Wendy Tats

Secret Santa 2011

2012-01-20T16:13:00.001Z

This is what Lorena Finnerty sent me in the Secret Santa Exchange. The pretty Tatted mini doily she adapted from Susanne Schwenke's 'Musterbeschreibung' I love the colours.
The thread is an HDT by Karey Solomon. Must find a really nice pattern to tat with that.
The beautifully neat bracelet, Lorena made herself from Parachute cord.
Some scrummy chocolates and a cute little note clip board.
How lucky am I !!

Christmas Medallions

2011-12-08T08:34:00.001Z

Here are some Christmas Medallions. They are designed by Nancy Tracy. She has the Be-stitched web site. I tatted both of these medallions for Christmas swaps. I hope the recipients like them as much as I enjoyed tatting them.

The thread I used is Altin Basak 50, equivalent to about 20 in other threads. I find the gold filament running through the thread breaks very easily when drawing the rings up and is nearly impossible to untat. So, if you tat with it, concentrate on the chart and don't make mistakes !!
It looks very pretty though and is worth the effort.

Baiduri

2011-07-31T17:01:00.000+01:00

I bought Jon Yusoff's book 'Elegant Tatting Gems'. It has 18 snowflake designs, with charts and written instructions, which are very easy to follow. This is number 4 and is called Baiduri. I tatted it, using Flora 20 in two colours.

I made a mistake at the start and had to cut a picot and stitch in another one. There is a fluffy stump that I will have to cut away but it might unravel, so this one is for me. It was so nice to tat, though, I will happily tat another.

Bookmark Swap

2011-07-18T15:47:00.000+01:00

I tatted this bookmark from a design by Nancy Tracy. It is for a Bookmark Swap for the Crafts Forum on Forums America. I used Flora 20 in Purple and Yellow.

TIAS 2011

2011-03-25T13:29:00.000Z

A bit late, but here is my tatted aeroplane. Jane Eborall organised a TIAS and this is what it turned out to be. I think it is quite cute. Here is the pattern

Star in Clover

2011-02-06T11:08:00.000Z

This Star was designed by Jon Yussoff and I tatted it using Lizbeth no 20 in this pretty blue. Stars sometimes twinkle blue don't they ? I like the little star in the middle with the clean lines as well as the elaborate outside one.

Editha

2011-02-06T10:52:00.000Z

This lovely snowflake was designed by Christiane Eichler. She named it Editha. I tatted it in no 20 Lizbeth . The colour is blue but it hasn't come out very well in the photo.

Merryment Doily

2011-01-03T14:43:00.003Z

Another version of Merryment doily designed by Jon Yussoff. This time tatted in Lizbeth no. 20 in a variegated yellow. Looks entirely different from the Christmas decoration.

Christmas Decoration

2010-12-29T12:05:00.000Z

I tatted this as a Christmas Tree Decoration in an HDT called Rainbow Bright by Tatskool. She used Coats 60. In these colours it makes a lovely Tree decoration.
The pattern is called Merryment doily and designed by Jon Yussoff

Another Christina's Angel

2010-11-29T19:42:00.000Z

Another Christina's Angel from Mark Myers' book Tatted Gathering of Angels.
I decided to tat this one in brighter colours. Still Lizbeth no 20, but in a pretty blue for her dress.

Christina's Angel

2010-11-29T19:29:00.000Z

I tatted Christina's Angel for a Christmas Swap on forums America. The pattern is in Mark Myers' book, Tatted Gathering of Angels. I have used Lizbeth threads in no 20. A variegated green for her dress. She looks quite delicate, I think.

Seahorse Dragon

2010-10-09T16:04:00.000+01:00

This Seahorse Dragon is designed by Anne Bruvold, adapted from a Seahorse pattern by Debbie Arnold. If you just want the seahorse, then leave off the wings. I really like the wings though.

I tatted it using a variegated thread by Lizbeth in no. 20. I love seahorses and it seemed to need those greeny blue sea type colours. Aren't they gorgeous.

Yellow Daisies

2010-08-08T09:27:00.002+01:00

This is the latest version of my Daisy Wheel Doily. I used white for the first two rounds and then a variegated yellow. The thread is Flora 20. In this case, I think the variegated thread adds to the design, instead of taking it over, as it can do.

