Tat Days 2017 - Florida Chain Gang

The theme for this year's Palmetto's Tat Days was Tat-a-Con and they were going to have a costume parade at the banquet. A friend and I decided that Con must be short for Convict and made out costumes accordingly.  My friend made the convict hats and came up with the ball and chain.  There's a ball of tatting thread in a plastic thread holder and I tatted a chain for the handle.

It was a big hit and we won first place. That night and the next day, everyone was making jail/convict jokes whenever they saw us.

We carried the theme through when we got back to Florida and picked up my dog. We joked that we broke him out of the big house (dog boarding). We even put one of the convict hats on his head. In the photo he's showing his appreciation for the jail break.

Off the Shuttles: Tat Days Projects

I went to the Palmetto Tatter's Guild Tat Days in Toccoa, Georgia.  I took the following classes: Josephine Chain Square Motif (the first photo below), Simple Festive Earrings (halfway done), Snowflake Star, Iceflake with Gem, Eternity Angel (the bottom photo), and Master the Mignonette. The Thursday night class was the Tatted Spaceship (the second photo).  Friday morning's early bird class was the Fleur de Lis. I finished the fleur de lis but I'm not happy with it so I'm not posting a photo.

New techniques for me this year were the daisy picot, inward facing picots, and the mignonette.

I'm excited that I finished 3 projects this year.  I would have finished the Iceflake but I made an error at the beginning of the 2nd row and didn't notice it until I was all the way around. I was not going to try and untat all of that. I'll just start another one.

Off the Sewing Machine: Tote Bag

The photo is a bit blurry but you get the idea. The handles are purchased webbing and it has ribbons to pull to close it. It is unlined and 100% cotton. It was easy to make and I finished it in a few hours.

Off the Embroidery Machine

I haven't been lazy. I just didn't post the photos and details.

I made 12 burp cloths and a special bib for a baby shower for a friend's daughter. Her theme was bumble bee. The embroidery designs came from the Embroidery Library.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project - Block 4

30 days seem to race by very quickly.  It's the beginning of the month and the next thing I know it's the end of the month.  

As usual, the block isn't completely done. There is more I could add but ideas are just not coming to mind.  

I'm a bit disappointed with the transfer pencil I used for the center embroidery.  It didn't transfer as clean as I had expected and there's a light red shadow under my stitches.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project - Block 3

Block 3 is as complete as it's going to be for now.  I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the purple or green areas yet so I will move on.  

I hand dyed the applique that's sewn on the red fabric.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project - Block 2

Here is February's block.  I had it finished in time but didn't get it posted in time.  Changing cell phones doesn't help. 

I'll probably add more to this block at a later date when I decide what it is I want to add to it.

I found some gathered lace with button centers in the scrapbook section of Hobby Lobby.  I like how the placement looks like a terrier's face.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project - Block 1

Here's my first crazy quilt block for this year.  All the fabrics are 100% cotton on a muslin base.  The blocks are 11" square unfinished but will end up being 9"-10" finished. 

I'm using these blocks as my practice pieces.  With cotton, I can draw the designs on the fabric which I can't do on the velvets, satins, and brocades of the 2014 CQ project which still needs to be finished.

Off the Shuttles: More Ice Drops

I've been busy making more ice drops. They're real easy to make.  I think the white thread makes the glass gems stand out more than the colored thread.

Off the Shuttles: My First Ice Drop

Now that Christmas gifts have been given and opened, I had time to make my first ice drop. It's a really quick and easy pattern.  I just find it somewhat awkward tatting the last part of the last ring while holding onto the glass gem at the same time. I definitely have to work on not twisting my stitches at the last join. 

When Hobby Lobby opens tomorrow, I'll have to get some 1/8" ribbon and some other gem colors.  I've been wondering if the ice drop would have the same effect if were tatted in coordinating colors instead of white.  I may try that on the next one.

The step by step tutorial can be found here: 
https://lacelovinlibrarian.blogspot.com/2016/11/step-by-step.html

Off the Shuttles: The Holy Family

This was made from a purchased pattern.  It's The Holy Family, designed by Edda Guastalla.  It's an easy pattern.  The hardest part is placement.

It was tatted with Lizbeth size 20 in white.  It's sewn onto blue velvet and mounted into a 16" x 20" wooden frame.  It's a Christmas gift for a friend.

Off the Embroidery Machine - Bloodhound Pillow

I made this pillow for my oldest daughter for Christmas.  It's 16"x16" not including the 2.5" ruffle.  The fabric has small paw prints in white, tan, and brown on a black background.

