Happy Halloween!

Good morning & happy Halloween!

 

As promised, here are a couple of small FREE patterns for your Halloween treat:

 

 

Both motifs were tatted using a size 8 needle and Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk. They can be used for a myriad of purposes- scissor fobs, brooch foundations, pendant foundations, ornament foundations, etc.  Check out tomorrow's post to see how I further embellished each motif!

 

Motif 1 using Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk in S153 "Golden Moss":

 

 

You will need a small 4-hole button, 8 3mm Swarovski bicones and 16 size 11/0 seed beads.  With a size 8 tatting needle, tat as follows:

R 5 - 5 + (to button) 5 - 5 CL RW

CH 7 - (with seed bead, Swarovski, seed bead) 7 CL RW

R 5 + 10 - 5 CL RW

CH 7 - (with seed bead, Swarovski, seed bead) 7 CL RW

Continue around button until you have 8 Rs & 8 CHs.  Tie & cut, hide ends.

 

Motif 2 using Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk in  S244 "Love of Life":

 

 

A small square, 4-hole button is needed along with a size 8 tatting needle.  Tat as follows:

R 7 - 7 + (to button) 7 - 7 CL RW

CH 5 very small - 3 followed by 3 graduated -s 3  very small - 5 CL RW

R 5 + 10 - 5 CL RW

Continue around motif until you have 8 Rs & 8 CHs.  Tie & cut, hide ends.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The patterns that I post to my blog presuppose you already possess a basic knowledge of needle tatting.  Shuttle tatters usually are able to tat my patterns, but if they encounter a problem, I will do my best to help. 

 

Well, I am off to the Atelier.  My hot cocoa is waiting and I have a few more embellishments to finish on one of the motifs featured above.  I need to get the tatting out of the way so I can prepare for our family Halloween celebration.  We are going to have a nice campfire in the woods, toast marshmallows and enjoy a few treats from my kitchen.

 

Hope you all have a wonderful All Hallow's Eve!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

 

 



Working Working

Good morning, dear readers!

 

Sorry, no new images today.  I am working on those special "treats" I mentioned in yesterday's post. Since one of the "treats" will be the pattern of the small button piece previously featured, I decided to wait before revealing more of it.

 

Yesterday was just gorgeous and I spent most of the day outside.  Some tatting was done and I managed to dye some yarn for Jocie.  Other than that, I was occupied with getting the last of the purple hull peas & speckled butter beans shelled.  The fall garden is not doing very well this year.  Our collard greens are pitiful looking, but the mustard and turnip greens seem to be okay. 

 

Well, I am going to take Lily Fey on her run, drop the kid off at school and get busy on those special "treats" for y'all.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Busy Weekend!

Good morning, dear readers!

Whew!  We had a busy weekend full of all sorts of things- family activities, general Autumn chores, and even a bit of tatting.

 

We had an unexpected visit from my great-uncle Jamie.  He likes to surprise us occasionally, but probably got more than he bargained for this time as he was roped into helping us get firewood cut, split and stacked for my parents.  It was good to see him again.  Still, every time I look into his bright blue eyes, I see my grandmother (his sister).  I miss her so very much!

 

The only tatting I did this weekend was with some cute little buttons and Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk.

 

 

I'm using "Golden Moss" Valdani silk in the image above.  This was the only image I could capture before my light was totally caput.  I'll get more images today of this piece when I complete it along with the others.  Here's a little hint:  there may be a couple of FREE patterns later this week!!!  Be sure to check back and see what I've got planned as a special Halloween treat for my readers.

 

Sunday afternoon late I went for a stroll in the Piney Woods behind the house.

 

 

These yellow mushrooms had popped up along the sides of my paths.  They are so pretty and bright.

And I found another "treasure" next to the old homeplace ruins.

 

 

I call this the "ruffle tree".  It looks like a frilly tiered lace skirt.

 

With the cooler temperatures, we enjoyed an evening fire outside and toasted marshmallows.  Lily Fey was a shameless marshmallow moocher!  Even after we put the bag up, she kept begging.

 

Today promises to be gorgeous and I hope to get lots of tatting done.   I do have a request to make of you, dear readers.  Please keep the folks in the path of Hurricane Sandy in your thoughts and prayers.  It looks as though they are in for a rough time of it.  May you have a wonderful day full of creativity.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Square Component, Part 2

Good morning, dear readers!

 

The re-doing is slowly starting to work out the way I envisioned it in my mind.  I hope to have some new pieces to share with you very soon!

 

I also did a bit more on the square component:

 

 

What should I add to the center?  Frothy, picot laden tatting or some pearls and beading?  Perhaps a vintage shell button?  What do you think?

 

I have also been working on the gorgeous Juliana brooch, but it is taking a while as it takes time to VERY carefully weave and pull through the silk thread to the various anchor points.  It is looking good, so far, and I hope to share the finished piece next week.  Let's hope it continues to tat up smoothly!

 

Well, I have got to get ready for the weekend.  We have a number of family activities/get-togethers going on and I doubt I'll get much tatting time in.  May you have a marvelous weekend and until next week~

Happy Tatting!

 

 



Square Component, Part One

Good morning, dear readers!

 

I got all my errands out of the way yesterday morning and spent the afternoon playing in the Atelier.

While I made little progress with the re-working of those pesky pieces, I did play with some of the square components I received from Fire Mountain Gems a few months back.  (Sometimes things sit in the Atelier for a bit before I get around to them!)

 

 

This is the very beginning of a "surprise" piece.  The thread I'm using is size 12 Valdani pearl cotton in color O 565 "Primitive White" along with 3mm "Powdered Almond" Swarovski pearls and antique beige Czech seed beads.  So, what do you think this will end up being?

 

Lily Fey is at the door, holding the leash in her mouth whilst staring at me.  I think she is letting me know it's time to go for a run in the woods.  Guess I'd better take care of that then get down to some serious tatting in the Atelier.  Hope you have a marvelous day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

 

 



Not Much

Good morning, dear readers.

 

Well, I sniped, clipped & re-tatted a couple of items and am simply not happy with them.  What was in my head did not work out in the actual tatting.  Guess it's back to the drawing board.

 

After running a few errands, I plan to work on a new tatting project before picking up the pieces that need re-touching.  Perhaps I'll have better luck today.  Well, I'm off to do my grocery store run.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Candy Apple Pendant

Good morning, dear readers!

I am feeling much better today- the allergies are under control for the moment.

 

It was absolutely gorgeous yesterday!  The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky.  Whilst I did manage to take a few images yesterday, I noticed that a couple of pieces would look better with some slight changes.  I can't help it- sometimes I look at a piece through the camera lens and see what I could do different to make it better and when that urge hits, I snip, clip & re-tat.  Oh well...  Anyway, here is an image of the finished Candy Apple pendant:

 

 

This pendant was tatted with Valdani Luxury Pearl SIlk in color S534 and is accented with bronze freshwater pearls and red volcano Swarovski bicones.  The colors of the silk made me think about the candy apples Jocie and I made last week.  They were yummy!

 

Here is a closer view of the pendant:

 

 

This morning I plan to finish re-doing the other pieces, take new images of them and hopefully have them ready to share tomorrow or Wednesday.  I am also working on another FREE pattern to share in the near future and am test tatting a couple of variations.  As you can tell, my tatting day is going to be very busy. 

 

Guess I'd better take Lily Fey on her run then head to the Atelier.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!