Festive Beaded Eggs with Tatting and "Bling"!

Also – some amazing finds during yesterday’s trip (April 9) to Hobby Lobby.

Plus THREE CHEERS to Janette Baker!!!

I’m doing a quick post to show two recent egg designs, which I came up with last week while experimenting with pretty adhesive gems found in the scrapbook section at Michaels. I was able to display the eggs at the Maple Festival last weekend, and they received many favorable comments.

The two eggs below (normal size) were part of a set of six ‘microbead’ eggs I found at Jo Ann Fabrics last year (but are not available this year, of course!). The gem embellishments are from the scrapbook section at Michaels – adhesive, one-piece gem stickers I found this year. The neat thing is that the gems come in ONE PIECE on a single sticker, which makes them super easy to attach.

This tatted motif, done with a cranberry perle cotton (size 8). consists of eight rings and chains that I made up to accommodate the gems, so that each green
gem sits under a chain, and keeps the tatted ring visible.

The package had a duplicate sticker, which I hope to attach to the reverse side, after I tat another motif!

An adhesive strip of rhinestones (also very convenient!) divides the egg vertically, and makes it sparkly from the side.

Four metallic ‘bell caps’ are pinned on to add to the design, and the tatting itself is held on with gold bead pins. This egg is sitting on my special brass egg holder.




I had an extra tatted green wreath in my ‘stash’ (I believe it’s Patti Duff’s), so I thought I’d see how it looked on the yellow beaded egg, and it worked out nicely. I used different color bead pins to give it a festive look, and, added a one-piece ‘gem’ sticker in the center.

The gold beads (also self-adhesive, on a strip) worked great to section off the egg

This egg is sitting on a plastic egg holder but also has a hanger. I can’t seem to find these egg holders anymore, but they’re probably on the internet.







I hope to show more eggs from past years (it will have to be after Easter), but I wanted to share with you my recent EXCITING FINDS at a Hobby Lobby in our area.

Shopping Trip to Hobby Lobby on Thursday, April 9.
I have been upset that Jo Ann’s seems to have NO tatting supplies anymore, although Michaels has at least a few shuttles and some basic thread, and possibly the Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic (mentioned in my previous post). .

But yesterday (Thursday) when I went to Hobby Lobby in Boardman, Ohio, I was bowled over when I saw their EXCELLENT tatting section, containing rarely seen metal Boye shuttles with bobbins (plus extra bobbins in a separate package -also rarely seen), plus a couple of Aero shuttles with metal hooks, plus clover shuttles! They also had needle tatting supplies and books and a video on needle tatting.

But my BIGGEST SURPRISES were the two books staring at me:

- The new Learn to Tat book by Janette Baker, complete with “interactive DVD”.

At my local Barnes and Noble, you have to ORDER the book. I want them to DISPLAY IT so visitors to the store can SEE it, although I haven’t told them that - YET!! Therefore, I was amazed to see it prominently displayed at Hobby Lobby! I first learned about this book from Diane’s blog http://lacelovinlibrarian.blogspot.com/ (Thanks, Diane!) and was excited when Diane mentioned that it had a DVD with it. I've been curious to see the DVD - a major step forward in the technology for our times! I believe this is the first commercial DVD.

I have so much more to say about this DVD, but will save it for another post. I can definitely tell you this: THIS IMPRESSIVE DVD IS A "MUST HAVE" FOR ALL NEW TATTERS !!!! Not to mention some of us 'intermediates'. She even goes into "right-side, wrong-side"! CONGRATULATIONS to JANETTE for an amazing DVD!!! I’m delighted that Hobby Lobby has the book prominently displayed to catch the eye of passers-by. (How’s that for a rhyme? :- )

- Celtic Tatting Knots and Patterns by Rosella Linden (aka Ruth Perry).
It was also exciting to see this book ‘in person’. I finally discovered why Ruth has chosen “Rozella Linden” as her ‘pen name”. I love Ruth’s designs and am delighted to have this Celtic ‘tutorial’ in my library!.

