Motif #12

 

I have had the fortune to find the most wonderful star to tat.  Joelle Paulson at leblogdefrivole has this star pattern, Crystal Star.  You have to find out how she has made the join of the beads.  It is like, WOW, why aren't I that smart.

 

Here is my first star.  I didn't quite follow her directions (which are excellent, it was me).  I didn't have enough thread to join the last bead.  I needed just a smidge more to get that bead joined.  Now that the picture has been taken, I will take apart this star and reuse the beads.

 

 

Here is my second star.  Once again I didn't follow directions.  Look at 12 o'clock and 7 o'clock.  I missed some joins (what was I thinking of, surely not tatting the star).  As I said before, now that the picture is taken, I will take apart this star and reuse the beads.

 



 

 

Here is my third attempt at the star.  Now I am paying attention and I love the results.  The beads in the center are just amazing to me.

 

  

I have done three more and have several yet to do.  Every year the girls (sweet thing #1, #2, and #3) have received a Christmas tree decoration.  This is the one that they will receive this year.  Will also share with others in Christmas cards. 

 

May you all enjoy your evening.  I will be working on Crystal Stars.

Courthouse Steps

In 2015 I decided that I would make quilts for my nieces and nephews.  Ben received his during the family gathering for Thanksgiving 2015 (his was a surprise).  I do not have any pictures of it that can be put on the computer.  (They are paper pictures, I was not thinking of keeping a record of my quilts then.)  

Megan's quilt was next for 2016 completion.  I sent her two ideas that I thought she might like (in techniques that I wanted to try).  She chose the Courthouse Steps as her pattern (she is a lawyer).  She said she liked the colors pink and green.  Sweet Thing #3 and I went looking for material. I sent Megan pictures of the materials as I found them and she gave me free rein to use which ever ones I liked.  Here is a short story of the quilt.

It began on February 19, 2016, the first block.  For quilt as you go, I sew the material strips together as I sew them onto the batting, making each block.

  

 

 Here is the last block, last strip of material, just before it came off the machine.  The last block was done on April 20, 2016.  The blocks were sewn on my 1971 Elna Super, wonderful machine.





Now I have a pile of 66 squares.  The quilt is 8 rows of 8 squares alternating colors of pink and green (I only used 64 squares).  22 different materials were used, 3 blocks made from each fat quarter of material.

April 25 2016 the blocks were all sewn together.  I did not sew the backing to the quilt until June 9, 2016.  (First, time is moving, pause.)  I did a herringbone type stitch around each block (didn't take a picture).  I thought that that would be enough to keep each square from moving.  But, I wasn't happy, so I hand quilted each courthouse square (the little grey one in the middle of the block).  I liked how that held each courthouse square in place.  With the quilt as you go you just have to attach the backing to the already machine quilted quilt.  It is great for log cabin or courthouse patterns.  Here I am using my 2015 Elna Expressive 900.  I have it place up to the dinning room table so the I have table support for the quilt.

Due to the hot summer that we had, (Second pause, excuse?) it took me until October 31, 2016 to cut the backing to match the quilt.  The next day the binding was sewn on to the quilt.  I began hand sewing the back of the binding to the quilt that night.  I would work watching the news, football and other TV shows.  Three hours each night over four nights and the binding was done on November 5.  I was very warm while sewing on the binding, the quilt is on my lap as I work.  I guess that make me the first to be kept warm by this quilt

I needed to show it finished to my quilting cousin so it was not shipped until November 11, 2016.  It should arrive in Missouri tomorrow.

Another quilt done and finished.  I enjoyed the quilt as you go method and would work with again.  Now I have two QOVs (Quilts of Valor) to back, machine quilt and then they will be given away.  Am putting my FWQ (Farmer's Wife Quilt) blocks together and then it will be quilted, not yet sure how.  Jessica, as soon as the QOVs are done (by end of the year, if not sooner) your Wedding Ring Quilt begins.  After Jessica, I have three more niece and nephew quilts.

Have a great day.  Tatting update with next post.

