Bookmark, Leftovers, and TIAS

I’m still working on the pattern for the Arlo bookmark. I’ve made several but I’m still not happy with the stitch count for the ends.

Arlo bookmark, 3 ways on wandasknottythoughts
Arlo bookmark, 3 ways

The one on the left is the original. The two shorter ones are with the end that I like the best. The stitch count in those end clovers still pulls the side clovers to an odd angle. I’m trying to decide what needs to happen to make them lay straight. I do like the look of the pattern in this colorway, Lizbeth #165 Grape Splash, in size 20.

I have a habit of leaving leftover thread on whatever shuttle I was using. When I need a shuttle for another thread, I usually have to empty one or two. I don’t like to unwind them onto a thread holder unless I know the thread number so I can use it confidently the next time I need that color. I usually forget what I used it for, and what the color number is. When I need another shuttle I normally tat small flowers or such to use up the thread. This leaves me with a lot of small flowers and stuff. I have many containers with these thread ends. Sometimes I even remember to use them. I used some of them this last week.

One of my grandsons just had a birthday. I didn’t have wrapping paper for his gift, so I improvised.

Wrapping paper on wandasknottythoughts
Wrapping paper with tatting

As you can see, I’m not much of an artist. The grass and bush are very basic. Isn’t it amazing how much better those things look with a bit of tatting? I wouldn’t do this for just anyone. Cutting the threads from the flowers and gluing them on took more time than I thought it would. This grandson is quite the artist and can appreciate my efforts. He actually cut this section out so he can keep it. Isn’t that sweet?

How many of you are doing Jane Eborall’s TIAS? I am. The pictures and comments from other tatters on the Tat It And See blog are fun to read. I check to see if any of their guesses are similar to mine. Some tatters out there are entertaining and imaginative in their suggestions. I have never been the first person to guess where her games go, but I sure do enjoy the journey.

TIAS Day 2 on wandasknottythoughts
TIAS Day 2
Day 3 on wandasknottythoughts
Day 3
Day 4 on wandasknottythoughts
Day 4
Day 5 on wandasknottythoughts
Day 5
Day 6 on wandasknottythoughts
Day 6

One of the ways Jane keeps us from knowing what we’re making is she starts in an odd place in the pattern and progresses in a manner that doesn’t show the whole until the end. She has quite the imagination. Can you tell what it is? I think it might be an animal, but other than that, I haven’t a clue. And the game continues.

“The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living.” Harry Bertoia

A New Bookmark

A friend of mine had her retirement party last week. I was trying to think of something to give her and felt a bookmark might work. I was too lazy to look up a bookmark pattern, so, as usual, I just started one. The bookmark is a common pattern type, I just put my flair on it.

Arlo bookmark on wandasknottythoughts
Arlo bookmark

This is made in Lizbeth #165 Grape Splash in size 20. This was quick and easy until I came to an end. I couldn’t make up my mind about what I wanted to do, so the two ends are different.

One end of Arlo on wandasknottythoughts
One end of Arlo

I like the look of this end but not how I got there. This needs a bit of work. Because I wasn’t happy with it, I did the other end a bit differently.

The other end of Arlo on wandasknottythoughts
The other end of Arlo

I like this look as well, but not the stitch count. The clover at the top joins to the sides a little wonky. I can see how I should change it – the next time.

I decided this bookmark didn’t come out well enough to give as a gift, so I gave her a Hymnal Angel that I had already made instead. My friend was quite happy with the angel, and I didn’t tell her that it wasn’t what I had originally meant to give her.

Monday was such a beautiful day outside that I took the dog for a walk at a local arboretum. Our normal temperature this time of year is in the lower 40° F, today was in the upper 50s. She and I enjoyed the outing greatly.

The pond at the arboretum on wandasknottythoughts
At the pond at the arboretum

Being winter, most of the plants were brown and not so pretty, but the walk and the weather were lovely. This was a wonderful change of scenery from our normal walk in our yard.

After our walk, I took her to our local coffee shop, where she got a pup cup, and I got a yummy coffee. Both of us were quite happy with our outing

I have several ideas for what I want to tat next. I’m even writing them down so I can remember them later! They might include hearts for Valentine’s. We’ll see how they come out. But today is the start of Jane’s 2023 TIAS!

