Edging for a bag

I've been wanting to add tatting to one of these bags for myself for quite some time but never took the time to do it.  As you can see, I finally did it! 

The bag is a planetE by Eco-Stream from Wal-mart, brown with ecru lines, 17 inches wide by 14 inches tall (not counting the handles). The tatting is a size 10 thread in turquoise but unfortunately the label disappeared a long time ago and I don't remember the brand. The beads are from a container of mixed pink beads.  I used Fabric Fusion from Aleene's to glue the edging to the bag. I don't know how well it will hold but as this is for me I'll use the bag and find out just how good it is. 

The edging is a simple one I came up with, one that wasn't complicated and wouldn't take long to make.  I thought I had measured it to fit the top of the bag but miscalculated a bit.  I had to bow it down a bit to fit.  I see I didn't do a good job keeping it even when I glued it down.  I guess I'll just have to live with it that way.  Unless it comes off, then I guess I'll try to do better next time. 

After having little snow and mostly warm weather all winter - with temperatures around 50 and 60º F - we were hit with two major winter storms in less than a week.  At our house we got about a foot of snow last Thursday.  A lot of businesses as well as schools and church functions were cancelled, including the plant where I work.  Then Monday we had blizzard conditions with very wet, heavy snow and a forecast of another seven to twelve inches.  I wasn't looking forward to driving in it and ended up not having to - they cancelled work again.   Because it was right about 32º F the snow actually was melting almost as fast as it came down, so we didn't get as much measurable snow as predicted but we still got several inches that drifted.  

This picture is looking out my backdoor to the neighbor's yard Monday afternoon.  Pretty if you don't have to go out in it.  You have to understand, in this area we're lucky to get three or four inches of snow at a time, maybe all winter.  To get one storm with a foot of snow is pretty unusual - to get two within a few days of each other is very rare indeed.  We certainly can use the moisture, but oh, my, this much snow at once is ridiculous!   

FACT: Between the two storms Wichita, KS broke its record for the most snow in any month since records have been kept - since 1888 - with 21 inches, 14.2" in the first storm and 6.8" in the second storm.

I did get some tatting done yesterday afternoon while I was home but no pictures yet.  I didn't get as much done as I was hoping to, but more than if I had gone to work.  And I actually finished something!

"When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels."

Another Keeper

Scissors keeper in Lizbeth #142 Turquoise Twist in size 20

I'm rather pleased how these came out.  More pleased with the scissors fob than the badge reel motif, but happy with both on the whole.  

You might remember that last week I was working with purple LBH size 40 thread.  I had the keeper made and was working on a fob for the scissors.  Wellllll, I'm not sure if it was because the thread was old or because I'm so used to working with size 20 thread, but the thread kept breaking.  It was getting so frustrating that I had to move on to a different thread.  Turquoise Twist wasn't it. 

I had chosen Caribbean thread in size 20 and some pretty beads in those shades that would have looked really nice.  I was over at my sister's house and showing her the thread I was going to use - and left it there.  So instead of going back to get it right away I just chose another thread. 

I liked the fob enough that I made one for my crochet hook as well.  I got all the way around to the last chain to finish it off and found that I had made a mistake almost at the beginning.  It looks strange, it can't be fixed. I think I'll finish it and and use it like it is until I make another one.  

This isn't the first fob pattern I tried.  I didn't really like the first try - parts I liked, but I didn't like the end result.  So I tried again. 

, 

First fob try in FBH size 40 thread. It's almost the same color as Lizbeth #633 Dark Purple.  The motif was the start of the motif I used in the Turquoise Twist, but the purple kept breaking.  I think that might have been a good thing, because I do like my second try better, much better.

The original keeper?  I'm using it for my badge at work. ☺

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I had a cup of Vanilla Rooibos with a bit of Wild Berry Zinger added. It was pretty good.  I'll definitely be drinking hot tea tomorrow.  It was 65° F Sunday and tomorrow we are supposed to get several inches of snow and maybe sleet and ice, too.  Oh, joy. 

"A little snowflake falls from the sky

Like a new kid moves to a new junior high

Different and unique like everyone else

Who will notice except for itself?

No one will watch, no one will see

How amazing and unique this thing may be

So next time it snows just look down

And watch to see what can be found"

A. Phinney - 8th Grade

http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cxtdm/met/snow/snow_quotes.html

Scissors Keeper

What, no hearts?

This last week I have indeed made more heart earrings, both for my self and family and friends, but other than a color change they are pretty much the same, so no pictures. 

