Giveaway ... and etc.

Oh my, I'm over-the-moon with 

my new fibers!!!   I was fortunate to be the lucky

one chosen for Yarnplayer's giveaway

of 

"Summer Trail" Hand Dyed Thread.

Yippee Skippee -- so spoiled, I stink!

And, if you haven't been to her blog recently,

don't miss her snowflake with the double picots!!!!

Here is motif #24 from Minitats (by Patti Duff).

I used Ice Blue Lizbeth Fiber - size 20.

The lock joins were a challenge!!!

Only need one more to meet the 25 motif challenge for 2012;

While at the most recent Tollway Tatters Gathering, I had

forgotten my yellow folder at home, which housed my tatting patterns : (   

oh my --- what to do?   Never fear, Denise brought

her Minitats book + let me use her copy while she tatted

a snowflake from another book  ... 

I made this little tree motif - I tried to use the #60 motif

 pattern from Minitats + wanted to change it to have the

start and end at the top of the tree.  oops - didn't

quite manage that.   Marilee aka Yarnplayer

suggested a split ring at the top.

Oh my --- why didn't I think of that??? the next one

will have a split ring at the top!!!

We have so much fun when we get together.

Our tables are loaded with tatting books, patterns,

shuttles, bags, and it is a wonderful time to exchange ideas

and tat the afternoon away ; )

(Pictured above:   Eva, Diane, Barbara, Marilee)

Did you notice the shipping deals at JoAnn.com?

Lots of deals around Veteran's Day and Cyber Monday and Black Friday, and

what ever else..... I had ordered some thread 

Sulky Blendables (because Diane gave me a sample

and the stuff is oodles of fun to use, so I had to own a few spools).

and, I noticed they also have Art Bins

slim line that I like to use.

The pink has a magnetic strip to keep the

crochet hooks from rolling around.

The blue and green are clear + wonderful to use

for scissors and markers, etc.

How can today be November 30th???

Tollway Tatters (part five)

Sue Anna

tats away with perfect tension.

Her tatting is an inspiration.

This is tatted with the new Aerlit tatting shuttle

using the recent released size 3

by LizBeth ... like the colorways!

(did you notice another nifty tatting bag????)

Look at this lovely motif - using LizBeth Scottish Thistle fiber.

Sue Anna also shared multiple balls

of fibers with the tatters gathered.

She offered all the colorways of the new size 3 fiber

to grab a few feet and give it a try.   Oh, and her

generosity didn't stop there --- she also

gifted each of us with our choice of the Aerlit tatting shuttle!!!

She had ALL the colors.   They are so pretty.

(I confess to not trying it yet - but I will try soon)

Thank you Sue Anna - you are the best!

After the LONG week I had with multiple 'issues' and installation of new appliances (how stressful that can be) ... I was so happy to gather together and tat the afternoon away.   Looking forward to meeting up again!

Tollway Tatters (part four)

Marilee

was designing as she tatted along.

(unlike struggling me - baffled by patterns and

mere lock joins!  Also notice the book on the table???   

Plenty of books get passed along and it is

AWESOME to see a books contents

before opting to purchase .... thx Denise and Diane).

Marilee ended up with a marvelous

motif.

Marilee brought some of her famous

fibers - you know the ones ... from

Yarnplayer's Etsy Shop?

Aren't these gorgeous???

Tourmaline and Nightwind.   ooooo ... so pretty.

Marilee also shared bundles of these lovely woven

square cloths --- They were like wrapping paper w/ribbon.   

We'd open them up to find LizBeth fiber!

and chocolate bars (were delicious.)

Thx Marilee!!!   I have the cloth on my basket in my room.

The colors are just lovely.

And, by the way --- couldn't help notice,

Marilee also was sporting a stunning bag for her oodles of tatting goodies:

Did you notice the heart on the needle book

and the lovely scissors keep?

Betcha wish you were there, tatting right along with us .... stay tuned more to follow ....

Tollway Tatters (part three)

Diane

tatted a stunning piece with metal doodat + beads

photo of it finished, on her blog post - HERE.

The motif from the ever popular

Minitats by Patti Duff book.

Am I spotting a new shuttle ??? a blue shuttle??? 

Could it be one of the new Aerlit bobbin shuttles?

And, we revisited the split ring.

These made by Diane.

Seems both Denise and I make them

in a similar way - without causing

so much pain in the hand!!!!

Woot - now Diane will be off to the races with split rings

in her patterns.   No stopping her now ; )

Our new challenge pieces --- THREE of them ...

oh my, who knows what the creative tatters will end up with ; )

I confess I'm not finished the first doo dat challenge.

Didn't get the tatting started - did have a couple diagrams/notes started.

Diane had some gifts to share ... a new to me fiber to try,

and blingged shuttles!   Floral and Cherries.   Both so pretty + glittery.

Then, come to find, her generosity continues with oodles

of doodats and beads to choose!!!   Awesome stash builders.

thank you ever so much Diane.