Boxes and Leaves

I saw a triangle shaped thread catcher on several blogs this summer.  I liked the idea of a thread catcher but I needed a bigger opening.  I found the pattern for a square box from Tina Craig at Seaside Stitches posted in 2013. Lace-Lovin'  Librarian shares the pictorial directions on her blog.  I enjoy making these boxes.  I used a 10 inch square of fabric from some Layer Cakes by Moda with a layer of left over quilt batting in between.  30's Playtime 2015 is one of the material collections.  I cannot seem to find the label from the other one. 

 

 

 I have put a box at the cutting table, each sewing machine (three), the serger and my tatting/hand work nest (as my family calls it).  I have given them away to Sweet Thing #3 and her roommate, my cousin and friends.  I really do enjoy making these.  The box with my cheater glasses is the box that has my "applique tools" in it.  Somehow a second pair of scissors ended up there.

 

 

I have begun making some boxes for Christmas.  These are made with a 12 inch square of material so they are a little bigger.  I will be using Christmas buttons to hold down the corners on these.  These five are the first that I have sewn together and machine quilted.  I just have to sew them into squares and fasten down the inside and outside.

I found this Maple Leaf Motif (my #11 motif) from Tammy Rodgers aka GreenFuzzer from 2001.  I have enjoyed making them and can make one leaf during the time it takes for half a foot ball game on TV.  The one with the tail was my first and you can see that I did not make my joining picots small.  I did it with the other two and it looks much nicer.  Shall make two more tonight during the game.  The thread is Lizbeth's Autumn Spice # 136, size 20.

 

October?!

I cannot believe it.  Where did the summer go?  Here in the Berkshires it was hot, humid, and dry (no rain, not good).  So not like our usual summer weather.  I fell into a thread and fabric inertia.  (I also fell into a "what gardens" inertia.)  Now our weather has come to a wonderful fall pattern (maybe even a bit cooler).  I am back to the threads and fabrics, kicking myself that I did not get much done this summer.  (Really kicking myself that I have so much to clean up in the gardens.  I now need to put them to bed before winter.)

Here is a horse from Tatted Animals by Inga Madsen (#9).  He has been named Sterling, after a horse that my daughter and I had owned.  He was our last horse, a wonderful old grey gelding.

 

Also, my favorite cross to tat.  The Split Ring Cross (#10) by Jane Eborall, pattern from 2004.  I have made many of these for family and others.  Making these was how I learned to do the split ring and I enjoy it.  Someday I will enjoy the split chain. 

 

Just finished breakfast and heading to the gardens before I can touch any material or thread.  52 degrees outside and grey and cloudy, good outside working weather.  I will be back sooner, inertia is leaving.

Have a great day.

 

It's July!

I cannot believe that the 4th is this weekend, or Monday to be correct.  I am behind in my posts.  I wanted to do two a month for 2016 but have only done one for May and now only one for June.  I need to catch up and quickly.

This is the table runner that I made for the 4th last year.  It is a pattern from Shabby Fabrics and was a kit from Keepsake Quilting.  Sometimes, when you see a material combination that you like, you have to buy the kit.  They give you more than enough material to make the runner and you have left over material.  I had enough material to make two sets of stars.  The second one is bordered in the same blue material that I was able to find at my local quilt shop.  This was done with fusible applique and then machine quilted, a gold metallic thread for the starburst lines. 



On my Butterfly Doiley, row nine was completed with only two untats.

Row ten has begun for the second time.  I did five repeats before I reread the directions and saw that I was doing it wrong.  I had to cut it off and begin again.  Thankfully I looked early.

Happy Fourth of July to you all.  

Captain America

Sweet Thing #3 gave Husband a DVD for Father's Day, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.  We watched it Sunday evening.  I have learned that I cannot tat (or untat) while watching Captain America.  I had to put it down and pick up some knitting (less concentration).  I was able to untat the next evening while watching the news and retatted watching House of Cards.

