Trayna's Tatterings & Natterings

The promised shameless plug for Elgiva's book listing on eBay

2012-01-22T23:32:00.000Z

As I said in my last post I would have a shameless plug for my book listing on eBay so here it is!

This is for the rarest of Elgiva Nicholl's amazing tatting books. It was published in 1959 and is SO before-its-time it is really incredible to think she was doing things like this over 50 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!

It really is very hard to find and the last one I remember seeing for sale (before the one I bought that is!) on eBay was Jane's one (over 2 years ago) that she posted about here & here. There isn't much point me giving much more info than Jane gave in her posts (it really is worth checking them out) as she really did cover it all - except to say that it is not a pattern book per se but instead gives instructions & ideas for various floral elements & in my personal opinion it is one of the most important books to own either for the serious collector or designer. I'm only selling this copy as I, very luckily, managed to get another copy.

As the listing says the book is in good to very good vintage condition - the covers have separated at some time and have 3 small strips of aged tape at the front and a line at the back, the very top & bottom of the spine have a split a little and are bit worn, and there is a supplier label stuck to the inside back cover but the inside pages of the book are in very good to immaculate vintage condition.

I haven't listed the Mary Konior duplicate as yet as I can't find my original copy!!! It is "Tatting in Lace" if any one is interested.

I have 3 more snowflakes to show but that is for a later post.

TTFN

Belated Happy New Year & Snowflake Challenge

2012-01-08T22:02:00.008Z

Hope everyone had a very safe & prosperous New Year - ours was relatively quiet.

Perusing the blogs I came across Bree's post here about doing 100 snowflakes in a year and thought 100!!!!..........WOW that's alot, then thought oh, heck....give it a try..........so here we go

At no.1 we have Frivole's flocon from here (done in Lizbeth Spring Garden, I think)

At no.2 is a pattern of Wanda's that I was cheeky enough to ask for LOL - she mentioned it on this post (done in Lizbeth Cotton Candy)

Neither has been blocked and I don't think the background was the right colour choice.

No image of no.3 as yet but just to tease............it's another pattern of Wanda's but this time a new one that you may just get to see later on!!!

I've managed to get a few "new" books on eBay recently which are duplicates of ones I already own so there will be a shameless plug for them when I come to sell them in the next wee while. To mention a couple - one is a Konior book & the other Elgiva's rare one but as the replacements are not here as yet I won't tease you any further LOL.

By the way, anyone got any ideas about the previous post - all help gratefully received!

TTFN

What pattern is this?

2011-12-30T16:51:00.003Z

Going back through old blog posts I found this

No-one at the time seemed to know so I decided to ask again - does anyone know of this pattern? It is possibly from one of the Japanese pattern books. I really would appreciate some help finding it if at all possible.
Thanks in advance

TTFN

Another of Bearbits wonderful giveaways

2011-12-28T16:03:00.003Z

Bearbits does the most stunning little bears & as she often does is having another giveaway here - this time for Bouton.

Please go & visit & just see her stunning bears.

MERRY CHRISTMAS - look at these stunners!

2011-12-26T17:32:00.008Z

Hope everyone had a safe & very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

While wandering around I came across these

- aren't they just stunning! The site they are from is here.

Finally........got something to say!

2011-06-20T22:49:00.009+01:00

or even a few somethings LOL.

I have some tatting to show & a shameful plug as well - but to start off.....

Has anyone seen this? - truly hilarious but WARNING it is NOT for the easily offended

Now let's move on to tatting - you'll have to excuse the lack of blocking & finished ends but just thought it was about time I said something!

First on the list is Miranda's "Crazy Daisy" (see here) which I loved doing & even learnt to do daisy picots without any hassle! Can't find the image just now but will post ASAP. Thank you SO much Miranda for your wonderful patterns.

Next came the Valentine bookmark from here
done in a Floretta thread

Then I decided to try some patterns from my more obscure books & booklets - so from this booklet

came this with a couple of minor adaptations to modern tatting methods

in Lizbeth Juicy Watermelon

Then came this

in Lizbeth Spring Garden

from this Russian book

By now I was on a roll so we moved to this German booklet

for this
again in Lizbeth but now Spring Flower

And finally I am in this process of doing one from my Mum's booklet

but as I haven't finished it you'll have to wait.........

I also made a pair of Yarnplayers Quadrille earrings which I modified slightly but don't have a picture as they were a pressie that got given before I thought to take a snap.

Now on to the shameless plug - I currently have a couple of shuttles & some patterns on eBay if anyone is interested - here in a link for one of them

Hope it won't be so long next time

TTFN

Belated Christmas Greetings to All & update

2010-12-28T20:40:00.008Z

Belated Christmas Greetings to All.

Thought I'd give you a quick update on what's been happening here. Firstly, we are starting to be able to see the ground again after 2 weeks with about 3ft of snow & seriously subzero temps (-15 C etc) so that is great. We even had an official white Christmas - like we need any more LOL!

I want to show you what my wee boy got me for Christmas (with a wee bit of helpful pointing in the right direction from Mummy, that is).

Isn't it just stunning - the photos show either side of it. It is the Maacki Chinensis wood that Sally spoke about some time ago here & I sent her down a 0.6mm crochet hook rather than the one that comes as standard - I can't describe just how lovely it is, the photos really don't do it justice. 'Im-in-the-garage has really surpassed himself this time - Thank you so much.

The other stuff I have been doing is Miranda's Ice Crystal in 2 colours but you are not going to see it as the DYK sections are truly appalling and it shames what is a stunning pattern. I have also done Miranda's Angels in the Snow that I won from the very kind giveaway of the anonymous donor but I can't find the image at present so will update you later - again a gorgeous pattern.

Our GP is retiring unfortunately as he has gone over and above the call of duty on a number of occasions over many years so I thought he warranted a couple of gifts - a bottle of whisky &.....

This is Jane's Double Self Closing Mock Ring Bookmark but my choice of thread was not the best - it is a variegated blue and a mint green but unfortunately the mint green & the pale blue are hard to distinguish apart but apart from that I really like it.

Can't think of much else at present except hope you all have a safe & prosperous New Year. We are going to my Aunt's for Hogmanay which will be bittersweet as it will be the first without my uncle but hopefully she'll cope okay.

TTFN

WOW

2010-12-15T22:41:00.004Z

I 'm sorry but I truly think this is appalling - I truly believe that it just pure greed on behalf of the seller. I know the book is out of print but I purchased this book on amazon in October for £3.50 (approx $5.45) at that rate it gives the seller a 2200% profit!!!!!!!!!!!!

TTFN

Miranda's Ice Crystal & various updates

2010-12-08T22:49:00.012Z

This is going to be fairly graphic rather than wordy I think - I have a bit to show you all.

Firstly, I had the cheek sometime ago to ask Miranda if she had a pattern for Ice Crystal that stunning snowflake she first showed here. She very kindly gave it to me & asked if I would test tat it for her. I thought orginally (& still do) that this was one of the most realistic true-to-life tatted snowflakes I had ever seen and as such thought that I really had to tat it in white just to show the stunning simplicity & complexity mixed together (like a real snowflake is) if that makes sense.
I really loved tatting it but as Miranda says herself on the instructions it is not for the faint-hearted.

I thought I'd show you the conditions we have at the moment - the back garden

the back of the house

the side of the house

these each are about 6-8ft long and as thick as your arm!

The updates I need to do are AnneB's dragonwing doily done in a HDT that I got from etsy but it is supposed to be #30 rayon but tats more like #60 - #80 and is a bit fuzzy but I adore the colours and it just shows what 2 different backgrounds can do.

Then I adapted AnneB & Debbie's seahorse dragon to make a bookmark (in Lizbeth Jelly Bean) for one of DS's classmates Mum as she was so kind to take him to school when I couldn't drive.

DS then wanted one but I must say I am not impressed in this Lizbeth (March Breeze)- knobbly & not enamoured in the colours either

The bookmark recipient was then going to frame him so I said I'd do a proper one for her so we got this one in Lizbeth Caribbean.

I just thought I'd pop in one more of mousie without his jacket - Congratulations to Sharon on winning as well

Think that's all

TTFN

Great Creatures with a stunning giveaway

2010-12-06T23:31:00.004Z

I have a special affection for these stunning creations as they are from Tassie like me. Have a look round Linda's blog & her website & you'll understand what I mean about stunning. She is also having a giveaway if anyone is interested

TTFN

"Christmas comes but once a year......!!!!" Choccie box entry

2010-12-02T21:27:00.013Z

Finally..............

managed to get out of the house to get the camera fixed - been very difficult as we have over 1m of snow (for those across the pond 3+ ft)and the schools have been closed. Combine this with an expected low of -14C tonight (or 6.8 F apparently) and -25C (-13 F) forecast 20 miles up the road it has been an akward few days as you can imagine.

Anyway enough of that - on to my choccie box entry for Ambitatterous' contest here ..............................................................................

VIOLA!!!!!!!! I present to you

"Christmas comes but once a year!"

He's got such a fat tummy (partly hidden by the last After Eight chocolate) because he has just gorged himself on the entire box LOL.

He is made entirely of chains and whilst making him I happened upon an interesting discovery - if you tat a single double stitch then do a shuttle join to chain below & over and over again it ends up looking nothing like tatting but is very dense, holds it shape and almost looks a wee bit like crochet but not quite. I called it "brick stitch" as each shuttle join is in the slight gap made by the shuttle join on row below so you end up with a slightly staggered effect a bit like a wall. His paws are made of Sculpey but the rest of him really is tatting!!

This is his first head which I lost.........much to my annoyance

his tummy............

and his paws............

The 2nd head

& then various other shots

Hope you like him

PS He's got a furry tail cos he's a dormouse lol.

THANK YOU ALL & Swap anyone?

2010-12-02T00:16:00.006Z

THANK YOU ALL who commented on my previous post - it is VERY greatly appreciated - I am not going to publish your comments but have taken the responses to heart - THANKS.