Day 1 of Jane's 2023 TIAS on wandasknottythoughts
Day 1 of Jane’s 2023 TIAS

As there are no clues in the TIAS to indicate what colors to use, I’m doing it in Lizbeth #617 Magenta Med in size 20. Hmm, I have no guess yet.

Are you doing Jane’s TIAS? What do you think it is?

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” Groucho Marx

Hello, 2023!

It’s hard to believe that we are in 2023. 2022 had its ups and downs, with the end coming almost as a surprise. For me, it ended on a high note. My husband had the entire week off between Christmas and New Year’s day. It was great to spend time together without him having to go to work. We were also able to spend time with family, which was wonderful.

Since fall, between making Christmas ornaments and edgings, I’ve been playing with an idea based on a snowflake from last fall, the October snowflake.

October snowflake on wandasknottythoughts
October snowflake

I used the same stitch counts as this snowflake but added a couple more arms and did it all in white. I was not very impressed with how it came out.

October snowflake doily on wandasknottythoughts
October snowflake doily

It has a nice enough look, but the arms are not defined well. I decided to make it again, but in two colors, so the pattern is discernable.

October snowflake doily in two colors on wandasknottythoughts
October snowflake doily in two colors

I had Lizbeth Cranberry already on a shuttle when I started the center. I should have stuck with one of the other two colors. Both colors are in Cranberry, but the variegated center distracts from the overall look of the doily. This is made in size 20, whereas the white one is made in size 10.

White October snowflake doily with shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
White October snowflake doily in size 10

Both doilies are on the small side, as you can see by the Clover shuttle. I suppose I could do another round to increase the size. When/if I do make another, it will probably be in different colors. There are several minor changes I’d make as well.

I haven’t yet started anything new in the new year. In the midst of making all of the Christmas projects, I thought of other things I’d like to be doing. Did I write those down? No. Do I remember all of them? No. But I know I made plans! I’m not good at New Year’s resolutions, but maybe I should resolve to write my ideas down! It would also be good to remember where I write them down, LOL! One thing I do remember I plan on doing – Jane Eborall’s 2023 TIAS! The fun starts on January 11!

What are you working on? Have you started something new in the New Year?

“My New Year’s Resolution List usually starts with the desire to lose between ten and three thousand pounds.” Nia Vardalos

Ornaments and Runners

Every year I make a unique ornament for close family and friends. Sometimes it is tatting only, some years other media is incorporated. This year I decorated glass ornaments with sheet music and tatted angels. I shared the idea of it a few weeks ago. Not much changed other than tatting the angels out of size 20 thread instead of size 10.

Glass Christmas ornament for 2022 on wandasknottythoughts
Glass Christmas ornament for 2022

The hardest part was deciding what to do at the top of the ornament. I worked with greenery and raffia, but doing that took me a long time with each one before I was happy with them. Then I found a spool of gold metallic ribbon. This looked good and was much, much faster! I didn’t redo any of the ones with greenery. When we had our Christmas dinner at our house, I let everyone choose.

Ornaments for Christmas on wandasknottythoughts
Ornaments for Christmas

Before everyone got here I put them in a fabric-lined bowl for a more finished look. They went over very well, each going to a happy home.

Our dinner was the chance to give my daughter her table runner. While making a runner for a lady I know, I ended up making edgings that looked good but had a lot of stitch differences as I figured out what I actually wanted. I thought my oldest daughter might like it, even knowing it wasn’t perfect. She did want it, but finding time to get it to her was an issue. We decided the date of the dinner would be okay, as it is a winter runner, not a Christmas runner.

My daughter's winter runner on wandasknottythoughts
My daughter’s winter runner

These edgings don’t have the outside row of tatting on them, and I think I like this better. For all that they are not shaped like snowflakes, they look good with the snowman and snowflake material. She sent me a picture of where she put it.

Snowman runner with snowmen on wandasknottythoughts
Snowman runner with snowmen

Can you tell that she collects snowmen?

Years ago I gave my mother-in-law a Christmas runner. She had it out all year. My father-in-law gave it back to me after she died and he moved out of the house.

