Tatting Tea Tuesday flea market find

 Tatted Tea Cup Doily © Wanda Salmans 2014

Another find from our flea market stop last week was this pretty demitasse tea cup and saucer.  I'm a fan of roses on tea cups though this is quite different from the ones I purchased for the auction.  I didn't really need it but it was such a pretty set. 

The doily is the one I made when I was inspired by another tea cup with roses. I just noticed it is also the same horn shuttle that I used in the other picture.  I've made a start at the pattern for this doily, but there is still a long way to go before it is ready to share. 

I'm having to slow down on my tatting a bit. I got carried away and didn't take breaks like I should have which made my arm sore.  Nothing serious, just have to do some arm and hand stretches a little more frequently and take it slower so it will get better.  I'm using some of that time to work on writing out patterns. Typing uses the hand and arm a bit differently than tatting so I'm taking a tatting break and still working on tatting :-)

I also am anxious to work on a few of those stick pins I found at the flea market.  I have several ideas percolating in my head, I just need to decide on the colors.

  

"Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty."

James Norwood Pratt

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Flea market finds

My husband and I stopped at a local flea market/antique shop the other day.  We didn't find what we stopped in looking for, but I found a few things that I ended up bringing home.

Check out these buttons!  Someone took the time to cut them off of the clothes they were on and saved them.  There are some interesting buttons in here.  I'm already thinking of where and how to use them.

I can see either a family picture or tatting in this pretty little heart-shaped frame. It looks to have never been used - the picture is the one that came with it when it was new.

I found two packages of hat/lapel pins.  I snatched them up as I have been looking for this item for quite a while.  I have several relatives that like hats and wearing these in lapels as well.  And if they turn out well maybe I'll try selling a few of these at a craft show.

I do have to keep a tight reign on my purse at flea markets so I don't take home everything that strikes my fancy!

"Is it strange that I enjoy going to flea markets more than going to the mall?"

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Don't forget to wear a bit o'green!

"Do you suppose it's true, that St. Patrick was a parselmouth, and his muggle friends never knew?"

Dave Beard

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Emma pattern is posted

I finally finished the pattern for Emma!

It has taken me longer than expected, mostly because I kept trying different stitch counts in a few places.  I think I'm happy with it now.

The one place I did change the stitch count was the chains going up to and down from the top clover. Originally - and how I tatted the edging in the picture - the stitch count was 4 ds on each chain.  But, though it looked good when done, it had to be straightened by blocking or it twisted, so I changed them to 6 ds.  I also changed the two rings before and after those chains, making them 3-3 instead of 4-4.  Now when done it lays nice before any blocking.

It looks like I need to change the pictures I used on the patterns.  On screen it looks okay, but when I printed it the colors are so similar it's a little hard to distinguish.  Maybe it's just my printer?

So, for those who have expressed interest in tatting Emma, the pattern has been added to the patterns tab.

I have another edging done.  I haven't even started writing out the pattern yet, but it is an easier one so shouldn't take long.  Key word: shouldn't.  We'll see - if I think I need to make any changes on this one.

"All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns."

Bruce Lee

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On the edge with Emma

 Emma Edging © Wanda Salmans 2015

Here's another edging I've been working on, Emma.  Last week I talked about using more colors, and I did, just very neutral colors, Lizbeth #691 Mocha Brown Medium and #693 Linen Medium, both in size 10.  They are similar enough to each other that sometimes in the evenings when I was refilling the shuttles I had to compare the two threads to make sure which one I needed.  But the subtle color change really works with the material I have picked out for this edging.

Emma Edging in size 10

Part of this edging I made for a runner for the Christmas craft show last year.  Surprise! I changed it a bit this time around.  Actually, just the second row, the first row is the same.  The second row is different because I wanted the edging to be wider.  

Emma Edging in size 20

This is a sample in size 20, Lizbeth  #602 Natural and #658 Ocean Turquoise Light.  I used these colors because I had shuttles already wound with them.  Hey, one of the shuttles is now empty - yay! This sample has a bit of a different stitch count than the finished edging in a couple of places as I decide what works the best.

Emma Edging in two sizes

I use size 10 thread for runners because it covers more edge faster.  It doesn't look as delicate as it would with smaller thread, but for table runners where the lace hangs over the edge of the table the heavier thread works better, I think.  At least it doesn't take as long :-)

I hope to have the pattern for Emma posted later this week.  Part of it's done already but I also have to decide if I want to change the stitch count in a couple of places.  Oh, yeah, and try and catch mistakes :-P

I've got another edging almost finished then I need to figure out what I want to do on another.  I think I know the colors of thread I want to use but I'm not sure of the pattern.  Will it be a new one?  Will it be one I've done before? Will it be a combination of new and old?

I'm on edge to find out!

"They dined on mince, and slices of quince, 

Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, 

They danced by the light of the moon."
Edward Lear

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Pretty day

March 7, 2015 it's sunny, about 70° F with just a slight breeze - an absolutely beautiful day in Kansas!

So pretty I sat outside to tat some, until I got too warm!

Okay, almost spring day :-)

And for those that live in such places, don't forget to Spring forward and set your clocks an hour ahead tonight.

Thoughts on edgings

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I'm working on table runners and edgings for them.  I have trouble doing the same edging over and over so keep looking for or coming up with different ones.  Mostly I find I just have to do something different, even if it's only small differences.  I looked through some old ones I've done over the years and decided to attempt to use a few of those.  Could I use them without making changes?

'Mandy' Edging © Wanda Salmans 2015

 Lizbeth #694 Harvest Orange Medium and #692 Mocha Brown Dark size 10

This one was actually made the same as last time - shocking!   I'm not sure how long ago I did it originally, 2005 maybe?  Back then I made it in completely in ecru, which gives it a different look than when done in two colors.  This is not hard though it does use the second shuttle a lot.  It will definitely have to be blocked when complete.

I used to work a lot with DMC Cebelia thread because I could get it in quite a few colors and sizes, though I still had a tendency to work in only one color at a time or only in ecru.  Recently I've been working almost exclusively in Lizbeth as there are so many colors and sizes available.  I'm trying to use more colors in my projects, like the edgings I'm working on.  I admire those of you that work in so many colors at the same time.  The tat-a-long doilies like Renulek's Wionsa 2015 that I've seen lately are good examples (Fox's and Diane's are great examples) of using lots of color.

I don't have any of the material for the edgings cut yet.  I've decided it would be better to make the edgings then cut the material to fit.  I usually try to make an edging about 12 inches and most of the time they are close, but not always.   And I try to make edgings that I feel go with the material, not just by color but by pattern.  That has a lot to do with what mood I'm in at the time...

I have added this pattern to my Patterns tab.  I'm not exactly happy with how I diagrammed it but the way I usually do the count just wasn't working with this pattern.

Now, on to the next edging.  What color will it be?

"Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up."
Allen Klein
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