Girl's Day

Jocelin and I have had a nice "Girl's Day"!  I picked her up from school before noon, then headed to our favorite Mexican restaurant.  Afterwards, we spent an enjoyable afternoon shopping and trying on shoes.  That girl of mine LOVES shoes!!!

.  I don't have any new tatting goodies to share today, but be sure to check out the upcoming International Tatting Day post on April 1st!

Have a wonderful weekend doing whatever it is that makes your heart sing!

Until ITD~

Happy Tatting!

Meet Penelope

Good morning, dear readers.  This is "Penelope":

She was tatted with size 5 DMC perle cotton in color #4120 and is enhanced with a small vintage button and 6.5mm fresh water pearl.  The rose is from one of my Jackson & Perkins English rose bushes, although I can't remember the name of the rose.  It is one of my favorites beacause of its glorious color and scent- it's delightfully spicy.

I will be busy winding more skeins of thread onto cards today and making lists of all I need to restock the Atelier.  This is something I really want to get done this week as Jocelin is on Easter/Spring break next week.  I'd like to have plenty of time to spend with my girl doing all sorts of fun stuff.  Don't worry- I have been busy planning interesting posts for you.  There may even be a few free patterns coming soon!  Be sure to keep your eyes open.

What do you, my dear readers, have planned for April 1st?  This is International Tatting Day- a day when we all celebrate and share our love of tatting.  Will you be teaching, demonstrating or sharing your tatting?  I strongly encourage you to share your gift of tatting with someone.  You never know what you may start!

Well, I am off to get those skeins wound onto cards.  Have a marvelous day!

Until Friday~

Happy Tatting!



Easter Event Winner!

Congratulations, Icela!!!

You are the winner the Piney Woods Easter Event!

Please be so kind as to provide me with your details and I'll pop your goodies in the post.

I have done a bit more on the DMC pendant, but will post the progress tomorrow.  This is my errand day and the list is quite long.

Have a great day.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

DMC Pendant In Progress

The last time I visited the Stitcher's Workshop in Norphlet, Arkansas, I picked up several skeins of size 5 DMC perle cotton.  This particular color variegation reminded me of the roses in my front yard- which are about to bloom very soon.  I had to play with it this morning and this is what I've done so far:

This piece will eventually be a pendant with a button center.  I haven't decided whether I'll use a carved MOP button or a Czech art glass button. 

Don't forget to leave a comment on the "Easter Event" blog post for your chance to win the fabulous goodies up for grabs!

The winner will be announced tomorrow morning!!!!!

Good Luck!

Well, I had better finish the pendant so I can post the completed piece tomorrow.  Have a wonderful day!

Until Wednesday~

Happy Tatting!



Revised Packing Method

It is that time of year when we start escaping to the woods whenever possible.  The new tent is wonderful, but I am revising all of my packing methods as we have replaced older equpiment with newer, lighter pieces.  Also, we prefer to take my Jeep Wrangler for off-road playing.  The truck is nice, but my Jeep can get into places the truck can't.  As you can imagine, space is at a premium given the Jeep's small size.  The new hitchgate on the back helps with hauling things, but I really needed to rethink how to schlep my tatting and fiber art along with everything else.  This is what I have come up with:

This large burlap bag was purchased at a local boutique a couple of years ago and has been in the Atelier closet.  I re-discovered it this weekend while rummaging for something else.  It contains a "slim satchel" filled with my tatting necessities and a crochet project.

Here is a view of my fully stocked "slim satchel".  It has everything I require for tatting wherever the adventure takes me.  Oodles of Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk & Pearl Cotton, a selection of various DMC pearl cottons, Sulky Blendables, Caron WIldflowers thread, needles, a chatelaine, a couple pairs of scissors, emery cushion, findings, buttons, yoyos, beads & Swarovskis- all neatly and securely packed.  And it takes up a lot less space than the "super satchel" I had been using!  Although I will continue to use the "super satchel" for longer excursions.

This is the crochet project I have in the bag.  It will be a shawl when complete.  I am using the peacock fan motif my great-grandmother used a lot.  It was one of her favorites.  The yarn I'm using is Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in "natural".

As you can see, the crochet rolls up neatly.  I have plenty of room in the burlap bag for my kindle, design journal, snacks and small blanket.

How do you take your tatting with you when you travel?  I am always looking for new ideas and methods of packing my tatting essentials.

To purchase your own "slim satchel", go to Nancy's Notions.  They also have other sizes of these "satchel" products that I really love!  I am sure they will have something that will be perfect for you, too.

Don't forget to leave a comment on the "Easter Event" blog post for your chance to win the goodies!!!  The winner will be selected on Wednesday, March 28th.  Good luck!