Old Christmas runner on wandasknottythoughts
Old Christmas runner

This year I found some fabric that will look wonderful with that green edging. I’m planning to transfer it to the new runner. It makes me happy that she had so much use out of it, but I think it’s time to repurpose the edging.

We, along with most of the US, had a dose of Arctic air this last week. For us here in Kansas, it only lasted about five days, and we only received about an inch of snow. I have seen how hard other areas were hit by this, and feel blessed to have had it so mild. We had another little bit of cold weather Christmas night, along with ice. So glad we didn’t have to go anywhere! It is only the beginning of winter, so I anticipate more of the cold weather is coming, but we will have nice weather through to New Year’s Day (at least, that’s what the weatherman is forecasting, LOL!)

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season! Stay safe and well!

“I happen to love creating handmade ornaments even when I mess up I still have fun.” Hilary Farr

Christmas Gifts

It’s almost Christmas, and boy, have I been busy!

I attended our church ladies’ Bible study group Christmas dinner and gift exchange a couple of weeks ago. Each of us was to bring a gift for a random gift exchange. I tatted a cross bookmark that I put in a book of devotions. And I forgot to take a picture of it! It was my August SR Cross, made in Lizbeth thread HH20-181 Cranberry Bush. It looked good, and the lady who received it was happy with it.

The dinner was good, the company was terrific, and the gifts were fun to see. We all were given three gifts: one from the gift exchange, and two from the hosts. The gift I got from the exchange was a beautiful quilted centerpiece. One of the gifts from the hosts was a cute Christmas tree ornament; the other was a machine-embroidered tea towel.

Gifts from the dinner on wandasknottythoughts
Gifts from the dinner

The Bible study group wasn’t the only gift exchange I’ve had this year. This last Sunday my side of the family had our Christmas dinner and gift exchange. We play a form of the White Elephant game, with all of us interacting and having a good time. A few of us also give gifts outside of the game, which isn’t required but is a lot of fun. My sister gave all of the ladies hand-embroidered tea towels.

Little red truck tea towel on wandasknottythoughts
Little red truck tea towel

Last year I started decorating with Christmas decorations in the little red truck theme. She knew this and did my tea towel with the theme. It is so cute!

My birthday is coming up so she also gave me another embroidered gift. Previously, she had given me the runner – which I am supposed to put an edging on – and now she gave me the pillowcases. One day I’ll get to the edging, maybe for both the pillowcases and the runner.

Matching runner and pillow cases on wandasknottythoughts
Matching runner and pillowcases

In the previous post, I shared my new pattern, September Angel. This is the 2022 ornament that I am giving to close friends and family. While I’ve been making them I’ve noticed that it wouldn’t take much to make a tree with the pattern. So I tried it.

Christmas Tree 2022 on wandasknottythought s
Christmas Tree 2022

While coming up with the stitch count for this little tree I could see how the angels and the trees might make cute earrings, so I made some of those, too.

Christmas Tree earrings on wandasknottythoughts
Christmas Tree earrings
September Angel earrings on wandasknottythoughts
September Angel earrings

I gave these earrings to my daughter. And, again, I was in such a hurry I forgot to take pictures of them. My daughter was very sweet and did a photo shoot with them. They were such cool pictures I had an awful time choosing between them for which ones to use. The earrings came out as well as I hoped they would.

I’ve posted the pattern on the My Patterns page. Unfortunately, when I did that I seem to have broken the links to all the other patterns. This pattern is the only one currently that works. I’m working on the others but won’t get them all fixed tonight. If you’re interested in another pattern but it won’t come up for you, please email me and I’ll get it for you, or try again a bit later.

Here in Kansas, we are expecting an Arctic cold front in a couple of days, along with some snow. How much snow depends are where you are located, anywhere from one to six inches. Listening to the weatherman, it sounds like we won’t have it as bad as a lot of the country. Here, mostly very cold with a few hours of blowing snow. We might even have a white Christmas! We don’t have that every year. I think for the next few days I’ll sit back, tat, and try to stay warm without going outside.

Snowman cup and tatting on wandasknottythoughts
I think I’ll stay in and keep warm while I tat

My husbands’ side of the family is not having the family Christmas until after the 25th. There are some family members that will be gone until after that. The day isn’t as important for gatherings as is the family that will be there. Having it after Christmas is okay by me, it gives me a bit more time to get ready for it.

