Fifteenth Motif

There. Something smaller -- but with the same thread as used on the Stawasz square doily. These little earrings just used up what was left on the shuttles. This is a pattern I made up, but the elements and even the configuration are pretty common. The beads are iridescent blue seed beads and the hooks are nylon. I like threading matching beads on the hooks -- they integrate better. I also think putting the hooks on the chain instead of on a picot makes them more durable. There are advantages to the nylon hooks: (1) nobody's usually allergic to them, (2) they don't have an opening enabling the motif to slip off and get lost and, best of all, (3) if an earring gets grabbed the nylon hook straightens, slips out and snaps back into shape (no torn ears or ruined earrings).

Fourteenth Motif

Motif? Yeah, I'm counting it. This is the square doily from Jan Stawasz' Tatting, Theory and Patterns. It's not difficult to tat -- most of it is simple rings and chains. It's his use of negative space I find so beautiful. I didn't do it in the size 20 thread he recommends, and I didn't use his method (which essentially is front side / back side tatting), but I think it turned out nicely. This one is again made with two threads wound on each shuttle (getting addicted to that!): one thread of Coats hand quilting cotton thread in variegated pastel shades and one thread of Signature polyester machine embroidery thread in variegated bright shades. It makes the pastels brighter with just a bit of sheen here and there. The cotton thread gave the polyester enough support for it not to fray. Now that that's done, I guess I'll try some smaller things next.