Well, I am off to wind some more thread for the slim satchel. Have a great day.

Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Finished Yoyo Brooch

Well, I played with all of the different options for the yoyo brooch and was not exactly happy with any of them.  The Swarovskis I had planned to use on the picots were too orange- I needed something more peachy.  Then I tried both of the MOP buttons... didn't like either.  After rummaging through the button stashes I found this 18mm Czech art glass button.  It looked better.  I simply added 3 picot laden chains around the base of the button & voila...

I am still not exactly happy with the finished brooch, but will continue to play with the yoyos and experiment.  I may add this brooch to the straw hat Jocelin wears when we go fishing.  Or it may just be recycled.

Don't forget to comment on yesterday's Easter Event blog post for your chance to win the goodies!!!

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 28th.

Good luck!

I think I will dig through the fabric drawers in the Atelier and see what strikes my fancy for the next experiment.  I need to get a project ready to take with me tomorrow as Jocelin is participating in the literary rally held at Louisiana Tech University.  At least I can get in some tatting while I wait for her.  Jim is going to finish planting the garden (I hope) and mow the yard- it is absolutely out of control after the last rain. 

Have a fantastic weekend doing whatever makes your soul sing!

Until next week~

Happy Tatting!

 

Easter Event

It's time for the Easter Event!

Here is what is up for grabs this time:

A gorgeous 1/2 yard length of turquoise blue fabric (originally from Hannah's Quilts), 3 balls of Majestic tatting cotton, a small bag of size 11 "Spring Green" seed beads, an assortment of shell buttons and vintage plastic buttons, and several little chenille chicks.

Here is a better view of the fabric & beads with a nosy little chick investigating.

And finally, a close-up of the thread in colors 811, 820, & 815 with yet another cheeky chick.

For your chance to win, just leave a comment on this blog post.  The winner will be selected via random number generator and announced on Wednesday, March 28th.  Good luck!

I am off to finish that yoyo brooch to share with you tomorrow (hopefully, anyway). 

Until then~

Happy Tatting!



Scissor Fob

The Piney Woods are absolutely drenched today!  The big rain front rolled in from Texas and is taking its own sweet time moving out.  My yard is like a sponge- it "squidges" with every step.  The poor flowers have been pummeled and are pitiful.

Still, I am not one to let a dreary day smother my creative tendencies.  After the morning toad strangler moved through, a gentle rain settled in and the woods were carpeted with a glistening grey mist.  I pulled out a ball of size 8 DMC perle cotton in color #318, a small 2-hole abalone shell button and a 6mm silver-grey Swarovski bicone from the Atelier stashes and tatted this:

A fob for my Gingher scissors.

Something I may try is to stiffen this fob.  A multi-media art journaling friend recommended this stuff called "Amazing Fa-Brick".  I ordered a small bottle which arrived this morning.  Perhaps I'll have a chance to play with it when it's not so humid.  Have any of you, dear readers, used this stuff?  Amie (my friend) loves it and thinks it's fantastic. 

The rain has finally eased-up again, so I will try to get the dogs to go out & take care of "business" before the next rain wave hits.  Have a wonderful day and be sure to check the blog tomorrow as there may be something special for my readers posted!

Until then~

Happy Tatting!

Yoyo Brooch Button Options

I finished outer round 1 of the yoyo brooch:

The next step is to figure out what I plan to use in the center before I do any additional outer tatting rounds.  Here is button option number 1:

This is a larger antique MOP carved shell 4 hole button.  It has a wavy effect and reflects the colors nicely.

This is button option number 2:

This is a smaller antique MOP carved shell 4-hole button.  It has some interesting carved accents around the the holes.

The third option would be to tat a very ruffled (picot laden) center with or without bead accents.

I'll put up a poll to the right of the post for you to make your selection.

Well, I am off to take care of a few errands.  Later today we are supposed to have some severe weather moving in so I plan to hunker down and tat whilst it rages outside.  Have a wonderful day!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Yoyo Brooch In Progress

Good morning, dear readers!  I hope you had as wonderful a weekend as we had. 

We enjoyed a lovely visit with my mother-in-law and got a fair amount of yard work done.  The garden still needs a lot of work, but we'll get to it in the evenings this week.

I did manage to get in a bit of tatting-

This yoyo brooch-in-progress is accented with tatting in Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk #S31.  An antique carved shell button with Swarovski crystals added to the center holes will be attached once the outer tatting is complete.  I'll do one more row of the chains right next to the yoyo, then add another round or two to enlarge the brooch.  What do you think?  Anyone have any suggestions?

