Trying to master something I dread.....

I guess every tatter has something they dread doing. For me it is two very different techniques.
Split chains and mignonette stitch......(shivering in a heap in the corner).

Well.... To my amazement I managed to master the split chain thanks to the wonderful tutoring from Susan Moore at our last Tat 'n' Chat in Melbourne. Yes there is evidence but going to hold off showing that just a bit longer!! (But now I can do that pesky TARDIS bookmark for my mate Andrew!)

So now it is on to bare thread spaces.......eeeeek.

 I have read back through my wonderful book by Judi Banashek and have selected ANOTHER Konior pattern called Love-In-A-Mist but only the glass mat version unless I REALLY love it....

BUT!! Always a but when I am doing something I am scared of!

Gloria Nelson from Sparkling Light Creation Studio has come to the rescue with her Bare Thread Space Tool!

With a bare thread space measure AND a picot gauge, this handy little tool will get a reasonable amount of use! 

For more info you can contact Gloria at sparklinglight.creationstudio@gmail.com She is based in Canada and ships worldwide.

Another oval!

One more oval for the collection.

Two great things about this pattern.
First - it is a really easy one to follow. By the lovely Lis Christiansen from the Danish Tatting Association.

Secondly - the gorgeous hand dyed threads by Alenalea Rako. She sells her thread through her Etsy shop. https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/AlenAleaDesign

Beautiful threads right here in Melbourne!

           I can honestly say I really enjoyed tatting this one!!

      Thread is AlenAleaDesigns size 40 Crocus (Variegated) and Violet

       Special thanks to Belinda Spence for helping me with my color coordination issues!!

Finally......a Konior Doily added to the collection!

Almost ashamed that I own all of Mary Konior's books and all I had ever done (until now) were a couple of bookmarks and a cross.


So as a challenge at the last tat 'n' chat day in Melbourne I chose to complete 'Primrose Path' from A Pattern Book of Tatting.

Had to laugh. I distinctly remember saying no more motif based doilies for a while and this one has a whole outer round of them!!

Oh well. I accepted the challenge.

So here it is.......

Thread is Lizbeth size 40. Charcoal and Spring Garden.

Update on Amelia.

This girl never ceases to amaze me. The shy little puppy we picked up at the end of May has blossomed into a wonderfully savvy, smart dog with a huge personality and talent to match.

We recently took her down to the beach for a run. This was the second time we had been along the coast with her but this time it was at Balnarring where the waves were not so imposing and there was lots of things to play with.

Ben took his camera along and got some great action shots of her playing in the water and then the dog wrangler (aka ME) had her do some fence jumps so he could take some more.

She behaved beautifully and reveled in the chance to go for a swim.

So I have created a swim monster! Now when we go up to the park it is training, then play chase the ball then a swim in the river before a bit more chasing then a cuddle. Loving this dog. At just on 8 months of age she is really starting to shine.

And from there....the final finishing steps!

Wow... Actually finished this one without further issues. All thanks to having a couple of weeks of work  - minding a gate.....yep.....the mindnumbing job noone else wanted was the saviour of this particular doily!!! (not to mention my bank account!)







Ta Da!!!





Pattern is by Inga Madsen
Thread is Lizbeth 40
Ocean Sunset variegated with Ocean Teal Medium and Ocean Teal Dark.
Like it much more with the added colors. (Great idea Kit and Amy) but SO many motifs.

So Susanne, this challenge is over. What do you reckon we do next??

What a difference thread makes....

I just finally finished the PuggaPita doily called Anna.
I attempted this a while back and ended up with a twisted wreck of a doily that annoyed me so much I threw it in the draw and didn't bother finishing it.

THEN..... I have been going to some tatting days that Belinda Spence started in Melbourne and met the lovely Alenalea Rako who does hand dyed thread. Not just your ordinary run of the mill HDT....this is SUPER SPECIAL stuff. Drool until you can't drool any more stuff!!!
Best of all??? For us Aussies....FINALLY someone right here in Australia making high quality tatting HDT!!

(found at https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/AlenAleaDesign)

This is the difference between loving what you are tatting and hating it.....

To the right is the first attempt using Lizbeth 40. To the left is my latest attempt, straight off the shuttle, NO blocking, using Lea's thread. Such an incredible difference.




From the shuttles, no blocking as yet. This thread was a pleasure to work with.

Lea's threads are carefully dyed and the color combinations are really well thought out and she can also do custom colors.

If you are looking for some different, high quality threads right here in Australia this is definitely the person to speak to!

AND.... a plug for this wonderful new little group that Belinda Spence has started!!

If you are a tatter in Australia and you are in Melbourne, or you live in and around Melbourne we meet upstairs in the Dymock's Cafe in Collins Street. All levels of tatters are more than welcome. Happy to teach someone to tat if that is what they want too!!

More details and meeting dates can be found on the facebook group......  Tatting The Australian Way.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/847655165276159/

Garage sale joy!!

Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is wonderful!

Went to a garage sale today in Belgrave, Victoria. The lady there was moving to the UK for a year and needed to destash some of her craft and household items. Amongst the stuff she had there were some tatting books, thread and a few shuttles.

I picked through and grabbed what I could use and asked her to price it for me. To my amazement she only wanted $10 each for the hardcover books and a couple of dollars for the shuttles and thread. All up this little lot cost me a whopping $50 AUD. I asked if she was sure that was all she wanted for the books and she said yes, if she didn't sell them they were going to the Op Shop......

Nice little pick up I would say!!