Creating UFOs

UFOs -- alien invasion! No, just bits and pieces, bits and pieces -- me not quite getting there on a bunch of things. I'm determined to use up that horrid yellow DMC Cébélia size 30 thread, so I use it to test things. These are two tests of Iris Niebach's "Anemone Apennina" from her book Fantasia 2. The first time I didn't have the book with me when I got around to the second side of the triangle, and totally went the wrong direction. In attempting to undo it, I discovered that I'd gotten myself tangled up so far back I'd be unpicking until doomsday. I started over, but this isn't quite right either -- too many repeats of one set of 11 ds. At least I matched the error on the other side. Weasels. Now I know how it works and have a better feel for it. I'm very nearly ready to pick something other than yellow to get started on this again. Maybe.

Well, maybe not. I did Diane Saunders' TIAS next, so I still had a lot of peach thread wound on my shuttle, but not enough to complete something so large. From the same Fantasia 2 I picked a small motif named "Lunaria" (pretty name, right?). I'd just gotten it started when my sister and I got the wild idea to spend Easter in Las Vegas (also known as Lost Wages). Not wanting to haul my precious, personally signed, book with me. I left this behind, and started on something else -- something I wouldn't care if I lost. I made a paper copy of my own Bonnie's Butterfly and folded it into a plastic baggie to travel in my purse on the plane. Of course, I had to take my niece's little round-nosed scissors and leave my own stork scissors and size 16 crochet hook in their leather case in my suitcase. I didn't want the airlines thinking I might take over the plane with a crochet hook and a pair of embroidery scissors -- oh, and my shoes. I am a rather dangerous looking character, you know.















So much for that -- I didn't finish those either. It turned into "those" because I couldn't follow my own directions! I missed a join on the blue butterfly and, in disgust pulled it off the shuttles (Aero-style with that nice indignant sounding zzzzing!). "Crap," I thought (not being in a particularly elegant frame of mind). I wound on some nice pinkish thread and started over. Well, double crap. I didn't bring my paperclip. I managed to make a thick thread place-holder with some of the blue, but when I removed it to do the first join, I couldn't find the opening -- not thick enough. I had to put it away until the plane landed and we were checked into our hotel. I really needed that size 16 hook! Everything was working along fine, and I got asked what in the world I was making a few times in Las Vegas (because I took it around in my hip-pack for waiting times). However, I didn't make a lot of progress until we got back on the plane. Weezilbix -- I forgot the wretched paperclip again! I made the thread holder thicker. It worked the first time, but at the point you see it now, it somehow became entangled in the working threads. More putting things away in disgust. Between these false starts and way to much work at work my tatting has fizzled to a halt. Sigh.

Diane M. Saunders TIAS

There, see? I did do it. It just took me forever and a week to get it scanned.
At the beginning, I couldn't imagine what it was going to be, after all, round could be the start of so many things. After the first point, I was thinking, "Maybe a cat?" That second point didn't discourage me too much, but no cat I know has three ears! Maybe a Queen. Oh, wait -- we're done. So much for my clairvoyance -- or possibly even brain. But -- how perfect for spring, a nice tulip! I need a whole garden of these to counter-act the effects of the snow we've had in the last week. That's not very Spring-like of Mother Nature!
I worked the pattern in DMC size 80 tatting cotton in a subtle peach, then used up a bit of green ombre I happened to have to make the split-ring stem. It turned out larger than I expected, at it's widest points it's about 1.5 x 1.25 inches (3.8 x 3.2 cm) not counting the stem, of course.
I was thinking maybe I needed to figure out how to add a couple of leaves, but -- ratsmiceandchickenfeet -- I can't find my round tuit!

Bonnie's Butterfly - Version 2

Another one. This is the water-skeeter looking butterfly, and I like it anyway. As before, I'll post a .pdf version of this .jpg at Here-Be-Tatters and ETatters.

Bonnie's Butterfly - Version 1

This really is just a diagram for version 1 of Bonnie's Butterfly. It works the way my brain works (so those of you with working brains might have trouble actually following it's ...um... logic). The "paperclip" notations are where I put a paperclip between stitches on the chain to leave a space to pull down a bit of thread for joining the later-made ring. As with the other diagrams, I'll post a .pdf version of this one on Here-Be-Tatters and ETatters.

Instead of tatting...

