Silky Threads and Tatted Lace

Sounds alluring, doesn't it? Actually it's pretty pragmatic. I bought these absolutely gorgeous silk thread from a lovely shop on etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thecraftmagpie

Aren't they absolutely the most wonderful autumn tones you've ever seen??

Anyway, I'd always meant to try tatting with them since really lovely intense colours are ridiculously hard to find especially at the fineness I tend to want to use. These were a lot finer than what I usually tried but what the heck! I'd give it a shot!!

There is no way I am putting in any of the poor deformed attempt I tried before I got the combination of tension and looseness right. I snapped so many rings of tatting trying to draw the thread through that for months I didn't even look at the threads! But recently I had another go, having calmed down enough to look at it logically and know that while each knot needed to be complete it didn't need to have a death grip on the supporting thread because it simply wouldn't support the force needed to pull the thread through. And I'm pleased to say I succeeded!

Isn't it sweet?? The glass it's between is about 3cms square and the motif would fit comfortably on the pad of your thumb! Not to say it wasn't tricky to do. I had a couple of heart stopping moments when I broke the thread but fortunately I was able to rectify it fairly easily. But now I've had a success I might try this again. the possibilities, oh the possibilities!!

:)

Dusting off the shuttles!

I got a sudden urge to dust off the tatting shuttles and do a little tatting, especially since while knitting a pair of mits I poked one of the double pointed needles (2.75mm) through my left forefinger leaving it a little tender to knit with. But tatting has a whole different movement. I'm pretty happy with my latest work :)

The pattern is from an old pattern book I have of tatted edgings and such put out by Paragon. Mostly complex doilies with too many frills and bits for me but this was a lovely simple styled corner and really quite surprisingly simple and fast! I finished all four corners in about 3 days and that was by no means constant work either!

This is what they'll look like when I finially put them on anything. That could be another story altogether. I'm a shocker for finishing something and then leaving it without completing its essential purpose.
A case in point is the two edgings I had completed at least two years ago and then put away without putting the edges on to anything. I remedied that last weekend! Finally got out some material I had, hand edged the squares and then handsewed the edging on. Finally! All finished!!!

They look really pretty too. Such a shame it took me so long to finish them totally. Ah well. My fingers finally healed and I can start knitting again so putting down the shuttle for a little while but probably not as long as last time. Just keep it nearby...for when ever I poke a needle through my finger again
Keep happy :)