Spanish Cross

While browsing through Julie Patterson's pattern books, I thought this was an interesting pattern. It was an absolutely pleasure to tat. I took my time tatting this while watching Magic City and I thoroughly enjoyed both. This was tatted in Altin Basak's Size 50 in #328 (red) and 2351 (gold with metallic strand). I do recommend this pattern on page 13 of the 'More Crosses Than You Can Bear' book.

A joy!! Thank you Julie.

Precious Opals

These are the opals. I hope you enjoy the photos. Lighting was a problem and flash photography is not usually allowed. Opals in a variety of colours.

Tischband Tat Along Giveaway #3

This will complete the Tischband Tat Along Giveaway.  The winner is #5 from this list and it is Eliz of Tatting: We Make Lace with Lots of Little Knots.  Congratulations, Eliz! Your prize is a tatted motif. Do send me your mailing address and I will get them to you as soon as possible.

Thank you to all who participated in the Tischband Tat Along. I hope you had fun!

Beautiful Crystals

See how they sparkle. Aren't they a beautiful colour? I love rocks. This was part of a museum collection and I cannot identify as I forgot to note the name and we only had time to browse through. I could spend hours in here. Wait till you see the opals.

Lis Christiansen's Motif - Attempt 2

Attempt 2 is tatted in Flora Size 20 threads in charcoal (#244) and pink (#207). The large rings are still out of shape and blocking did not help much either.

This is to compare the size of Size 20 and Size 40 (right) threads.

Green Chrome

I love the colour of chrome diopside. A green that is so intense, I think it looks better than the emerald gemstone. Look what is sold on Etsy here.

Tatted Earrings 3

I was trying out some thread colours and this one is Lizbeth Spring Fling Size 80. It looks very frilly with some Delica beads and Swarovski crystals - bicones and hearts. This was made for Wanda. I hope she liked them.

Rita Bookmark

This pattern is called Rita from Fantasia 3, a book by Iris Niebach.  There are 18 edging patterns and this is on page 27. This pattern is symmetrical so it can also be made into a bookmark. I sent this off as one of the four PIF handmade gifts which I made. I tatted this in two colours of Venus Size 40 threads.

Variegated Pink Threads

Tatted by Sheila H

Sheila H won some threads for the Tischband Tat Along Giveaway #2 and she chose to tat Mary Konior's Spinning wheel glass mat with it. She sent me a photo and I just had to show you. This thread came without a legible label and I thought it looked like a size 20 but Sheila confirmed that it was more like a Size 10. I like the feel of this thread and it is a pretty colour. I have other colours of the same thread.

Tatted by Umintsuru

This is what I tatted with the same thread. This cross is a pattern from Julie Patterson called Crossing Back and Forth on page 11 of her Knots and Crosses book.

Julie's Bookmarks

Petals Variation tatted by umintsuru in Lizbeth Size 80 Desert Bloom

(6 inches point to point)

Eye Spy tatted by Fox in Krystle's HDT Size 80 Wisteria Lane

(4.5 inches in length)

Did you see Fox's blog post here? We each chose a pattern from Julie Patterson's book - Just Marking Tome, for the other to tat. We also chose a time to start and spent the weekend tatting our bookmarks.

I wanted to do Petals again in a solid colour as the flowers got lost in the variegated thread. This is tatted in Omega Size 50 thread #156 and it measures about 7.5 inches point to point. This thread colour is a pale orange.

Unjoined Picots

What it should look like!

What I did to it.

This is what I did with unjoined picots after I discovered it too late. Remedy it crudely. Did you notice it in the previous post? 

Below is another example:

Tatting Together Square Motifs - Ulla Bendtsen . . . . . Completed

It is a very, very pretty pattern but it is quite a challenge to perfect it. Completed but with mistakes. I wish I could make the centres a little more neat. I have been having dreams about it. Yes, I think about it even before I sleep.

Tatting Question

What do you do when you realize you forgot to join to another picot after you have finished tatting the motif.

a. Throw the piece away and tat another
b. Cut that part out and re-tat
c. Leave it, life is full of imperfections
d. Remedy for cosmetic purposes

If you chose a, you must be a perfectionist;
If you chose b, you are more patient that you think;
If you chose c, I like what you are thinking;
If you chose d, tell us how you do it.

PIF from Little Jackdaw's Nest

I was totally caught off guard when I received it. I was expecting a lovely handmade gift from Little Jackdaw's Nest. I have always admired her impeccable tatting. Her amazing doilys always look so gorgeous. Well, I have one now. I am just speechless. The tatting is exquisite and this is going on my dresser as the dark wood of the dresser would not only compliment the tatting but also show it off. Imagine that I have never thought of putting any tatting on my dresser until I saw this. This photo does not do this doily justice.

