First Finished Project?

In a non-tatting moment, I tried to find some granny squares to try. I've been wanting to learn crochet for a while now -- I can remember my mom making doilies and peacocks while my sis and I were outside playing! I had started a scarf pattern from Lion's Brand Yarn, but was distracted and now can't remember the stitch counts. However, after several hours of cramped hands and lots of curses, I now have a bookmark that I'm relatively proud of:


It's another bury phone pic, but you can see what it (sorta) looks like. Never again ('till I get better, at least) will I try crocheting with size 20 thread!

Stats:
Pattern: Flower Granny Square by Drenka
Threads: Lizbeth sz 20 "Victorian Red" and "Falling Leaves"
Hook: Size 3/2.10MM (I know it's the wrong hook, but it's what I had with me at the time..)

Hope to start a scarf soon - with a nice, soft yarn. 'Till then!

(cries)

Before I explain the title, take a look at these pictures.. Sorry for the low-quality, my phone doesn't take the best pictures up close..




The good news is that I am now doing the pattern correctly, but haven't gotten very far on the final round. I'm still crying over it, but I've got to learn to follow the patterns FIRST before changing them, right? It's a little bit sad, but this will be the first third-row item that I've tatted that isn't a snowflake.

Weird, that..

M had to get some new glasses earlier this week, not too long after I had to cut the last round off. It had been two years since he's been, and this time he managed to get a pair that is memory metal. He's a bit rough on his glasses.. The pair he wore when we first got together literally popped the lenses out at me when we were at Monster Jam back in '08 (and on his birthday, no less!) The glasses he got after those fought the good fight before having the springs break and lenses falling out. It's still a little weird seeing him in square-ish frames, but they suit him better than the oldies!

Tried out my phone for landscapes while waiting on his new glasses..


Looks better than the macros! It's a little under exposed, but for not being able to play with the settings, I love it!

When we got back to LC, we were a bit early so they sat us at one of the waiting tables in front of the lab, where I snapped this shot:

That was how much I was able to accomplish before we left.

I've worked on it some more, but not as much as I should. That's what happens when you work retail!

Happy Tatting, everyone!

Progress..

So, my grandmother's birthday has come and gone, and I'm still working on her present. -_-6 I decided to save the clover doily for another time, and instead decided to use a pattern from "A New Twist on Tatting." I'm about to start the third round, but I thought I'd share what I have as a quick little blog.

Also, seeing as how I don't have a quilters block (if that's what they're called) and was in need of a 12-point diagram for blocking, I made my own and am sharing with all. Nothing fancy, just a few rings and lines that I hope others can use.

(click for larger photo, then right-click to save then print)

Doing a bit of wet-blocking before the next round to help it lay flat. It's still drying, so I'll share what it looks like when it is ready.

It's Done! It's Done!!

Sorry for the phone picture - I don't have my camera with me.

More pics to come as this isn't blocked. It still needs to be painted, but the hard part is over now! :D Gotta skein some thread before I dye this, though!

Tatting and Results!

Last night, I blogged about my attempts at dying with tea. I didn't go into much detail because I was in a rush to share, but now I can go into greater detail about it (as well as the after pictures - silly me didn't take a before!)

I used three different types of tea, all from my stash so it didn't cost any extra to do. No prep went into these, except for a little bit of research to learn about timing and everything. The three teas I used were:

• Peachberry (green)
  
• Chai (green)
  
• Asian Plum (white)
  

All three are yummy in their own right, but the Chai and Asian Plum have been in my stash for nearly two years and nearly forgotten. As such, they had lost a lot of their flavor and weren't my favorites. Put to use, the three made these beautiful skeins:

The Peachberry gave a light pink, the Chai a light tan, and the Asian Plum gave the darkest color out of the three. All were dyed using the immersion technique - I didn't paint these (even the variegated!) as you can see from my last post. The ball below the skeins is there for a psudo-before image, because all of these are dyed with this base. Beautiful, and they all smell good! :D

I've also been buying up some ribbon for use in some snowflakes later on. These three colors were partially picked by my mom, only the purple was my choice:


I asked what colors she thought would look good together, and this was her choice. They all look like a grape vine to me, which are gorgeous to look at! Which reminds me, I think I need to take a trip out to Chateu Elan (the local wine and grape producer) and take some pictures to share.

Has anyone ever tatted with these before? I've tried a few - don't have pictures because it's at my grandmother's house at the moment.. I'm so scatter brained! >.<

I have been tatting..

This will become a necklace/bracelet/earring set when I get them complete. I'm working on the necklace now. This pattern is from "A New Twist on Tatting" and is my first ever attempt at an edging. Funny story, that.. My sister told me she had never seen me make edgings, and that she would make those if she were to tat. She likes the look of them on hankies, she says.. And all I've ever done has been in the round!

I showed her! lol She even said that I made these to show her wrong! Good times by all!

As I haven't finished them, these won't be part of my 25 motif challenge yet. When they are done, I'm hoping they will be #23. Shouldn't take too much for me to finish them (I hope!!).

As for the new skeins of dyed thread? Those are part of the present for my grandmother. I'm hoping I can get through this pretty quick. I know I won't be able to finish it by her birthday (which is he 11th), mostly because I have work. Fingers crossed! I'll keep everyone posted!

Happy tatting!

A Cup of Tea

No words to say, really. I do have some tatting to add here, but I haven't gotten the pictures for them yet.

No, instead I had to try something tonight that has been in the back of my mind for a while. When I was first researching the dying process, I came across some tutorials on how to dye with tea. Seeing as I had a basket full of tea I have had for over two years, I finally caved.

They are drying right now, so I'll post pictures tomorrow. For now, enjoy the yumminess!

.. And while I'm thinking of it, who would like to tat with thread dyed in the natural way? This I'm not sharing - yet (these were made for a gift for my grandmother's birthday, which is really, really soon! >.<), and I didn't fix the cotton to keep the colors! :O

Also, the shawl is nearly complete. I should have it completed by tomorrow night at the latest, and then be ready to paint it in the next week or so. I need to get some more dye for it, as I don't think I have enough!

Happy tatting!