Anyone want to do a very quick Christmas swap? What with everything going on with my eye I never signed up for any of the Secret Santa's & christmas swaps with the various groups and I'm really missing it.
It would need to be done quickly as we are rapidly approaching the cut-off dates for overseas mail.
I had an idea for a shuttle, thread, few beads, maybe a pattern & a small tatted item but anything goes would be fine too.
Please let me know ASAP

PS My choccie box entry should be up and running tomorrow once I get hold of a camera that works LOL.

UPDATE: Thank you for responding to my request - I have 3 swap partners so that probably will be enough unless someone is really desperate

My signature doesn't appear to be working :(

Rant

2010-10-25T17:23:00.004+01:00

WELL - some people!

I had planned on showing you AnneB's dragonwing doily & my adaptation of AnneB & Debi's seahorse dragon but instead I find myself fuming!

A couple of things- I had put out some facebook friend requests to our tatting community & a number of people replied positively but one woman had the sheer nerve to actually send a message saying that not only was she was going to ignore my request but even though we had 13 tatting friends in common (including Georgia, Mark, Debbie, Dianna to name a few) that basically I wasn't good enough to be one of her friends but she hoped I wasn't offended!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not offended - WHAT?! Surely if a friend request is made that you don't want to accept you just ignore it not tell the person why "their face doesn't fit"?

This is not the first time I have come across this kind of elitism in our community & it saddens me so much (& gets me wound up too lol) because I thought the whole point of a community like ours was to help & share a skill we all have in common? But maybe I was wrong? Maybe you are only allowed to be properly part of that community if you are the RIGHT kind of person? Am I deluding myself into thinking I was actually part of a wider global family?

That leads me into my second point - only the stalwarts of my blog (you know who you are & I love you for it as I will delete the comments from the previous post) have left any feedback. My concept of feedback is both positive & negative - if you aren't interested please say so too - I don't have to publish the comment if you don't want or even send me an email. So unless only 5 people read my blog it would appear I obviously was barking up the wrong tree!

Rant over

Normal transmission will resume soon :)

What a coup!

2010-10-24T01:06:00.007+01:00

Anybody else with eagle eyes spot the item below on eBayUK earlier on in the week?

Well I am very proud to announce that it now resides with ME!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

According to Virginia Mescher in "Flitting Fingers" (2002) & I quote.......

".........[A copy of this book was unavailable as a primary reference, but was mentioned in several secondary sources (an aside: just wish she had said which secondary sources!). The only known copy that was located had been housed in the British Library, but was destroyed in World War II during the London Blitz.]......."

That would by definition, if she is right, mean that I now own the ONLY known copy!!!!!! Sorry but I can't stop crowing - I am just SO EXCITED!

I have a question for all out there in tatland - if I reissued it, would there be any interest in buying it? I am planning on it being an actual hardcopy not in pdf form and it wouldn't be an exact reproduction (too easy to rip off) but a true facsmilie. As I have not been at work for 7 weeks with the problems with my eye (& won't be back for at least another week) I am not being paid so need to try & earn some money somehow to tide us over, particularly with Xmas fast approaching (& a 9yr old that has a hard time understanding cost-cutting LOL) so there would need to be a charge & to cover printing costs etc as well.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? Or would there be some interest? Please give me your feedback!

It's going to take a bit longer yet.....:(

2010-10-04T12:35:00.004+01:00

Hi all
Another quick update on "the situation"..........in 2 words........NOT GOOD in fact you could even say BAD!

Original hole is still sealed but the remaining fluid has not been resorbed - it also hasn't got any bigger so may still not be another hole. Either way the consultant is not happy to leave it any longer so I'm off to theatre again tomorrow. This will apparently involve a larger band being placed in my eye - not a major problem in itself but it will be located under the muscle at the outer corner of the eye so will affect the ability of the eye to move side to side at least until it gets used to the band being there. Apparently this can take up to 3 months! So as you can imagine I am NOT in a happy state.
I think what is making it worse is that the vision in that eye has been getting better with each passing day and the thought of going back to square one again (and for longer this time too) is just so annoying & depressing.

I suppose I must look at the long term & if this is what is needed to regain my sight properly I just have to live with it in the short term - It's just SO flaming hard to look at it in a positive manner.

Anyway, I'm just down in the dumps so will stop boring you all with my woes..hopefully the next update will be a good one LOL!

Eye update

2010-09-22T23:46:00.003+01:00

THANK YOU all SO much for your kind wishes - it's like a great BIG hug LOL.
Thought I'd do a short update for you - good news & bad news still...........
Good news - original hole is sealed & all good but
Bad news - is still a small amount of fluid present which may still relate to original hole but may also be another so minute hole that it can't be visualised even with their super-magnification lenses. Consultant is prepared to wait till next Tues to see if the remaining fluid is resorbed or not - if not I'll be back in theatre on Friday of next week for another operation :(
At least the "stay at a 45-degree angle with head tilted to right" position at ALL times except bathroom breaks & food has been relaxed but eyesight is still crap so excuse the mistakes lol.

Now I have a real reason for not being in tatting mode....

2010-09-16T13:26:00.003+01:00

........really annoying too as I had just started AnneB's dragon wing doily as well. Anyway am breaking doctors orders doing this as it is so this'll be very short.

Emergency admission to hospital on Sun with detached retina - operated on on Tues - seen consultant today - original hole sealed but still fluid present so not entirely happy - just got to wait & see now but will be long time till tatting :(

What it most annoying is can't even read the other blogs either now. Not a happy chappy.

Patti Duff's Minitats

2010-08-17T15:35:00.008+01:00

Well, long time no see LOL - no excuses just haven't been in tatting mode :(

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know I made an interesting discovery at the weekend entirely by accident but serendipidous anyway............Deb at DS9Designs has a few copies of Patti Duff's Mintats available - see here . She says 10 copies available on her website but make that 9 at least as I have been hunting for it for ages - spent way too much when you include postage to the UK but hey ho that's the way the cookie crumbles when you want something enough!

Hope to get back into tatting mode ASAP

One World One Heart Update & Winner

2010-02-15T16:18:00.008Z

I had a great time wandering around the world through the OWOH giveaway blogs - it is so much fun seeing what other people are doing - and being overawed by the creativity & talent of some people too!

I SO lucky too - I WON one of the giveaways (happy dance)- a wonderful set of charms from Diana. I can't wait for them to come - I can see awesome possibilities with tatting, maybe a necklace or earrings or both!

After putting all my entries (151) into the random number generator, the result was.........................................................................................................................................
Stanza Rae is my winner - Congratulations to her and I hope she enjoys her gift.

Happy tatting

LOOK - Pop-A-Bobbin Alert!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-13T23:17:00.005Z

Well I'm feeling very pleased with myself and a little smug - I think I'm the first to post about the Pop-A-Bobbins from Sally's "Him in the Garage".

I got mine on Friday and have been playing with it a little since then. As you are all aware I'm sure I LOVE Aero Englands and it will take a lot to beat them in my eyes but this just may do it! It is a really great shuttle - light with a good "feel". I have a Silent Tatter too which I like the feel of but find just too heavy as I keep dropping it - the Pop-A-Bobbin does not have this dropsy effect as it is much lighter. My only tiny criticism (which I have relayed to Sally & Jane already) is that the hook is not a proper crochet hook and I'm finding that a bit awkward but I'm sure that I'll get used to it. Here are a few piccies of the wonderful new addition!

Now all I need is another one to keep it company!

Another non-tatting giveaway

2010-02-11T22:49:00.004Z

Diane gave us the heads up on another great giveaway -

@kellymooreclark is giving away a bag! Go enter to win! http://kellymoorebagblog.com/

see here

Non-tatting (but stunning) giveaway

2010-02-09T21:32:00.004Z

Wandering around blogland I stumbled across a truly stunning blog here. Other than the awesome creatures she makes, what makes it particularly poignant for me is that they are from Tassie (Tasmania). As you may remember from a previous post that is the place of my birth (& majority of my upbringing) and many times place of my heart. To make it even better (if that were possible) she is having a giveaway too so please go and visit.

One World One Heart

2010-02-07T22:33:00.006Z

I am going to make a conscious effort to be more active here....... so to start - Let's go on a magical carpet ride..................

I first saw this great event last year but too late to participate. This year will be different as I made great friends last year and hope to make more this year. The idea of this event is to make friends with other people who blog so to enter my giveaway you must have an active blog. The magical carpet ride is because you never know where you may end up on your tour of the worlds blogs!

Who am I - Well I am a 4th generation tatter who is obsessed/passionate about my craft. I collect tatting shuttles and patterns particularly vintage ones. I dabble in designing but haven't made much public as yet as I am rarely happy with the end result! That's the problem with being a perfectionist! Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) I was brought up to believe that if you don't do it properly then there is not much point to doing it at all!!! You wouldn't believe the arguements this causes between DH & myself - he has the "doesn't matter how badly it's done as long as it is done" attitude!

Anyway to get back to the giveaway - my gift is a collection of tatting items - a shuttle, some thread (new & vintage), some beads (not in photo), a couple of vintage books and a surprise tatted item (as I haven't finished it yet).

You must have an active blog to enter. Please leave a comment on this post by midnight GMT February 14th with a means of me contacting you if you win. Happy Tatting & Good Luck.

Apologies..........

2010-02-05T00:48:00.004Z

Until today I had no real valid reason for not posting - just couldn't seem to shake the shadow that the cast laid over Xmas and everything else. I have so much to tell............but now tragically I do have a valid reason for a further delay.

My uncle (who I mentioned previously) died very suddenly today (well yesterday actually) and unlike my FIL who we had very little to do with, we were very close to my uncle. I must admit I feel like I've lost my anchor as he was my only remaining close relative apart from DS. There is no-one left of that generation and he was only 74!

Anyway please bear with me and THANK YOU all for being there.

Incredulous

2009-12-28T01:26:00.002Z

I'm sorry but I personally think this is truly WRONG.

How can someone claim this is a rare book when I can buy it new still for $5.99?

Secret Santa update & Vic's bribe

2009-12-14T21:04:00.006Z

Now that I know that Nancy has received her Secret Santa from me I can post a couple of pictures of what I sent to her.

This is the SCMR Snowflake 2 by Sally Magill on the ROT site here - I just added some beads.

