Tatting when you're bored

At work the other day I was waiting on decisions to be made and changes to be done by a couple of other people.  I was listening and doing my part in the job but only so many people can fit in one small area at a time.  While standing there I noticed a few thin wires on the floor that had been the tail of some cable or other.  As they hadn’t quite made it to the trash yet I picked them up and started fiddling with them instead of throwing them away.  Noticing the size, color and length I tried tatting with them.

When you’re bored you’ll tat with anything

I made the ring on the right first, then a smaller ring that didn’t close.  With another couple of scrap wires, one green the other white, I made the rings with the chain between.  I even joined the rings though I had not left a picot.  There was still a lot of white wire left which I wound around the wire tails of the first two rings.  I did not try tatting that part, my fingers were already feeling the strain of working with wire.

No, I did not use a shuttle to work with the wire, I finger tatted it.  The shuttle is only for reference to the size of the wire tatting.  The wire is about 24 gauge but due to the stiffness does not tat small.  I made the white chain using direct tatting but the rings I did normally.

I knew that tatting with wire could be done; I’ve tried before but never with coated wire.  It was challenging but fun.  I don’t think I’d want to make any large project out of it though – talk about hard on the hands!

“Nobody is bored when he is trying to make something that is beautiful, or to discover something that is true.” William Ralph Inge                                                       www.brainyquote.com

Old Hatband

A couple of weeks ago my mother wore a hat that she had picked up at a garage sale.   It had a feather wrapped around it as a hat band, which was okay but she wanted something different.  She took a hatband that I had made a long time ago and put it over the top of the feather.  She liked this a lot better so we removed the feather.

Old tatted hatband put on a different hat

I’m not sure when I tatted this hatband but it was at least 20 years ago.  I believe I made it with Kreinik thread but I can’t tell you what color number.  I know it is not blended with another thread.  I remember it was not as easy to work with as cotton thread.

I have made several hatbands for my parents.  My dad especially liked the ones made out of this kind of shiny thread.  I don’t remember if I followed someone else’s pattern or did this one on my own.  It’s not that complicated a pattern, it could be either one.  It would make a pretty bookmark, wouldn’t it?

“And all your future lies beneath your hat.” John Oldham                                               https://www.brainyquote.com

 

"Thank You" Doily Finished

I finished the “thank you” doily for my aunt.

Aunt Irene’s thank you doily

There are many beautiful tatted doily patterns out there – I have books full of them.  The Internet has a lot, also.  Do I make one of those?  Of course not, that would be too easy.  I designed another one.

A few years ago I made a snowflake/medallion with a finding in the center.  I used that medallion as the center but made a ring of rings in place of the finding.  That was the easy part.  Some of the rounds went very smooth, the others took more thought.  And several tries.  The end result is a bit ruffle-y until it’s blocked, but still looks nice.  This needs more blocking – it’s amazing how a picture will show things that ‘in person’ isn’t so obvious.

This doily is seven inches across made in Lizbeth #603 Ecru size 20 thread.  I’m not sure of my aunt’s tastes in colors and decorating so chose a ‘traditional’ color. I noticed I put spokes in this doily like several of my other doilies.  I need to try something else next time.  Doing a little more planning in the beginning would probably help, don’t you think?

I had planned to mail it today but will block it a bit better first.  I want it to look good when she gets it.

“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.  Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. ” Gloria Steinem                   brainyquote.com

An Unexpected Gift

I received a unexpected gift in the mail a couple of months ago: a padded envelope with no return address.  Wrapped in several layers of padding was an old metal shuttle.

Pretty tatting shuttle from my aunt

A sweet aunt of mine found it in her sewing box.  She’s not sure how long she had it. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t tat, either, but she knows I do and sent it to me.

It is a post shuttle with etchings on both sides but no company markings.   There are gaps at both tips. Size 10 and 20 thread do not come unwound when the shuttle is hung to untwist the thread if done with care.  I’m surprised but happy at this, the gaps look big.  One end has a sharp point that looks bent, which I can’t decide if this is original or the last tatter bent it this way.  It works great as a pick.  The other end has been flattened a bit; I’m guessing this is not the original look.  The shuttle has no rust or any other blemishes.

I don’t know how old this is.  Who knows how long my aunt had it or if it was new when she got it?  It doesn’t really matter, it is a wonderful gift, which I appreciate very much.

I’m working on a small doily to send her as a thank you.  It’s the least I can do, don’t you think?

“The best gifts are those we not only cherish but put to use.” Les Brown                     www.brainyquote.com

 

Ice Drops

Ice Drops inspired by LaceLovinLibrarian Diane

I didn’t make snowflakes to go in Christmas cards this year.  Instead I was inspired by LaceLovinLibraian Diane to tat Ice Drops.   The only draw back is that I had to hand deliver them.  I ended up not making as many for Christmas as I would have if they were flat and could be mailed.

These were a lot of fun to make.  They also don’t take very long.

Diane inspired a lot of people to make these.  I’ve seen them in different colors, too, with beads and sequins.  I may eventually tat some in colors other than white, but for Christmas these worked out great.

I am now making a list of UTPs (Unfinished Tatting Projects).  The goal is to finish those first before getting in to other projects.

Now to remember where I put all those UTPs.

“I recently took up ice sculpting.  Last night I made an ice cube.  This morning I made 12, I was prolific.”   Mitch Hedberg

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