And that was not all in the package she sent. Imagine all these lovely hand dyed threads for me. Thank you so much, Elena.

Tatted Earrings 2

This is tatted in Lizbeth Size 40 Country Kitchen #160 with pink Delica beads, Swarovski crystals and pearls. Somehow the mint green in this colourway did not show up, just a slight tinge. This is also part of the PIF and it was made for Margaret who received them a couple of days ago. I chose this colourway for her and hoped she liked it. See her post here.

Tsuru's Bath

Last weekend, Tsuru finally got her long awaited bath. She protested but it was over in a flash and I would say she felt much better after that. This is the first bath she's had this year and she was not hissed at this time round. Umi used to hiss at her after they had a bath. Somehow Umi did not like Tsuru after a bath. This time, she only had hugs from me. No hissing!!

Love of Rocks

Amazing creations of nature. I could spend hours admiring such rocks, especially if they sparkle or have such form. What is it about such natural beauties?

Tatted Earrings 1

I finished this pair for Ladytats some time back but I wanted her to receive it first so as not to spoil the surprise.This was part of the PIF. Tatted with Delica beads and Lizbeth Size 40 threads in Grape Splash #165. Added Swarovski crystal pearls and crystal bicones.

She received it last Thursday but unfortunately one crystal broke in the mailing process. I have sent her two new crystals to replace them and hope that the other two pairs which I have sent off reaches its recipients in good condition. I do hope the packaging holds up. 

Tatting Together Square Motifs - Lis Christiansen

The book is titled 'Tatting Together' by Iris Niebach and that is what we did. Jess of Tat-ilicious and I decided to tat the same motif at the same time and coordinate our blog post although we are half way across the world and night and day in time difference. Go to her blog to see hers. Jess chose this pattern on page 10 by Lis Christiansen. 
This pattern is easy to tat, just that you need to remember which picot to join up to with the next motif. This is tatted in Venus Size 40 threads. This thread is a little soft so the rings and chains are difficult to shape up. Another reason is that the rings are large and I find that when rings are large, I have difficulty keeping my stitches and ring size even.
Below is a comparison with the earlier motif which I tatted by Lene Bjorn posted here.

Kreuzmotive - 6 repeats

WIP completed?

For now, it is. It measures only about 11 by 7 inches. Still too small for a table mat. 4 by 3 repeats would be more feasible but that would mean I am only half done. I definitely do not have enough threads on the ball for another 6 repeats.

I did split rings to connect the repeats. Would you notice it, if I did not mention it?

Warhol's in Town

I have not seen it but if you are in Singapore catch "Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal" at the Art and Science Museum now open till 12 August 2012. The above photo is not from the exhibition. This self portrait is from another museum.

Cannon Ball Tree

That is a monkey between the flowering branches of the cannonball tree. The fruits of this plant look like cannon balls and hence the name. I found a photo showing the tree. If you click on it, you may see the fruits.

I have been tatting but nothing I can show you for now. I have been busy making the gifts for my PIF but I will only post them when the recipients received them. Just posted them off and hopefully they will received it in a week or so.

I have also continued with Ulla's motif and made more mistakes but I think I will soldier on.

I went home to see mom last weekend and also met my two twin nephews for the first time. They seem to be such good babies, not much fussing and smiling most of the time. I bought them matching coordinated 3 piece onesies, shorts and T-shirt so that they can choose to wear them coordinated or identical. They are 6+ months old now.

Stained Glass

This reminded me of my unfinished stained glass project and I thought it was a nice idea to make it into a light box like this one.

I wonder when I will get back to to my stained glass WIP. Not all the pieces in my Chinese phoenix have been cut and I have not even prepared it for foiling yet. Still a long way to go. This is the phoenix progress left off here. Wow, it has been nearly 2 years.

Tischband Tat Along Giveaway #2

I think it is time for the 2nd giveaway for the Tischband Tat Along Giveaway. Here goes: and the winner is #17 as listed on this page. Sheila H, do let me have your mailing address and your preference between a tatted motif or tatting threads. The last giveaway will be sooner than thought so finish up that last repeat and let me know. If you do not know what I am refering to, link here.

Longest Escalator Ride

We thought this was the longest escalator ride we have taken. It took about 2 minutes to ride on it. Yes, I timed it. I googled and it is about 200 feet / 60 m in height. It was going at quite a slow speed unlike what we are used to. Sometimes, we just need to slow down.

Ulla Bendtsen's Motif - Attempt 2

This centre of the motif is still not satisfactory but it looks slightly better and less severe than the black and white version earlier. I don't know why it is giving me so much problem. Will I continue to four repeats? Maybe, or maybe not.