This is a very poor photo of my adaptation of Ellen's December paperclip pattern from Georgia's site here

I also sent her some of the large paper clips as I found them really hard to get hold of, some beads, a ball of thread and a calendar.

In answer to Vic's bribe (see here) my favourite Christmas tatting pattern (thou I haven't done it this Xmas & can't do it now ;( ) is Jon's Rings Only Snowflake with beads here
The photo is Jon's

Must go

OOPSY

2009-12-12T00:17:00.008Z

just back from the hospital!!!!
would you look at what they did to me!
and i have 6 glorious weeks like this to boot so no tatting........big :(

sorry about the lack of capitals but can't reach one handed lol. got hit accidently by one of our heavy metal cash drawers at work (in sub-post office) on wednesday - it hurt but you can imagine the queues at the moment so kept going - hurt more on thursday and by today (friday) absolute agony so decided i maybe better get it looked at - wish i hadn't bothered..............i don't know whether to be appalled or proud of myself for 2 days at work with an untreated broken radius?

see ya for now

Finally I've caught up with myself LOL

2009-12-06T21:41:00.009Z

As the heading says.... finally I've caught up. I had 4 Secret Santa's to do (my own fault for thinking I could get 3 done for the intatters exchange and 1 for the tattinggoddess exchange). I LOVE doing them but always worry - have I put enough in?, or too much? I don't want the recipient to feel either slighted or guilty about what they sent to their own partner. I'll post the pattern links and photos once I know the recipients have got them.

Now onto the AMAZING giveaway present I got from Wanda. I truly was lost for words as just one of the items would have been more than enough. As Wanda has shown in her blog here. - she sent me the most stunning doily done in Lizbeth Falling Leaves. It is based on her Arches over Arches doily that she blogged about here.

There was also a ball of Lizbeth Falling Leaves thread and a shuttle.

A great mug and a box of tea for Tatting Tea Tuesdays - only going to be used for extra special occasions as it is far to nice to risk for everyday use.

Three (yes - 3!!!!) books - two tatting ones and a lovely little photo book all about Kansas. The tatting ones were Martha Ess' Holidays on the Block and Just Tat by Michelle Goldsborough - neither of which do I own so I've been spoilt rotten.

And a bag of Hershey's choccies- yummy!

I really can't say a big enough THANK YOU to Wanda

Enough for now - take care

GRRR............& I am SO very lucky

2009-11-01T15:47:00.010Z

GRRR........................

I have Kaspersky Anti-Virus running on my machine with daily updates and still I managed to pick up a virus!!!!!!!!!! Why am I paying over the odds for broadband which includes anti-virus when the d****d thing doesn't work?

It has been an extremely annoying 4-5 days because this sucker was smart - when I tried to install malwarebytes to get rid of it the evil thing knew and wouldn't let me install the exe file!!!!!! So the forum told me to download it on a clean machine - that would be fine if I had another machine but as the desktop blew up months ago I only have the laptop and it was the one infected. We don't have internet access at work so I was casting about to try and find a solution. Light dawned - I would phone my computer expert friend in NC and ask him. No answer, strange, normally not a problem getting in contact as long as I remember the 5 hour time difference. Anyway, leave a mesage and wait. Phone call next day from my friend Betsy, his wife, he is in hospital!!!!!!!!! Well, I'm glad in a way, according to my Mum, "not good" things always arrive in threes - FIL being 1; uncle being 2 I had been wondering what 3 would be so now I knew and at least this one wasn't terribly serious. It did put me in a jam though - what do I do now?

In desperation I phoned my cousin who knows a little about computers and asked him to email me the file - but NO that would be too clever - wouldn't it? Yahoo won't let you send an exe file by email! But unfortunately the telephone doesn't work the other way round apparently as I sat there like a lemon waiting for the email to come.

So I phoned again and he said he would burn it to disc - Oh please save me from too-smart-for-their-own-good young (just past teenager) men. He decided he knew best and had dowloaded the installation files instead so exactly the same happened - the exe file wouldn't install. So yet another phone call - this time spelling it out in words of one syllable "I just want the b***** exe file"!! We are now in day 3 since I first contacted him! And I ended up going round and standing over him as he burned it to disc to ensure I got the right thing.

Success - the exe file works but hours and hours later I now have 47

YES you read it right

47 infected files!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And of course it took more time to fix but the end is still not here as on reboot it tells me I have "bad image" files!!!!!!!!! Your guess is as good as mine as to what that means. In reality what it means to me is I now have to download Hijackthis, run it (which again takes forever) and fix one line.........................

WORKING COMPUTER - YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But all of this means I am effectively offline for 5 days! Withdrawl symptoms extraordinaire LOL.

To change the subject for the better...........

I AM SO VERY LUCKY.............

I WON Wanda's giveaway ...........

WOO HOO

and then I won one of the runner-up prizes from Aileen too............

DOUBLE WOO HOO

I am SO excited I can't contain myself LOL! Poor postie he'll be lynched when he comes with me impatiently waiting for goodies to arrive! But wait I'll probably have to do as we have more mail strikes expected this week as well :(

I am so lucky to have such good friends online - you will never really know just how much your kindess means.

PS Marilee is also having a giveaway - have a look here

Almost back to normal & look at this stunner

2009-10-25T17:15:00.005Z

I'm very slowly getting back to normal. Why "very slowly" I hear you ask.........well, within an hour and a half of seeing my uncle in the hospital on the Thursday after I last posted (actually later that very day), I came down with a vicious cold or flu - maybe even the dreaded swine flu for all I know. Whatever, it was it has been (& still is to be truthful) NASTY. The temperature is the worst - just doesn't give up.

DS also got it 2 days after me so just try and picture this - DS hallucinating at 2.30am because his temp was so high (he ALWAYS spikes really high temps when he is ill but I would have thought that by 8 that shold be over by now?!) and me trying to bath him in tepid water when I could barely stand up myself - I nearly crawled into the bath with him LOL. Luckily he didn't get it as badly as me and was pretty much better by Thursday last week. I suppose what hasn't helped me is that I had to go back to work last Wednesday still with a temp feeling like s***.

There is one advantage to it though - as I still have to eat a proper meal 12 days later - I have lost some weight which never comes a miss as I have plenty to loose lol.

Thank you again for all your thoughtfullness throughout this low time - you don't know how much it helps!

I was going to post about lots of giveaways but I seem to have forgotten a few.......I did tell you I still wasn't right! The ones I can remember are Sherry's ongoing supreme generosity which will start again tomorrow.

Aileen's Halloween one here

Krystledawn's blogreader appreciation one here

And lastly but by no means least, you must go and see the talent of this lady, Ginger, here. I have blogged about her before and her creations are simply stunning - you also have a chance to win Noelle at the moment here

Must go for now even though I am sure I've missed someone

2009-10-15T02:56:00.004+01:00

Dear All

Please excuse this post as I am sitting here unable to sleep at nearly 3am and I will probably ramble as I am feeling sorry for myself.

Thank you all SO much for all your kind thoughts over Billy's (FIL) death - it really has been appreciated.

Tuesday REALLY was NOT a good day - it started with a phone call at 0750 to say that my uncle (my one remaining immediate relative apart from DH & DS) was being loaded into an ambulance critically ill. That really was the icing on the cake of what was going to be a sh***y day anyway as it was Billy's funeral that afternoon.

I have always found the majority of DH's relatives odd and stand-offish and true to form they didn't break the habits of the last 16 years so I had a truly "great" time at the funeral tea with his aunt looking through me and totally ignoring me to the extent of turning her back on me when I tried to be polite and actually speak to her.
Well I suppose they do say (up here anyway) "There's naught stranger than fauk"!

We went in to the hospital to see my uncle in the evening - that was distressing to say the least. He is having a very hard time breathing and has pneumonia so is having to wear a positive pressure mask to try and superoxygenate him. The mask was distressing him badly as he was truly desperate for a drink but they wouldn't let him take the mask off at all. We didn't stay for more than 15 minutes as it was just to much for all concerned.

He did have a reasonable night and apparently was doing a little better today (well, yesterday now) but that really doesn't stop the worry. My aunt admitted to me today that when he was rushed to hospital he was unconscious and unresponsive and they didn't think he would make it. He certainly isn't out of the woods yet as there is also apparently some concern over his kidneys too.

I think what is bothering me the most is that if he dies just now I really don't know how DS will cope. He was put through things last week that no 8 year old should have to deal with. As we have no family back-up wherever DH & I were he had to be too. He even slept on a fold-out bed across the hall at the hospice. His grandfather's death bothered him but not unduly as Billy was not close even though DS has no other grandparent alive - his other grandchildren mattered more! Why, I have no idea but it was a major problem with me. Because of this he has truly latched onto my uncle (his great-uncle) and he will be absolutely devastated when he goes, particularly if it happens in the near future.

I know I am just being pessimistic but that doesn't stop the worry. Sorry to burden you all with this - just needed to get it all off my chest. Will try to sleep now.

2009-10-05T23:40:00.003+01:00

Just a short note to say I probably won't be about very much for the next week to 10 days - my father-in-law finally gave up his struggle at 0755 this morning. Now he's at peace.

How lucky we are.....

2009-09-26T23:27:00.005+01:00

Sometimes something happens that makes you realise just how lucky you really are in the scheme of things. That happened to me tonight.

I have been mucking around on the computer brooding, because my DH came home tonight from the hospice after seeing FIL and said that he was doing a bit better today. Forgive me, but I just hoped it was the rally that so many people manage before the end. He is truly suffering now and I get so angry that if our 12 yr old dog (12 today even lol) was suffering like that we would have been able to take the kindest route before it got to this dreadful point. FIL finally accepted that the hospice was the best place for himself only on Wednesday after falling, not eating, going into diabetic crises etc etc etc over and over again and trying to manage by himself with just health visitors for months.

I was wandering around the blogs and from Sarah's blog I meandered onto anothers.

Now we may have, so far this year -

a stuffed washing machine

a knackered fridge/freezer

a broken oven

a blown-up computer

a car that sounds like a diesel when its petrol and will not pass it's MOT in October which will leave us car-less

and no money to replace any of the above

AND a FIL with terminal pancreatic cancer but we are still TRULY blessed and I thank GOD for all that we DO have.