Off the Shuttles: Tassel Angel

My first tassel angel.  The pattern is in the booklet, "Big Book of Tatting". It is such a fast and easy pattern.  Best of all, no sewing required, glue only. While I was putting on the wings and the halo, I left the plastic sleeve on the tassel so it wouldn't get messed up.  The pattern called for size 20 thread.  When I make the next one out of white, I think I'll make the halo gold color. 

I used Altin Basak white and silver thread which is U.S. size 30 (European size 50).  The wings may have been a bit bigger if I had used the normal size 20 but I don't have any metallic thread in size 20. I wanted the metallic so color from the Christmas tree lights would bounce off it.

The tassel was manufactured by Wright and I purchased it from Joann Fabrics.  It's 3.5" (88.9mm) long.  I purchased some colored tassels from Hobby Lobby. I'm anxious to see how the tassel angel looks in color.

This is a gift for a friend's daughter. 

The photo on the left is the front of the angel.  The other photo is of the back showing the wings.

Off the Shuttles: Ornament #3

I haven't decided what I'm going to do with this one yet.  I may hang it on my own tree.

The size of this ball is 3" instead of the 2 1/2" balls that I used previously.  Thankfully I only have 1 or 2 balls that are 3".

I'm not totally happy with it because I'd like the tatting to cover more of the ball.  The tatting only goes to the center of the ball.  I may move the tatting onto a smaller ball but I'll let it sit for a few days and see how I feel about it then. 

There are very tiny pins and very small pearl beads at every picot, join and reverse work junction. I used Lizbeth sized 10 in white.  I'm not a fan of size 10 thread.  It just doesn't look lacey to me.

The pattern is Snowflake #4 in the Barbara Foster book, Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments.  The book showcases the snowflake on a 2 1/2" ball.

Off the Shuttle: Emma's Ornament

Since this is her last year of high school, I thought it best to make one in her school's colors - orange and green.  I used straight pins with orange balls at the end and green sequins.  The photo makes the balls look much bigger than they actually are.

The pattern is Grace's Snowflake.  I tatted the snowflake in size 10 Lizbeth thread, #695 Bright Orange.

Off the Shuttle: Megan's Ornament

Since my granddaughter started high school this year, I decided to make her an ornament in her school colors - purple and white.   I attached the snowflake with a straight pin going through a purple bead and large purple sequin.  I also used white beaded straight pins through small purple sequins.

I found the pattern on a French blog: http://www.tibilisfil.com/pages/Explications_modeles_frivolite-2827789.html.

Off the Shuttles: Projects from Tat Days 2016

I'm a little late getting this posted.  The first item is a name tag.  The class was called Stellar Keepsake Pendant taught by Anita Barry.  The one I made at Tat Days was in Rainbow Taffy.  I made another one in Lizbeth Caribean, size 20. 

Another class was covering a cabone ring.  The class was called Ring of Flowers and taught by Paige Deputy.  I had attempted covering a cabone ring before but was not comfortable with the technique nor could I put it down because I got confused on the rhythm of making the double stitches.  Thanks to this class, I can now put it down if needed.  I used Lizbeth Autumn Spice, size 20.

I'm still working on the Interlaced Motif.  That's one that takes concentration.

Apparently this year I was to work on my split ring because 2 of my classes used that - Stellar Keepsake Pendant and Love 2 Tat.

As usual had a great time and can't wait for next year.  Meanwhile I have the Florida Tat Days in January to tide me over until September.

Off the Shuttle: Starlight Doily

I finally finished Starlight Doily #7688 and can be found on page 15 in Paragon Tatting Book 1.  A reprint of the pattern is located on page 7 in The Tatter's Treasure Chest.  I used Lizbeth #153 Rainbow Taffy and #604 Black. 

I will probably make this again but I'll use a different variegated color.  I'll also block it as I go from row to row.  I think that will make it easier to do the final blocking.

Off the Machine: Embroidered Shorts & Phone Charger Station

I forgot to post about these shorts when I finished them.  I finished them at the beginning of June.  I wore them at this month's Tat and Chat.

The back pockets:

The front pockets:

At the machine embroidery workshop today, we made a cell phone charger station.  The grommet is plastic so I don't have to worry about getting electrocuted.  I probably won't use it for that purpose. I'm not sure what I'm going to use if for yet.

Off the Machine: Clear Vinyl Bag

At this month's machine embroidery workshop we made a clear vinyl bag.  It was done completely in the machine.  It's 5" x 9-1/2". Basically the size of a pencil case.

I still have to pop out the top corners.  It was easy to do and didn't take very long to make.  I'll have to resize the bag in my software so I can make it on my machine.  I'm pleased with it.