Tag: snowflakes

Old snowflake in new thread

I found a tatted snowflake in a drawer recently, made from a pattern that I came up with a few years ago, maybe from 2010 or 2011. This is one that I never wrote down (it is soooo much more fun tatting than to write down patterns!). I recently bought several of the Lizbeth Metallic threads and was looking for something to make with them. This snowflake was a perfect pattern to try out the thread. The first one had seven arms instead of six – oops! But it looks great in metallic thread! See it in my last post.

So I made another one, this time with six arms. I also gave it a name, Snowflake – Adie.

Snowflake - Adie on wandasknottythoughts
Snowflake – Adie

This one is made in Lizbeth #328 Antique Gold (I think! It might be #300 Gold) and #316 Raspberry Pink. I love how it turned out!

The next one I made I switched up some of the stitch count. The chains between the arms are 7-7 instead of 6-6 and the ring inside the arms don’t have two of the picots. The threads are the same as the other one but reversed.

Snowflake Adie in Raspberry Pink on wandasknottythoughts
Snowflake Adie in Raspberry Pink

I was asked about the pattern so thought it was time to write it out. I tatted the second one of these with it so I’m hoping I caught all (most?) of the mistakes. There are a couple of stitch count options mentioned on the pattern.

I was going to put it on My Patterns page but I found out that a lot of people are not able to download the patterns. This is because I’m getting too much traffic for the server where they are stored. For the moment, until I can figure out what to do about it, if you are interested in trying the pattern email me at the address in the ‘Contact Me’ tab and I’ll email it back to you.

I’ve been very pleased with the Lizbeth Metallics thread. My biggest problem has been threading a needle to sew the ends in. I found an embroidery threader which works wonderfully! I have several other colors of this thread that I’m looking forward to trying out, I just have to decide what to make with it. Maybe hearts?

“We are like a snowflake all different in our own beautiful way.” simplethoughtsquotes

Dressing up for the neighbors

Well, dressing up a gift for the neighbors.
  
One of my neighbors had a birthday this last week.  I wanted to gift her with something but not something that would just sit around the house and need dusting.  Both she and her husband have health issues so I didn’t want to make or bake something that would be hazardous to their health, either.  Not saying I’m a bad cook or anything like that but I couldn’t remember what things they need to stay away from – sugar, salt, fat, dairy, red meat – you get the picture.  After thinking about it for a bit I hit on a gift idea – simmering potpourri.  I did a search on Pinterest looking for a recipe or ideas that used things I had on hand and came across one that called for orange rind, apple peel, cloves and cinnamon sticks.
I just happened to have cloves and cinnamon sticks in my cupboard.  I don’t always have apples and oranges sitting around but we had just picked up our order of apples and oranges from a local member of FFA (Future Farmers of America) who was selling them as a fund raiser (this is done yearly).  How about that, everything I needed. 
Now to package everything up nicely.  I have a package of lunch-sized brown paper bags that I thought would work – okay, not the whole package of bags, just one.  I didn’t want it to be naked, so I dressed it up with a bit with burlap, lace, and buttons, then added a sprig of evergreen (it was fake but it looked nice) and a bow.  I added one of my snowflakes to it but in such a way as it can be taken off and put on their tree.
Instead of sending just orange rind and apple peels I put in a whole orange and a whole apple; dropped in a palm-full of cloves and several sticks of cinnamon.  I printed out the directions and put it in the bag also. 
Wandas knotty thoughts tatting on gift bag
I thought it came out nicely.  It smelled good just sitting in the bag.
My neighbor really liked the gift and the bag it came it.  I know they’ll like how it will make their house smell because I made some up for me, too.  Can I say I helped dress up their house for the holidays, too?

“Remember, the greatest gift is not found in the store but in the hearts of true friends.”

Snowflakes

Let it snow!
I’ve been doing a lot of snowflakes lately.  I did quite a few that I knew I was taking to the craft show a couple of weeks ago, but now the show is over I’ve started making them for family and friends.  
A few of the snowflakes I made for the craft show
Some of these are patterns from previous years but seven (?) were made up this year, usually while
watching TV. Sometimes there was a plan when I started tatting, other times the shuttle went where it wanted.  Some started out going one way but took off on a tangent and ended up differently than planned (the one with four points, lower left corner, as an example). There are some that are not, strictly speaking, snowflakes, as they do not have six points, but done in white and hanging from a tree they give the impression of snowflakes.  Or at least look pretty.  
Every year I try to make one snowflake that will go in the Christmas cards.  This year there are a couple of versions of the same basic pattern.
The original version of this year’s snowflake, Sydney