My next shock:

- Lizbeth thread, which has been given high marks by so many of you. Hobby Lobby doesn’t have a full range of the colors, but enough of both solid and variegated to keep me busy!!! I’ll report back on my results with it! I assumed I would have to order it from the internet, so I couldn’t believe that I was seeing it ‘in person’!

The main thing for me is that NON-TATTERS will SEE all these items – especially the books – and then become INSPIRED to learn to tat. (Yoo-Hoo! Anyone at Jo Ann’s listening?!!) I told the clerk in the fabric department how THRILLED I am with their tatting display, and she appreciated my comments. I will be writing to the ‘Management’ to express my delight.

I have so much more to write about - plus I have some things to share from the very successful Maple Festival this past weekend. We REALLY lucked out with the weather. It was sunny and warm both days (although a little windy and chilly on Saturday morning) and they again got HUGE crowds. Then on Tuesday it snowed here in Pittsburgh. Yikes – but, normal, I’m afraid.

However, I must close for now, as I want to get this post in today!

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY EASTER!

I have to admit that after my shopping trip yesterday , for me it feels more like Christmas!!!

"I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket . . ."

From a song by Irving Berlin, featured in the Astaire-Rogers 1936 movie, “Follow the Fleet.” I now have all ten Fred Astaire–Ginger Rogers movies in a DVD collection! My favorite dancers!)

Well, maybe not ALL my eggs – I have too many to put in just ONE basket!

I’ll be showing more eggs soon (before Easter), but below is a grouping of my first eggs – satin ones, to which I added simple motifs back around 1991.

Plus – the Maple Festival is coming up this weekend. More about that at the end of this post.

Also below, – I have a tatting story from a recent shopping trip to share with you.

Let’s see, I think I’m missing something - Oh, yes –

HAPPY TATTING DAY!!

Satin Eggs - from the early 1990s

My Motif #18 is on the pink egg (see below)

You could find these satin eggs (non-shiny) in craft stores in the 1990s. . They’re a ‘larger’ egg, at 3-1/2” high.

They are ‘hollow’ inside and therefore allow pins to be used to either tack the motif down or to use as an embellishment.


The motifs are mostly simple ring-and- chain patterns, and I admit I put the motifs only on one side! On most of the eggs in this photo, I glued down cording as a design element.

Fortunately, there is a hole (unseen) on the one end of the egg, where I was able to ‘hide’ the ends of the cord.

The lovely doily is one I ‘rescued’ from an antique store years ago. We all feel a ‘connection’ to those who tatted these items! As with the doily shown below, it has a solid fabric center.

In the next photos, I’ve singled out two of the eggs.

Motif #18 – from book by Rebecca Jones

This satin egg (from 1991) is sitting on a doily that I wish I could take credit for, but it’s one that I purchased at a local boutique and felt lucky to have found. The shop owner was thrilled that it was going home with a tatter! It is made with a ‘fine’ thread and is so delicate. I’m also impressed by the skill involved in adding lace to a ‘solid’ center.

The motif on the egg is from Complete Book of Tatting by Rebecca Jones. I used a coral color DMC perle cotton, size 8.

I made several of this motif, especially to decorate small boxes.




I like to add embroidered flowers for a Victorian look; however these particular flowers, which were easily found in sewing stores back then, are now difficult to find – and are more expensive! I also used pins/ beads as a design element here. (Oops - I just noticed I’m missing a pin and bead on the left side! Wonder where it went?!!) Back then I simply used a straight pin through a gold bead (as in the above egg), but later I found gold beads already attached to pins. This egg sits on an special egg holder, and has a prominent spot in my china closet.

Right now I can’t find the designer of the motif on this egg, so I won’t count it here.

I see I’m also missing a rhinestone on the left side! This is what happens when transporting items to show after show. I’ll have to fix it!

This is the side view where I used hens and checks as another design element















More eggs to come in future posts.

In the meantime, here’s my recent shopping story, which I just HAD to share with you, especially on International Tatting Day!

I was in a Michaels store over the PA border in Ohio and, as usual, I checked out the status of tatting supplies, which, to my dismay, are becoming more scarce – if not entirely DISAPPEARING from the chain craft stores. (Most unsettling and a subject for a whole other post.)

