"But, really, why does anyone create? You feel a... a restlessness inside, a need to make something new, something no one has ever seen before. You want to add to the beauty and the richness of the world with a gift, an offering that is uniquely yours. It's an act of selfishness and generosity, all rolled into one."

-- Bruce Coville,
The Last Hunt

Thursday, April 1, 2010

It's Our Special Day!

Here's the tatting I'm wearing today:


It's a bracelet I made a couple of years ago, adapted from one of the cross patterns in Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns.

I completed the last bookmark this morning, before I even left the house.



This is the Flowery SCMR Bookmark by Jane Eborall. BTW, if you recently had trouble viewing Jane's pattern page with Internet Explorer, you'll be glad to know that the problem has been cleared up. This was a bit of a challenge to make, mainly because I do frontside/ backside tatting and it was tricky to keep track of which side I was on with all the SLT's. Yes, I know it doesn't really matter with a bookmark because both sides are visible, and the person I'm giving it to won't know the difference anyway, but I know and I care. Because I'm an anal retentive freak, that's why. Anyway, I got it done the way I wanted to. The only alteration I made was to change the orientation of the little flower at the end so that it could be done in one pass with the split ring tail. I had never thought to join a row of split rings the way Jane has you do here; it was a bit time-consuming, but it resulted in a much firmer piece of tatting.

I think this is a very pretty pattern. I did it in- surprise!- Lizbeth size 20, but I think it would be a lovely dainty edging if you did it in size 80. I was kind of disappointed that it got to bookmark-length just as I was getting the hang of it. It would be fun to keep going with it.

The thread colors are 621, Light Dusty Rose, and 681, Light Pistachio Green. Not what I would have chosen for myself, but perfect for the person I'm giving it to.

It being Tatting Day and all, I did do some tatting in a coffee shop this afternoon so that everyone could see it. Here's what I got done:



It's the start of the Spring Doily Number 2 by Vinnie. In size 80 thread, it's going to be more of a coaster than a doily, which was my intention. I need to do a bit of untatting now, because I've realized that that ring at the bottom requires another picot. I think I'll just unwind the shuttle and pull the core thread out; I'd much rather do that than pick out all those stitches.

Next on my list of Tatting Day activities: Get Chocolate!

6 comments:

  1. Hiya Miranda,
    This is the first time I have seen your blog. I didn't know it was out there in Tattingland. I have so much enjoyed looking and reading your blog. I have added it to my favorites so I will be checking your blog along with the others I look at.

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  2. Happy Tatting Day!
    You celebrated with some BEAUTIFUL tatting, I especially like your bracelet!
    :) Ann

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  3. Happy Tatting Day!

    I love that you sit in a coffee shop and tat - I do it all the time!

    That bracelet is very pretty. Good luck with the Spring Doily-2. I found it to be quite difficult, but I sure enjoyed doing it. I am going to do another before the skill flees!
    Fox : )

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  4. Hi, Belated happy tatting Day.
    Hope you had fun.
    Thanks for trying out the doily!
    Lovely colors!!
    I know what it feels like to retro-tat, I do it so often!
    My hands and fingers hurt more of getting the tatting UNdone rather than done!
    Good luck.
    Luv
    Vinnie

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  5. Your bracelet is lovely, and the bookmark tail is brilliant.
    I did that with the doiley too, the missing picot...twice...but I just forced that ring to have a picot!!

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  6. I think anal retentive freaks like us will rule the world one day....

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