The second version, with a slightly different pattern and different center
It’s amazing how small changes can make such a difference, isn’t it?
I’ve added the pattern for Sydney on my patterns page.
Snowflakes sold well at the craft show; I had quite a few and they were displayed well on the tree.  I didn’t put out any of my tatted earrings.  I didn’t have very many made up even though most are pretty simple patterns.  As there weren’t many and I was running out of setup time I didn’t worry about putting them out.  But I did wear a pair.  One lady was at our booth early without buying anything but came back later to talk tatting and other things.  She had noticed my earrings and asked if I had any for sale so I pulled out what I had and she found a pair she liked.  It’s not often I sell something I don’t even have out at a show!
Snowflakes and earrings: sometimes things unplanned turn out well ☺
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean
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A busy time of year

Busy with lots of things but very, very little tatting.  There have been family dinners, cleaning in preparation for those dinners, a Christmas play, unexpected events…. It’s just been very, very busy!
I didn’t get as many snowflakes done as I would have liked, but the important people each got one.  A couple of gifts I had wanted to make will have to wait for another occasion as I ran out of time this year.  A few projects I wanted to do will have to wait as I didn’t have as much time off from work as they said we would have.
But it was a wonderful Christmas!  We baked and decorated cookies with the grandchildren.  We played games that included everyone, from the great-grandparents to the youngest child.  We had a variety of foods that weren’t ‘traditional’ Christmas dinner fare but were easy to prepare so time could be spent doing other things.  We sat and talked, reconnecting with family we seem too busy to see much of the rest of the year. For all that there was a lot of time planning and preparing we didn’t let ourselves be too stressed about all that, for stress takes out a lot of the fun, doesn’t it?
We even had a white Christmas this year.  Here in Kansas there is only about an 11% chance of that happening, so it isn’t something you expect.  Of course, because we don’t expect it this early and it wasn’t just snow but ice as well,  not everyone could get out and about like we planned, either.  But it all came together anyway.
One of the few things beside snowflakes I did get done was this headband.
This was tatted on a white button then a sparkly jewel was added in the middle. I stitched it on the headband then added a bit of glue to give a little more hold. It was actually a birthday gift not a Christmas gift to a little girl who just loves purple.  It was a nice break from the snowflakes.
Now it’s on to other things.  Though maybe I should start on the snowflakes a little earlier this year – like, now?
I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas!
“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.”
Peg Bracken

Flurry in a hurry

Yes, time is running out for Christmas snowflakes so I had to hurry to get some done if I wanted them to arrive before the big day. Which meant a smaller, easy snowflake that didn’t take much time.
There are two here that have ‘mistakes’ or at least unintentional differences.  The top one, that’s not really a snowflake, was the first.  I miscounted the chains, making it too tight to go around the doodad without cupping.  No problem, I just modified part of it and made it more like a bell than a snowflake.  The other one has picots on the short chains instead of Josephine knots – I started it without the 2nd shuttle.  Instead of doing the shoe-lace trick I just made picots instead.  It changed the look a bit, but still okay.
All are made with size 20 Lizbeth white.  The finished size is less than the length of a clover shuttle (a little less than two inches point-to-point.)  I really had planned on sending the modified Christmas Snowflake 2010 that I posted about last week, but these were faster.

For some reason I’ve had a hard time getting into the spirit of Christmas this year.  I haven’t decorated at all, neither inside nor outside or even at work.  Except for the snowflakes I haven’t put out anything Christmas related (and they’re just layin’ around because I’m working on them).  I have been listening to Christmas music and enjoying it a lot, so it’s not that I’m feeling like a Scrooge or a Grinch, I just haven’t found the energy to decorate.  None of the family gatherings will be at our house this season so I’m guessing the decorations will stay in their boxes for another year.  

Decorations out or not I am very ready for Christmas to be here.

