Last Sunday, I got this mad idea that I needed to tat a cardinal. I searched online for a pattern and found nothing, so I asked on the Here-Be-Tatters list. Someone told me that there was one on the Palmetto Tat Days CD from this year. I ordered it and hoped it would get here fast, because this bird needed to go in a package that I was hoping to mail on Friday. Well, here it is Saturday, and no CD yet. It is the postal service's busy season, after all. It was still a good buy, because it sounds like there are several patterns on it that I'd be interested in. But I still needed that cardinal, and I couldn't wait any longer. Necessity being the mother of invention, I designed one myself.
There are a couple of little things I would tweak if I were to make it again, but overall, I'm quite happy with how it came out. Especially after the first draft, which I will never ever show anybody.
And here's why I so desperately needed a cardinal:
The pine needles and cones are from
Karey Solomon's book
Tatting Turns over a New Leaf. The branches are done in node stitch, but I wanted to give them an even more knobbly look, so I used a size 5 perle cotton (DMC color 938), and it came out just like I wanted. It turns out perle cotton isn't so bad to work with if you don't have to close any rings! The needles needed to be nice and crisp, so I went with Lizbeth size 40 (color 685, Evergreen Dark). The cones are done in
Tatskool's new color "Cloves" in size 80, and the bird is DMC size 80 in the appropriate colors. The great thing about satin ornaments is you can just pin the tatting to them.
Why is it that all cats have pica? I thought I had found a safe place to leave my tatting while it is blocking, but the other day Squijum jumped up on that shelf and jumped back down with a pin in his mouth. At least I was awake. I'll have to try on top of the fridge next; I don't think he's found his way up there yet.
EDIT, 3 years later: I now have links to all of my tatting patterns, including the cardinal, available
here.
Oh, that's sooooo good. I'm going to retire now.
ReplyDeleteit is lovely!
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely cardinal! The ornament is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love it. It is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
great work!
ReplyDeleteJane's comment had me in hysterics! I don't know if that is what she meant, the way I read it, but, what a good laugh!
ReplyDeleteBRILLIANT work, Miranda! I love the bird, the leaves, the way you have placed all on the bauble. That is the best thing I have seen in ages that is not just 'tatting', as in 'motif' or 'doily'. Love, love, love it.
Fox : )
You did a beautiful job with this gift. I know whoever receives it will be very pleased.
ReplyDeleteWell Good on you! I LOVE it! This is a fabulous pattern! You are a great designer!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking ornament! I love how you chose the different threads and it came out just right. Jane, you had better mean retiring now in the sense of going to bed. (snicker)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful Cardinal they are lovely birds and yours does them justice! That is a lovely bauble the recipient is sooooooo lucky.
ReplyDeleteBird is the word; a great Cardinal, and a lovely application on the Christmas decoration. I really like the pinecone and bough, too.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about cats and heights since I'm bringing home the baby Bengal kitten this week. I know Bengals are quite agile and can jump heights. Have spent a day clearing off clutter from dresser tops and so forth. Of course the first few days she will be confined to the lidded puppy pen; but, after that….wheeeeee Course she is only 3 months old.
Speaking of birds; I'm really hoping that kitty doesn't discover "Speedy" the house budgie…After all, Bengals are natural hunters and she is an F2 ~ which means two generations out from her wild ancestors.
So lovely! Great composition and design!
ReplyDeleteIt is refreshing to see something different on a ball!! Nice design work. How did you attach the tatting? We had 2 inches of snow last Friday and a Cardinal came for a visit. Yours looks pretty close!!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I just pinned the tatting to the ball. Those satin ornaments are just styrofoam underneath.
ReplyDeleteThe cardinal is wonderful and really sets of that snowy scene.
ReplyDeleteYour cardinal is great and the ornament is gorgeous! Lovely, lovely composition. Someone is very, very lucky to receive this!
ReplyDeleteI'm Miranda's father. Her mother and I were the recipients of the cardinal ornament. All I want to say is that it looks even better in reality than it does on the blog. Thank you again, Miranda! We love the things you make, and we love you.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Cardinal! May I have the pattern so I can make my cardinal crazy neighbor's birthday present?
ReplyDeleteC. Register
phylipa-retsiger@yahoo.com
To C. Register,
ReplyDeleteI tried to e-mail you privately, but I got a delivery failure notification. I haven't written down the pattern yet, although I am planning to at some point; I may make some minor changes when I do. How soon do you need it? You can e-mail me at luthien1 at comcast dot net.
Hi...I just love the bird and would love to have it hanging on my sliding glass door. I'm hoping that you might share the pattern...??? I'm not so good at figuring it out....thanks!
ReplyDelete