Monday, March 31, 2008

Bekah's Princess Blocks

I've been slowly working on this block here and there adding stuff while driving into town and today I did a little sitting in the garden! I just love the leisurely pace, and it's nice to just relax and do whatever I think would be cute and know that anything I do Bekah and Wendy will love it! LOL As much fun as the RR's I've done have been I'm glad they are coming to a close so I can take a break and relax and work on non-time sensitive projects that I've been wanting to do, you know...those things that take the backseat and sometimes become UFO's! LOL
I've added a stem stitch "princess" and back stitched my initials and the date since this will be an heirloom I want her to be able to know things like that in the future. I also added some yellow pistol stitches to the bell flowers and I'm adding pink butterflies as well.

Friday, March 28, 2008

A Crazy Quilters Reveiw on some Tatting Books

I've been asked by several Crazy Quilter's what some good tatting books are so I wrote up a quick review on some of the books I have in no particular order. I know everyone's taste differs and these are just my opinions from my likes and dislikes. I enjoy more traditional patterns like edgings and simple motifs and the occasional themed motif. I also prefer the modern notations for patterns and diagrams.

Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior - This one has everything from easy to advanced and it's kinda like the equivalent to Carole Samples book for CQer's it's hard to find BUT you can get it at a decent price at the Handy Hands web site. Diagrams with written help and color photos.

Tatting Patterns And Designs by Gun Blomqvist and Elwy Persson - I think it's a good book BUT they don't have any extra written instructions only modern patterns and black and white photos, so if you are a beginner someone to help you with the patterns would be good or just wait to get it until you are comfortable with tatting.

Easy Tatting (a dover book) by Rozella F. Linden - A good little book very thin but the price is low so it's one of those that would probably be good for a beginner it is clear and has 3 ways of showing each pattern has it written out in modern and diagrammed patterns with photos.

Minitats 69 Petite Motifs by Patti Duff - I think this book is great for all tatters especially those who do CQ since you can use the little motifs very easily. Good for the beginner and you can grow with it as you learn. Modern pattern with written instruction and diagrammed with photo. Book lays flat when open.

A Tatter's Workbook by A. Tatter (Lacis Publication) - Really neat book worth having I think but you need a little experience to figure out some of the patterns since they are antique from a persons journal with samples she had made. I think it would be a good one for a CQer to have since there are lots of edgings and motifs. Written pattern with photo.

Tatting Rings of Flowers by Mary Maynard - I think liking this book depends on each individual if you would use it a lot, it does have lots of flower and leaf designs but it's geared a little more towards card making but could probably be useful to CQer's. It's more for if you want to think outside the box of the typical tatted motif and use the tatted pieces as parts of designs and not as a stand alone piece. Patterns are written out and there are photos. Book lays flat when open.

Tatting 60 Original Lace Treasures by Christel Weidmann - Good easy modern patterns also works for Needle Tatters, but not on the top of my must have list. You might want to see it first before buying to be sure you'll like it.

Big Book of Tatting - Actually it's a thin book! LOL It's got neat patterns in it more on the traditional side in that the patterns are written out and there is lots of cutting and tying so if you don't mind that it's neat. Has butterflies, bears, baskets, some edgings, some motifs, a lady pattern etc. Might be useful to CQer's.

The DMC Book of Charted Tatting Designs - I think this a good book it has more traditional type things such as edgings, motifs, doilies, collars, a few bridal crowns and a garter design. All the patterns are Diagrams no written but it does have some info for each one with the diagram and a photo.

Tatting Patterns by Lyn Morton - Very pretty designs I enjoy this book. The patterns are written out but also have diagrams and photos. Even has some jewelry patterns and some 3D flowers. It has a pretty floral feel to her patterns which I love.

The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito - This is a pretty book the patterns range from beginner to advanced has everything from 1 shuttle to 3 shuttle designs. All kinds of patterns from motifs, doilies, edgings, to flowers and leaves. Diagrammed Patterns with photos and some written notes.

Tatting Patterns for One Shuttle Book 1 by Mark Myers - This book has illustrations and written instruction for how to tat for the first half of book, then it takes you right into some 1 shuttle patterns including edgings motifs and some themed motifs like butterflies, angels, cross, Christmas tree, heart, and snowflakes. Completely 1 shuttle and that's it they have no chains. Modern with written help and diagrams with photos. Book lays flat when open. Very good beginner book.

These books can be found mostly at Handy Hands and some at Amazon.
No Affiliation just where I've bought my books.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Sweet Strawberries!!!