A little difference

Christmas Snowflake 2010 © Wanda Salmans
I made a little change from the pattern on this snowflake, making the ends with three rings instead of a thrown ring, shortened the arm chains and left out most of the decorative picots.  I like the way it came out.  This is made in Lizbeth size 20, White #601.  The original pattern can be found on my Pattern tab.
December Star 2011 © Wanda Salmans
I made a little change in this pattern, too (can you tell? It’s not a star!).  I only made two changes in this one – added beads and another arm to make it a snowflake.  I like the beads but it sure slows down the tatting!  The beads are a bright, shiny, reflective silver – and they made taking a good picture of this a real bear!  Let’s just say I’m very frustrated with my camera right now 🙁  This ‘star’ is made in Lizbeth size 20 Christmas Red #671.  The original pattern can be found on my Pattern tab.
I think the changes in both patterns were successful.   The reason for the changes?  I’m running short on time for coming up with a totally new pattern for my 2013 Christmas snowflakes.  If I’m going to give anybody snowflakes I’ve got to get them done ASAP and starting with something I already have then making a few changes might be what I end up with.  Hmmm., will I stick with one of these – or find something else?
Time will tell.
“Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk.”
William Arthur Ward
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Snowflakes and Pictures

I made my ‘Crowned Wheel’ (found on my Patterns tab) in white for the first time.  It’s actually the first time I’ve made it in a solid color instead of a variegated thread.  It looks pretty good as a snowflake.

The small snowflakes are just my doodling around to make small ‘flakes for the bags I’ve been decorating, but I’m pretty sure that some version of these (and more!) are in Patti Duff’s ‘Minitats’ (which is currently sold out) and probably other places as well.  
I haven’t gotten much tatting done in the last week due to having family doings for Thanksgiving.  We had three different dinners in three days.  I didn’t have to cook for all three – one was catered and not at our house; one was at our house but made by my Son-In-Law; the other at our house where I did almost everything but the turkey which was smoked outside.  We’re dining on leftovers still, and will be for several more days.  This is not a bad thing at all – little cooking but a variety of good food 🙂
Have you ever had family get-togethers where you want to take pictures but not everyone is all that enthused about it?  As I take a lot of pictures my family knows it’s coming and they will just have to suffer through it.  This year I tried to make it fun.  The weather was very mild so we took the set pictures outside.  I had purchased some holiday accessories – Christmas tree head bands, gnome/elf hats, funny glasses – and had everyone wear them for pictures.  I didn’t hear nearly as much complaining as I usually do – everyone was laughing too hard. The kids thought it was great and even the guys had fun with it.
Our daughters framing us for the holidays.
It was great to have such a mild holiday weekend where we could spend a lot of time outside and didn’t have to bundle up.  I heard that the weather on the east coast was pretty nasty with a lot of travel delays.  Our turn could be coming.  The temp here today was about 65º F, tomorrow the high is supposed to be about 23º.  
And “breezy” – meaning winds 10 to 25 mph.
And maybe snow.
Lovely.
“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”
Desmond Tutu
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Christmas gifts

Merry Christmas! (a little late) and Happy New Year! (a little early)
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  We did, and still are.  We had lots of family get-togethers over the last week and still have one more to go this weekend.  For all that I thought I was ready for all of them, there still seemed to be a few things I didn’t get to until the last minute.  How normal.
Every year I try to have one snowflake that is “the” snowflake of the year.  I posted about 2012’s snowflake here. I didn’t get as many of these done as I would have liked to, but that is how I feel every year.  I did get a few others done as well – mainly due to the fact that it’s hard for me to do the same thing over and over.
The red and two blue are motifs/’flakes that I came up with this year.  The green one is ‘Betsy Snowflake’ by Betsy Evans.  I saw it on A Happy Bluebird a week or so ago and just had to give it try.  I added silver seed beads to it and left out a couple of non-joining picots.  I really like how it came out.  All of them are made in Lizbeth size 20 thread.  These were also given away as gifts. 
I gave away a few tatted gifts that I had made previous to this year.  I found these while looking through a few things and they made excellent additions to what I was already giving without me having to hurry up and make anything else. 
My Sunday school class consists of three girls. One girl is very fond of purple (the butterfly), one girl loves shades of orange (the flower), and one girl loves horses, no matter the color.  The crosses went to the pastor and his wife.  All are made in Lizbeth size 20 threads, though I can’t name off the colors right now. The butterfly and flower are my patterns, the horse is a variation of Debbie Arnold’s Sea Horse and the two cross patterns can be found on my pattern page. 
I still have in mind a lot of things I wanted to make for Christmas that didn’t happen.  Maybe I’ll stay motivated and start them now so they’ll be ready for next Christmas.  It could happen. Maybe. 
“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it ‘Christmas’ and went to church; the Jews called it ‘Hanukkah’ and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank.  People passing each other on the street would say ‘Merry Christmas!’ or ‘Happy Hanukkah!’ or (to the atheists) ‘Look out for the wall!'”
Dave Barry

Finally, Snowflakes!

