Month: April 2018

Tatting when you don’t know what to make

What to tat, what to tat?

Yes, I have a list of things I’ve thought about tatting, several things I’ve contemplated making. This week none of them sounded appealing to start, though I wanted to tat. But tat what and in what color? Maybe something simple that is easy to carry around. Edgings can be simple, which sounded like a nice project. But to put on what?

I have a couple of these little yogurt glass jars. A friend of mine introduced me to the yogurt that comes in these, and like her feel that they could/should be used in some way. I guess now would be a good time to do something with one.

Tatted edging around yogurt jar on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted edging around yogurt jar

I have quite a bit of thread but usually end up using the same colors over and over instead of looking through my stash for anything else. This blue that I used, Lizbeth #652 Royal Blue, is no different – it was handy.

With this simple pattern, I only needed to do two things: decide how long the chains should be and how many repeats to go around the jar.

I happily tatted about half of the edging while at home with my feet up, enjoying listening to music. The next day I took it with me to tat while waiting for the oil to be changed in my car. I was pretty sure I’d finish it while there but I needed to make sure it was the right length.

So I took the jar with me. Yes, I have that kind of purse, one with plenty of room to carry this jar.

Yogurt jars with and without tatting on wandasknottythoughts
Yogurt jars with and without tatting

See how pretty the jar is with tatting? Okay, tatting makes almost everything pretty. But it changes the plain container into a lovely candy dish.

I have several more of these jars. Maybe I should make a set. I suppose they would make nice gifts, too. Especially with some lovely colored chocolate covered candies inside, right?

“I think people always want candy, whether you’re a kid or an adult.”
Dylan Lauren
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/dylan_lauren_779204

Disclaimer: The jars are from Yoplait French Style Yogurt “oui”. I have not received any type of compensation for mentioning it.

DVD Appreciation Day

Do you know about DVD Appreciation Day?

What is that you say? Da Vinci Disorder Awareness Day.

Why would anyone have an appreciation day for a disorder?

According to Craftree member wodentoad:

“For those who don’t know, DVD awareness day is a wholly made up “disorder” which celebrates Leonardo Da Vinci who was a true Renaissance man. He spoke several languages, painted, invented many things in many different disciplines, learned about medicine, and even music composition. He was also a man who rarely finished work because like most men of the time he believed that the learning and designing was “gentleman’s work” while the actual finishing of projects was for laborers.”

Doesn’t this sound like crafters who start projects in any variety of mediums, all excited about the enterprise, but get distracted before it’s done and move on to another fun and exciting crafting adventure? Well, it sounds like me.

DVD Appreciation Day is celebrated on April 15, Da Vinci’s birthday. This year it was on a Sunday, a Sunday I didn’t even have to work! I was able to do some tatting, mostly emptying thread from some of my shuttles.

Weekend tatting results on wandasknottythoughts
Weekend tatting results

I made the small four ring crosses with the idea of making earrings. After I had done a few I started thinking how to put them together.  I started an experiment to find out. It came together very well.

Believe it or not, I finished my little experiment Monday.

Ring of crosses Results of weekend tatting on wandasknottythoughts
Results of weekend tatting

I say finished, but is it? What do I do with this little ring? Put it on material for a coaster? Fill in the center, add to the outside?

Maybe I’ll finish it by the next DVD Awareness Day.

Craftree.com is a craft forum for the fiber arts. Membership is free, you just have to create an account.

“Art is never finished, only abandoned. Leonardo da Vinci” 
brainyquote.com

Washcloth Bunnies

I didn’t realize how hard it was to find small stuffed toys for my niece and nephews for Easter. So many of the cute little things that are obviously made for small children have tags that specify they are not for children under 3. Really?! The ones that are made for children that young are usually more expensive, too. So I started looking for alternatives.

While at the store I remembered seeing animals made from folded towels and wash clothes, so I opened Pinterest on my phone to see what I could find.

Three Wash Cloth bunnies for Easter on wandasknottythoughts
Three Wash Cloth bunnies for Easter

There are a lot of variations on folded animals out there on the Internet. I found this version which only needs a washcloth and a rubber band. I didn’t add anything extra, like eyes or tails or neck ribbons, which would have been cute, I  kept it very simple.