 

 

Now this Butterfly Doiley has a story.  My last entry told you that I had made a mistake on row 6.  I decided that I better count the repeats that I had done and compare them to the pattern picture.  The pattern doesn't tell you how many repeats, 56.  I was off by one, 55.  I looked very closely and I had missed a connection on row 5!  Out came the scissors and I cut off both row 5 and 6.  (I didn't take a picture of that.  I cut it off so quickly.)  I am able to answer my own question, (seen in previous entry) YES, you can tat on the airplane.  Row 5 was half done on the way to Texas and completed while in Texas.  Row 6 was begun on the way back.  I have now tatted row 7 and 8, with only a couple of untats.

 Now for Motif #8.  This is another yellow cat.  I cannot find the pattern, I know that I saw it yesterday.  When I find it, I will let you know who made the pattern.  The designer also did a sheep that I am going to make for another motif.

Everyone have a wonderful week.

ADDENDUM:   I found it and then lost it on my desk.  Now that I have found it (again), I am posting as quick as I can.  The cat pattern is from;   doraexperiments.blogspot.com

She did The Cat and also The Sheep patterns in 2015.  I will have the sheep made as one of my Motifs soon.

No phone

 

Twenty houses lost the telephone and internet for a week, we were one of them.  It happened about two blocks from our house in a metal box substation.  Our phone service is on strike so it took a bit to get it back.  I did not miss the phone at all!  But, I did miss the internet.  We checked out e-mails when we parked the car in front of Sweet Thing #3's apartment and hooked up to her wireless.  Husband wouldn't stay long enough for me to follow blogs or write in mine.  I am trying to put in two blogs a month.  I won't make it this month.  

On Mother's Day I finished Renulek's Spring 2014 doiley.  The largest doiIey that I have made.  I like how it looks and I will use it as motif #7.  I have not washed or blocked it yet so it is a bit wrinkly.

 

 

I was wondering what to do next when I saw the Butterfly Doiley sitting in a basket.  It had been sitting there for a LONG time with only four rows done.  The Butterfly Doiley from Tatting from Burda was begun back in 2014.  I had tried to figure out how to make the butterflies different colors from the rest of the tatting.  I was not able to figure it out.  So, I am doing the row of the butterflies a different color from all the other rows.  Rows 5 and 6 have gone rather quickly and I am finding them easy, I don't have to do a lot of thinking.  I have done some untatting on Row 6 as I am not always paying attention.  This is being made with Lizbeth size 10 thread, blue ice and white.  We are flying to Texas for a family wedding over the holiday week.  I will see if I am allowed to tat on the plane.

 

May you all have a nice holiday and I will see you in June.

ADDENDUM: My entry was written last night and I took the pictures this morning.    Remember how I said I don't always pay attention, here it is. 

 

 

I was getting ready to finish last night and was looking at my work.  2/3rds of row 6 had been tatted.  Right in the middle of that tatting was another mistake.  Each time I made a mistake it was the same one.  The other mistakes had been caught right after I made them and were easy to take out.  This is the one which got away.  Now I will cut and redo. 

I sure hope they let me bring my tatting on the plane.

 

 

Numbers 4, 5, and 6

Good morning

Here in the Berkshires the sun is shining.  We did have a frost last night but it is leaving quickly.  Thankfully the pansies spent the night in the garage.  The birds outside have been talking since 5:30 this morning and Ted (the cat) has gone back to bed.  I am here doing a post so that I will have two for the month. 

I have almost finished with one quilt and the backing material has been ordered.  I will show it when it is completely done and sent on to its owner.  With having a pause in that quilt, I have decided to take apart two identical quilts where I am not pleased with my sewing.  These were among the first quilts that I began when I retired.  The machine stitch is a 2.4 and I now prefer a 1.8.  The 2.4 is to loose for the quilt piecing and I don't want the stitching/quilts to come apart.  I am only unstitching bigger sections of the blocks, not all the way to the beginning.  I will show pictures next time.  

Another quilt has begun in my head and I have asked the person that it will go to what she'd like.  We almost have the decision made.

My pictures for today are tatting.  Number 4, 5, and 6 for the Motif Challenge.  I am 2/3 way around row 13 on Renulek's 2014 Spring Doiley.  I hope to have it finished and blocked soon and then it will be a picture.  Wonder if a doiley is a Motif?

