Ferrari Cars

The Singapore GP was on two weekends ago and these Ferrari cars were on display.

Yes, they are made of Lego bricks in half size.

Amazing aren't they?

Tsuru Stamp

I was looking for an app to stitch up the letters to spell Tsuru. This was the best I could do with the photo collage app. 

Below is my cut and paste version.

The tatting is for the doily I am making. Tatted 18 just to make sure I had enough threads and I did. Now to add the final round to the motifs and the doily. Hope to show you the finished doily soon.

A gentle reminder that our 'Under an African Sky Doily Tatting Challenge' starts 1st October.

Colourful Dumplings

A friend and I decided to try the Paradise group of restaurants - Paradise Dynasty. This is their signature xiao long bao. Each a different flavour - cheese, foie gras, Szechuan, black truffle, crab roe, garlic, ginseng and the standard. The handmade noodles / la mian was good too. 

Pg 52 Japanese Doily WIP5

Thank you so much for your comments on the last post. This looks better to me than yesterday's. Now, need to ensure I have enough thread. 

I think it will work.

We will find out soon.

Pg 52 Japanese Doily WIP4

Finished two more rounds and tatting the last round now. I had to improvise as I do not have enough thread to do all 18 motifs in one colour. This first of 18 is not looking good. Somehow the dusty pink is not the right shade. So I am going to do another with the same 3 previous colours and hope that there is enough thread left to complete it.

Raffles City

This is the view of Swissotel The Stamford from the Raffles City Atrium. The building was designed by architect I. M. Pei. You may be able to get a good view of the National Day Parade and fireworks or the Singapore Grand Prix from your hotel room here. 

More Sachets

Different sizes for different tatted motifs.

Bonsai Calligraphy

If you read Chinese, you may be able to make out some of the characters. These are tiny, only a few inches tall. Isn't it amazing? I would love to learn how to do this. You probably need a lot of patience.

Drawstring Bag Incomplete

There is a mistake in one of the motifs but let's leave it and it may not be noticed, . . . hopefully. The pattern requires you to tat more so that it is joined but I am going to only make it one side and leave it as this. I will probably put it on an organza bag.

Smokey Loved It!

I turned the comb on Smokey and he loved it. This is how satisfied he was after a comb through. Now we're thinking of using a kohl pencil on his left eye so he looks even more handsome.

Potpourri Sachet

Tally Tatty asked to see the potpourri sachet. I was too lazy to make the sachet from scratch so I got these organza bags. Used a fabric glue and carefully brushed it on the tatting and place it on with a paper backing so it would not stick to the other side of the bag while the glue dried. Moved the paper a little while it dried so it would not stick to the paper too.

That makes it quick and easy. Potpourri is from Ikea. I may need to get more organza bags in different colours for the variety of tatted motifs that I have made. It also makes a pretty gift bag.

Betel Nut Palm

Abundance of betel nuts. Could it be that the coffee shop proprietor piled all the coffee grounds at the base of this palm tree. The large bunch of fruits behind is still green and all from the same tree.

Pg 52 Japanese Doily WIP3

One more round completed. Three more to go and the last round is enormous as it is 18 individual motifs. Threads are running out. 

Just a clarification about the pattern. I followed the diagrammed pattern in Yusai Shokoin's Tatting book but it seems that this could be adapted from Anne Orr's pattern. My apologies.

Purple and Green

I thought the purple and green against the white background was splendid. Even though some of the green were weeds that have overgrown. Someone probably planted the purple heart / Setcreasea purpurea. I have this plant in my balcony garden and it is very easy to grow and propagate.

Pg 52 Japanese Doily WIP2

The last two rounds make a nice design element. I was attracted to this doily based on this and the next design.

Tatted in Flora Size 20 threads in Col. 41, 222 and 206. Pattern diagrammed in Yusai Shokoin's Tatting book.

Prawn Cocktail

Served on a bamboo leaf with cubes of dragon fruit, mayonnaise topped with some fish roe. The combination tasted delicious.

Drawstring Bag WIP1

This looked sweet in the Yusai Shokoin book and thought I would give it a try. Got bored tatting the doily. I used the Altin Basak Size 50 #359 thread for this. I may improvise and make it to embellish a bag instead.

Curios

This is a great shop at Jalan Sultan. 

Many, many old objects from the past. 

I recognized some which we have used.

A vast and diverse collection.

Can you see the coat hanger, tiffin carriers, suitcases, furniture, light fixtures etc.

Pg 52 Japanese Doily WIP1

I am attempting to tat the doily on the cover of this book by Yusai Shokoin. Wish me luck. I am not sure if I will complete it. Trying to decide what contrasting colours to use. This is how far its gone for now. Three different Flora Size 20 threads so far - # 41 variegated pink, #222 burgundy and #206 pink. I may add one more colour #237 dusty pink if I finish the whole pattern. This is the book.

Habenaria myriotricha

This was one of the orchid plants I bought from the garden show. 

The close-up shows one bloom. Doesn't it look like someone in a brown waist coat? It had flower buds when I got it and it bloomed one week later. Such delicate petals.

Curry Mee

This is a curry noodles dish - chicken, potato, bean curd puffs, fish cake slices, yellow noodles and bean sprouts in spicy coconut soup. It reminds me of curry mee from Malaysia but not exactly the same. 

Yummy all the same.

Under An African Sky - Choosing Colours

If you are thinking of tatting Jane McLellan's Under An African Sky doily, you may be wondering what colours to use. I rummaged through my Size 20 thread stash and got four palettes together. 

Sun - Sky - Trees - Animals - Earth

Palette A - Flora solid

two shades of green for the trees

Palette B - Lizbeth all variegated

Palette C - Lizbeth mixed bright

Palette D - Lizbeth mixed muted

Let me know what you think. 

See the choice of colours for this doily by Jane, Helen 1,2 & 3 and Ari.

We will begin the doily on 1st October 2014. 
This will give you time to order threads, if necessary.

Dendrobium Genting Blue

I think this is Dendrobium Genting Blue. 

The flower is purple with a blue tinge and a slight white outline.
Got it from the farmer's market at Sungei Tengah.

Japanese Pattern II

Another motif which I have tatted to embellish a potpourri sachet. Tatted using Lizbeth Size 40 threads in Blue River Glades (164) and Country Turquoise medium (661). A pattern by Yusai Shokoin on page 70 of his 'Tatting' book. A tiny motif measuring only 1.8 inches.

'Walk Fast'

Came across these by the escalator as we came up from the basement car park at Gardens by the Bay. I took some photos and searched online for identification.

It is Xiphidium caeruleum or commonly known as 'Walk Fast', Cola de Paloma or Soskia. A native of the West Indies. Was it some how telling me to walk fast in the gardens and get a good exercise. More interesting facts about this plant here.

Nina Libin's Book Spine #2

This is also tatted in two parts and using each shuttle, split rings are finally added in the centre to join the two. Tatted in Flora Size 20 in a variegated green (Col. 66) and cream Delica beads.

I added a tail and a motif at the end. If this is going to be a book spine, the the tail and motif could be a bookmark. This was an interesting tat and chock full of beads. I think it would make a lovely bracelet or choker too. From the looks of it, you would not think that the centre is made using split rings. What a clever design from Nina Libin.