I've got strawberry fever and ever since I saw my little strawberries starting to tinge red in my garden today I've had strawberries on my brain! So I decided to tat up this little strawberry as a gift for an online friend! It is little, probably only about 2 inches tall, I used some Rubi Perle Cotton thread for it. You can get the pattern Here. There is even 3 variations for this pattern too! I've wanted to tat it up for a long time but never got to it. There is just something so cheery about seeing a strawberry! I think I enjoy seeing them as much as a rose blooming! I'm planning on one day doing a Strawberry Themed CQ block and I've been collecting ideas for it for quite some time...hmm maybe it will get done sooner than later? LOL

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Dreams of Spring RR: Simona's Block

I've gotten Simona's Dreams of Spring Block in the mail! Isn't it beautiful?!?! I love the work that was done by the other 2 ladies so lovely and dainty and blended together well. I wanted to challenge myself to blend my work with theirs too...and after hours and hours of non-stop stitching...I've finished my part! And boy am I tired! I know I shouldn't do that but I just couldn't stop, block was speaking to me!!! How could I resist? LOL
Here it is after my work has been added! I put some grass under the lovely arch, and I really tried hard to keep with the feel of the block and use thread and SRE mostly with just a touch of beaded sparkle.
On this spot those 3 seams screamed bouquet so I added fly stitch vines to them as a foundation, then added sweetheart roses and knot flowers and some ribbon stitch vines, then I added some feather stitch with light blue knots to echo the middle motif.
Above the bouquet I added lazy daisy flowers along the seam with size 15 seed beads and then added a zig-zag chain stitch to echo the other seam treatment using that stitch and then added more lazy daisy flowers with beads to the top.
On this seam I added a foundation of open cretan stitch and added lazy daisies to the sides of the prongs and then a french knot flower with a bead for the center. After that I added some blue straight stitch to the seam for the final touch.
Now the block is ready to be sent to the last lady in the RR to work on!

Monday, March 24, 2008

What I'm working on...

Well, now that my time sensitive projects are complete I've gotten out a few projects that can take the backseat when I need them to. I finally got to sew down the lace frame to my Frilly Pink Purse, I just hand sewed it in place also adding tiny size 15 clear seed beads to the flower centers...which you can't really see in the photo but I thought it added a little sparkle without taking away from the block. Now this can be sewn into a purse!
I also grabbed one of the blocks that Wendy pieced for her daughter Rebekah's princess quilt. I have about 5 or 6 just to work on whenever.
I'll be sewing on a couple of tatted caterpillars. The green one was a gift from an online CQ friend and the pink one I was playing around with excess thread left on the shuttle and thought it was cute.
I also did a metalic blue feather stitch seam which I'll be adding more to, and also a double feather stitch seam that I'm adding quarter buttonhole fan flowers. I've wanted to do a seam treatment like that for some time but never got the chance. Ya know what I love about doing Bekah's princess blocks is they don't have to be a work of art...well they are, but not like other blocks. The reason is because it will be used, loved, washed, played with, and so on so what I do has to be durable. The other thing is the single blocks won't stand alone but they will be pieced into a quilt for her bed so it's a different kind of embellishment than if it was to be a framed piece. It's a lot simpler in design, and I can just have fun and everything doesn't have to be perfect or exact. No matter what I do I know Bekah will love it and I'll have gotten to be a part of an heirloom that even if it's tattered will be loved and enjoyed. Wendy's kids are like a niece and nephew to me so it's special to get to add to her quilt as I will also get to add to a quilt for Joseph too.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Yeay Spring!!!

Happy 1st Day of Spring!!!
I have to say that Spring has to be my favorite season! Especially living in the mild climate of the desert! The weather just seems so perfect, and the garden is coming into bloom and puts on a awesome show! It's so exciting to see the first blooms open! I've even got some spring roses to share for the first day of spring! Out here our roses bloom best in the warm spring and the cooler fall weather, but they seem to take a little rest during the hot summer...sure they bloom during summer but they don't show off as much as they do in spring and fall.
Lately I've just been enjoying sitting out in my garden and praising God for the gifts of flowers, since after all we only tend everything but He is the one who causes everything to grow!
"Everything on earth, shout with joy to God!" Psalm 66:1

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Tea in the Rose Garden Tea Cozy: Finished...Completed...Done!!!

To see the whole journey of the Tea Cozy Click Here
Here it is out in my garden!!! AND you can see my spring roses blooming!