Just have a read of Renee's blog and you will understand................

Loads of Giveaways

2009-09-24T17:59:00.004+01:00

There are at least 3 different giveaways on at the moment

1) You'll have to be VERY quick but Ginger at Bearbits in having a 25th anniversary giveaway of the most darling little bear called Peeka Boo - you can see him here

2) Sherry is continuing her Giveaway gala with this weeks prize being her Royal Diadem pattern - I'm going to be very good and not enter this one for two reasons - I have this wonderful pattern and I have already won a skein of thread. Musn't be greedy LOL!

3) And last but not least Aileen is having a Halloween Mystery giveaway which you can find here

WOO HOO!

2009-09-21T20:36:00.009+01:00

YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH SHERRY - I won a skein of Sherry's stunning HDT - now all I've got to do is contain myself until the postie brings it from the USA. Sometimes I think that carrier pigeon would be faster than mail from the US and other times it surprises me - I am participating in the InTatters postcard exchange. I've sent 10 and hopefully will get 10 back - so far I've had 3 back

1) from Barbara (tattabug) in NY, USA (Look at those stunning waterfalls)

2) from Kersti in Dublin, Ireland

3) from Maria (spuriportugal) in Cascais, Portugal (Maria also sent a couple of pages on history about Cascais and the local area!)

Sorry about the quality of the photos but you get the drift!

It is so nice receiving stuff from other countries and seeing what to those that live there are just every day things but to us are "exotic". I can't wait for the rest to arrive.

Next installment will hopefully be about Shirley's shuttle.................watch this space!

Way behind and Sherry's generosity

2009-09-19T23:51:00.005+01:00

I am so far behind in updating this - so much to tell I don't know where to start, so I'll start with the obvious.............

Sherry's truly remarkable generosity! She truly is one of those remarkable people that don't come around very often - even though she has been going through a really tough time over the last while she still thinks of others!!!!!!!! Please visit her here and see her extremely generous giveaway

WOOH HOO - HAPPY DANCE

2009-08-24T15:23:00.007+01:00

I WON!

I'm getting the stunning new shuttle from Shirley (see here) to test!!!!!!

I'M SO EXCITED - just as well you can't see me bopping around the study - not a pretty sight I'm sure LOL.

I've promised Shirley to give an honest opinion of the shuttle and will relay my feelings here as well after I have told Shirley first. As I told Shirley in my comment to enter the draw for testing the shuttle - my preference in shuttles is for bobbin shuttles in particular my absolute favourite Aero England shuttles, so it will be very interesting to see if I can be converted lol. I must say that by look alone I'm sold on the picture!

Had to try the rainbow quiz LOL

2009-08-23T00:03:00.003+01:00

How true is this?

Your rainbow is strongly shaded red.

What is says about you: You are a passionate person. You appreciate energetic people. You get bored easily and want friends who will keep up with you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

You simply must have a look at this

2009-08-09T23:14:00.004+01:00

This is a really stunning new idea (at least to me, anyway) - it would never have occurred to me to use ribbon. I just wish I could read the blog properly - google translator gives the gist of it but we definitely don't get the full impact.

I have been watching this doily progress - she (I assume she) is doing some stunning work.

Thank you kind people

2009-07-26T00:36:00.001+01:00

Thank you all for your help with facebook - it REALLY is appreciated - I'm now spending far too much time there, lol.

My last butterfly arrived and I will post some piccies soon. I am also about to start the new design-tat course - so I'll hopefully have more to show you soon.

Anyone up for a new non-tatting challenge?

2009-07-13T00:13:00.003+01:00

Having resisted joining facebook for some time I finally relented a couple of days ago as a friend has been pestering me to play a game - Farmtown. Of course, if you like that kind of thing (& I do) it is addictive! Now I need friends in facebook to become my neighbours - even if you don'y intend to play - if you just start a farm we can be neighbours! Of course because I have ignored facebook for so long I only have a couple of friends in it and now need more - Any takers?

Reading this back it sounds so pathetic - I'm not really begging! LOL

LOOK AT THIS!!!!

2009-07-11T20:18:00.006+01:00

LOOK what I found in OUR garden last night - isn't it just adorable! WE already have squirrels (but unfortunately grey ones not red) and now we have a hedgehog too!!!

Just look at that little foot! Unfortunately the flash scared it so I'll have to be much more careful in future!!

Butterfly piccies

2009-07-10T13:01:00.008+01:00

Okay, 2 butterfies have flown this way across the Atlantic, the last got off to a latter start but should be here soon.

I got this beautiful one from Jenna in Canada with this card as well and a note.

And this stunning one came from Nancy in MA along with this beautiful card.

Now I have a problem - I can't remember for sure which butterfly I sent to whom!!!! I think the following are right but I'm not certain. I will also show all 3 of my butterflies as they were all posted together and should have all arrived by now.

This went to Vicki in TX, I think! The pattern is one by Kerstin Kall on the Swedish site frivolitesknuten but doesn't seem to be there now.

These went off to Jenna in Canada. The first is Ruths one from her book and the other Ellen's.

And these went to Nancy in MA. The first is Christels from here and the others are doodles.

Sorry about the picture quality but I was rushing to get them away in time.

Updates

2009-07-06T14:20:00.011+01:00

I've finally got caught up with myself again! I was frantically trying to finish 3 butterflies for the intatters butterfly exchange - the piccies will have to wait as as yet the recipients haven't received theirs.......so watch this space! And also my DS has just finished P4 so I had 2 gifts to make for his 2 teachers.

First I tatted some earrings based on this post from Krystle and Jane's post here. Thread is Lizbeth Jelly Bean.

And then I did one of Karey's snowflakes (fish tales) from her book "Let it Snow". Thread is Lizbeth Caribbean

I am SO annoyed - before I started on the exchange butterflies I was working on my own butterfly design but quickly realised that it was far too complex to be made in time for the exchange (loads of clunies and other things)- so I put it down and did ones for my three exchange partners. Now, I've finished I thought I'd go back to my butterfly - can I find my drawing? NO! And boy am I p****d! I was really happy with it (the first time this has ever happened with my own design) and thought that maybe I could even go so far as to publish this one! I have the actual tatting that I had started but cannot find the drawing with the actual noted stitch counts on it. I had only done 3/4 of one of the 4 wings when I stopped so cannot even recount as more than a 3/4 of the pattern is just missing!!!!

Anyway on to more pleasant thoughts........look at what I found wandering about with "タティングレース" in google

look at this doily

Isn't that simply stunning!! If you look at the categories section (カテゴリー) on the left and then into "編み物" which incidentially translates as "knitting" you'll find the tatting and see some other stunning pieces.

Optimistic or fantasyland?

2009-06-24T15:21:00.004+01:00

I couldn't help but be quite shocked by the following 2 items I've just found on eBay

1) earrings #1 - now at today's rate of exchange €150 is approx. £128 or US$210!!!

2) earrings #2 - and the cherry on top - €180 or approx. £153 or US$253!!!!!!!!!!

Now I realise that what we do is a time consuming, intricate and skilled craft but surely this is just being ridiculous? I personally would expect real gold and precious gem earrings for those prices! Surely there must be a happy medium between "over the top" and unrealistic pricing and so cheap it devalues our craft.

I'll also apologise if I have offended the creator of those earrings but this is purely my personal opinion.

Please voice your opinions as I would really like to know the general consensus about pricing.

A better shot of Jenni's bookmark

2009-06-07T23:07:00.004+01:00

I was just about to upload a better picture of the bookmark Jenni sent to me but I found this one that she took herself and I couldn't do better than that so here is the link

Now you can see what I meant about the stunning woven picots!!!

UPDATE: Just realised that you may not be able to see the above if you are not a member of intatters so here it is as well with the relevant info as well.

From: Liyarra
To: Trayna
Pattern: Jen's Woven Picot Bookmark
Designed by: Jen Chioatto
From: Australian Tatters Guild - New South Wales Branch newsletter 2001.
Thread: Manuela variegated 204 - size 20 and white Coats Mercer Crochet - white size 20.

The rest of the bookmark exchange

2009-06-02T20:58:00.004+01:00

As I now know that Jenni in Oz has received her bookmarks I'll post the relevant pictures..........

This was adapted from an edging pattern I found on a Russian site (don't have a link handy - to be truly accurate don't even know if it is still active!)

and this was Ellen's butterfly bookmark from Georgia's site (this time as written and not fiddled with by me, LOL!!)

TattingChic's lovely post

2009-05-28T16:27:00.005+01:00

I had to chuckle when I read Tatting Chic's post about the goodies I sent her - strickly speaking she is only half right (unknown to her!!!)!! It was "Scottish tatting" as in the fact it was executed in Scotland but if you are adhering closely to the defifition of nationality, it wasn't done by a "true" Scot - I hold dual nationality.

...I'll explain....I am Tasmanian (Australia) by birth and most of my upbringing but born to Aberdonian parents who had emigrated to Tasmania before I arrived. I was always brought up to the fact that I would go to Scotland to finish my education and then go on to a Scottish university so never questioned their reasoning (and I was an only child). My dad thought I was too young to go into boarding school 13000 miles away when I reached 1st year high school level (we are talking about the Australian & UK systems here) at age 11, so it was then decided that I would for my final 2 years of high school at age 16. In retrospect, this was a very good move as my Dad died during my first year in high school. So age 16 I was packed off to boarding school with weekends out with my family here [Mum and Dad's respective families had remained in Scotland - we or I (by myself at age 11!!) had been over on 3 previous occasions for Xmas hol's etc). The plan to be as I previously mentioned until my Mum found out that even though I had only ever held a British passport (got an Australian one later) I would be considered an overseas student at the Universities here and thus, expected to pay overseas fees of thousands of pounds per year. I had such a great time here that I was so upset when Mum told me I was going back to Tassie I hung-up on her!!! To cut a long story short(er) I returned to Tassie got my BSc there but couldn't get a permanent job, so rung my Uncle here a asked about the job situation here - he said great so I came (my Mum had come back to Aberdeen to live after she retired (I was a late child) but had also died very soon afterwards) - I got a job using my degree at the University of Aberdeen very quickly - met my "Scottish-by-birth" but army brat so no-Scottish-accent-either husband and the rest is history..........