I had scanned all the books in the different areas of Michaels, especially the knitting and crocheting books – and, as usual (sadly), saw nothing about tatting.

Then while still in the ‘yarn’ vicinity, I overheard one gal talking to another – “Oh, look – TATTING (as she picked up a book) – that’s a dying art.”

Naturally, THAT got my attention! Tatting Book??? (Turns out it was the Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic, which, happily, can still be found in Michaels stores, although I somehow missed seeing it that day!)

But here’s the amazing part: The gal put the book down and was commenting to her friend,
“I remember when Mrs. ____ used to sit all day on her porch tatting away.”

[Of course, I’m eavesdropping with REALLY big ears at this point!]

“She used to have that big frame and she’d work away all day on it.”

Whoa! ‘Big Frame”???? Well, I just HAD to find out what that was about, so I piped up – “Oh, excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. I just wanted you to know that tatting isn’t a dying art and many people around the world are tatting, and even making jewelry – there’s lots of information on the internet these days!”

She was very nice and didn’t seem annoyed with my ‘intrusion’, so she told me her story about the lady with the Big Frame and how she used it to tat ‘lots’ of things – especially table cloths! !!

I said, “Are you sure she was ‘tatting’? Because all you need is a small shuttle and don’t need any kind of frame.” But she said – “Oh, yes, I know it was tatting – she used to sit there all day. She would work for hours and hours working with that big frame,”

I decided not to argue the point, so I just said – “Oh, that’s pretty amazing. I hope whoever got them [the tablecloths? Wow!] appreciated them.” And she said, “Well, she had only sons, so I hope they appreciated them, too.” I wished her a ‘good day’ and thanked her for sharing her story.

It was one of those “Twilight Zone” moments, and I couldn’t help being amazed that I happened to be in that area of that store at that particular moment. Here’s the ONLY book in the store on tatting (which I missed seeing!), and this gal finds it within earshot of me and talks about tatting being a dying art - and then talks about this Big Frame!

OK - I’m open for suggestions! What in the world do you think 'Mrs. ___' was doing? Weaving? Needle netting?? Or somehow - tatting?

* * * *

The Maple Festival at Brady’s Run (near Beaver, PA) is this weekend (Apr 4-5), always a big event here in Western PA, which brings thousands of visitors. Our tatting group, the Beaver County Tatters (4 of us at the moment) will demonstrate tatting, which the group has particupated in for at least 20 years and possibly more! This will be my 18th Maple Festival - except I missed actually demo-ing in 2002 after the broken wrists (post of Feb. 27)!

Back in 1990 I had participated in my first 'demo' events at Old Economy, so 1991 was my first Maple Festival, and for the first time I had a few items to sell (two stars and three snowflakes), and was thrilled that they all sold that day! This marked the beginning of my tatting ‘frenzy’ when I tried to have inventory for each festival , plus I started thinking up 3-D ideas. Selling involves so much more than just the tatting – again, the subject of future posts!

Uh-oh – I’m having a sudden need to eat chocolate!
Happy Tatting Day!

Celtic Tatting - Motifs 16 and 17

St. Patrick’s Day !

Below are some “Irish” patterns in commemoration of St. Patrick’s Day

I’m proud to be part Irish, and was named for my maternal grandmother, Katherine (“Kate”) Flanagan. Can’t get much more Irish than that! She was born in America after her parents immigrated to New England around 1870. Sadly, I never knew her, as she died in 1944, the year I was born; but I understand she had a wonderful sense of humor and an infectious laugh, which my wonderful mother also inherited! My grandfather’s ancestors, although having an English name, lived in Ireland for generations, and his parents also immigrated to New England before he was born. My grandfather had tailoring skills and made a christening gown in 1899 that is still in the family!