It has taken me a month to complete from start to finish! I couldn't even say how many hours of work is in this piece.
I'm also printing out a booklet of the Tea Cozy's Journey for her to read and enjoy seeing how it was made. The booklet is made basically by copy and pasting my blog posts into a Word Document and then printing it out and adding to a report folder.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Tea in the Rose Garden Tea Cozy: Back Finished

I finally finished the tatted frame for the label...now the Tea Cozy is a late birthday gift but I know she won't mind and will love it whenever she gets it! LOL
I added a hand-painted button, painted by Jill, it was her very first rose painted button and she thought it not that great but I think it's beautiful so she sent it to me! Isn't it the perfect touch?! I also added some clear glass leaf beads that have gold veins. Now it is ready to sew up!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Dreams of Spring RR: Lyn's Block

I finally finished my work on Lyn's Dreams of Spring block, now it's off to the next lady to work on! I didn't end up using the beads as rain, because as I started stitching them on I wasn't happy with how it looked. They were too big even though they were size 15. So instead I added another layer of running stitches between each previous row in a blue metallic thread. I love the result much better! You can't really see the nice sparkle in the photo as in person.
I also finished up the tatted clouds, I tried to get each one to be different since no two clouds are ever the same! And boy am I glad to be done with the clouds! As much as I love to tat doing picots at every stitch gets tiring since you have to think about it more...not to mention that I had to do math to know the numbers of stitches to change each pattern to do that.

Beautiful Wonderful Desert Wildflowers

Every year this field of Gilia blooms and this year is no disappointment! We spent some time yesterday walking around looking at the variations and for other unique wildflowers. I added more photos and some videos on My Garden Blog.
"God is King of all the earth, so sing a song of praise to him."
Psalm 47:7


Thursday, March 13, 2008

Dreams of Spring RR: Lyn's Block

I added more work on Lyn's Dreams of Spring Block! What I did was add some sheer pleated lace that I thought looked perfect to the top. Then I added "rain" by using a very fine AB thread in running stitch to which I'll be adding 2 shades of size 15 blue seed beads. I also added feather stitch to the 2 side seams in 2 shades sewing thread for a fine feel and clear size 15 seed beads. I also sewed down the 2 tatted clouds I had finished, I still need to tat up some more clouds.
I'm really enjoying working on this block. It's fun getting to work on such a small block and doing stuff really fine and tiny.

Blue Rose Brooch

Here is another Brooch for My Etsy Shop! I used some of the hand-dyed bridal fabric and put blue SRE rose and buds with some vines and beads and some fire polished flower Czech glass beads.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Crazy Happy Bloopers


I just put together the bloopers from Crazy Happy for a silly little video! Lots of laughing!
Here it is on YouTube

Monday, March 10, 2008

Cream on Cream RR: Meg's Block

Today I got Meg's block and right away the block just spoke to me and ideas flowed! I didn't stop working on it until I finished...several hours later here is the block...talk about addicted! Anyway the block needed some texture so I dug through all my pretty lace appliques and added them. Cobi and Debbie S. had added such beauty to the block that it made my part easy and things really flowed well. For example there is a Rose and Butterfly theme that has evolved with the block.
Now it will be sent on to the last lady to work on it before it goes home to Meg!

I added the vintage wedding dress lace rose and the MOP butterfly with flight path!
I also added the half crochet doily with 4mm silk ribbon sweetheart roses and ribbon stitch leaves. Also I added the crochet doily that was hand-dyed by Pam Kellogg...just perfect there! I added 7mm sweetheart roses and some 4mm ribbon stitches and then added some white straight stitches coming out the edge!
I also added this cute butterfly with some vintage wedding dress pearls.

Crazy Happy


Enjoy the video! We are total amateurs but Wendy and I had a ton of fun and I tell ya it's a lot of hard work putting videos together!
Here is the link on YouTube
HappySlip.com

Saturday, March 08, 2008

HappySlip Block

Inspired by Christine of HappySlip's latest video "Happy Tips" and asking for viewers to share happy tips. Wendy and I got the idea to create a HappySlip block to frame and send to her and at the same time creating a Mini-Series Comedy on YouTube about making the block...our Happy Tip will be "Do what you love!" and we love Crazy Quilting and all that goes with it.
The block is a 7 inch block and has some of my Hand-dyed lace from the Wedding Dress I reclaimed in the upper right corner.
Tomorrow afternoon we will be taping our first Video of the mini-series and I hope to be able to edit it and put it up soon after...but...I've never done any editing before so I'll be learning along the way. I hope that this will be successful and funny, but even if it flops we'll have had fun.