As you can imagine though this leaves DS in a house with an "English" sounding father and a weak Australian-tiny-bit-Scottish mother, so needless to say he also doesn't have the local "twang"!! Here I am considered Australian and there I am considered Scottish!! - It's enough to give someone a personality complex, LOL!!

Thank you so much TattingChic & Jane in particular, but all the others as well, for all your lovely comments on their respective blogs - it really is appreciated.

The promised pic's and bookmark exchange

2009-05-23T16:47:00.014+01:00

As promised here are all the wonderful goodies that Aileen sent - firstly the tea towel itself.

Then there were packets & packets & packets of beads & sequins & ribbon.

Two wonderful threads.

And candy & chocolate.

This is the whole lot together - Wasn't I an extremely lucky girl!!!

Also I participated in the bookmark exchange on intatters - choosing to send and receive 2 bookmarks. My partners were Jenni in Australia & Kaira in Norway. I am very lucky that I have received both my exchange bookmarks - this very poor picture is of a stunning woven picot bookmark from Jenni (by chance she had done it in my very favourite dicontinued :( Manuela thread & white (I'll scan it later to post a better image). She even sent me the pattern!!!!
Jenni hasn't received mine yet so I won't post it as yet.

The other stunning one was from Kaira in variegated blues & white - isn't it lovely!! The pattern is here.

The ones I sent her was an adaptation of Iris' Eleonora doily as suggested by Marty (see here) and my own version of Ellen Lai's bookmark.

Feeling very virtuous & extremely lucky

2009-05-17T22:24:00.002+01:00

As the title says, I am feeling very pleased with myself!! I have finally caught up with everything - the teeny tinsy winners things are packaged up to post tommorrow, so are the two bookmarks for the intatters bookmark exchange, as are a couple of other gifts for other people - 8 different packets going to 4 different countries!!!

I am also extremely grateful to Aileen, after the lost Secret Valentine exchange she has more than made up for the wait I had. The parcel arrived a week ago but with everything else that I have been doing this is the first chance I have had to post about it - her generosity is truly extra-ordinary - I got packets & packets & packets of beads, thread, chocolate, candy & ribbon as well as the tea towel. I have taken photos of all the items in this post and am planning on posting Aileen's gifts tomorrow. I will also add the ones of the tatting I have done after the recipents have received their respective gifts.

Sorry

2009-04-27T17:52:00.003+01:00

I just can't seem to get motivated at present - but I am doing the teeny tiny things for my winner's - 2 people's are finished but the third is still plodding along. They just seem a bit TOO teeny tiny!!! I want to send all the pressies off at the same time so no-one will feel overlooked - I apologise for my tardiness.

We're back...........

2009-04-13T18:06:00.003+01:00

WARNING - THIS IS VERY IMAGE INTENSIVE
........we had a great but tiring few days. We saw Honda's ASIMO robot on the Sunday just after we arrived - DS loved it!

On the Monday we started at Edinburgh Zoo which is a HUGE complex on a steep hill - DS absolutely loved it even though he hadn't been keen to go initially. I walked him up and around that hill for 6 hours, then we did a walking tour of the Vaults underneath Edinburgh's South Bridge and in the early evening a walking Ghost & Gore tour which was more history and "jumpy-oots" (people dressed up a characters from the history who jumped-out at appropriate times). As you can imagine when I got him back to the hotel at 9pm his head hit the pillow and that was that!!!

Tuesday started with the 3D Loch Ness experience, which I wouldn't bother with if you had to pay for it (it was part of our 2 day Edinburgh Pass so we didn't pay); then onto the Camera Obscura, which again DS adored. Finally we settled on going to the Butterfly & Insect World as DS thought that our original plan of going to the Edinburgh Dungeon would be a bit scary. The butterflies and moths in particular were incredible - one moth had a wingspan of about 40cm (16")!

Then Wednesday we didn't have planned, just wandered round and looked at various things until we caught the train back to Aberdeen.

Now I'm going to bore you silly with a few of the 356 photos I took.............
ASIMO going upstairs & ASIMO dancing

in order of photos (I told you I'd bore you!!!!LOL)

1) Greyfriars Bobby
2) Edinburgh street near Greyfriars Bobby
3) Kirkyard of Greyfriars
4) Another Edinburgh street
5) Chilean Flamingoes
6) Scarlet Ibis
7) Khuli Hog Deer
8) White naped Crane
9) Black Stork
10) Painted Hunting Dog
11) - 14) Steller Sea Eagle - truly stunning!
15) Ring-tailed Lemur
16) Pygmy Hippo
17) Oscellated Turkey
18) Can't remember its name!!!!!
19) Red River Hog
20) & 21) Eastern Bongo
22) Swamp Wallaby
23) Chinese Goral
24) Gelada Baboons
25) Asiatic Lioness
26) & 27) Ratel or Honey Badger
28) - 31) Amur Leopard - such a poser!
32) & 32) Jaguar
33) Addax
34) Koala with red-eye!
35) Kookaburra
36) Chimpanzee
37) Buff-cheeked Gibbon
38) Otter
39) DS with a Corn Snake
40) Rockhopper Penguin
41) - 43) King Penguins
44) - 46) Penguin parade
47) Gentoo Penguin
48) Bush Dogs
49) Barbary Macaque
50) L'Hoests Monkey
51) Dik-dik
52) Hammerkop
53) A cow's *&£ in the Cowgate
54) & 55) The Vaults
56) - 64) Various views of Edinburgh
65) St Giles Cathedral
66) The Camera Obscura
67) - 74) Various Butterflies
75) Moth
76) Gecko
77) Terrapins
78) Tarantula on MY hand!!!!!!

If you are still awake - CONGRATULATIONS - you deserve a medal!

I'll elaborate further later.

Off on holiday & addresses needed

2009-04-04T20:15:00.005+01:00

DS & I are off to Edinburgh in the morning till Wed evening - leaving DH & Belle (the dog - the one that is my photo) at home!!!!!

I'm still needing addresses for TattingChic & Randi to be able to send out your teensy tiny somethings. Bonnie's parcel went off today so hope she likes the contents ;).

Okay - see ya in a few days.

And the winner is............

2009-04-01T23:05:00.004+01:00

............

well just to prolong the suspense a moment longer, I've decided to make all 5 of you winners with a teensy tiny something after I come back from Edinburgh.......

but DH drew.....

No.6 as the main winner - Congratulations Bonnie!!!

Bonnie - I have no way of contacting you so if you could email me through the link in my profile I would be grateful.

If Sherry, TattingChic, Jane & Randi contact me by email with your snail mail addresses I'll get something off to you towards the end of next week.

A Challenge for you

2009-03-31T22:56:00.001+01:00

Anybody know how to do a split chain in node stitch??? Is it even possible? Please help - I am desperate!;)

Surprise

2009-03-30T23:10:00.003+01:00

As I teased you yesterday - I am going to share Arlene's generosity to me by having a giveaway of my copy of the book she sent me and a couple of other suprises. This will have to be a 2 day only offer as I will need to draw it late Wednesday night (my time - GMT+1 [summertime now]) so that I can contact the winner and be able to post it on Friday as DS & I are going down to Edinburgh for a few days on Sunday.

To enter please leave a comment on this post and the ability for me to contact you. I'll get DH to draw it late Wednesday night.

Good luck.

Words fail me

2009-03-29T16:29:00.002+01:00

I am not often lost for words but I am finding it very difficult to express myself at the moment - I'll explain.....

.....back in February Arlene had a giveaway which I won and was SO happy about. She emailed me last Friday and said the parcel was on it's way - well, it arrived today &

WOW WOW WOW

Her generosity is quite overwhelming - so I think I'll let the pictures do the talking!

To explain - a note with pictures of tatted doilies; a beautiful doily from one of the japanese tatting books; a lovely glow-in-the-dark snowflake; a cute lttle bag to put the "loot" in; a gorgeous skein of Marilee's "Sunset Trail" HDT in 100; a packet of teensy buttons; a ball of variegated blue thread; a ball of variegated blue & pink thread; a ball of variegated purple thread; a ball of ice blue thread; a large sample of the Fufu glow-in-the-dark thread that Arlene talks about on her podcast; a large sample of sun-active thread; 2 vintage detach-a-spool shuttles pre-loaded with white & glow-in-the dark thread; a large ball of plum-coloured thread (that I missed out of the photos) and a tatting book. I deliberately did not take a photo of the book as I already have a copy of this book and plan to do somehting with my copy - keep watching this space!!!!

I really can't thank Arlene enough for all this stunning "stuff".

The Dutch Tatting Books

2009-03-24T17:10:00.022Z

I finally have a chance of posting about the Dutch tatting books I managed to find online. I paid for 5 and the VERY kind lady sent me six - the sixth is also a hardback book whereas the others are paperback books/booklets.

This is a pretty blurry photo of the first three - they are a "set" of books published in the 1940's.

The next is a book that I have seen in at least 3 languages - french, german & here dutch.

This is a stunning book that I hadn't seen before

And the free book was the following

I'll give you a quick tour of them - the first of the "set" of books must have been published in 1947 as #2 was published in 1948 & #3 in 1949. It shows the basics of tatting and has 22 fairly basic patterns starting with very simple edgings going through to more complex collars and doilies.

#2 continues from #1 with 18 patterns for again, edgings, collars and doilies involving more techniques including node stitch.

#3 doesn't seem to include any more techniques but offers 23 patterns for a butterfly, flowers, edgings, a bag, bow, collars and more doilies.

The hardback book "Frivolite Vroeger En Nu" which translates as "Tatting Past & Present" is by Sytske Stratenus published in 1977. It starts with some history and the basics of tatting before the first chapter of "Frivolite van Vroeger" (Tatting from the Past) with patterns for edgings, a motif and collars. The chapter "Frivolite van Nu" (Tatting from the Present" shows edgings, a brooch, glass cover, insertion and collar. The last chapter is on tatting with other techniques including embroidery and has patterns for brooches, letters and the decoration on a cloak done in wool tatting and embroidery.