Motif #16 consists of two parts, both associated with Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic Motif


Motif #16-A: Lenore English, Celtic Bookmark Motif
(based on Motif by Rosemarie Peel)


I love this Celtic tatted motif, which is only one section of an outstanding bookmark by Lenore English, found here:www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/6896/pbkmrk.html



It’s based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic motif, which apparently was on the internet at one time, but I can’t seem to find it. (Rosemarie’s motif is beautifully interpreted by Elizabeth Zipay in a delicate pair of earrings on her Jan. 21, 2008 post.) www.elizabeths-lace.blogspot.com/

On this motif I used two different DMC perle cotton threads, size 8. The label is missing on the lighter green ball of thread, but the dark green is #3346. In this instance, I think the two colors enhance the woven effect


Since I was doing only a single motif, I didn’t need to do a split ring in part 1 (lighter green thread), and therefore I used only one shuttle. I used the darker green for part 2, and back to the lighter green for part 3

The full bookmark is beautifully designed and executed by Lenore, but she admits it’s difficult to do, and after looking over the instructions, I’d have to agree. It will be awhile before I attempt it!


I’ll be wearing the pin on my hand-knit ‘Aran’ sweater, made in 1991, during my tatting-knitting-quilting-frenzy years.

I’m not so ‘driven’ these days, and I’m amused when I read how everyone has three or four projects going at once, and I can very much relate to it





My husband (not exactly Irish!) will also wear the fisherman-knit sweater I made for him way back in 1973 – different pattern (still fits, because I made it a little bigger!), which won a blue ribbon at the Allegheny County Fair back then. The pictured sweater won a blue at the Canfield Fair in Ohio. (Just a little bragging!). I find fisherman sweaters easier to knit than sweaters with color changes, although I’ve made many of those. As with all needle arts, we have our preferences, from types of knitting needles, yarns and patterns, to tatting shuttles, threads and patterns

Motif #16 –B: LaRae Mikulecky’s Celtic Bookmark
also based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic Motif
Lenore’s bookmark was inspired by LaRae Mikulecky’s famous Celtic bookmark from 1997 (below), which also was based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic motif




I tatted this bookmark sometime in the early 2000s, and was quite pleased with myself when I finished it




When “surfing the net” back in 1999 or 2000 at the library, I remember being stunned when I came across LaRae Mikulecky’s Celtic bookmark.

It was the first time I had ever seen ‘Celtic’ tatting, and I was mesmerized by all that weaving in and out. I just HAD to tat it! It has a wonderful texture and definitely has a “Wow” factor when seen in person. Fortunately, it was relatively easy to tat, thanks to LaRae’s excellent instructions, which she so generously shared. 

Update 2017: The pattern can still be found, but  I'm having difficulty getting a 'one-click'  link to it in this post.   You have to highlight the red url below,  then right click to bring up a box, then move the cursor down to  'go to http' , and left click it.  That will take you to the pattern.   

http://web.archive.org/web/20080801201719/http:/www.picotnet.com/Patterns/celtic/celtic_bookmark.htm   

I experimented with tatting the first layer (split rings) in dark green, but I think I’d prefer to do all four layers of the bookmark in one color, to add to its ‘mystery’, although it’s helpful here to see how the split rings are the foundation

Both Lenore’s and LaRue’s bookmarks are outstanding and attractive, but the Celtic motif is more clearly seen on Lenore’s three-step bookmark, and very much appeals to me

Motif #17 – Iris Niebach’s “Cactus” Motif

Even though this motif doesn’t involve ‘Celtic tatting’, the design sure looks Celtic to me, and was designed by world-famous Iris Niebach, from Italy!


Believe it or not, it’s made in one pass, and I’m delighted that it’s my first Iris Niebach pattern. Of course, this is one of her easier designs!
















I’m displaying it here on a candle-wicked pillow I made long, long ago, in a galaxy far away


The candlewick knots were fun to do, but at the time I didn’t know yet how to quilt a ‘running stitch’. I just sort of ‘stab stitched’ the ‘quilted’ areas






As mentioned above, Iris’s motif is an amazing one-pass pattern (without any special tricks) which is very easy to follow, and measures about 5” across.

I must give credit to Marty of Tat’s All She Wrote - http://www.marty-tatsall.blogspot.com// where I first saw this pattern. It is beautifully tatted and was her 20th motif, posted April 23, 2008. I was excited that the pattern was offered free from Iris Niebach, and Marty provides an easy link to it. You must visit Marty’s blog to see all her beautiful tatting! Marty has skillfully tatted many of Iris’s patterns!

