Three Christmas Angels

These little angels are ready to adorn my tree. The polystyrene blanks were purchased from Spotlight, and it was fun to give them dresses, wings, a halo , hair and a face. There were four in the packet, and one went to our Kris Kringle at Guild.

Tat'n 'Chat Christmas Meeting

Tomorrow is the last Tat'n'Chat meeting for the year, so I made a little surprise for the ladies. They are hand-made gift containers in the shape of a Christmas Bon Bon, and I have filled them with sweets. They will be able to re-cycle them and use them for gifts at Christmas, as the container part is 24 cm long and 9 cm in diameter and slides apart at the middle to enable gifts to be inserted, I hope they like them.

Waiting Room Snowflakes

Over the past month or so, I have had a series of appointments, so I decided to use the time spent in waiting rooms to tat snowflakes. I have done about 2 dozen(not all completed in waiting rooms) and no doubt they will be useful during the coming festive season.

I have been off at a tangent crocheting granny squares for charity projects, inspired a little by the appearance of the actress Cate Blanchett at a recent event in an off-the-shoulder number, made up of granny squares! Of course the fashionistas declared it a big fashion faux pas, and I suppose it was a bit way out, but good on her for daring to wear something different, and for putting the spotlight on granny squares.

Doiley in Dusty Rose Lizbeth

I have to discipline myself and make this the last tryout of my new Lizbeth thread (although I still have four colours as yet unopened). I really must get back to my Stawasz table centre.

This doiley was designed by Anna Maria Hanson of Denmark, and was published in "Orkis", the magazine of the Danish Tatting Guild

Amusement in Turquoise Twist Lizbeth

I have had fun trying out the new Lizbeth I added to my stash, and I also have some glorious HDT from Lady Shuttlemaker. So much pretty thread and so little time! I hear Lizbeth is to be available in 40! Oh, my bulging stash!

Seashells Doiley

I took time off from my current project to try out the new Lizbeth thread I bought recently. The colour is Seashells (shell pink/lt. antique violet).

The pattern is from a site called "Annes Nuperellnett" and the source is quoted as "Home No 21, unknown year". The name of the piece is translated by Google as "Easy as cobweb 2".

I found the Lizbeth very nice to tat with, and the finished article very easy to block out.

Destined for a Tote Bag

This is the first element in one of Jan Stawasz's designs, and it was not until the final blocking out that I noticed that one of the clovers of a middle motif had only two rings! I left it sitting there for a couple of days, but each time I looked at it, all I could see was that two-ring clover, and I decided that I just couldn't proceed adding rows to the project, as it would continue to haunt me, and I would not be pleased with the finished result.

So I have begun the element again, carefully checking that each clover has three rings! I have decided to back the defective piece with red velvet, and investigate the best way of making a tote bag out of it, preferably covering it with acetate or
similar protective covering.

Hearts for The Ashes

I love watching Test Cricket, especially "The Ashes" Series between Australia and England. It is not a fast game, so I decided to empty some shuttles that have bits of thread on them, in an attempt to stay awake longer. I produced some hearts, but my body calls it quits each evening, so I just manage to see the session before
lunch.

The first Test ended in a disappointing (for Australia) draw, and we haven't made
a very good start in the second Test. I have a number of shuttles with white on them, so it may be snowflakes next!

The hearts will go to my friend Sadie, who besides being a tatter, is also an artist and a calligrapher, and makes beautiful greeting cards.

Motif Mat Complete

I have enjoyed working this piece, and am happy with the result.
I am now trying to decide on my next challenge.

Back on track

It has been a while since I caught up with my blog. So much has been happening in the family, including a wedding and my husband's retirement, and the days just fly by.

I also paused to crochet a granny aquare cape. My friend makes capes to give to the District Nurses to distribute to elderly patients who need a little extra warmth
around the shoulders and back, now that our cooler weather is here.

Although I like to crochet, especially for a cause, my fingers itched for my shuttles, and I have begun a table mat, using Jon Yusoff's square motif. I have done "four along" and now I am on the "three across". Thanks to Jon for sharing this pretty motif. The thread is Altin Basak 50, Shade 316

Petunia Doyley

All of my tatting during December/January was given away, and it was only afterwards that I remembered that I hadn't photographed it. This is my first completed project for 2009. I fell in love with old-fashioned tatting in white and ecru, and although I admire all the lovely things
that are being produced these days, I look at this doiley and think it would have been better in white. Perhaps it is because I haven't the talent for choosing colours. I think it is more that I am a control freak and dislike the fact that where the colour change occurs is out of my control.