Caribbean & Lilac Mat

This is the mat I have just completed from Adelheid Dangela's Book "Occhi-Patchwork" which I borrowed from the Guild Library. I want my own copy of this book, because all of the designs in the book are wonderful, and will integrate with each other to form a patchwork effect. The possibilities are endless. All the designs are named after towns, and this one is called "Detmold". I have worked it in Lizbeth 40 Caribbean for the chains and thrown-off rings, and Lilac, Dark for the main rings

Lots of Heart

We have had a feast of sport in January, both test cricket and the Australian Open Tennis Championship, so it was a good opportunity to empty some of the many shuttles with bits of thread on them. I took my Hearts file, and tatted away. I quite surprised myself how many I managed to do. With Valentines' Day coming up, they will probably all find a home among my card making, quilting and scrapbooking friends.

Mat from Practical Tatting

When the temperature is as high as it was for a couple of days last week, I need something simple to tat, and this little mat from Phyllis Sparks' book "Practical Tatting" was just the thing. It is done in Lizbeth 40 Butterfly Breeze, though the camera flash seems to have washed out the colour, which is a delightful pastel, summery colour.

Tatted Hanky Gift

This is a hanky I have tatted for a gift, and oops, now I have taken a photo, I can see a mistake!

Bride Doll at Lilydale Show

This is the bride doll that I entered in the Lilydale Show last week, in the section "Item or Garment decorated with handmade lace or tatting". She won first prize.

Her veil and her underskirt were edged with "hen and chicks", the veil also being highlighted with seed pearls. The bodice was covered in one of the background patterns from the DMC book of tatting, and the hem of the dress was decorated with Mark Myers' Pointed and Scalloped Edging. When I lay the edging against the white dress, it "disappeared", so when sewing it on, I highlighted the outer edge picots with seed pearls, which gave the pattern more definition. I was going to tat the flowers for her bouquet too, but I ran out of time, so she had to have silk ones!

The tiara was two rows of rings and chain, the rings of the two rows joined by swarovski crystals. The rings all had silver seed beads instead of picots.

All the tatting on the dress and veil was done in 80, and the tiara in 40. The dress itself was organza over taffeta.

Doyley and Runner

It has been a long time since I posted, but I have been tatting during that time - just not the time or the opportunity or the organisation to take photos. The doily was tatted from a pattern in the antique archives. The colours include Lizbeth 40 Vineyard Harvest, Azalea, Leaf Green, and one of the purple shades. Can't help wondering if it would have looked better in cream.

The runner is 97cm (approx 38 ins) long by 35 cm (approx 13-1/2 ins) wide and is done in 40 Lizbeth Seashells. I have done it from a picture on the net, the site for which has now gone and with my own stitch counts. It is a simple motif of six clovers separated by chains, but the motifs are joined diagonally instead of side by side, thus eliminating the need for a "fill in" motif. This results in the ends being scalloped. I chose not to put an edging on it, as I like the scalloped effect, and I couldn't think of an edging that would enhance this.