New Directions, new ideas...

On a trip to Spotlight I found these wonderful clear key tags designed, I think to put photos in. Since anything that can fit a photo can almost certainly fit a small tatted motif I instantly bought them and brought them home to experiment!

The results were actually really pleasing. This is the perfect vehicle to display my slightly bigger motifs in a way anyone can enjoy them without the pieces getting soiled. The only difficulty I have is finding a cutter or punch that will accommodation the 5cm diameter disc I need to give the motifs adequate backing. This 4cm cutter does for the minute but I think it would look so much better if it actually fit the recess. What do you think? A key tag with a unique piece of hand tatted lace preserved for your continued enjoyment with no fear of soiling or damage to fibres? Would you buy such an item? I hope so :)

  

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!!

:)

New Stuff in Shop

I've just put up some new stock on my Etsy shop. I've heaps more pendants to put up but this'll do for the moment. I've just resined up a heap more pendants so hopefully they'll be as pretty. I hope I get better at this. I always make such a mess! 

Wish me luck.

My Shop is Open and with Stuff to Sell!!

Yes indeedy! I finally got brave and started putting just a few of my things on there at a time. Still getting really pretty pics of my pendants but so far I've got about 5 knitted items and 1 tatted pendant up on my shop site.

These are the knits. I've only shown 1 set of mitts because I've got three of the same design but different colourways. Very cosy and easy fit!

 

I've got heaps more to put up! Since I'm such a compulsive knitter I have to get rid of some of it before me and my family get smothered under it all! So please come and have a look. You might find just the perfect gift for someone this christmas, be it a cosy knit of a piece of unique jewellery!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/danie17

Look forward to see you :)

Twinkle, twinkle, Little star...

..well, they do look kind of like that. I've finally got a group of pendant trays with a tatted motif embeded in resin all finished. Not 100% satisfied with it myself yet but I'm getting better!

The first group I did I didn't warm the resin first and there are tiny bubbles trapped in the resin not to mention I didn't coat the motifs in PVA glue to keep there colour from becoming washed out when the resin absorbed into it. And some of the background colours weren't the best choice for displaying the motifs either.

These ones are an excellent example of what not to do!

While this one, while beautifully clear...

...still has bubbles trapped in it. But at least I'm getting better at mixing the resin!

Now all I need to do is wait till I get the chains I've ordered off www.etsy.com (LOVE Etsy! I've gotten most of my supplies from there and have had excellent service so far!) and some more pendant trays. And then tat some more motifs, without getting bored doing the same ones over and over and over...

I have a relatively short attention span sometimes :)

Keep Happy!

Buttons, buttons everywhere!

I've been enjoying returning to cross stitch for a while and I got these self covering buttons with a cross stitch magazine I bought. Then I started thinking of the things I could put on them and I suddenly remembered the motifs I can make with tatting. A few pieces of calico, different colours of crochet cotton and a few shuttles and Viola! I have some of the cutest, most individual buttons you'll ever see !

Aren't they sweet? I wish I had heaps more but as you can see I've covered all the ones I have. Next time I'm in town I'm going to see if I can get more and some different sizes too. These are kind of big. With finer cotton I could cover quite small ones. So pretty, so unique! Sighhhh. I could just sit and look at them all day.
Anything that makes you smile should be encouraged, right?
Have fun :)