The flowers in my yard are really starting to show off- I'm getting so much artistic inspiration just from strolling about the place!

Here is an image of the large wisteria from the front yard:

I'd love some Valdani silk thread in this color!!!

And here is a close-up view of the flowering almond:

My little flowering almond bush is in full bloom and is so fragrant!  I may have to sit in a lawn chair beside it and tat a bit today!

After taking care of housework and a few errands, I hope to sit for a spell in the yard, tat, and think of what to do for an Easter event.  There are several ideas bouncing around in my head.  Stay tuned for the event announcement- it'll be in the next day or two.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Fabric Yoyos

A few weeks ago, I purchased some adorable charm squares:

I love the colors used in Fig Tree quilt fabrics!  They are what I use in most of my tatting work.

So, last night, I dug out my Clover yoyo maker templates and did a few yoyos.

There will be more yoyo making today, followed by adding tatting and antique shell buttons to the yoyos.  I hope to have a few new "pretties" to share with you next week!

AND

I will be posting an Easter event next week, too, so be sure to keep your eyes open for the next event!

Well, I'm going to put Lonesome Dove in the dvd player and spend the day making yoyos and playing.  Have a wonderful weekend doing whatever makes your soul sing! 

 Until next week~

Happy Tatting!



St. Pat's Tats Winners

Good morning!  Here are the lucky winners of the St. Pat's Tats Event:

Winner #1 with the choice of prize is:

Suztats

Winner #2 is:

Kittytat

Contact me with your particulars by noon and I'll get your goodies in the mail today!

Many thanks to all who entered.  I appreciate you all- you keep me blogging!

Have a wonderful day!

Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Mystery Tatted Piece

Here is the "Mystery Tatted Piece" that is part of Option 1 in my "St. Pat's Tats Event":

It is tatted with size 8 Valdani pearl cotton in M26 and has a center accent of a crystal AB Swarovski disc & a 4mm Czech fire polish bead.  I decided to make the piece a pendant and added another Czech fire polish bead and jumpring. 

Don't forget to add your comments to Monday's post and the earlier post from today for your CHANCES to win one of the 2 options!  The winners will be selected tomorrow morning after I take the kid to school.

Until then~

Happy Tatting!



Last Call For St. Pat's Tats Event Entries!

I finished the pendant for the St. Pat's Tats Event:

This pendant is tatted with size 8 Valdani pearl cotton in M26 and is enhanced with an antique carved shell button and Czech fire polish beads.  It is Option 2 in the St. Pat's Tats Event.

And here is a reminder of the other goodies up for grabs:

Option 1 with various threads, buttons, beads, pearls and a "mystery" Celtic tatted piece.  For specific thread colors check out Monday's post.

Now for today's little "extra":  you may post a comment on Monday's post AND today's post, giving you TWO chances to enter the St. Pat's Tats Event!

Well, I am off to tat that "mystery" Celtic piece.  Have a marvelous day and good luck!

The winners will be selected tomorrow morning after I take the kid to school.

Until then~

Happy Tatting!



Uh...

Well... I do not have much of anything to share with you today.  My annual doctor appointment was this morning and they were just switching over to a new computer system.  The office was filled with IT folks and clinic staff.  I really felt sorry for them as they were having some major problems getting everything online and working properly.  I eventually had my exam and feel great. 

 The only thing bad about today is I am really ticked with myself because I left my tatting project in the recliner!  Do you know how annoying that is?!?!?!?!?  At least I had my Kindle and throroughly enjoyed the time spent reading. 

Sorry for the lack of tatted eye candy.  I'll try to have something pretty to share tomorrow.  Don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post for your chance at one of the St. Pat's Tats goodies!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

St. Pat's Tats Event!

The Piney Woods Tatter presents:

The St. Pat's Tats Event

Here is what is up for grabs this time:

Option 1

This lovely assortment consists of: 1 skein of size 5 DMC perle cotton #699, 1 skein of size 5 DMC perle cotton variegated #92, 1 skein of Caron Wildflowers thread #067 Celadon, a square Czech art glass button, an assortment of misc. buttons (shell & vintage), a small bag of size 11 dark green translucent seed beads and 10 grey stick pearls.  A "mystery" original small tatted piece will also be included!

Option 2

This pendant is still a work-in-progress.  I will post an image of it when it is complete, but it is tatted with Valdani size 8 pearl cotton and is accented with an antique carved MOP shell button and Czech fire polish beads.

There will be 2 winners this time with winner number 1 having the choice of the two options.  To enter, leave a comment on this blog post.  The winner will be selected via random number generator on Thursday morning, March 15th.  Good luck!