The thread I used above has a unique history. itself, as it dates back at least 30 or more years!
It was made by American Thread Company at Fall River, Massachusetts, called “Silkateen” (100 yards) on wood spools (collectors’ items) and feels like size 8 perle cotton.





Amazingly, a few boxes of this thread sat on a shelf for who knows how many years in a hardware / general merchandise store owned by a relative of my sister-in-law. The store was being sold, so my sweet SIL gave the thread to me! I had to unwind it a bit to get past the more ‘brittle’ outside yardage; then it became stronger and darker as I removed the outer layers of thread

In researching the company, I haven’t been able to find a reference to the Fall River mill in Massachusetts. There is information about a Connecticut mill, and a nice photo of the ‘headquarters’ building in New York. The American Thread Company apparently began operations in 1899 here in America and had several mill sites in New England. Apparently the mills closed around the 1970s. I’d have to do more in-depth research to track down the story of the production of this thread. I made a few Christmas wreath pins out of this thread for my SIL and her daughters, as a memento of the store owned by their relative.

Have a great St. Patty’s Day!

"Spring Forward" - Easter Egg Alert

I’m very much against ‘rushing’ the season, but I want to alert you to some eggs that are currently at Michaels. I’m not sure they’re in all their stores (they don’t seem to be listed on their web site). As usual, I purchased several of them, as the stores don’t often have the same items the next year. Usually I’ve had to add braiding and/or flowers to plain eggs, but these are already finished – ready to hang - or just sit in a basket The braiding 'sections off' the egg into quarters. They have a ‘velvet’ covering and come in different pastel colors – pink, blue, light green, purple, orange.

Of course, I can’t leave that ‘empty space’ between the braiding just sit there, when it’s crying out for tatted motifs!

This was the quickest motif I could find (Mary McCarthy’s butterfly, from my October 17 post) to attach to the egg, so I could alert you to them.

There are many possibilities for embellishing these eggs even more. Need I mention beads?

The colors aren’t showing as well as I’d like here, and there are shadows in the photo, but it kind of gives you the idea.

Because the eggs are hollow (but not hard plastic), it is possible to use pins. (I use metallic pins that have a gold bead at one end.) However, always be careful not to let children play with the eggs, even though the pins don't pull out easily.

Around Easter I’ll be posting eggs that I’ve decorated with tatting over the years.

"Seeing Stars" on Ice - plus Motif #15 -Tatted Edging made into Star

Happy Birthday to another Niece!

Today (Feb. 27) is significant to me for two reasons.

First, one of my sweet nieces was born 18 years ago today (sister of the 21-year-old niece born on Valentine’s Day). Both girls have shown interest in the needle arts (one likes machine sewing, and the other learned to knit - from me, I’m proud to say – but she’s not tatting yet, although she wants to learn), but their school schedules keep them so busy, it’s difficult for them to find time. I gave each of them the small tatted red heart pendant (previous post) for Valentine's Day.

The second reason Feb. 27 is memorable is written a few paragraphs below!

Motif #15 – Tatted Edging formed into Star (ornament or sun catcher)

From Ann Orr’s Classic Tatting Patterns (Dover Needlework Series) Edging No. 12 (page.23)

This is the first ‘fancy’ edging pattern I tatted after I learned the chain. I discovered after making 5 points that I could form the ‘straight’ lace into a star



After making the star, I felt confident enough with it to try making my first long piece of tatting (about 30”) to embellish a black vest, which I wore as part of my first tatting costume (to be shown on a future post)

I use the stars both as Christmas ornaments and as window 'sun catchers' for all seasons.




I’ve been working on the continuation of my tatting story, but I want to get this particular post in today.

Also, I’ve never worked with beads to any great extent – I usually just added them to connect picots, or even sewed them on afterward (!) so I’ve been trying to understand how to plan ahead to load them onto the shuttle and work with them; therefore, I am doing some ‘active’ tatting these days.