What I have spent the most time on is a scissors keeper.  Lately I put something down and I loose it, just that fast.  My mind is obviously not paying much attention to these details.  Which means I put my scissors down and then spend 10 minutes looking for them.  Same goes for my crochet hook, the pen I was writing with, the bill I was paying - you get the picture. (I wish I could loose the dirty dishes as easily).  So I have been putting my scissors on a badge reel with a retractable cable.

I got these from Discount Embroidery Blanks but I know they are available other places. On this site they show them with a button or other decoration in the center, but up until now I've left mine naked.  

The plan was to make this layered, to raise up the center a bit because of the indented center.  Things did not go quite as hoped.  Instead of joining two layers together one is glued on top of the other.  Sometimes my ideas don't work out quite as hoped.  But it I think it still looks pretty good. The thread is LBH size 40 but I can't find the color number anywhere on it.  

Now I'd like to make a cable for the scissors in the same color.  It's taking a little longer as I haven't liked what I've done so far. I was hoping I'd have time today to work on it but it's looking less likely as the day goes on. 

Today is International Pancake Day, which is always on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  I wrote about the race between women of Liberal Kansas and Olney, England here.  The women in Liberal have to deal with about an inch of snow this year.  The city cleaned the streets up for the race, but will it be enough to beat the women of Olney?  I know the race in Liberal is over but haven't heard which town won.  I planned on pancakes today in honor of the day but ended up making biscuits instead (I was in the middle of writing this post!).

One more thing before I go today - the 2013 TIAS is done. Jane did a wonderful job this year keeping most people guessing for more than half of it.  The end result was a cute baby buggy (pram, carriage).  

Thanks, Jane, for another fun pattern. 

"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." 

Arnold Bennett

brainyquotes.com

Would you like coffee with your hearts?

Flower Heart earrings, pattern by Tatfully Yours 

I'm still having fun making Kelly's 'Flower Heart' earrings.  I made a pair of pink ones for my oldest daughter who currently has long, very dark hair, which makes an excellent backdrop for the earrings.  These are in Lizbeth #622 size 20 with pink seed beads.  She  wore them to work the next day (at a Starbucks) and a little later I got a phone call from her.  One of her co-workers loved them and wanted a pair in Starbucks green. 

I looked through my stash of thread looking for a green that was close to "Starbucks green".   I used the logo on a bag of coffee as my sample color.  The only green I had that came close was an almost empty ball of DMC size 8 Pearl cotton.  I have no idea the color number as the label was lost a long time ago.  When I gave them to my daughter to pass along she thought they looked good.  I'm waiting for a picture of the happy (I hope!) recipient wearing them.

Have you been participating in or following the 2013 TIAS?  There are only a few days left before it's complete, leaving us with what surely must be a baby buggy (or pram if you're on the other side of the pond).

TIAS 2013 Day 9

I'm very happy in what the TIAS is becoming.  Family friends are expecting a baby later this year and I was wondering what I should make for them.  I had thought about Jane's stork like I had done for my daughter but this will certainly be fun, too.  It's much too early to know if it will be a boy or girl so I'll wait a little while to start one for them. 

Last month I saw on Lace-Loving Librarian Diane's blog about some shuttles she found at Hobby Lobby.  Well, guess where I was yesterday and what I found?  Yes, I found them, too.  And, yes, just like Diane I didn't really need them but I couldn't not buy them, could I?    The left one is wood, the one in the middle is carved bone. The pink Clover is there to give a size reference.  Before I try tatting with them I think I'll take some very fine emery cloth to the middle of both of them as they don't look all that smooth inside.  That said I'm looking forward to giving both of them a test drive.

Am I done making hearts yet?  I don't know.  I have made more hearts this year than I think I have for the last five years put together, but I'm having a lot of fun with them.  My boss has accused me of making a different pair of earrings every day - which isn't true, by the way - but these heart earrings are so quick and easy and fun to make that it's almost true.  And it's fun to see them on my daughter (and her friends) that I might just have to keep on for awhile.  Time will tell. 

(Though I do have an idea I'd like to try that doesn't have any hearts in it at all....)

I'm hoping to get my tatting and tea in for Tatting Tea Tuesday sometime this afternoon.  I've been too busy yet this morning, but the day isn't over yet!  And though it is Tatting Tea Tuesday I couldn't resist this poem.

Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze.

It maketh me to wake in green pastures:

It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.

It restoreth my buzz:

It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction

I will fear no Equal:

For thou art with me; thy cream and they sugar they comfort me.

Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The Starbucks:

Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over.

Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life: 

And I will dwell in the House of Mochas forever.

~Author Unknown