Color of the day is Lavender

I decided to make myself a lanyard for Tat Days.  It should be in a color that looks good with shirts I may be taking with me.  It’s amazing how that one requirement limits color choices for me.  I have a lot of thread, most of which are colors that I like – who wants to tat with colors they don’t like?? – but inevitably a lot of my clothes are those colors, too.  But not always the same shade.

With much comparing and mind changing I finally settled on DMC Cebelia Lavender.  For some reason I’ve had a ball of this in size 10 for quite some time.  A lanyard made of size 10 would tat up fast and be quite durable.   So far, so good.

In the beginning, I planned to make Patti Duff’s Beaded Lanyard (you can find it on Craftree).  I got a bit ahead of myself while trying to find beads that would work with the thread. I started playing without having Patti’s pattern printed.

Hatband instead of lanyard

I went for a while before admitting I didn’t like the looks of my efforts for the lanyard.  Not one to throw tatting out just because it didn’t turn out as expected, I put it on my hat as a hatband.  I like it better as a hatband than as a lanyard.

I started again, and again I was impatient.  This time I didn’t want to string the beads.  The black beads weren’t the right size anyway.  With no pattern but an idea, I started once more, this time without beads as well.   I know I’ve seen something akin to this out there on the Internet but I made it without referring to a pattern.

Lanyard in DMC Cebelia size 10 Lavender

I like it this version much better.  It went fast and was easy to do while a passenger in the car.  I did get a bit carried away – it’s a bit long.  Oh, well!  Better than too short.  I added a couple of clips to the ends that can be clipped together or to a name tag or some such.  Done!

Tatted hatband and lanyard in DMC Cebelia Lavender size 10

I’m ecstatic about going to Tat Days.  I’m counting down the days!  I keep checking the Palmetto Tatters Guild page for updates.   I’m planning what clothes to pack and what to wear.  I’ve traveled before but not anywhere like this, not with tatting as the destination.  **happy dance**  Anyone else getting excited about going?

“Over prepare, then go with the flow” – found in a fortune cookie

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
www.brainyquote.com