What are you busy with?

“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” — Burton Hills

Angels and Ornaments

The pattern for the September Angel is finished! Thank you to my test tatters, Wally and Ada for checking the pattern out for oopsies. And thank you to all those who volunteered to test tat. I appreciate the offer.

September Angel on music on wandasknottythoughts
September Angel

This angel was done in size 20 Lizbeth thread, making it not very big. It looks good in size 10, but that’s not much bigger. I think a pair of these would make cute earrings, both in size 20 and in a smaller thread.

The pattern has been added to the My Patterns page. Funny story, while trying to put it on the page we lost power. Everything was off for about 15 minutes before coming back on. I was concerned about it going off again, so I delayed turning my computer back on until this morning. I suspect the high winds caused the outage, but I wasn’t sure.

I’ve been contacted by several people who have trouble reading the patterns from their location on Google Docs on their phones. It has something to do with the size of the page that Google Docs doesn’t like. I have not yet gotten it straight, though no one has had trouble seeing them on their computers. If you have trouble, please contact me and I’ll send you the pattern instead of what is on the Docs page.

I’ve been thinking of what my yearly Christmas ornament will be this year. I like the September Angel, but it’s small. I’ve come up with an idea, but it’s not yet ready. What I have tried so far is looking promising.

September Angel on glass ornament on wandasknottythoughts
September Angel on a glass ornament

I have these clear glass ornaments I picked up at Micheal’s a few weeks ago. I cut strips of music, curled them, and put them inside. The greenery at the top could maybe have a bit more, but I like the idea. The angel is in size 10 thread, which looks a bit big to me. I’m going to try it with an angel in size 20, and see if that looks better.

I have a list of things I would like to tat before any of our Christmas get-togethers – one of which is before the 25th – but time is getting tight. If I don’t get them done by then, I might have to hand deliver them when they are.

How are your plans for Christmas coming?

“Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.” Pindar

Thanksgiving

Can you believe Thanksgiving day has passed? It came and went so fast! We still have one Thanksgiving family gathering today, but I’ve put away my fall decorations and started on my Christmas decorating.

Table ready for family on Thanksgiving on wandasknottythoughts
Table ready for the family on Thanksgiving

This year we had a bit of rescheduling for some of the family get-togethers, so for Thanksgiving day we only had our daughters and their families and my mother over for lunch. We finalized the menu through texts a week ago. The meal was terrific, with minimal issues, as nothing burned and there was space for everyone at the table. We did add an extra table to the one in the picture so we could seat everyone, but no one was cramped. The weather in the afternoon was cool but sunny, so we ended up outside. Then we played a game before they all had to go home. There were a bunch of pictures taken!

I have been working on the edging for a Christmas table runner that I had been asked to do last year (!). She didn’t need it until this year, so I had plenty of time to get it done. Or so you’d think. I couldn’t make up my mind about the edging! I thought about it and tried several different things over the last several months, trying to come up with something I was happy about. I like the look of the edging I came up with, but I need to tweak it a bit more before I’ll be happy with the pattern.

Candy cane Christmas runner on wandasknottythoughts
Candy cane Christmas runner

The lady that requested the runner showed me another Christmas runner she had and her tree skirt so I had an idea of what type of fabric to use, and I still had a hard time choosing it. There were so many beautiful fabrics to choose from at Jo-Ann’s! And I needed to buy more than I usually do as she wanted a longer runner than I ordinarily make. The tatted edging also needed to be a bit wider than I have made in the past, another challenge.

In so many ways the tatting is the easy part. I rarely sew, which means it takes longer than I expect it to. And then I have to stitch the edging to the runner – on both ends! But the final result is worth it.

Now I’ll be working on perfecting that edging, as well as working on Christmas ornaments. I’ve had a hard time the last month or so not getting sidetracked from the edging by all the ideas I’ve had for other Christmas things. Now if I can just remember all those ideas!

About the September Angel pattern I have spoken about, there has been another delay. I had the whole thing written out but needed to make a correction. I printed it out to test tat it and noted the corrections that needed to be done. For an unknown reason, my computer shut down. When I went back to the pattern half of it was gone! Not sure what the glitch was, but thank goodness I have the printed version. Now I just need to re-write the parts that disappeared.