Hand Dyed Lace

Today I thought why not try and dye some of the reclaimed lace from the wedding dress I bought! And here are some of the results...I've listed the particular ones in My Etsy Shop for sale too!
Sweet Pea inspired colors! My favorite Sweet Peas are blooming and I've been enjoying them so much that I thought I'd try and recreate the colors this one turned out a light version of the colors. The photos really don't do it justice! I also did some of the fabric too!
Here is the link this one in my Etsy Shop
Darker Sweet Pea colors.
Here is the link this one in my Etsy Shop
Then I did a nice periwinkle shade that has purples and blues.
Here is the link this one in my Etsy Shop
Antiqued Pink has shades of pink, mauve, and brown.
Here is the link this one in my Etsy Shop
All of these you could use as is or unpick the lace and use it separate as an applique.
Since they are polyester they are NON-Washable

Friday, March 07, 2008

Burgundy Rose Brooch

Tonight I sat down for a few hours and made a new Brooch for My Etsy Shop! I tried out some bead embroidery and did my first bead embroidered rose! I love how it turned out and I really like how it has a similar look to bullion roses but with sparkle.
I used burgundy Dupioni Silk with black lace overlay, my new burgundy size 15 seed beads, some bronze stamped metal leaves, 3 vintage rhinestones, and a little feather.

Awesome Stash Day

Wendy and I agreed to split a bead order from Fire Mountain Gems to cut costs and get a better deal and just look at how much is there! More than plenty for the both of us! Mostly it is size 15 seed beads because they are harder to find in stores. I also added some little Czech glass heart beads and some Nymo beading thread. I got light tan in size 0 and white in size 00, and I now understand the 00 is my favorite size Nymo thread for beading, I think the color of beading thread I use most is the light tan it acts like it's clear most of the time unless I'm sewing something white then I need the white thread. Fire Mountain Gems even added a little free gift of some Mother of Pearl butterfly pieces.Then today I took a trip to the On-Post Thrift Shop and scored some good stash! Here is some of the clothing I picked up. I think a couple of pieces are silk and then the dark pieces one is a dark blue velveteen and the other is a black lace dress. I got these for only 25 cents a piece.
I grabbed this shirt for the tiny little green sequins...on closer inspection they were glued to the shirt but I can easily pluck them off and they are still good and usable!
As we walked into the Thrift Shop BAM we saw this Wedding Dress for only $20 so I snatched it up! Plenty of lace appliques and beads and white satin to go around! It's got some dirt marks and smudges here and there but I figure it's still good for reclaiming since I can cut around those in the fabric or dye the lace applieques.
I saw a bin of lace and grabbed some! I got all this for only 20 cents total!
Also I grabbed this embroidered dresser scarf for only 25 cents! It's hang drying in this photo.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Tea in the Rose Garden Tea Cozy: Working on the tatted label frame

Slowly...ever so slowly am I working on the frame for the label! At least I figured out how to turn a corner, I did the little mirror thing but I don't have one that is mirror all the way to the edge so I just guessed. I figured out if I make that corner chain smaller and join to the bottom picots of the clover that it will square for me. Not the most fancy corner in the world but hey at least I did it right!?!

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Cream on Cream RR: Cobi's Block Adding Drama

Well I'm ready to send Cobi's Cream Block on now. I added a bit of drama to the block by using the Antique Gold Ric-Rac that Cobi had included with her block and wished it would be incorporated somehow. What I did was couch it in the shape of a bow with some small glass pearls. I think it helps the flow of the block a lot better, and I feel that it pulls it together more than just a hodge podge.
Don't miss the little butterfly I added way up in the upper right corner!
I finished up my motif I had started with the Vintage Wedding Dress Lace and vines, to it I added pearls reclaimed from a necklace and 7mm sweetheart roses with Antique Gold leaves.
Then I used some metal diamond shaped stamped findings to decorate the "fan" area and worked sweetheart roses in 7mm on the top of it and also added real pearls on and between the diamond findings.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Sneak Peek for Diane

Here is a little sneak peek for Diane!!! She ordered 2 custom brooches from My Etsy Shop one blue and one red. Since Diane and I have tatting in common I put a tiny little tatted butterfly on.
Just finished this one this afternoon! I love red too so I'm really loving this one!