Chinese Dragon

2010-08-04T12:05:00.000+01:00

This Chinese Dragon was designed by Anne Bruvold . It is tatted in a variegated Lizbeth 20. It wasn't an easy pattern to follow, as I find diagrams better. The colours look pretty good though and I am pleased with the way it turned out. There is a choice of the sun in it's mouth or a pearl. My dragon has a pearl.

Three Steps to a Daisy Wheel Doily

2010-07-23T16:58:00.000+01:00

These three little doilies show the process that I followed to the final Daisy Wheel Doily design, at the bottom.
The multicoloured doily at the top left, is the first design with two rounds of chains in it. The second round of the design is a chain and the circle of larger rings towards the outside of the design are joined by chains.
The second, green, doily has those joining chains taken out, by making the large rings, split rings. The third and final doily, in lilac, has the first chain round in the design, taken out as well. It is a much more open design now, more negative space.

Four Ring Doily

2010-06-28T12:17:00.000+01:00

This is my latest design, the Four Ring Doily. The green and multicoloured doilies were tatted in Lizbeth 20. I used DMC 40 for the white doily and Altin Basak 50 for the pink one.

There is one split chain and quite a few split rings in the pattern.

The pattern is not available yet.

25 Motif Challenge

2010-05-22T16:19:00.000+01:00

I have been so busy with other stitching recently, that I have been neglecting my 25 Motif Challenge, so here are five more motifs, to catch up a bit. The Angel is 'Ruth's Angel' from Mark Myers' book a 'Tatted Gathering of Angels'. I tatted it in DMC 40.

The other motifs are from Patti Duff's book 'MiniTats' The variegated blue ones are tatted in Coats 20. The white one is tatted in DMC 40.

Mary Little's Bonnet

2010-05-15T18:08:00.001+01:00

At last I have finished the bonnet.

On 23rd April 1834 the Edward, a prison hulk sailed from England to Van Diemen’s Land in Australia. It had 151 women convicts on board sentenced to transportation.

Mary Little, one of the 25,000 women transported, was 48 and convicted in March of 1834 to 7 years. The Edward sailed in April and arrived in September, at reputedly the worst prison in Australia. She served 7 years and obtained a Ticket-of-Leave. in 1841

I don't know what she was convicted of, or whether she came back to England.

This website will tell you more about the bonnets, Roses from the Heart

The snowflake on the back is my Clover Snowflake; the Tiny Rings I made up for the front edge and Mary Konior designed the Curds and Whey. I used Lizbeth variegated thread, 20,

A New Toy

2010-05-08T13:01:00.003+01:00

This is my new toy. An electric Bobbin Winder. If you read my Blog, you will know that I already have a Shuttle winder for post shuttles. That of course didn't help me, when I bought a Pop-A-Bobbin shuttle. I spotted an advert for the Bobbin Winder on Jane's Blog. The funny thing is, Jane hadn't seen the advert at all, which shows you that an advert isn't an endorsement from the Blog owner, which of course we all knew. It does sort of associate that person with the product, though. Anyway, my daughter bought one on line for my birthday, and I am thrilled to bits with it. It winds bobbins very quickly, and doesn't twist the thread. This leaves more time for tatting, which must be good, right?

Flowerpiece by Mary Konior

2010-04-30T17:32:00.000+01:00

I just received my copy of the Ring of Tatters Newsletter and there, on the front cover, is Flowerpiece by Mary Konior.

I recognised it as the little doily on my coffee table. So here it is. Tatted many years ago, but still very pretty. We lost a great designer in Mary.

Aren't I the lucky one !!!

2010-04-27T15:51:00.002+01:00

Tat’s All She Wrote had a Give Away to celebrate her 200^th post on her blog. She had designed a charm to go on a phone or scissors. I thought the charm was so pretty and told her so... I won it !! After three weeks of waiting I e-mailed Marty to ask if it could have got lost in the post. I was so disappointed but she said she would make another one and send it. I waited another week and then we had the volcano, the skies were closed and I thought I had lost it forever. Suddenly within a week, the first one and then the second one arrived. I must also mention the beading needle that came with both charms, so I have 2 of those now. They will be very useful. Am I lucky ?? I should say so. Thank you so much Marty for all the trouble you went to and for the needles and lovely charms. They are both so pretty and beautifully made.