The "Frivolites" book I find odd - simply as there are no written or visual (as we would recognise visual patterns today) patterns - it simply shows enlarged line drawings of the patterns and to do the item you would have to stitch count the line drawing and work out the order etc. No wonder it has appeared in many languages as there are a very limited number of words to translate!!! It has 60 patterns with all but 3 patterns for mat & 2 doilies being edgings or hankie corners. I would say it dates from the 1970's or 80's.

I think the last little book "frivolite-boek" is simply stunning. I think it dates to the 1950's but I'm not sure as there is not any thing in it that is easily datable. It also starts with a brief basics of tatting but then explains how to measure picots and how to do node stitch. It has 30 patterns of edgings, motifs, a bow, a jabot, a baby bonnet, corsage, collars and cuffs, insertions and some absolutely gorgeous doilies. The doilies appeal so much that after doing Iris's TIAS, that I had planned to redo in better colours and complete the whole doily this time, has been sidelined and I have started one of these instead. I have altered the pattern to include mock picots and split chains so I don't have to keep tying & cutting. Once I am a healthy way into it (or finished even) I'll post a picture.

I just had to share..........

2009-03-17T22:11:00.002Z

This arrived in an email - I just had to share after I got back on the seat after falling off laughing so hard!!!!!!!!

Cat Lover or Not, this is Hysterical!

We've all had trouble with our animals, but I don't think anyone can top this one:

Calling in sick to work makes me uncomfortable. No matter how legitimate my excuse, I always get the feeling that my boss thinks I'm lying.

On one recent occasion, I had a valid reason but lied anyway, because the truth was just too darned humiliating. I simply mentioned that I had sustained a head injury, and I hoped I would feel up to coming in the next day. By then, I reasoned, I could think up a doozy to explain the bandage on the top of my head. The accident occurred mainly because I had given in to my wife's wishes to adopt a cute little kitty.
Initially, the new acquisition was no problem.

Then one morning, I was taking my shower after breakfast when I heard my wife, Deb, call out to me from the kitchen.

'Honey! The garbage disposal is dead again. Please come reset it.'

'You know where the button is,' I protested through the shower pitter-patter and steam. 'Reset it yourself!'

'But I'm scared!' she persisted. 'What if it starts going and sucks me in?'

There was a meaningful pause and then, 'C'mon, it'll only take you a second.'

So out I came, dripping wet and butt naked, hoping that my silent outraged nudity would make a statement about how I perceived her behaviour as extremely cowardly.

Sighing loudly, I squatted down and stuck my head under the sink to find the button. It is the last action I remember performing.

It struck without warning, and without any respect to my circumstances. No, it wasn't the hexed disposal, drawing me into its gnashing metal teeth. It was our new kitty, who discovered the fascinating dangling objects she spied hanging between my legs. She had been poised around the corner and stalked me as I reached under the sink. And, at the precise moment when I was most vulnerable, she leapt at the toys I unwittingly offered and snagged them with her needle-like claws. I lost all rational thought to control orderly bodily movements, blindly rising at a violent rate of speed, with the full weight of a kitten hanging from my masculine region.

Wild animals are sometimes faced with a 'fight or flight' syndrome. Men, in this predicament, choose only the 'flight' option. I know this from experience. I was fleeing straight up into the air when the sink and cabinet bluntly and forcefully impeded my ascent.
The impact knocked me out cold.

When I awoke, my wife and the paramedics stood over me.

Now there are not many things in this life worse than finding oneself lying on the kitchen floor butt naked in front of a group of 'been-there, done-that' paramedics.
Even worse, having been fully briefed by my wife, the paramedics were all snorting loudly as they tried to conduct their work, all the while trying to suppress their hysterical laughter......and not succeeding.

Somehow I lived through it all. A few days later I finally made it back in to the office, where colleague s tried to coax an explanation out of me about my head injury. I kept silent, claiming it was too painful to talk about, which it was.

'What's the matter?' They all asked, 'Cat got your tongue?'
If they only knew!

Why is it that only the women laugh at this?

Last (?) installment of thread exchange & Valentine tea towel update

2009-03-11T17:43:00.007Z

This is probably going to be the last installment of the thread exchange as I now feel that I am very unlikely to get the 5th exchange - it has been over 2 weeks since the last posting date and mail from the USA arrives here quicker than that (even if it is coming from the west coast area of Tacoma, Washington). So, I'll just have to chalk it up to experience and remember in future not to exchange anything with that particular person.

I'll post some pictures of the lovely ones I did receive - I'll do it in the order they were received.

1) A stunning pink holographic thread from Thread Art in colour 8154 was the first to arrive from Libby in SC (with an extra yard of pink Cebelia).

2) Next came the simply gorgeous custom 100% silk HDT (from Sherry) called "Karen's Halo" from Karen in OR.

3) On the same day, the wonderful silver metallic Oren Bayan thread from Jeff in SK, Canada arrived (and a pattern and a postcard).

4) And then last, but not least, the beautiful multicoloured DMC thread arrived from Patty in TN.

I truly have been spoilt and cannot thank my exchange partners enough for their generosity. My offerings in various variegated shades of mainly Coats seem very paltry in comparison.

Next on to the Valentine tea towel exchange that I posted about before - unfortunately I seem to have lucked out on that one also, as again nothing has appeared - I do know that the parcel was going to be late but it is now nearly 4 weeks since Valentine's day (& nearly 6 weeks since my own one was posted to Chile) - it was apparently coming from Singapore but as my numerous emails to the sender are not being answered (either by going into spam or being ignored) I don't even know when (or if) it was posted. Normally, something from Singapore would take around 8 - 10 days to arrive here if posted airmail.

Oh well, I suppose that is part of life, but it does so spoil the whole nature of exchanges.

On a truly positive note I got my Dutch books today and just to reinstate the generosity of some people, I bought and paid for 5 book/booklets and 6 (one being a hardback book) arrived - the hardback book was free!!!! Wasn't that simply delightful and SO generous of the lady - it has gone a long way in increasing again my faith in mankind. I'll post about them in more detail later in the week.

Stunning!!

2009-03-08T22:07:00.007Z

DS & I went for a run in the car on Saturday, up to the Falls of Feugh, near Banchory. This is a famous small waterfall area where you can see the salmon leap when they are returning upstream to spawn. We went to have morning tea at the restaurant and to see some incredible jewellery.

My friend Helen has simply the most stunning jewellery and gemstones and she keeps the prices well below high street jewellery prices by not having a shop (and thus no overheads) and only showing her jewellery at certain times or by arrangement. She is an internationally recognised gemmologist and manages to have really quality gemstones. I love to see everything that she has that is new and drool and dream for awhile - if only for an unlimited bank balance!!. But having said that she has items starting at about £15 or so - so something for every bank balance.

I'll add a couple of her images to give you a taster but her website, Just Gems, gives you a much better idea and is well worth a visit. She is happy to take commissions if anyone is interested.

This is a art deco Sapphire and diamond ring in 18 carat yellow gold and platinum.

These are the most unusual cufflinks you will ever see! They are naturally occuring and filled with liquid oil!
Cufflinks of natural doubly terminated quartz crystals with hydrocarbon inclusions, from Baluchistan, mounted in 9 carat white gold.

Aren't they just incredible!!!

Part 2 of thread exchange

2009-03-06T17:10:00.006Z

Well, it seems that it is not going to be a two-part post for the thread exchange but a 3 part one as I have only received 1 of the two still outstanding.

This was a gorgeous multicolour size 80 thread from Patty that is very like my most favourite (now discontinued) thread from Manuela but it is finer than the Manuela which is a size 20.

I also thought I would add a link to a pdf of the list of tatting in other languages that I posted before as I know how difficult it can be to print blog pages.

I can't remember who mentioned this great page for printing, particularly blog pages, but I use it all the time to just print what I need and not the rest of the page. If anyone knows who mentioned it please let me know so that I can give them due credit.

Link now sorted

Part 1 of thread exchange

2009-03-03T17:23:00.004Z

Having participated in the thread exchange, I am now the proud possessor of (at this moment in time) 3 new (to me) threads. Why 3? Well, 2 haven't arrived as yet - this is why I made this part 1. I'll wait and post pictures once all are here. For the moment I'll just describe.

First to arrive was a gorgeous pink holographic thread from Libby.
Then, yesterday I got a stunning 100% silk ladyshuttlemaker HDT from Karen and from Jeff I got a wonderful metallic Oren Bayan thread that I've seen talked about by various people.

Haven't I been spoilt?!!! Now all I have to do is find some extra special patterns to do with these special threads.

I have just bought some vintage Dutch tatting books I found online, so when they arrive I'll post some photos and maybe I'll find some patterns to do in them. I love the patterns in the Finnish book and have done one of them but don't have a photo as I gave it away (the story of all my tatting) to DS's teacher at the end of the school year last year.

Valentine Tea Towel Exchange

2009-02-24T17:26:00.017Z

Now that I finally know that Irma in Chile got her tea towel I thought I would post the pictures I took before I sent it. Sorry some of the pictures aren't very clear.
This heart is Brigit's SweetHeart.

Clockwise, the pink heart is Ruth's Medallion Heart from the Tatting Calendar, the next two are also from the Tatting Calendar - the tiny red one is Ruth's Easy Little Heart and the little green one is her Spiral Heart; The larger red one is Brigit's Li'l Heart.

The edging is a variation on Jon's Dimpled Chain - I made every second chain plain with 3 picots.

This is the whole bottom edge.

I also sent Irma a chocolate heart and a tatted bookmark.

Which book is this in? & Thanks

2009-02-21T01:27:00.003Z

I came across this online today and think it is from one of the japanese tatting books - does anyone know which one?

I would also like to thank everyone that has made comments on my blog it is much appreciated and I look forward to reading them - just wish sometimes there were a few more!!! ;).

