadowed her every movement & made my first split ring!! I bought her a nice tote bag for helping me - she's such an excellent teacher! Here's my first split ring project - Ringtrim a Microdragon along with Fishy & Dove:

Here's the pattern:

http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2009/annebringtrimmikrodrageeng.pdf

Pumpkin Bead from the Bead Bazaar

The Bead Bazaar happened last week-end. I LOVE the Bead Bazaar & was one of the first people in the doors. Now, there's definitely a pay off to getting there early. Scott & I wandered to different vendors, & when we met in the middle, I had already found some treasures.

Once vendor had a bowl with a sign. "Fill a bag full of beads for $4.00." OMG!! OK, who could pass that by. Being one of the first, I had the best selection, & what finds!! All the beads were lampworked. One was the cutest pumpkin.

Here's what I did with it using Yarnplayer's Carnival Earrings pattern found here:
http://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/2007/09/carnival-earrings.html

Embellished Scarf Challenge

Then I attached them to my YaYa Sisterhood Challenge Scarf & added a tatted edge in black.

Maple Leaves

Fall is here - my favorite season, so I celebrated with a flurry of tatted leaves.

How I Learned to Tat

Here's the book & DVD I learned to tat from:

Intro - Katie's Tatting Too!

I tried, literally for decades to learn how to tat. I was pea green every month at our lace group meeting. Everyone could tat except me. The tatters brought their finished projects, & I would wonder why I couldn't do that, too.

Over the years, I ran a full range of emotions about tatting . At first it was curiosity, then frustration, then all-out jeolosy. Then, the day dawned when I was actually angry becasue I couldn't learn to flip that blasted knot. I mean furious. My motto became, "I DON'T tat!!! Eventually, I turned over & said, "Bury me, & throw in the shovel when you're finished! I will NEVER tat!"

This past year, one of my lacing friends lost her home to a fire. I was out shopping for shuttles & thread for her when I spied the Learn to Tat book & DVD.  Suddenly, I was hit with an intense desire - to learn to tat. All the way to the check-out, I thought "What a waste of money!"

When I got home, I pulled out the DVD & popped it into my laptop & began watching. I stopped the video, got a shuttle & wound it. I started the video, & followed along. I flipped the knot, then I flipped another & another. I did 2' of ds's without missing a beat or failing to flip!!! OMGaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash!!! I was tatting!!

Here's the proof that I finally can tat!