Happy Tatting Tea Tuesday! Have you taken time out for tea and tatting today?
My tatting today was finishing off several snowflakes. Yes, I finally made a few! This pink one is my pattern for this years Christmas card snowflake.  It looks suspiciously like ones I’ve done before, though I’m not finding a picture of any exactly like it. The beads do give it a different look than it would have without them.  It measures just shy of two inches across when made with size 20 thread and a 1/2 inch center, so it’s not very big.  This pink snowflake is for one of my daughters, who happens to like pink.  I’m not sure of the Lizbeth color number though it looks pretty close to the actual color, at least on my screen.

I’ve made several of these snowflakes so far, none in white.   I’m trying to be daring this year.  The first two I made I did a little differently than I made this one.  This one is done strictly with one shuttle and ball and no fancy techniques.  The ‘rings’ on the outside are chains that are joined in the same place they started.  On the first two I did I made them as self closing mock rings.  I had to work a little harder to have the SCMRs close prettily, and I didn’t like the look of the back of the ‘flake.  I had pictures I was going to post of the backs done both ways but I forgot to upload it and it’s too late now (I don’t have access to them at the moment.)

I have done a couple of other snowflakes, too.  This pattern is from several years ago (as seen here and here – it’s hard to believe it’s been that long!) but this time I added beads. It’s a little hard to tell from the picture but the beads are a clear crystal. They really sparkle pretty on the Christmas tree.  I tried (and tried!) to get pictures of them on the tree, but none of those came out.  I had a hard time finding a good background that didn’t make the red look washed out or orange.  

We’re keeping Christmas simple this year, so other than getting several tatted things done I’m pretty much ready.  Okay, I haven’t gotten out the Christmas cards yet.   There’s still time, really!
“For disappearing acts, it’s hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work.”
Doug Larson
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A funny thing happened

On the way to the yarn shop.
Three things, actually.  They say that things happen in threes, and they did!
The owner of  Odd Balls Yarn Shop, a local store, asked if I would be interested in selling some of my tatting at the store on consignment.  I thought this could be fun.  For the last week or so, between doing a few other things, I’ve been getting ready earrings, stitch markers and wine glass charms to take over, as well as some way to display them.  Tracie Anderson, the owner, suggested the small Christmas tree I used at the craft show and she would have it on the counter by the register.  Great!

Yesterday I made a list of what I had, put it in a box with my tatting and left for work early so I could stop at the shop on the way.  A few miles down the road I realized I didn’t have the tree and had to turn around and go back home to get it. (Funny #1)

I ran in the house for the tree, then on the way out I pulled the house door shut – and the door knob came off in my hand.  After some work I got it back on, kinda sorta, and left again. I called my husband to let him know that he had a little project when he got home from work. (Funny #2)

I live out in the country and take the Interstate to Wichita to work, passing through Newton on the way.  Odd Balls is in a mall just south of Newton. I drive this every day.  But yesterday, before I get to Newton, I hear and feel this “THUMP!” while I’m driving. No, it wasn’t a deer.  It was a tumble weed, a big one, that tumbled out in front of me as I was driving 75 miles an hour.  I slow down but the thing just hangs on.  I have to pull over, put my flashers on and get out to pull it our of the front grill of the car.  A highway patrolman just happened to see the attack and stopped over to make sure I was okay, which I was.  (Funny #3)

I was just glad that was the last “funny” for the day.  I had been a bit worried that my entire day at work would follow suit, but it didn’t. The evening passed quite uneventfully.

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I had a cup of – Hot apple cider.  It’s not that the weather is cold here, it just sounded good.  I found these cute mugs at Dillon’s and have decided that I’m going to use them for everyday instead of just special occasions. I’m bad about saving nice or pretty things for “special occasions” and they sit in the cabinet and never get used.  Not this year!

I’m trying out some new thread that Odd Balls carries.  It’s a rayon thread, which is very different than cotton, about a size 12.  It’s a very pretty purple shade that feels very nice to work with.  The biggest problem is that it’s soft and rayon.  If the stitches are tight rings do not close completely.  I’ve been working with it, practicing rings and I’m getting the hang of it.  I’m hoping it works out because I’ve seen some very pretty things made with this brand of thread.  Any body else tried it?

I haven’t gotten any snowflakes done yet, I keep getting side-tracked!  Okay, okay, Wanda,  stop procrastinating and get on with it!!!

“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand – and melting like a snowflake.”
Francis Bacon, Sr.