The Mad Tatter

Marilee on the left, Marlene on the right.

In Oct 2012, Marlene, Cathy B + I met at the House of Stitches. She has a wonderful blog post about their visit to Hoosierville --- link HERE.   ok, back to tatting ..... at the time, Marlene brought some of her tatting with her -- and I was fascinated by the HWT (Hand Wound Technique).  We swapped - I showed her split ring and she showed me HWT.     Once home, I gave it a try --- use 2 fibers and tat them together.   

IMO - it is a thick tatted motif!   It creates an interesting colorway with a solid and a multi-color fiber tatted together.   Marlene had a butterfly with her -- a new to me idea!    (Pattern #21 Mini Tats)

(Below) Finer threads - two colors tatted together - final piece isn't 'thick'.  (#23 Mini Tats)

Cathy B gifted me one of the small tartlets and larger pincushions she made, using tatting by Marlene.   The little tartlet is usually in my tatting bag with pins to keep my tatting in place (Tatters, you know when you get up, and your small doodle vanishes?   Well, a little pincushion is perfect to have in your bag.   Once the little doodle is done, attach to your pincushion!).   I usually have a frogger there, too.  (used to rip out unwanted knots - or to untangle a mistake)

 I put them to immediate use.   The pincushion is great next to the sewing machine.   I use it all the time.   Cathy has a post on her blog about the tartlets --- Link HERE.   She also made some with butterfly tatting on the top --- link HERE.

I have a few other pieces of her tatting --- this heart with buttons is one of my favs.   I hang it on the knob of my shutters in the room w/sewing machine.   I have not tatted with buttons, one thing I've always thought to try and never have!!!!   Link here to (maybe the same) similar pattern.

The star on the top/white tatting is also from Marlene.   I had a Myra Piper book with a similar pattern.   I tatted it in blue as a gift for my MIL.   Having the tatted piece in hand was wonderful!!! made my tatting easier!!   A couple other tatted orns are in holiday storage.