On Bookmarks and Following Directions

Welcome to fall! Here the leaves are starting to turn though the temperatures haven’t gotten all that cold; the nights make you think “fall” without being too cold. Getting into the season I made a bookmark for the Tatting Forums’ Bookmark a Month Challenge in Lizbeth Falling Leaves and black in size 20. Now I need to start one for November. What pattern should it be??

Fall is the harbinger of the winter to come, including the Christmas season. It reminds me that I should be getting all those snowflakes done that I usually include in my Christmas cards.

Okay, so only one of these is a snowflake. They are both out of DMC’s ‘Tatting for Today’ copyright 1980. The one on the left is motif #5 and the other is motif #22, and this is the one that is alluded to in the title. This is not what the tree looks like in the book because I just couldn’t read the pattern correctly. Fortunately I have enough skill to adapt as I go so I didn’t have to scrap it and start over. The rings around the edges are not per the pattern and the ‘trunk’ is too long, but overall the impression is the same as the pattern in the book.

I bought this book probably about 1990 when I had been tatting close to ten years. There was no Internet in those days to share information on books or other tatters. What patterns I was finding were in Workbasket magazines and how-to booklets, you know the ones – “How to knit, crochet and tat” types, with a few descriptions of how-to for each craft then a couple of patterns of each. I remember being pretty excited when I found ‘Tatting for Today’. It had good pictures of each pattern and the written pattern wasn’t the long wordy type from Workbasket. Looking at the patterns now I find they have something to be desired as they have all the directions in a paragraph making it hard to follow. I usually re-write them, having one element per line instead of everything in one paragraph. I think that’s why I had trouble with the tree motif, I didn’t write it out first. Still, it came out acceptable, just not per the pattern : )

This weekend I tried my hand at adding a little something extra to a shuttle – decoupage. I thought the napkin would really look cool on this Susan Bates shuttle, but it didn’t come out quite like I had envisioned. It’s okay, for a first try I guess. And it still tats okay, which is the important part, right?


I would like to thank everyone that’s stopped by to check out out my old-fashioned doily in last week’s post. You are all so very kind. A big “Thank-you!” to TattingChic for sharing it on her blog and sending people my way. I get such a kick out of sharing something that I’m so excited about. And tatterjil, I’d share with everyone what I was giving away in the drawing – except I don’t know just exactly what’s going to be in it. Okay, some of it’s planned already, but not everything! It will just have to be a surprise – for everyone. I’m having a lot of fun coming up with what’s going to be in it. Come back next week when I announce the winner.

This Tatting Tea Tuesday I slept in and haven’t accomplished much since I got up. I had a cup of green tea and thought about tatting. I didn’t get any done until I was on the way to work (don’t think I tat and drive – I was the passenger!). Just trying to get another snowflake done, as I have a lot of them to do.

Remember to stop back by next week when I announce the winner of my anniversary drawing. Until then take a little time for tea and tatting if you can, and have a great week!

4 thoughts on “On Bookmarks and Following Directions”

  1. I've been wanting to tat that tree or umbrella or whatever it is ever since I got the book too! But like you…sorting out the directions has made me put it off. Yours looks fabulous though and I also like your shuttle. I can't find any napkins worth putting on a shuttle! I've even been looking at tissue wrapping paper.

    Your bookmark is great too. I don't have it at hand but there is a pumpkin edging ( I think by Heidi Sunday & in one of Georgia's old lessons) which would probably make a terrific bookmark if you put two lengths together.

  2. It looks like I have some catching up to do! I haven't started my October snowflake yet… well, yes I have… three times. I haven't even thought about a November bookmark yet. I did think about some more decoupage. I think we're all having too much fun!

  3. The link for the pumpkin edging by Heidi Sunday that Gina mentioned is here:

    http://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2/pumpkin.html

    It is the same edging that I used on your quilted ball ornament from last year. I agree that it would make a lovely and unique bookmark. Do show off a photo if you decide to tat it.

    I just love the arrangements you create for your blog photos! You must have the best time putting everything together. And Your shuttle turned out great!

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