This is what I've been doing lately...knitting. I make do, but am not a pro by any means. My mom gave me 14 ounces of knitting worsted (7 of each color) and asked if I could make a hat for her great-granddaughter (who is turning one this month). Yeah, I could do that -- after all, the kid made me a great aunt (not that I wasn't already pretty darn good, you know).
I made the hat on the right from a pattern book called "For All My Children." (I think someone in the publishing house must have been hooked on 1970s soap-opera.) There was so much yarn left I made the hat on the left. There was still a bunch left, so I made the little poncho (from the same book). STILL more yarn! I was talking to my dad who said maybe I could just make a pair of mittens. Right. I made up the pattern for those. Thank goodness really little kids don't need thumbs in their mittens. You know -- I've still got some yarn left. Maybe I could...nah...I think I'll just give it back...

Allix's Butterfly, version 2

The second version requires a knowledge of crochet chains (fortunately, those are not difficult) to make the antennae. The lovely thing about that is there are NO threads to hide -- they're right there in plain sight with a little knot in the end. See, I think all antennae should have knotty-looking ends. The only real difference is the starting point at the body ring and those crocheted antennae at the end. I still like this one.

Butterfly Pattern Three

The first version of Allix's Butterfly starts with the antennae and makes a leap of faith across the head to work the second wing. The magic threads didn't work so well in the sample and it appears somewhat pulled apart between body and head. I managed to sneak this one past my youngest niece, as it does NOT comply with her rule: "head, thorax abdomen...insects have three body parts." Even so, it's one of my favorites.

Like the others, I'll post a .pdf version of this .jpg at ETatters and in the pattern files of Here-Be-Tatters.

Oops. I've been informed that when the pattern prints the sequence numbers, stitch counts and instructional notes are too tiny to read. I've redone the pattern, and hope the crowded numbers are not too confusing.

Pattern for Version 2 of Butterfly One

Because I'm working my fingers to the bone (and only getting bony fingers to show for it), I don't have a lot of new tatting to show off. Seems like a good time to go back to sharing those butterfly patterns I've got. This one is substantially the same as the original version. Instead of being built on an internal split ring, it is built on a chain that is joined together at the end. Hmmm -- it might work as a SCMR, I never even thought to try that. This has not been test tatted by anyone -- it's just my notes on "How I did It" (makes me feel like Viktor Frankenstein).
If this .jpg doesn't work for you and you are a member of Here-Be-Tatters or ETatters I'm posting a .pdf version on those sites.

Fantasia, Too

Margerite is such a delightful pattern, I had to do it twice! The first one is DMC size 80 tatting thread in a purple ombre. I like the way it turned out. It's all done without breaking the thread. Wound as continuous thread on the shuttles, that means only two thread ends to hide -- and the magic threads worked. It didn't need much blocking either. These both measure just over 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter at the widest point.
The second one I did in two solid colors, so there were thread ends to tat over at the beginning. I used one DMC size 80 tatting thread in lavender and one in turquoise. The turquoise was pretty old. it held up well until right at the end, then it broke before the final round of chains and once again in the middle of the final chain row. Lots of ends to hide and no convenient magic threads. I found a needle that would go through the work and did manage to get it hidden under the "waistbands." It was still disappointing to have that happen, but I don't think it shows.

Fantastic Fantasia!

I've been exploring Iris Niebach's Fantasia -- slowly. That is, I've been working the patterns in the order they appear in the book. This is "Trifoglio" in pastel Coats hand-quilting thread. It is a bit tight and doesn't show the really lovely hearts in the original pattern or the pretty negative spaces. I need to use a different thread and relax! It measures about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. I keep thinking I need to find some clear coasters to encapsulate these little doilies. Then I could take them to work and horrify the boss. The firm I work for moved into a remodeled Victorian mansion. The outside is on the Historic Register, but the inside has been modernized. The boss wants it kept all modern. I think I should cover my desk in doilies (under the glass) and use doily coasters. It would make me happy!

The second one is "Stella alpina" which I worked in Coats variegated "southwest" colored machine quilting thread. The pattern is great and fun to work. I'm disappointed in the colors, though. I like brighter colors and don't care too much for all the orange in this one. It's just a bit smaller than 'Trifoglio", being only about 3.5 inches (9 cm) in diameter at it's widest point.