I adore this photo of Diane and Eva!

Eva is learning how to tat + is moving right along

making chains:

Eva also went around the table

and took photos for Diane.

She is the sweetest peach!

Hang on now ... there is more, are you wondering about those nifty new shuttles?   Stay tuned.

Tollway Tatters (part two)

Denise,

sporting a brand new shuttle ... 

had a lovely snowflake project 

going around a jewelry doodat.    

And a giant thank you to Denise as she

let me use her Mini Tats book - mine

was left behind on the table (sigh).

Btw, just so we are clear ... 

Denise is addicted to fibers,

aren't we all?

Her tatting was housed by this STUNNING

origami bag (made by Diane) w/holiday fabrics.

She had shuttles that were decorated to match! 

(sorry, photo didn't come out - you can see them

pictured on Diane's blog post .... HERE).   

Tatting is great; sporting blinged tools,

and tatting-on-the-go bags is girlie funness.

Oh yes .... there is more, when the Tollway Tatters gather, there is chatting, tatting, sharing, showing, tutorials, book reviews, news, and MORE.     stay tuned for part three ....

Tollway Tatters (part one)

Alison 

Alison's project (using a brand new shuttle) ....

A beautiful motif from Patti Duff's Minitats book!!

Woot ; )

------------

Barbara

Barbara's project was a struggle as the fiber

did NOT want to cooperate.

Was a joy to have her in the gathering

with her wit and cheerful self!   (personally,

I'd have tossed the fiber over the tollroad!!!)

Stay tuned for Part Two .....

(sorry took so long to post - we all met a couple week-ends ago and had a marvelous time!!!   the pictures and blogging are tardy due to holidays and my disorganized chaos.)

25 Motif challenge + miscellaneous

For the 25 Motif Challenge ...

Motif #22 from 

Minitats; 69 Petite Motifs

by Patti Duff

Lizbeth, Size 20, Color 163.

This blue colorway is so soft - wonder if they have a

soft blend of lavenders?

I hope to complete 1-25 this year (have tatted 1-23 so far);

I hope to continue the 25 Motif Challenge in 2013 with

motif #26-50, the patterns look amazing.

And on to Misc:

If you read my previous post,

I was winding two fibers on a shuttle and tatting -- the 

result is very interesting (and fun to do).

Jane Eborall  (in her comment) refers to it as  HWT - Hand Wound Thread.   

It has a name!   I will call it HWT, too!

I plan to grab a couple fibers, tat with them + see what happens.

My Tollway Tatting friends encouraged me to --- 

well, they said I HAD TO subscribe to the Handy Hands Newsletter.

So, I did as instructed + with the mailing I received was a

size 3 Tatting Fiber to try.   What lovely colors!

And, thx for twisting my arm a bit - I seriously thought it was all needle tatting.

I was so wrong.

I bought this broomstick lace bag

at a Farmer's Market in Celebration, FL.   I just HAVE TO figure out

how to make these.   My crochet attempts are just pitiful.

I bought a clover 'tool' and have yet to play with it!   

I purchase these cards at the local Hallmark.   Thy have stickers to attach inside

the circle - so, instead of purchasing the stickers ...  I attach some of my tatted butterflies.  

 There are pink cards, yellow cards, green cards, etc.   

 As they are becoming hard to locate - I may have to stock up!!!

This lovely fiber (butterfly) is one made by Yarnplayer.

I used up all I had + made a couple doodles with the left overs on the shuttles.

It is a lovely pastel.

Minitats ...

To continue with my 25 motifs 

in a year (challenge) .... 

Here is motif #20 from 

Minitats by Patti Duff

I used a beautiful fiber from

Yarnplayer.

The rings are separated by ONE ds on the chain -

this is a beautiful fiber to tat with and interesting motif.

A tatting friend, Marlene (w/o blog) showed me a 

tatted butterfly she made - with two fibers wound on the same shuttle.

The tatting was so interesting to look at!   Especially using a fiber

with multiple colors and a solid color.   So I gave it a try with size 20 (Lizbeth):

Motif #21

I made this with two different fibers wound on the same shuttle.

They are color 115 and color 621.   

It is pretty THICK - and the colors are interesting.  The fiber

looks like it has highlights!    

as for the yellow ....

Did you receive your Tatting Times (Nov 2012) issue?

Asking for 5-point stars in gold or yellow threads ...

for Finger Lakes Tatting Group starry-night quilt.   

This is a variation of motif #21

from Minitats ... to send in with my subscription renewal:

I pulled out 2 size 80 fibers and wound together on shuttles:

I like it!    Using size 80, the motifs are not as thick and

the color changes are very interesting to look at.

Each side looks a little different + fun to try.

Motif #23 from MiniTats

using Lizbeth size 80 --- colors 100 and 696.

Now, I need to go back to motif #22

(which I goofed up --- will try tatting again)