An Ornament for Christmas

Did you all have a merry Christmas? We have had a wonderful Christmas season. We’ve seen a lot of family and friends and created wonderful memories. We even had a bit of snow!

I was able to make as many of my Christmas ornaments for this year as I needed and in plenty of time. Amazing! I didn’t even feel rushed this year. In fact, I got through most of December without feeling pressured, which is pretty amazing. I almost always leave things to the last minute and then feel stressed and anxious. This year I got the gifts purchased early and had the house in good shape for company before the day of the get-togethers. What a wonderful feeling!

My Christmas ornament for 2023 involved beads again. Some were even the same ones! I am very happy with these.

Christmas ornament 2023 with Snowman

These snowman beads were used in the original attempt for ornaments this year. This time the tatting was a bit quicker and the ornaments did not use the bangle bracelets or anything else under the tatting. This made them easier to tat on the go, which I did quite a bit.

I have a variety of beads that I used for these. I made ornaments specific to several family member’s likes. Cats, dogs, penguins, and owls.

Christmas ornament 2023 with penguin

I went through several versions before I settled on my final ornament style. They all were given away – the people receiving them didn’t know I changed my mind! I even did a few that weren’t white.

Christmas ornament 2023 with owls

I made all of the ornaments in size 10 thread so they were big enough and sturdy enough for the beads. I also used Balanced Double Stitches (BDS) for the chains. I had learned this stitch a long time ago but never incorporated it in my tatting before. Then I did a few patterns from Mike Lyon, the Shuttle Commander, and now I seem to use them a lot! Thanks, Mike, for showing me how well they can work in a pattern.

Speaking of patterns, I have finished the pattern for this year’s ornament. For any of you who are interested in trying it, I have added it to My Patterns page (Christmas Ornament 2023).

In a few more days we will say goodbye to the year 2023 and hello to 2024. Are you ready?

“The light of the Christmas star to you. The warmth of home and hearth to you. The cheer and goodwill of friends to you.” Sherryl Woods, An O’Brien Family Christmas

A Little Tatting for Christmas

Christmas is only days away! Are you done with all your Christmas tatting? I have one more ornament to finish. The good news, it doesn’t take long. I’ve not only been doing tatting for friends and family, I’ve been doing a bit for me, too.

Snowflake 2010

This is my Snowflake 2010. I only tatted this to get the thread off the shuttles. I needed shuttles to tat with size 10 white and this is size 20 white. Yes, I have other shuttles, but these shuttles were right there, I might as well use them, right? You can never have too many snowflakes.

Christmas tree earrings

I have a Christmas shirt that is not a traditional Christmas color and I needed a pair of earrings to go with it. I used Lizbeth thread LizMetallic 323, Christmas Green, to make me a quick pair. These trees don’t take long to make and they are shiny and festive. They worked well with my shirt.

Both of these patterns can be found on My Patterns page here.

I’m finishing up my tatting for Christmas, what about you?

Wishing all of you a wonderful and merry Christmas.

“Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.” – Deborah Whipp

It's Christmas Time

It’s hard to believe Christmas is less than two weeks away. It seems like Thanksgiving was just the other day! I have been busy tatting, but time seems so short! Will I get everything done in time?

Every year I try to make a special ornament for family and close friends. I don’t usually think what they will be until I pick up the shuttles to start. This year I had a vague idea several months ago. I had found some cute beads at JoAnn’s that I just knew would look good in a Christmas ornament, I just didn’t quite know how. I tried a few things.

2023 Christmas ornament 1 try

This ornament is on a bangle bracelet. It is made with size 10 white thread and size 6/0 clear beads. The snowman almost looks like it’s in a snow globe, don’t you think? I like the look, but it took longer to make than I was happy with. I gave it away in a gift exchange with our women’s group at church.

I tried again using a bangle bracelet. It is also made with size 10 white thread and 6/0 clear beads. Without the ribbons, I wasn’t that excited about it, with the ribbons I was much happier. I gave this one to my mom.

Bangle Christmas ornament for Mom

Neither of these has become this season’s ornament. I’ve been working on what I have decided to be the ornament of the year but I’m not sharing that until I have given them out. And I still have a few to go.

The other day before I went to the party for the ladies at church, I realized I didn’t have a pair of earrings that I wanted to wear. I decided to make a simple pair.

Christmas earrings

They are not elaborate but still festive and went with the clothes I was wearing. I just love that a few minutes with a shuttle, thread, and a few beads left me with a cute pair of earrings. These are made with size 20 white and little red beads, 10/0 (?). A lovely little gift I gave myself.

I am leaving a gift for you, too. The pattern for the Compass Rose has been added to the My Patterns page.

Will I get everything done in time? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m going to enjoy the doing and not worry about the time. It’s a self-imposed goal anyway. I think I’ll relish the season instead of stressing about it.

What are you tatting for Christmas?

“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things, not the great occasions, give off the greatest glow of happiness.” — Bob Hope