Wee Heart Pattern & sidetracked

2009-02-16T22:27:00.002Z

Sorry _ I had intended to post this on Sunday but got sidetracked as we took my wee boy to ToysRUs to spend his Xmas vouchers (we had tried before but the shop was nearly empty!!!!) and amongst other things he decided to buy the Professor Layton game for the DS. Once he got it home and tried it out he wasn't so keen so Mummy tried and loved it - if you are into puzzles like I am it is compelling!

Anyway, this is the link to the Wee Heart Pattern - it is in pdf format. Please use as you will but please credit me. Thanks.

Wee Heart

2009-02-14T00:34:00.007Z

This is my Wee Heart

What do you think? Would you like the pattern?

Another moan & saddened

2009-02-13T20:27:00.008Z

I am very sorry but feel I just have to get this off my chest.........I am incredibly disappointed and saddened by some of my recent experiences in our tatting family.

I never realised until recently why I generally always lurked on the various tatting lists and groups - some of our friendly "family" are not so friendly as outward appearances would make them seem, unless apparently you are part of the clique. Obviously I am not part of this. Over the last 8 or so months I have tried to "speak" to a number of our "family" - and on various occasions I have been totally ignored - two different personal vendors (ie not businesses) have ignored totally, questions put to them which would have probably resulted in a sale (to their benefit); one other bothered to get back to me weeks later even though their blog was maintained nearly daily at that time; another individual replied eventually and asked me for snail mail details which I supplied and that was the last I heard of the matter even though it is over 6 months ago and I have sent emails since, which have all been ignored. I think what really upsets me is this has happened to me with at least 5 different people.

I fully understand that people have lives outside tatting and that often your hobby takes a back seat as my own experience in the SS exchange showed - I had to apologise to Karey through Gina that time had got away and only part of Karey's present could be sent before Xmas. I at least had the courtesy to explain my problem and apologise. My Secret Valentine tea towel partner has also had a problem and has apologised for the delay - I fully appreciate that apology and applaud their honesty - I just wish this attitude was more prevalant. All of this is, of course, not across the board and I have had almost immediate and genuine responses from others. I know this is not a phenomenon restricted to our family but it just upsets me that the few spoil and tarnish it for all.

What a lot of creative talented & generous people there are

2009-02-08T22:21:00.006Z

I have spent a bit of time over the last few days wandering around the One World-One Heart Gypsy Caravan that both TattingChic & Marilee are very generously participating in. (I wish I was more organised and then I might have been able to participate in it as well, hopefully next year). I am just staggered by the generosity, talent and creativity there is - the only thing I would have thought to do with a rusty key was throw it away not use it for any type of craft purpose!

Back to tatting for a while. I have finally designed a pattern I am happy with - a little heart - so after writing it down I will possibly post it. I have doodled with designing for a few years but am usually not entirely happy with the end results so have never taken them any further - maybe I should try again? What do you think? I am going to do the thread exchange with the celtic group so may send a little heart as well!

I am nearly finished Jon's "Quantiesque snowflake" in variegated red and variegated green, but think I shouldn't have combined the two threads for the last round as it isn't quite right colourwise. We'll see when I finish it, I'll post a pic and see what you think. I have also been using my Silent Tatter shuttle from Roseground, which I must admit I find hard to use but love the feel of it in my hand - it is just a fraction too heavy (I keep dropping it) after the Aero Englands I love & use always. I have had it for about 3 years now and keep trying it every so often, but I suppose to be fair I don't use it enough to get used to it. It's funny how the shuttle you learn with remains your favourite no matter what - or so I've found anyway.

FIL got out of hospital on Thursday but for how long is anyone's guess. We were up to see him today and he does look better than he did but still terribly unwell. I just hope he doesn't suffer too long.

God give me strength!!

2009-02-02T19:46:00.002Z

.......and save me from moronic men! Please excuse while I rant awhile as I can't think who else to rant to and DH has heard it all before.

As I mentioned in a previous post my FIL has inoperable pancreatic cancer and is going downhill visibly week on week. Since the first diagnosis he has decided to cope with this by pretending it isn't happening - I can't see the logic in this but can't comment more than that as I am not in his shoes, and if this is his way of dealing with it, so be it.

What I find gobsmacking however, is the attitude of his sons (the eldest, and for once, the sensible, son is my DH). The youngest is Trouble (with a capital T) and has always been - trouble with the police, drugs stealing etc, leaves his partner with 3 small children on a monthly basis, thinks he knows everything about everything and is a general b**lsh***er etc (you know the sort) is aged 35 now and should have grown up by now but obviously it will never happen. It is no suprise that he has decided he is in charge of everything now and as such this involves doing exactly the same as his father...."Dad's fine", etc.

Anyway, to explain this rant, I need to start on Friday early evening when we got a panic phone call from son #3 to say Dad is bleeding heavily and shaking uncontrollably and the doctor has rung for the ambulance. To which we assumed pretty much the end had come but had to wait until FIL was seen in the hospital as to what we needed to do, ie whether we needed to take DS down to my uncle & aunt so we could spend however long at ARI (Aberdeen Royal Infirmary). So, move on 1 1/2 hours and we get another phone call to say that FIL is okay but will be kept in and needs a blood transfusion. We go in to see FIL on Saturday and the difference in him in the 2 weeks since we've seen him is startling (we had to avoid him for over a week because of all the colds we had). His upper arms are no bigger than my wrists and this exceptionally proud and often belligerent stubborn arrogant man had an accident while we were there. While all was being dealt with I went and talked to a staff nurse about what point we were at and she told me nothing positive which was what I expected. We got to talking about the local hospice which offers different services from day-care, to 2-3 day stays to long-term etc and she asked had we talked about it. I answered no but would talk it over explaining that FIL and son #3 were playing ostriches by burying their heads in the sand and pretending it wasn't happening, but that I didn't know what son #2 was doing as I hadn't spoken to him directly but that he was more likely to be being realistic as he is quite sensible.

Roll on Saturday evening and DH phones his brother (son #2) and whilst talking to him is shaking his head at me, I thought no, it can't be. So when I take the phone the first thing I said was "Doesn't he (FIL) look awful?" to which son #2 answered "No, he's fine" and further into the conversation "When Dad recovers....." (to which I couldn't help myself and said you know that 97% of patients do NOT recover to which there was no answer!!!!! I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing - son #2 had also been in to ARI to see FIL that afternoon so unless he was visiting another patient I don't know what he saw - what I (& DH) saw was a reasonably heathly specimen for a skeleton but as a human being, beyond description with skeletal arms and legs, bloated abdomen and a curious shade of grey. So I mowed on and tried to talk about the hospice, needless to say was told that Dad didn't need that etc. Now obviously after our call son #2 rang son #3 and we got an abusive call first thing Sunday morning from son #3 to say that that Dad didn't need the hospice and that we were NOT to mention it to FIL. Now, when someone orders me not to do something that is like a red rag to a bull, so I was determined to at least see what FIL said about it even though I thought the answer would be an explosive NO. So on Sunday when we were up at the hospital I plowed on and only got a couple of wimpering no's before I finally got him to agree to at least think about it. Having said that his next comment was that he has decided that when (more likely if) he got out he was going to go on some of these 5 days coach trips he had been on before!!!!! To which I said you won't get travel insurance and explained that a programme of the TV earlier last week had asked the 5 biggest insurance companies here about insurance for a 2 year "cured" prostatic cancer patient - all 5 had refused to insure him but had the programme had eventually tracked down 2 companies that would insure that man but not for anything related to the cancer and for a £250 holiday the insurance for a week would be £3500!!!!!!!

Let us examine FIL further
- 73 year old male with inoperable pancreatic cancer
- on second blood tranfusion in as many weeks (this time 2 units still only raised his blood pressure to 97/51
- goes into shock through haemorrhaging piles due to 10+ day long constipation
- is only 3 treatments into 12 treatment course of chemo as 2 have been delayed as he has not been well enough
- weighs 54kg
- has fairly frequent bladder (and probably other if wasn't constipated) accidents

and according to himself and two of his sons - Dad is FINE and is going to go on holiday soon!!!!! If it wasn't happening to us I REALLY wouldn't believe it was happening.

On a happier note I sent off my Valentine exchange today having finally sewn onto the tea towel all the stuff last night so I can feel partly virtuous (Karey excepted).

Must go

One of those weeks

2009-01-25T18:34:00.003Z

This week has been a total loss in almost every way - all of us have had dreadful colds, starting with DH, continuing on to DS & then finally me as well. I honestly don't think I have ever felt so bad as I did yesterday but am a bit better today.

As you can imagine it has not been conducive to tatting, so only a little of the edging done - I am now going to have to go like a steam train to get it and the rest done to be posted by the 1st.

The weather here has been pretty awful as well - raining (absolutely pouring some of the time) for most of the week and it has been cold and windy as well. What is it about the fact that rain is more bearable if it isn't cold with it? Unlike most of the rest of the UK we have only had very occasional snow flurries with none lying as the ground is too wet. This wee corner of the UK is strange as snow is lying in Aboyne which is only about 20 miles away but we escaped it?

I am going to try and finish updating my list of tatting books that is ever growing (but slowly) and may even give you some opinions about them too! I've also thought about some pictures of my shuttles but don't want to overload things - what do you think?

One of those days........

2009-01-18T00:33:00.013Z

You know when you have one of those days where everything that happens is not right - well recently we, as a family, having been having quite a few. Like, when Ally decided to open some of his Xmas presents before Mick & I got up, which put a complete damper on Xmas day; or having a stinking cold and wrongly going to work to realise that by 11.45 you were not going to last much longer & then having your normally understanding boss shout at you when you asked to go home which was what happened on Monday; or finding out that your FIL has inoperable pancreatic cancer and having your DH pretend it doesn't matter (he doesn't get on with his father), which was what happened in November.

Anyway, finally on Friday I had one of those days where everything was right (finally). I had seen another pot-luck lot on eBay the week before - it was decribed as "YOU ARE BIDDING FOR A JOB LOT OF SEWING ACCESSORIES, COTTONS ETC. IT IS ALL THAT CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTO." and the photo was as below.

