From Critters to Snowflakes

I’ve had to move on from critters to snowflakes, at least for a while. My sister and I will be in a craft show in October and I need to work on items for that. Now, if I would repeat more than one piece at a time with the same pattern I’d be better set for that. I have a hard time making the same thing over and over at one time.

Pinwheel in white

I did make a few of my Pinwheel snowflakes in size 20 white. Of course, now I have to starch it. There is no way this will hold up as a tree ornament without starch.

Two-layered snowflake in white

I came up with this two-layered snowflake instead of using a pattern already available. I have a few others in this pattern in different colors, which are really cool looking. (I haven’t taken pictures of them yet). I like this. This one is made in size 10 thread.

8-point snowflake with cabone center

While at Tatting Corner‘s Tat Days in July I took several classes with cabone rings, and now I keep seeing places I could use them. This is a simple snowflake with a 1/2 inch cabone ring at the center, made with size 20 thread.

(I do not get any benefits for mentioning Tatting Corner)

Blue snowflake with cabone ring center

I like how this one came out. I used size 10 thread and a 1/2 inch cabone ring for this one. I even added beads!

I much prefer working in almost anything other than white. With white, any dirt on your fingers and hands is transferred to the thread. I swear, even if you clean your hands constantly, it ends up looking dirty. My sister pointed out that most of my sales have been ornaments in white, so I guess I need to keep making some. But those ones in color are so much fun!

Now what I really, really need to do is put the finishing touches on a bunch of pieces I’ve done. You know, sewing in the ends and cutting them off, starching if necessary, and blocking them. I’ll be excited about them when they are done and ready to go, but right now I’m in tatting mode!

Thanks to all of you that have been following along with my critter ideas on Facebook. I’ve had so much fun with them and seeing all the ideas about them from others. There will probably be more eventually. I still haven’t come up with a dog that I’m happy with.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer

Trying for a Dog

Thank you to all who made guesses as to what I had tatted, both here and on Facebook. I really can’t say what they were, just not what I was trying for.

I started with a mouse pattern. I used it to make a kitty. From there I thought, “why not a dog?” That’s what I was trying for, but so far I haven’t had much luck. I have made some cute critters but not a dog.

A few more of the critters that aren’t a dog.

Maybe a rat?

I think this one looks kind of like a rat. I added the red bead to be the dog’s tongue. Looking at it now I see I should be careful which two beads I use as the eyes.

Maybe a bear?

I think this one looks like a bear, a teddy bear. Obviously, the tail is wrong for a bear but I can fix that.

Rabbit

This one made me think of a bunny immediately, so I made a fluffy tail. The ears could be longer for a bunny, but I didn’t see the resemblance until farther along.

I have more ideas to try in the pursuit of a dog. But I really should be making snowflakes…

What do you think of the critters?

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” Groucho Marx