But I have to share this next story today, as I know you’ll find it ‘interesting’ if not disconcerting!

"Seeing Stars" on Ice - Feb. 27, 2002





"Happiness was" . . ice skating a few weeks 'before the fall', at a different rink.



Today is the 7-year anniversary of my ice-skating accident (at 58 years of age) when I broke both wrists in one fell swoop – so to speak – while trying to go into a backward turn during my usually joyful afternoon skating session at a new, beautiful indoor ice rink in our area. In a nano-second I went down. I won’t go into details, as it’s too painful for me to recall them. Believe me, I literally saw stars!! The year is easy to remember, however - two wrists, 2002



I was VERY, VERY FORTUNATE that I did not need surgery on either wrist, although the doctor said the left wrist would be a little crooked. (By the way, he was wonderful – great sense of humor that helped so much – and no ‘rolling of the eyes’ that I was skating at ‘my age’!!) The ‘crooked wrist’ verdict was okay with me, and it really isn’t that noticeable. In fact, it actually healed faster than the right wrist, which looks perfect (for which I’m also grateful).


I ‘attended’ the April Maple Festival (Brady’s Run) that year (just visiting the tatting group - the wrists were released from the casts two weeks later), and by August I was, happily, back with the group at historic Vicary House, although still a bit sore, and not tatting with great speed!

Needless to say I am GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL that it wasn’t worse. However, psychologically it was a bitter pill, because I LOVED to skate, and had roller skated or ice skated a good bit for many years, even through my early 40s. However, I did have a 15-year lull and was getting back into it because of the fabulous new ice rink, which was empty during the afternoon session when school kids were not there.

I was in ‘hog heaven’ having mostly the whole rink to myself. I have to say I was really getting into good skating form again, although a little shaky on the backwards stuff (literally my ‘downfall’!) . I loved hearing from young folks that I skated “pretty good for an older person” – one actually used the term ‘elderly’ (LOL ? ).

I have not returned to skating (although I very much wanted to) because I just can’t chance getting hurt again – there are knees, ankles and elbows also to consider! Not to mention my dear husband’s feelings, who had to do so many things ‘above and beyond’ during my recuperation. It really was not an easy time. (Did I mention that the casts prevented me from feeding myself?) Very sobering thoughts, and I had lots of time to think about it.

Sometimes you just have to let something go and realize that you have limitations – and accept your age!!!! (Still having trouble with that one!)

I can ‘celebrate’ the anniversary because the outcome was so positive and after six months I regained full use of both wrists. It was wonderful to drive again. And I no longer complain about doing housework (well, maybe just a little) – I’m just so grateful that I can do housework..

I was amazingly pain-free for four years, and again, was grateful, grateful, grateful. But in 2007 I started having some arthritis issues - at first quite painful and disconcerting, but fortunately within a few months the pain diminished (amazingly, on its own) and now I just have a ‘mild’ case, with many long stretches being pain-free, but still a bit stiff in the morning. Weather does seem to be a factor, but sometimes they will ache (either both or individually) for no apparent reason. I realize, however, that one can get arthritis without having had an injury, but injuries certainly increases the odds.

I have a great appreciation for the difficulty many have in opening things – especially with today’s packaging. I definitely need bottle opener gizmos! And I can highly recommend both a “Paper Pro” stapler and 3-hole punch (for all those internet tatting patterns!!) that are excellent products requiring minimal pressure. Therefore, I’m also indebted to the ‘gizmo’ makers.

The wrist issue is one of the reasons I’m not tatting or doing other needlework with ‘gusto’ anymore. I was doing some quilting one day, and the next day the wrists were very sore. Fortunately, tatting and knitting aren’t quite as much of a problem, but I try to limit my time. However, surfing the web is also a ‘risk’ factor (the mouse!) , and I try to watch my time there, too – although it’s difficult to stay away from the 'Net, and I do get ‘twinges’. (Did I mention I also love to play the piano – just for my own enjoyment, nothing fantastic. It’s just very important to me!)