Lots More Lizbeth

2010-04-18T18:48:00.001+01:00

Look what Dave has bought for me. Trouble is, he may be stuck in Florida with them !!

Something for Easter

2010-04-04T13:52:00.000+01:00

I have tatted this cross in different colours and threads for an Easter theme.

Edgings

2010-04-01T19:58:00.002+01:00

I have been tatting an edging, using Lizbeth no. 20. Isn't the colour lovely. It's 'curds & Whey' by Mary Konior. It is to be sewn round a bonnet, which I will show you, when I have finished it.

I needed a fine edging for the edge of the bonnet, and made up the one at the bottom of the picture. Now can I claim this as my own design. It is so simple, I can't believe that no-one has done it before. On the other hand, is it so basic that it can't be copy righted?

New Shuttle.. New Way of Tatting

2010-02-27T18:21:00.000Z

This is my new Pop-A-Bobbin Shuttle that I bought from Sally at Tat's Heaven. Made from Cherry wood, it has a pop out bobbin and hook on one end.

You may have noticed that there are also three butterflys in the picture. Now these may seem like simple butterflys to you, but two of them have been tatted in a different way from my usual method. I taught myself to tat from books, a great many years ago and had never seen anyone else tat, in the flesh, so to speak. I tat, going all around the houses with my shuttle and it is a little slow. I have watched tatters on YouTube, and noticed that they seem to, not only tat much quicker than I do but also use a 'slip and slide' method.

With my new trusty shuttle and the help of my friend Jane, I have been learning to tat this new method, and two of the butterflys are tatted in this way... Can you tell the difference? I can't and I tatted them!! I need to practice more and hope to speed up but it is a good start.

And Now for Something Completely Different

2010-01-30T16:37:00.003Z

I know, it is only January, but I really like this pattern of Holly Leaves & Berries by Mark Myers. I tatted it in Coats 20. The variegated green thread makes lovely leaves just like the variegated Holly in my garden so I am quite pleased with the way it has turned out.

TIAS Finished !!

2010-01-30T16:14:00.001Z

Here it is, all finished.. a cockerel. I would have chosen brighter colours, had I know what it was but that is the point of a TIAS You DON'T.

Thank you Jane, for all the hard work involved in designing and organising this TIAS, can't wait for the next one.

Jane's TIAS Day 10

2010-01-26T16:42:00.003Z

Here is Day 10 of Jane's TIAS.

Still not really convinced as to what it might be.
A Cock? Only one more day to go, so we'll all know soon.

Jane's TIAS

2010-01-16T17:54:00.000Z

I have been taking part in Jane's TIAS This is Day 5. Two pieces of tatting and not a lot of idea as to what it might be. Apparently we need a bead for the next part... hmmm, now what would one bead be for? Perhaps it's a Cyclops.

25 Motif Challenge

2010-01-16T17:37:00.001Z

I have joined Sharon's 25 Motif Challenge and this is my first motif of the year. It is my 4 Ring Snowflake tatted in plain white 20 from Flora. Looking very snowy , which is very appropriate considering the weather we have had here lately.

Secret Santa Tatting

2009-12-30T15:03:00.002Z

These are the pictures of the tatting that I received from Tatskool in my Secret Santa package.

The variegated pink doily is nearly five inches accross.

The white snowflake measures 2 1/4 inches accross.

They are both so pretty, I am so pleased that Tatskool was chosen as my Secret Santa.

Secret Santa

2009-12-30T14:40:00.003Z

On the Tatting Goddess List we have a Secret Santa swap. This is what I received from Tatskool. Here is it when I eventually opened it on Christmas morning. I was warned not to open it before Christmas, when I received it, as it was from Ireland and it could have been enchanted and turn to ashes in my hands... So I waited.