Well, I am going to get back to work on the pendant.  Have a wonderful day!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Weekend Ponderings

After viewing the poll results, I think I will offer a multiple giveaway for St. Pat's.  How about a Celtic themed tatted piece along with some miscellaneous goodies for one part and a pendant from my upcoming "Romance of the Piney Woods"  line for the other? 

I will begin work on the giveaway options first thing tomorrow morning after taking the kid to school.  Hmmm... I forsee lots of green goodies and maybe some buttons, beads & pearls thrown into the mix.

Do any of you, dear readers, crochet?  I am in a bit of a quandry.  There is a crochet project I wish to do, but I am debating what yarn is the best to use.  We love to go camping and hiking and are planning a lovely trip late Fall this year.  I'd like to have a super warm shawl/cowl to put in my pack.  It needs to be able to hold up to roughing it in the woods and the accompanying weather.  I have considered various wools and wool blends from Knitpicks as well as other wools/blends from Halcyon yarn.  Another yarn I am considering is Lopi yarn.  A knitting friend suggested it, but I don't know much about it other than it is an Icelandic sheep wool yarn.  Any suggestions or input would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Well, I am off to dig in the Atelier for goodies to add to the giveaway.  Don't miss tomorrow's post for your chance to win!  Have a wonderful weekend.  Until Monday~

Happy Tatting!

Old Patterns Revisited

I thought I'd post a couple of free patterns from my Piney Woods Atelier website.   These were originally designed in 2004 and posted to my old Piney Woods Tatting website in 2005. Hope you all will enjoy them!

Saint Patrick's Day Shamrock Earrings- you will need a pair of earwires, green thread, and 2 green Delica seed beads. The technique used is a dimpled ring. 

Working off ball, string one bead onto thread. Make sure the bead is slid onto the needle side thread before beginning ds. Ch 7 Cl. Use your fingers to situate the seed bead. Dimple R 12-5 clip and Cl. 5+ (to the - you previously made) 12 Cl. Drop clip & run needle through space. Repeat the dimpled ring 2 more times, or if you want a 4-leaf clover, 3 more times. When last dimpled ring is formed, pull threads to the back, tie & cut. I use the picot in the middle dimple ring to run my earwire through.

Copyright Rachel Colvin Jackson, 2004-2012

This is a simple pattern I've used for many years. It is very easy to make these more elaborate with Swarovski crystal beads and Celtic overtatting.

Celtic Valentine Heart Earrings- you will need a pair of earwires and thread.  Interlocking Chain Rings are used in this pattern.  If you need help with this technique, I posted a pictoral tutorial a few months back.

Working off ball, do 3 linked chain rings of 25 ds each. After 3rd ring is formed Ch 27 Cl. Run needle through top of double stitch close to the bottom of closest linked ChR. Ch 7 Cl. Run needle through top of middle ChR ds. R7-7Cl. Ch 7 Cl. Run needle through top of ds near bottom side or 3rd ChR. Ch 27 Cl. Run needle through top center of ChR group. Tie & cut. Run your earwire through the top.

Copyright Rachel Colvin Jackson, 2004-2012

If you want a fancier heart, add lots of frilly picots to the outer chains.  Beads are always a nice touch, too.

There are so many ways you can adapt these patterns to make them special and unique.  Just have fun playing!

I hope to get more design work done this weekend with a few more patterns and goodies to share wih you next week.  Oh- you may want to keep your eyes open for the next Piney Woods Event.  I'll be announcing what it is this weekend!  Until later~

Happy Tatting!

Sweet Sixteen

Today is our Jocie's "sweet sixteen" birthday!  We have had a full day of birthday celebrations and activities.  The big finale was our family dinner at her favorite local restaurant.  I cannot believe my little girl is almost grown.  Here is an image of us with her when she was barely three hours old:

These past sixteen years have been a wonderful adventure.  I can only imagine what the future holds for her, but I hope it is full of wonder and joy!

Sorry for the lack of tatting this week, but a daughter only turns 16 once and I had to do what I could to make it as memorable for her as possible.  I hope to be back to my normal routine soon with lots of tatting goodies and a few new patterns for you.  Have a lovely evening- I am going to take a bath and crash.  I am thoroughly exhausted!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Gardening & Yard Work

It has been an absolutely gorgeous day!  The low temperature was 63F this morning and it is now a comfy, warm 77F.  I have spent the day doing more yard work and garden preparation.  It was too nice to sit in the house or even to be still long enough to tat.  Sorry, but I've not tatted a single stitch- yet.  I will make it a point to tat this evening.