I’m going to end this post here, and possibly go visit the rink, which I do occasionally, just for ‘old times’ sake. I love to watch the kids who are just learning, and especially the ones who are training to compete. How I envy them – their youth and agility!!!! But I’m still grateful, grateful, grateful that I can use my hands and enjoy all my other hobbies. (If I used the word 'grateful' often in this post, it's because I am just that!)

Happy Valentine's Day! Motifs #12, 13 and 14

Happy Valentine’s Day to all !
And a Special Happy Birthday Greeting to my sweet niece, who is 21 years old today!

MOTIF #12: 3-D VICTORIAN HEART (made from two fans)

Here’s one of my 3-D ‘designs’ from around 1993, where I used a published ‘flat’ pattern and molded it into a 3-D shape. It is made from two fans (see below) with an added chain on each fan to make a ‘heart’ shape.

I used Alene’s fabric stiffener and draped each fan over a plastic 3-D heart form to 'puff' them out. Then I sewed the stiffened rounded shapes together with sewing thread, also incorporating pearls on the sides as I sewed along.

I hung a large pink ‘crystal’ bead on a chain in between the two halves, and also wove gold beads (the plastic ones that can be cut to desired length ) in and out on the sides (no sewing). Then I glued the flowers on top











This is a rather blurry ‘photo of a photo’ of the fan, as I no longer have the original fan ornament.

I have it pictured here upside down so you can see the ‘heart’ shape. Not shown here, of course, is the long chain (plus picots) between outer rings 4 and 6 to give the fan a ‘heart’ shape. (Hope I’m explaining this OK!)

I know I've seen this pattern while going through my books, but, of course, I can't find it at the moment to give credit to the designer.

I know I made many of these fans. If you want to stand on your head, you'll see that I added a little
crystal under the silk flower and bow!




Interestingly, I made only one of the 3-D hearts, partly because during my tatting frenzy years of 1990-1994 I was trying to make a lot of ‘quick’ items to sell, plus I was coming up with several different ideas for other 3-D items. The finishing for the 3-D heart was a bit labor intensive (for me), and I didn’t want to take time back then to make more of them. I always intended to make more, but haven't made any others so far!

MOTIF #13: ‘REGAL HEART’ by TERI DUSENBURY,
with pearls sewn to the tatting afterwards

This heart may look familiar to you, as it was almost a year ago that Sharon so kindly posted a photo of it on her blog (along with other photos I sent her by mail) and introduced me to the 25-motif tatting group before had a blog. I never dreamed that I would actually start a blog – and it took six months for me to get up the ‘courage’! Thanks so much, Sharon! This is my E-Valentine greeting to you!

I pinned the heart to the padded top of my favorite burgundy velvet heart box (easy to remove), which I purchased at one of the craft stores several years ago. I think tatting and velvet go well together!

I have it displayed in the curio in my living room, where I keep anniversary keepsakes and gifts

This pattern is in Teri Dusenbury’s excellent book “Tatting Hearts” – a VERY IMPORTANT PUBLICATION because in it, Teri explained (and revived) the split-ring technique, and used it to great effect in many of her beautiful designs in that book, published by Dover Publications. It was amazing to see rings floating around with no chains between them.

However, her Regal Heart pattern above does not use split rings, which is why I chose to tat it, back when I bought the book around 1994. At the time I was intimidated by the split-ring idea and didn’t fully grasp it. Happily I am no longer intimidated by split rings, since I discovered they weren’t that difficult! The split ring certainly opened up new and unique design possibilities for all tatting designers. THANK YOU, TERI for reviving the split ring and for your many other contributions to the tatting world!

MOTIF #14: QUICK AND EASY HEART PENDANT

This admittedly is not the greatest photo, nor is it representative of my best tatting, but I enjoyed rediscovering this very cute little heart pattern, and I tatted up these samples quickly today to see how the pattern would look in both DMC’s perle cotton size 8 (color 498) and DMC’s gold thread on a spool, which makes a smaller heart. The red one is only an inch high.

The pattern is by Kim Goetz, which appeared in “Victorian Hearts and Flowers,” one of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazines (1995). She made it with size 80 thread for use on note paper.