Imagine my joy, when I opened all the separate packages... So much...
3 pairs of gorgeously thick socks
a lovely 5 piece manicure set
a pretty small pink rose soap
a sparkly silver candle
6 tasty pieces of chocolate, yum yum
a large silver coated chocolate euro
2 vanilla flavoured teas
Flora 20 tatting thread in a smashing dark red/maroon
a spool of silver thread Oya Dentel? something new to try
A beautiful little doily in variegated pinks and reds

a fantastic white snowflake with silver beads

AND
last and best of all a new friend ....... Lorcan the Leprechaun.

He is so cute and will definitely help me with my designing and tatting in the future. I have seen some of his friends on other blogs, but never thought in a million years that a Leprechaun would want to come and live with me. He is meticulously dressed in yellow, red and green. A red belt with some fine green tatting tucked into it and holding a lucky euro. He is settling in quite well and I hope, will be with me for many years to come.
ooh and I forgot... he came carrying some beautiful HDT 'rainbow bright' thread over his arm.

Star of David

2009-12-22T16:24:00.001Z

When I tatted the triangles, each in a different colour, the change was obviously right. The centre has the 6 sided shape clearly shown. It is such a simple design, I wonder if it has been tatted before, if so please let me know and I will remove my copywrite. It is probably too late for Hanukkah this year, but in plenty of time for next.

Star of David Snowflake

2009-12-22T16:08:00.001Z

I have been trying to design a Star of David and although it looked fine on paper, when tatted it turned into an ordinary snowflake, the middle losing the distinctive 6 sided shape. After several attempts, I quite like this version, but only as a snowflake.

Tatted Christmas Cake Band

2009-12-20T15:21:00.004Z

This is my Christmas cake... The icing didn't go as well as previous years, it was cracked when it came out of the box!!

I tatted the band a few years ago, and use it every year, with a different theme for the top. This year my daughter Mandy made Christmas trees from icing and mazipan cut into stars, with 2 snowmen. The tatting is from Rosemarie Peel's Yuletide Tatting.

What do you do with your leftovers

2009-12-15T15:58:00.000Z

Whenever I finish a piece of tatting, there is always some thread left on the shuttle. Too much to throw away but not enough to bother winding back on the ball. So I make butterflies or flowers, and use them for cards or simply putting in the envelope when sending something.

Bordered Split Ring Cross

2009-12-06T12:18:00.004Z

I tatted this cross in 2 colours. This shows how colours can be used in split rings. I used Flora 20 in gold for the body of the cross and the outside purple is Lizbeth. The Lizbeth is slightly finer that the Flora, so the outside half of the split rings has worked up smaller. The purple border is not so prominent as it would be with the smae thread. I think the next one I tat I will use the same make of thread and see the difference. I have now completed the instruction diagram and have put a pdf on my website on the Tatting page.

Split Ring Cross

2009-12-01T16:40:00.004Z

This is a little cross I designed, consisting mainly of Split rings, hence the name. It measures just 2 inches long, worked in Flora 20

If you are good at split rings, it is quite quick to tat. If you are not, it is a very good way to practice them.

Christmas Snowflake

2009-11-10T17:13:00.005Z

This one I tatted with a slightly different stitch count. As you can see, it has changed the shape. Also it is in Christmas colours. Flora 20.
It will be in the Christmas Swap on the Crafts Forum America.

Variegated Snowflake

2009-11-10T17:02:00.002Z

While working on the instruction diagram, I tried tatting the snowflake in different colours ...

This is the 4 ring snowflake tatted in variegated Flora 20. I think it looks quite different.

4 Ring Snowflake

2009-10-28T18:03:00.004Z

This is my latest design, a snowflake. The rings in the very centre are all split rings. The rest are straightforward rings and chains. It is tatted in Twilleys no.20 crochet cotton. I have now finished working on the instruction diagram and have posted it on my website on the Tatting page.

Lace & Threads Fair

2009-10-23T14:39:00.002+01:00

Last Saturday I drove to Tonbridge School where the Lace & Threads Fair, organised by Tonbridge Lacemakers was being held. There were many stalls, mostly bobbin lace oriented, but amongst them was Roseground. They had brought threads along including Lizbeth and some shuttles. I bought this one. It is so pretty. The refreshments were wonderful too. Well worth a visit . Next Fair is on 24th October 2010

Another Tatter !! part 2

2009-10-21T19:08:00.000+01:00

I went to the Knit and Natter afternoon today, and Pat was there again. She hadn't brought her shuttles, but guess what, I just happened to have a pair wound ...... I got her to make a ring and then showed her how to do a split ring. She found it quite difficult to begin with ... all those years of flipping ... but got it in the end and made one. She said she will practice at home, now she understands how to do it. Trouble is, she starts work next week after a spell at home, so doesn't think she will have much time to tat, but at least I have shown her a new technique.

