Thursday, October 10, 2013

More Halloween

Been making cats and bats but no things that go bump in the night (at least so far -- what IS it that goes bump in the night?).  They're all size 20, but that black stuff is thinner or something.  I think black dye eats part of the thread or compacts it. 
All the cats are Mark Myers' "Cat on a Broom" without the broom. It's a fun pattern, but I made the arched chain which forms the inside of the legs with double-double (or balanced double) stitches because I pull chains too tight and the legs of the first one I made don't arch, they circle!  {I just figured out that I'm doing half-double-double stitches, if that makes sense. I've been doubling the first half stitch, but not the second.  It worked for me, made the chain heavier and more stable, but it still curved instead of circled.} The orange cat was made with the what was left on the shuttles after making pumpkins, but I rather like it.
The bats are just something I thought about for a minute then tatted. After all, bats are a pretty basic shape if you just want simple ones. The first one is the one on the bottom.  After it was done, I decided the top of the wing needed more arch, so the next two have more stitches. They were also blocked and starched so the "fingers" and toes looked more claw-like instead of being rounded picots. My niece is afraid I am going to give them all away, and she wants one. I am going to give them away -- but, I'll make her one, as well.  If you want to make one, here's the pattern.  (Keep in mind, I DON'T write patterns, I did this without tatting it at the same time, and it's never been test tatted.  Hey, it's free -- you get what you pay for! -- Ahem, I have to amend that.  You get what you pay for when it's free from me.  You get much more than you pay for when it's free from really good pattern writers like Jane Eborall.  ;) )  
REALLY!  Goofy pattern.  I've removed it -- look at the next post, because I fixed it.

12 comments:

Miranda said...

Cats often do go bump in the night, actually. They like to run around bouncing off the walls and knocking things over at 3:00 in the morning.

I love the bats!

Martha said...

Thanks for the pattern! It looks quick and cute.

tattrldy said...

I know my cat sometimes go bump in the night - but not all the noises are the cat! So what they are, hmmm.
Yours do look good :-) Love the bats! I might even get a few done before Halloween!

Kathy Niklewicz said...

Very clever pattern - nicely presented! Thanks for sharing it!

Ladytats said...

I love your halloween tatting, very nice.
Thank you for the pattern.

Margarets designer cards said...

Looks a great pattern, thank you for sharing it.
Great cats, love the orange one.
Margaret

Jane Eborall said...

Love that comment - you get what you pay for when the pattern's free. Fabulous bat. Love him.

StringyDogs said...

Cute cats - orange ones can be scary, too!
Thank you for the bat pattern. It does look quick and perfect for the season.

linda said...

Thanks Marty, your talents are appreciated.
Linda

Unknown said...

OMGosh, I love the bats and mostly the cats. I think mice might go bump in the night if those kitties catch them.

Thank you so much for sharing your pattern!!!

I love your Halloween tatting and your niece is gonna be one lucky girl.

rainbows and raindrops said...

ooo so cute!

I love that it has "fingers".

Sharren - Tatting in Greenwood, South Carolina said...

I agree about the cats - they definitely go bump in the night!

I like half-double-double stitch, too - you get the stability of double-double, but don't use as much thread. I do the double part on the 2nd half of the stitch (easier for me that way).

Great bat pattern! Thank you for sharing!!