Let me show you some of the treasures in my yard:

The forsythia is a mass of yellow blooms and is spreading at a rapid rate.  I'll need to prune it back so it doesn't choke out other nearby plants.

I added fresh pinestraw around the flowering almond.  Don't you just love how the buds are acccented with pink on the petal edges?  Silk thread in this colorway would be fabulous!

Bees are everywhere.  The entire yard seems to hum and buzz with their activity.  This one lit long enough on the wild citrus for me to get an image.

And my blueberry bushes are loaded with blooms!!!  I hope we have a good crop this year.  We had very few the previous season as it was so dry.  The bees were all over these, too.

The last image I have to share with you today is the mockingbird nest-in-progress in one of our peach trees.  I tried to get an image of them bringing twigs to it, but never timed it right.

Tomorrow is our daughter's birthday and I have got to get busy baking and then decorating her cake.  Let's hope I have something more interesting to share with you all tomorrow.  I really did intend to tat today, but could not help myself when I got busy in the yard.  Days like this are rare and I had to enjoy it the its fullest!  Hope your day has been as wonderful!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Center Accent Added

Since my dear readers indicated a fat pearl should be the center accent of the Valdani doily WIP, I added it this morning:

And here is a closer view of the pearl:

I hope to get back to work on the doily this evening.  Perhaps I will have round four ready to share tomorrow!

Are any of you geting ready for St. Patrick's day?  We are.  I have been getting out the decorations and have put up a few.  What should I do for a blog event in honor of St. Pat's?  I'll put up a poll and decide on an event before the end of the week.  Feel free to leave your comments if you have an idea not listed on the poll, or if you'd care to elaborate on an event idea.  I appriciate all input!

It's lunchtime and I've so many errands to take care of this afternoon, so until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Yard Work

Today has been just gorgeous!  The temperature is very comfortable and I truly could not have had a better day for doing yard work.

To be honest, I had to go ahead and get some things done before the rain moves in. 

Our peach and plum trees are in full bloom and are filled with bees!  The yard literally "hums".  Unfortunately, I did not get any tatting done, but I must admit, there was plenty of artistic inspiration all around me.

Here is an image of a peach tree blossom:

And plum tree blossoms:

If the growing season goes well, I'll have plenty of peaches for preserves and plums for jelly.

Now, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for something to tat after looking at the blossom images?  Let me know if anything strikes your fancy.  I already have a number of ideas percolating and have made it a point to write them down whilst I was waiting to pick up Jocelin at school.

The poll has resulted in a fat pearl being chosen for the Valdani doily WIP center.  I'll have that to share with you tomorrow.  Well, as it is so nice out, I think the dogs need a nice, long run in the woods.  Have a marvelous day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Crochet Project

Well, this Friday has been a busy one filled with a variety of things.  As our daughter's birthday is next week, I did a little special shopping this morning.  I hope she will like all of her "goodies"!

The next thing I did was to check the poll.

The responses were tied, so I extended the poll on what I should use as the center accent of the Valdani doily WIP until Sunday morning.  If you've not voted, please do.

Since my usual schedule was rather off kilter, I decided to take a break from tatting and crochet with some lovely aqua cotton a friend gave me.  This color matches some of the birds and flowers on a favorite Vera Bradley tote.  I debated crocheting an edging, but chose to do a scarf instead as I have 3 large balls of this thread.  Here is what I've done so far:

It is a simple off-set shell pattern worked with a size 7 hook.  I use this particular pattern a lot- it is a favorite because it that allows one to crochet on auto-pilot!  Very simple and easy. 

The kiddo is waiting for our afternoon "Gin & Tonic".  Jocelin & I both LOVE to play gin rummy, so at least once or twice a week, we take an afternoon to play several hands and snack on something yummy with our tea.  May you have a wonderful weekend doing whatever makes your soul sing!  Until next week~

Happy Tatting!



Next Round Done

It has been a nice, quiet morning in the Piney Woods- albeit a bit humid and balmy. 

After taking the kid to school,  I settled in my comfy chair and picked-up the doily I started yesterday.

 I had a couple of different ideas for the third round, but decided to go with the one that was similar to the second round to fill it out a bit more before tatting the other idea bouncing around in my head.

The center is something I am contemplating- shall I add a Czech art glass button, a small carved MOP button, or a fat bronze pearl?

What about adding another color to accent the piece?  Overtatting?  Some Celtic work?

Would any of you care to make your opinions known?  Simply click your choice on the poll to the right.

This afternoon will be filled with more button cleaning/organizing, and thread winding.   I have oodles of skeins that need to be wound.  May you have a wonderful day doing whatever makes your soul sing!  Until Friday~

Happy Tatting!