Sharon's Rose Mat

2009-10-14T20:16:00.003+01:00

Now I can show you what I have been tatting for the last few weeks. This is a design by Sharon Briggs for her new book Marvellous Motifs. She designed the rose and plain motif but wanted to see what they would look like as a mat. There are nine in all. Five of the rose, four plain. The thread I used is Flora 20 in a variegated green. The roses are also Flora in three different gold/yellow colours. The edging I tatted in the same colour as the basic rose.

How Do you Wind Your Shuttles?

2009-10-12T13:07:00.003+01:00

I get arthritis in my hands, and found that by the time I had wound a post shuttle, my thumb hurt too much to tat !! I bought a shuttle winder from Tatting & Design and it has made a great difference to my hobby. The cream jam jar type lid screws off and the shuttle opens, when slid in the hole in the middle. When screwed back on, it can be turned by the knarled nob at the other end of the spindle and the thread winds on the shuttle. It has certainly helped me.

Another Tatter !!

2009-10-08T08:29:00.003+01:00

A friend organised a Knit and Natter afternoon, yesterday, in the next village. I went along with my tatting, and guess what, there was another tatter there. Pat, who I know in the village hadn't tatted since the 70's, and knew nothing about split rings or chains. So when I can go again in a couple of weeks, she will take her shuttles and I will attempt to bring her up to date with some new techniques. I can't believe I have been living a mile from another tatter for years and not known it.

Look, look, look, new threads

2009-09-26T10:09:00.011+01:00

I have been busy tatting a design for Sharon's new book and it wouldn't be fair to show it to you until she has finished it.

I can, however, show you these wonderful Lizbeth threads that Jane brought me back from Palmetto... the Tatting event in America. Aren't the colours amazing. I want more....

Clover Bookmark

2009-08-15T21:34:00.005+01:00

I copied the clover design I had created for the Clover Doily to make these bookmarks. The pink thread is size 20, but the white, although purporting to be 20, is much finer, and so the bookmark is smaller.

White Clover Snowflake

2009-08-06T14:57:00.006+01:00

I thought Snowflakes should be white, so I tatted another one. I used thread that was labelled as 20 but it worked up smaller than the pink 20.

Clover Snowflake

2009-08-06T14:51:00.004+01:00

The next piece of homework we were set, was to design a snowflake from a centre that Sharon gave us. Using clovers again, I designed the pink snowflake. I liked the way the clovers pointed inward and then by adding another ring on the outside, there is another clover pointing outwards.

Jane's Snowflake / Heart

2009-08-04T16:52:00.004+01:00

One of our challenges was to to take a snowflake that someone else had designed, and make a heart shape out of it. I chose one of Jane Eborall's designs, and this is the result.

Clover Doily

2009-08-02T18:39:00.003+01:00

In the next design project, Sharon gave us a centre of rings and chains and we had to design the next round. By this time I was in love with Clovers, so here is my Clover Doily. In fact I designed another 2 rounds, using split rings to take the thread out to each succeeding one.

Clover Heart

2009-08-02T18:19:00.004+01:00

Our next lesson involved looking at a picture of a snowflake that Sharon gave us, and making a design from it. As we were designing it in segments, mine sort of stopped at a heart. I used lots of split rings and by the time I had tatted several versions to test the stitch count, I was quite good at them. I love clovers and called this Clover Heart

Squared Circle ... my first design.

2009-08-01T14:42:00.000+01:00

Having tatted for most of my adult life, I decided it was about time I had a go at designing my own patterns, so I joined an on-line Tatting Design course. This was my first design.
We were challenged to design from a centre piece creating negative space. I called mine 'Squared Circle'

2009-08-01T12:57:00.000+01:00

This is my new blog... Tatting to follow....