Looks Like Spring

Inspired by Fox's recent addition of tatting to finished brooches, I purchased this on Etsy.

It's lovely as it is, but everything needs a little tatting, doesn't it?

I knew it would need a very special thread, but as I looked through my HDT collection, I realized that any variegated or even ombre thread would be too distracting. However, LadyShuttleMaker's "Weeping Cherry" colorway did make me realize that a pink thread would go well with the blue. I'm not normally a pink person, so I probably wouldn't have thought of it otherwise. I decided that a solid color silk thread would be ideal for this piece, so I ordered one in pink and one in cranberry to see which I liked better-- see the previous post.

I ended up choosing the pink.

There is not a particular brand name on the thread, or if there is, it's printed only in Japanese. I ordered it from Superior Threads, which has a very nice selection of silk threads. This is the buttonhole silk #16; I found it tats up about like a size 40 cotton. It is color number 150, Pink Fluff.

I found the silk a little bit challenging to work with, but not too bad. I definitely had to slow down to keep my stitches even. The thread is so smooth and, well, silky, that the rings closed almost like magic; however, I did have to give each ring and extra little tug to make sure it was fully closed. I also found that this thread prefers slightly longer picots.

This is going to be for my mom, either for Christmas or her birthday, which is Dec. 26. I think it feels more like a birthday present than a Christmas present.

With its lilies of the valley and the soft colors, I think the brooch looks like spring. Now here's some winter stuff.

The scarf is about 1/3 of the way done.

My stitches are still not completely even, as you can see from the way the basket weave pattern is not always quite straight. I do think I'm improving, though.

The scarf is going to be a gift, but not necessarily for Christmas. As I was thinking about what to give various people, it occurred to me that I could make some hats. I think I'm ready to try knitting in the round. So I picked a couple of easy patterns from Knitting Pattern Central (Did you know there's also a Tatting Pattern Central?), and off I toddled to the yarn store.

This afternoon I shall get out my new circular needles and see what happens...