This is my favorite tatted egg!  (It is a soft boiled egg)  This doesn't count for the motifs as I have already shown one in a different thread color.

Here are snowflakes from Jon Yusoff's Tatted Snowflake Collection

 

Carrousel

Milky Way

 



The Twirly



 





 

 

Enjoy your day wherever you are.  May the sun shine on you also.  

Hearts

Good day to all.  Back in February I showed you one of my table runners.  The one I am showing today was the first runner made when getting back into quilting.  I made it January 2015 for Valentine's Day. The pattern is from My Runners by Disa Designs.  It was done to learn how to work with fusible web.  I did change how the hearts are joined together.  They were done by hand stitching on the backside, not using circles to join the hearts on the frontside as Disa did.

  

The second runner in grey was made for the son of a friend of mine and his new bride in celebration of their wedding.  

What did I learn?  I used fusible web for the entire circle on the first runner.  On the second runner I only had the fusible web for the first outer 1/4 inch of the circle.  It made a much softer look and feel.  I continued to used the fusible web on the entire letter, they were just to narrow to cut out the center of them.

What else did I learn from this runner?  This was the first and I love making runners!  There will be more to show in the future.

Happy Easter

Today, I wish you all a Happy Easter.  Here are several eggs from Tatted Easter Eggs by Kirsten Wind Hansen.  They were easy and quick to tat. 

 

With these, I will begin the 25 Motif Challenge.  They are numbers 1, 2, 3.

 

    

S'Mittens Party

My cousin K, our friend B and I had a S'Mitten party.  We had all liked the pattern for this table runner and each made one.  On the 10th of March we met for lunch at K's and the runners had a great time showing off their stuff.  We placed them on the floor to fit them side by side.

 K made the blue

 B made the grey

 and you have already seen mine.

    

They looked so different with the different materials and the quilting.  I love them all.

S'Mittens

October 2015 was the Western Massachusetts Shop Hop, nine quilt shops in three days.  I was shop hopping with my cousin, a friend and my daughter.  I had told myself that I could not buy material unless it had a purpose.  So, for this shop hop I went looking for material for the table runner S’Mittens that was in the September/October 2014 McCalls Quilting.  It was designed by Erin Russek.

The material for the mittens was bought at Brookside Quiltworks in South Egremont, the block material at Pumpkin Patch in Lee and the red and blue borders at  A Notion to Quilt in Shelbourne Falls.  I was going to use the block material for the edge between the red and blue but I ended up not liking it as much as I thought I would.  I found the gold oak flooring patterned material at Karen’s Quilting Corner in Williamstown.  I just love that it is a wooden floor pattern and the red and blue are houndstooth and herring bone patterns.  To me it looks like the mittens are drying on the floor.  I did the machine embroidery of the mittens and snowflakes from Anita Goodesign.  I also did free motion machine quilting around the mittens and the blocks and borders. 

This was made in one week in January 2016.

What did I learn?  I do table runners to try out new ideas and techniques.  It is something useful, small and quick to do.  Next time I do machine embroidery on a runner, I will do it without the backing on.  I want to cover the back of the embroidery.  I will machine or hand quilt after the back has been placed.   

Where Have I Been?

That is what I have been wondering.  I retired at the end of 2014 and at the beginning of 2015 I was too exhausted to think or do anything.  The second half of 2015 was more productive. 

Now I need to think of what to do with my blog.  There are only three entries.  So, me, what are you going to do?  I have decided this is a good place to keep a record for me, pictorial journal of what I have done or am doing.  If anyone wants to visit, may they enjoy what they see.  

I was surprised when I looked at my site the other day that 236 visits had been made. Not sure that anyone of those visitors will be back, but just in case.

At the end of November 2015 I made two baby quilts for a friend of mine who will have her first grandbabies this spring.  Yes, that is plural, twin girls.  The idea for the quilts was not mine.  I saw the material and patterns at the Pumpkin Patch in Lee and just loved them.  They were easy to do and I machine quilted them in the ditch.  They were given to the twins as their Christmas gift.