I chose three different colors for the bunnies: blue for the oldest boy (about 5), pink for his little sister (most 3 year-old girls like pink at least a little bit), and aqua/teal for this littlest (less than 1-year-old). My thought is they are cute as a gift but are useful. They don’t have to be just one more cute little fuzzy toy to be played with for a short time and then forgotten. And if they want the bunnies back they are simple enough to remake.

Wash Cloth bunnies for Easter on wandasknottythoughts
Two Wash Cloth bunnies for Easter

I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t see the kids get them. Several family members were under the weather including the kid’s grandma and mom. I sent them the bunnies and a few other Easter basket goodies home anyway. Their mom texted me thanks and that they liked the bunnies.

Though we missed a few of the family and had to change the venue (from my sister-in-law’s house to ours) Easter was a wonderful day. It was cold outside but my grandkids insisted they wanted an egg hunt. We didn’t hide them very well but they got to go out and look for them. They also got to go to the neighbor’s place and see the baby chicks. That was a high light of the day. We were so blessed to have as many come as we did.

The tatting the bunnies are sitting on is a piece I started maybe 15 years ago. I got almost done with this part and decided I didn’t like it for table clothe I was wanting to make. The pink bunny is hiding the unfinished edge where I ran out of thread and never went back to finish. With a little strategic planning, it is still pretty enough to use.

“Having someone to love is Family
Having somewhere to go is Home
Having both is a Blessing”
quotesgram.com

Another Simple Easter Cross

I’ve made another Simple Easter Cross with a slight modification. I put a finding in the middle instead of making a ring. I used Lizbeth #187 Green Ice in size 20 for this one.

Simple Easter Cross with a finding in the center on wandasknottythoughts
Simple Easter Cross with a finding in the center

The finding in the center is a bit larger than the tatted ring so there are a few stitch count changes. There was a bit of trial and error to get the right dimensions, which I expected. If you happen to be using thread already on the shuttles that are not wound continuously this is much easier. The large Self-Closing Mock Ring (SCMR) at the bottom can be a bit of a pain, but certainly better than a regular ring!

It came out well. After a few issues!

This isn’t harder than the cross with the tatted ring center. It’s almost exactly the same, you just start with the rings attaching to the center instead of making one and climbing out. But it helps to pay attention to what you are doing. Things go much better that way.

I started this several times. I retro tatted several times because of mistakes, and several times found that I hadn’t made a mistake after all. I also cut it off once or twice because I did make mistakes. I didn’t have this much trouble with the original in the several times I made it.

I like how quickly this tats up – when paying attention! I plan to put ends on the several I’ve made to make them bookmarks. They will be wonderful to have for gifts to be put in cards, for sympathy or congratulations.

I’ve added the pattern for the Simple Easter Cross on my patterns page. This is for the tatted center, not the finding. To use a finding for the center the SCMRs need a few extra stitches.

“Determination will get you through this.” From a fortune cookie.

Happy Easter!

Simple cross for Easter on wandasknottythoughts
Simple cross

I hope you all have had a wonderful and blessed Easter.

This year Easter and International Tatting Day happen to fall on the same day. Which made it a very full day! Church in the morning, big family dinner and visiting in the afternoon, then finally a chance to sit down and tat.

I was trying to make a cross that was quick but simple to tat. I also was trying not to spend too much time on the Internet, which is extremely easy to do. So I fiddled around a bit and came up with this one. It’s made in Lizbeth #620 Azalea Medium size 20.

Now that I have time to put my feet up I’m making a couple more but with findings in the center. I think I can use the same stitch count as I did for this one. We’ll see.

I’m also working on a doily that is currently pinned out. I need it to be flat so I can decide what the next round will look like. It has been quite an interesting project so far. I’ll be sharing it later.

Now, I’m going to get me a warm drink – it’s pretty chilly today – put my feet up and tat. And have some chocolate!

“If you do what you love, it is the best way to relax.” Christian Louboutin                 www.brainyquote.com