Now if you look very carefully in centre left, near the bobbin of sewing thread I spied what I decided could be a tatting shuttle. Basing my hunch on this and that the tangled mess that looked like tatting, I thought it was worth a chance and decided to bid the princely sum of nearly £3 (about US$4.50). To cut a long story short (well at least shorter, LOL) I got the lot for 99p (~US$1.43) + p&p, which was a grand total of £3.98 (~US$5.85) as no-one else bid. It arrived on Friday in a shoe box, which when opened revealed a tangled mess of thread & tatting. After over half an hour of untangling this is what I found.

A couple of fine crochet hooks, a thimble & several offcuts of material.....

.....a whole lot of pieces of edgings and insertions.....

......... various balls of thread........

...a lovely doily....

.....and TA-DAH (drum roll)......not one....

........not two........

....not three.........

........not four........

....................not five (and an Aero England in its packet!!!!!)..........

...........................but six shuttles and the cherry on top - another Aero England still in its packet.

I just sat there with my mouth open (it must have looked a sight LOL) - I simply adore Aero England shuttles, they are what I learned to tat with and no matter how hard I try I just cannot like the non-bobbin type (eg Clover) shuttles - so as you can imagine I was (and still am) in seventh heaven.

Still avoiding it

2009-01-14T22:07:00.004Z

I will have to apologise profusely to Karey - I am still avoiding the issue with the "thing" for her. I did unpick the mistake a few stitches back and then very carefully put it away!!!!;) I really must get back to it.

Instead I started on the edging for my Valentine tea-towel - now I remember why I don't normally do edgings - I don't know about anyone else, but no matter how pretty the edging I find them intensely boring to tat. I would much rather tat a doily, mat, earrings, motif etc - in other words anything else rather than an edging or insertion. The pattern I have picked is really pretty and I have modified it slightly so it has more attachment picots so I have the option of adding it as a proper edging rather than on the tea-towel itself, but I still struggle.

I finally got my belated Christmas present from Ally (DS) in the post from Malaysia today - he picked Jon's Snowflake book (available from Jon at her blog) as I frequently do her Rings-Only Snowflake as an exchange gift and he loves it, so he chose the book. I have been very good and only had a quick glance so I don't get tempted till after Karey's & the Valentine exchanges are finished.

Does anyone know anything about this book?

2009-01-10T20:47:00.002Z

About six months ago, I was lucky enough to win an incredibly good lot on eBay that had been a bit of a pot-luck chance. Included with some trimmings was a little book with the title "The Old Art of Tatting No.1 by an Englishwoman: Edgings & Insertions". It is totally undated, but appears contemporary with the early Riego books. At the time, I did ask Jane, Gillian & Georgia if they knew anything about it but drew blanks from all. They, however, did not see the cover as below.

It also says in it "[New and Improved Edition]..... printed by Holloway and Son, 10, Milsom Street, Bath." The really interesting thing, is that the chain (called in bar in the book using pink thread to learn) is included in every pattern as are joining picots (including detailed instructions on how to join "by pulling the thread which is round the hand through the pearl loop with the tatting pin when drawn to a sufficient length push the shuttle......" It also only uses one shuttle and not a needle to make the chain. So if it is contemporary with the early Riego books it would be the first mention of these methods published, contrary to what has been previously thought, that Mrs Pullan "invented" chains with a needle in 1859, Mee & Austin perfected the chain in 1862 and Riego uses them in her books after this (she was known to have appropriated the picot joining method as her own).

Rereading past emails I have just realised that at the time I asked Georgia, she suggested I contact Erin, which I never did at the time, so I must check in with her.
Anybody else know anything - PLEASE help me try to find out.

Must finish & New beginnings

2009-01-09T23:38:00.004Z

Life is a bit complicated around here at present (long story which I'll tell another time) and I ran out of time to finish all I had wanted to send Karey for the Secret Santa, so I must finally finish the last item for her (the others were sent pre-Xmas). I have also been procrastinating as the pattern I chose to do is great but I made the mistake (in this particular pattern) of adding in an irridescent thread to the plain white and they are constantly getting tangled - it has been finished all but the last 2 or so cm since before Xmas, but I got so frustrated spending all my time untangling it that I am having a hard time picking it up again. Once Karey has received it [assuming I finish it ;)] I'll post a picture.

I am going to do the new Valentine Tea Towel exchange so I got a tea towel today - it is okay but not what I had wanted. I wanted a plain white or very pale coloured one to enhance but you try getting a non-patterned, non-checked, non-striped, etc tea towel that doesn't cost an absolute fortune up here!!! Now all I have to do is see if all the things I have planned for it will work out to give a decent look?

Sidetracked

2009-01-06T16:24:00.004Z

I dearly love tatting and prefer it to any other needlecraft/general craft that I have tried over the years (and there have been many!!!) but I really love trying new things and my new diversion is temari. I have found some really great sites online

-TemariKai
-temari.com
-TemariMath

to name just a few but would really love to "see" the Japanese temari books (the ones written in Japanese). Unfortunately, we are not in a position for me to spend money on a whim, but I would really like one of the Japanese books. I will not buy something fairly expensive (with the rate of exchange SO horrible at the moment and added postage from either Japan or the US as there does not seem to be a UK supplier) without having a least seen one first (that is the only disadvantage of online shopping that I have found so far - that particularly with books I like to see what I am buying first!).

Amazingly, according to TemariKai there is someone about 20 miles from here [according to the people south of the border - we live in the outerreaches of civilization ;)] who does temari and is possibly prepared to teach/tutor which would be wonderful but I have heard nothing since I emailed TemariKai for them to pass on my details to the lady in question, so maybe she is no longer involved.

To explain my comment above - I live in Aberdeen, which is the 3rd largest city in Scotland (population in 2005 = 202000+) and we can boast the oldest medical school (and fifth oldest university) in the English-speaking world, but for some reason on the UK national news and weather reports when they talk about the "north" they are meaning northern England or at a push as far as Edinburgh - it seems that the UK ceases to exist from Edinburgh northwards!!! Strangely enough, even though the main source of income for the north-east was traditionally fishing (and thus alot of net-mending), if you mention "tatting" up here nowadays you are met with blank stares, whereas it must have been very common not so long ago.

Has anybody else tried temari before? Please let me know, thanks.

Tatting by any other name

2009-01-04T17:22:00.017Z

Having finally put all (& more) back into my blog list, I thought I would add that quite a few I don't read just look at the pictures, as I am not proficent in Russian, Japanese, Chinese, etc. I can manage French & German at a push, but have learned to recognize the word "Tatting" in many languages, so I thought I would share all I can remember. Please correct mistakes and add any I've forgotten.

German - occhi, schiffchenarbeit, schiffchenspitze
French - frivolité
Dutch - frivolité, frivolitet
Spanish - frivolité
Russian - фриволите
Chinese/Taiwanese - 梭子蕾絲
Japanese - タティングレース
Hungarian - frivolitás; hajócsipke
Finnish - frivoliteetti; sukkulapitsi; käpyily
Norwegian - nuperelle
Swedish - frivolitet
Danish - orkis
Polish - frywolitki, frywolitka
Estonian - süstikpitsi; süstikpits
Czech - frivolitky
Italian - chiacchierino

AArghhh

2009-01-03T23:08:00.003Z

I've been fiddling, trying to make this look nicer (which I haven't achieved as yet) and lo and behold it has lost my entire blog list - all 103 entries!!!!!! How it managed this, I don't know?

I don't want a generic template - I want a personal one and haven't, as yet, worked out how to do this. Any help?

New Things

2009-01-03T17:28:00.009Z

I really have to learn how to customise this blog as it is not pleasant to look at, at the moment. I'll also have to work out how to post pictures too. I don't suppose it is difficult, but it is just a matter of familiarising myself with new things.

I really love listening to Arlene's Podcast (now lets see if I can attach the link) but couldn't do it myself - for instance, I have just had to leave the computer to break up a fight between DH (DH does NOT stand for dear husband in my instance, but at present "damned husband") and 7 year old DS. I know which one is older in his mentality!!! They just about drive me to distraction. Enough family in-fighting!

Tatting wise I got some really beautiful things from Erin in Gina's SS exchange

-an absolutely stunning tatted tiny purse (like an amulet purse) bedecked with beads with a sweetie inside

-Ruth's 2008 celtic snowflake
-a gorgeous tiny pink tatted angel (I must find out from Erin what pattern she used)

-a skein of Sherry's Royalty thread (now I'm part of the HDT brigade too!!!!)

-a packet of Mill Hill petite beads
-a packet of tiny heart buttons
-a packet of gems

and a large bag of sweeties (the remnants seen in the photo)

OOOHHHH I've just managed to do the same trick as Sherry, though not as badly. I hit the toilet seat (of all things) - oh well I had to cut my nails anyway but that one will be in the quick!!!!!

Having taken the photos now all I have to do is find the usb cable to download them onto the computer - that could be easier said than done! Once I remembered where "the safe place" was it was easy!!!!

Now to add them...................... okay let's see what that looks like? Well, so-so, but alright I suppose for a first attempt - must do better.

Must go - haven't fed the 7yr old & he is fading away...............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally back

2008-12-29T23:58:00.002Z

At least I was honest - but I really did think I would try harder than nearly six months between posts!!!

I plan on trying to get some pictures of the things I received from Erin in Gina's SS exchange later on, as I am supposed to have two weeks off work at the moment starting last Monday!!! As it turned out I worked last Monday and this past Saturday AND I have to go into work for a couple of hours tomorrow too!!! It really gets up my nose - the others all had their holidays uninterrupted, but not poor little me (can't you hear the violins!). What really annoys me is it isn't fair to Ally, what is a 7 year old wee boy supposed to do sitting in a post office for hours on end because we have no family (or anyone else for that matter) back-up to baby-sit him.

Anyway got to go to bed as it is tomorrow already.

Acquiescence at last!!!

2008-07-22T18:24:00.001+01:00

I have finally given in and started this - but don't expect daily (or probably evenly weekly updates). I'm going to use this to note down bits and pieces of info relevant to the tatting community in particular, and also to ask questions of you too.
I am a lurker on the tatting groups, prefering to read and listen, until something comes up that I feel I need to add my 5p worth to.