“The memories we make with our family is everything.” – Candace Cameron Bure.

Finally Fall

The calendar shows that it is fall and now it feels like fall – mostly. We’ve had a few nights where there was a freeze and some days of cool weather and then there is today. When I got up this morning it was still 66° F with enough humidity that all the sidewalks were so damp it looked like it had rained. It’s currently cloudy and windy with an expected high of 77°. The average temperature for this time of year is around 60°. Friday they are projecting a high of 49° and staying around that for over a week. Fall in Kansas, don’t you love it?

I actually have some fall decorations out already. I’m usually terrible about decorating early enough to enjoy them before the season is over, except maybe Christmas. For some reason, I’ve gotten into the fall season early (for me!)

My fall decorations on wandasknottythoughts
My fall decorations

I’ve been working on an edging that I need to have done ASAP, which is for a Christmas runner. It’s not far enough along to share yet, but I’m finally excited about it. Unfortunately, it is in white while I want to tat in more fall colors.

When I have the chance I plan on writing out the pattern for the October Snowflake that I spoke about in my previous post. I’m sure it will look great in other colors.

In early October I shared a picture on my Facebook page of a new angel I’ve designed but never shared here.

September Angel on wandasknottythoughts
September Angel

I’ve been working on the pattern and thought it was almost ready to share, but looking at these I realize I’ve made a mistake. It’s a minor mistake but means it will delay sharing the pattern. Very soon, I hope.

While scrolling through Facebook the other day (a dangerous rabbit hole to go down!) I saw a cute way to make Christmas trees using toilet paper rolls. The site is coleykuyerart.com if you want to check it out. It is so easy I thought I’d try it. I even had just emptied a roll of toilet paper, perfect timing. I didn’t decorate it but can think of so many easy ways to do so.

TP roll Christmas tree and two angels on wandasknottythoughts
TP roll Christmas tree and two angels

I did this quickly just to see if I liked it. I will be making more of these but cutting them a little more carefully. I have a granddaughter I believe would have fun helping me do this.

This post would have been out sooner as I was almost finished with it yesterday. I know I saved it several times but this morning there was no trace of it. I had to start all over. Bummer.

Now I must get back to the runner edging. What are you working on?

“Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Charles Dudley Warner

Happy Halloween 2022!

Are you ready to be visited by ghosts and goblins?

Bonnie dressed up for Halloween on wandasknottythoughts
Bonnie dressed up for Halloween

The local Historical Society was going to have a “Mutts and Monsters Parade” like they had last year but had to cancel due to staffing issues. My granddaughter and I were disappointed as we had been planning dog costumes for a couple of months already. Due to being busy with other things I hadn’t put much time or effort into the costumes before hearing of the cancelation. But I still thought it would be cute to dress up our dog. I found this little ladybug costume at Dollar Tree for a couple of bucks. It is a kid’s costume, not a dog’s, but it works for pictures. She sat very nicely – okay, I was lucky enough to catch her sitting still for about a half second.

Our church youth group put on a Fall Festival last night, serving chili and cinnamon rolls. Then they had games outside, like kickball, bocce ball, and corn hole. They also had pumpkins to decorate (with paint pens) and a bonfire to make s’mores. There were also hayrack rides. The weather was perfect, crisp and cool! There was a nice turnout for it, too. It was a wonderful night! I played corn hole, decorated a pumpkin, took a ride on the hayrack, and roasted marshmallows.

The pumpkin I decorated on wandasknottythoughts
The pumpkin I decorated

You can see by this poor gourd that I don’t have much imagination when it comes to pumpkin decorating. Some of the other pumpkins were so much better! But it was fun to do it.

My tatting lately has been working on an edging. Okay, it was supposed to be an edging. I wasn’t getting anywhere with the edging before it morphed into a snowflake.

October Snowflake on wandasknottythoughts
October Snowflake

I did the original in all white and finished it with another round of tatting. When that was done the legs were not visible at all. I tried it again in Lizbeth #136 Autumn Spice in size 20 with Mocha Brown Dark #692 as the chains. I am happy with how this turned out.

And now I’m back to working on the edging that should have already been done. And snowflakes. And Christmas ornaments. What are you working on?

Halloween is an opportunity to be really creative. Judy Gold