* * * *

I thought I'd add a weather note here, to record the fact that there is a dusting of snow on the lawn and trees, with temps in the mid-30s on this Valentine's Day 2009. Amazing to think that on Wednesday it was 65 degrees, but I knew it wouldn't last!

Let It Snow?!!! Motifs 9, 10 and 11

I’m counting my 3-D bell from my previous post as Motif #8.

Since it’s been snowing off and on for the past few days (total 6” – plus record low temps), I’m inspired to post some snowflakes from the past! (Also, please know that I seem to have little control over the spacing in my posts. I've 'edited' it as best I can. Possibly someone can give me some tips!)



I’m trying to put a ‘happy spin’ on my winter doldrums, (which always set in before winter starts!) and thought I’d see what some tatted snowflakes ( Motifs 9 and 10 below) would look like on a cute sweater I wear in the winter to cheer me up. (Actually they look good. Maybe I’ll tat new ones up!)







Motif #9 - Snowflake (with variation) from DMC Festive Tatting
(designed by Marion T. Leyds - No. 15 in book)

This is the first snowflake pattern I ever attempted back in 1991, and it’s still one of my favorites.









My ‘variation’ is that I did not include the thrown- off rings in the center and just put picots (thereby avoiding the use of the ‘feared’ second shuttle in my early learning stage)












Same snowflake with mirrored gem
in the center (front and back)

Adding the gem always adds some ‘sparkle’












Same snowflake, with silk ribbon poinsettia embellishment.

I like to use silk flowers in my tatting, even on snowflakes!

This snowflake is a reminder of our winter wedding (45 years ago on Jan 4!!) , where my maid of honor and bridesmaid wore red gowns and carried white fur muffs, with a red carnation spray. I had wanted poinsettias but the florist said they would wilt! The carnations looked lovely, though. Our wedding in 1964 was snow-free (just some snow leftover from a New Year’s Eve snowfall), but we got 10” on our return to work on the 13th!! ! Anniversaries have ranged in temps all the way from 60 degrees to minus 2! And on our 30th anniversary (1994) we spent the morning shoveling 10” of snow from our driveway so my husband could get to work! Annoyed as I was at having to shovel so much snow, I was very grateful that it didn’t snow like that on my wedding day!

Motif #10 - Snowflake (with variation) from DMC Festive Tatting
(designed by Marion T. Leyds – No. 5 in book)





Marion Leyds created a very similar snowflake to the one above, eliminating the long chains under the 5 top rings.

You can see how she came up with this variation, and indeed it has a different ‘look’ to it.

Again I didn’t include the thrown-off rings in the center, allowing me to hang a snowflake ‘crystal’ pendant.







When hung in a window, the crystal reflects sunlight through a prism and throws rainbow “lights” around a room. A true “sun catcher” !

Motif #11 - My Own Design (1995?) – No Picots!





The inspiration for this snowflake was a Lenox porcelain snowflake that I saw in a catalog.

I wondered if I could ‘copy’ it in tatting and sat down and sketched it out, then surprised myself by actually tatting it!

I can’t find the sketch or the pattern, which is probably tucked into the catalog, which may or may not still be in the house! It needs to be perfected a bit, as the rings kind of ‘lop over’ each other. On the other hand, it adds to the ‘antique-y’ look.

I have just realized that the above three snowflakes plus the eight-sided one I posted on December 18 (the Christmas card) are the only snowflake patterns I’ve ever tatted! I was concentrating more on my 3-D ornaments during my ‘tatting frenzy’ years (1990-94). I have been bedazzled by all the snowflake patterns tatted by everyone, including the gorgeous HDT’s!

Hope those of you in the cold climates are staying warm! (Hey, Tattingchic - and those in sunny climes – just a little envy! OK – maybe a lot of envy!!!!) I’m trying to appreciate the beauty of the snow (it IS beautiful on a sunny, blue-sky day) and, thankfully, I really don’t have to go out in it (except for shoveling and food shopping), but I miss the joy of walking around the neighborhood and sitting in my backyard among the birds and flowers! At least the stores are starting to put out gardening items – that helps cheer me up!