My Tatting Improvement List!

 Here is my Tatting Improvement list! I've decided that my New Years Resolution is to better myself in all things tatting. So I've compiled a bunch of patterns, techniques, and other tatting treasures to keep me busy during the coming year! I don't really have set a deadline, because I don't really want to rush through this. Tatting a snowflake a day for a month was challenging enough for a while! ; ) 

So here is the list of what I would like to accomplish as a tatter:

• Learn to needle tat with proficiency. I've always admired needle tatting. I have a set of 3 or 4 needles of various sizes that are just begging to be used. I think I'll tat some of Mary Konior patterns from her Visual Tatting. book (one of my absolute favorites!) while I learn. Her patterns are fantastic and range from simple to challenging.
• INTERLOCKING RINGS! The Piney Woods Tatter and Le Blog de Frivole both have posted in the past about interlocking rings and I became so inspired that I want to learn this trick! Even Jon at Tat-a-Randa gave it a try. The goal is to tat them with shuttles and needles.
• Give beads a chance...In this goal I'd like to tat a large doily with beads throughout. Fox added just a few beads to her Lace Mat and I love the look that it made.
• Continue to teach tatting...  I incorporated tatting into quite a few of my college projects but I would like to continue to teach others about tatting and how to tat.  I have some opportunities coming up in the future to teach some classes and my Mom and I have talked about having some of our friends over for 'Stitching Days,' where we all just come and work on our projects from knitting, crochet, to tatting. 
• Finish one Hankie and Start Another one... I have one hankie that has been sitting in my tatting bag, unfinished for far too long. I plan to finish that one and start another. My mom gave me a white, cotton hankie with pre-made holes from HandyHands for my birthday and I have yet to add any tatting to it. I have a few colors in mind, but haven't decided on a pattern yet. 
• Tat through the book 'Oh My Stars' This is such a great book by Kaye B. Judt that I'd like to learn all the techniques that she teaches. 

As projects get finished and new things come up, I may add to this list through the year, but I have a feeling that this will keep me pretty busy! The LONG TERM deadline is my birthday of 2014, so that's pretty far off. I'm not into rushing this; the whole idea started when I had blogged about the Tatter's Across Time proficiency program. We'll see what the New Year brings!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Tatting Christmas Presents!

 Christmas Day Snowflake - #23

 From a new tatting book I got for Christmas! I was so busy yesterday I forgot to blog about it!

Christmas Angels & other Tatting Projects by Monica Hahn

 Pattern called 'Knobby Snowflake'

Tatted in Lizbeth Snow White and Wedgewood Light, size 20

This is the last snowflake for me in the December Snowflake Challenge. I really enjoyed trying to tat at least one little snowflake each day. I'm going to have to try that challenge again; perhaps with another theme like flower or star motifs during the summer. My totals were 23 snowflakes in 25 days and I'm pretty happy with that because it was a busy December! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas Day!

Speaking of Christmas......

Tatted presents where found under the tree yesterday! I also received Marilee Rockley's Tatted Jewelry book! I am excited to try some of her gorgeous patterns. I have a bunch of thread still left over on my shuttles from tatting snowflakes all month so I think I'll make some of her smaller earring and motif patterns.

These little presents are for a new hobby of mine - Needle felting! I took a needle felted hat class at Esther's Place Fiber Art Studio last month and was totally hooked! My sister got me felting needles with a wooden tool and my mom got me a beautiful pin cushion! I made the little owl yesterday from some wool left over from my hat- so fun!

Hope everyone has a lovely evening!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! 

 I hope you all are enjoying the day and are surrounded by family, friends, and the ones you love!

 Love from Illinois,

 

Snowflake #22

Snowflake #22
Foster snowflake
tatted in Lizbeth Wedgewood Light, size 20

 Tatted this tiny snowflake in one pass! Gotta love split chains and split rings! The snowflake count, as of this morning, is 22 flakes in 24 days! Not too shabby for being so busy & working on top of that. 

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve everyone!

 

Snowflake #21

 Got another one done today! Here is #21

 Pattern called 'Trefoil Snowflake' from the book

Tatted Snowflakes by Vida Sunderman.

 Tatted  in Lizbeth wedgewood light, size 20

 

 

 Quick and simple! Diane, this pattern would look great if you tatted it with a doodad!

We are coming up on Christmas right quick! This has been such a fun challenge for me to tat a little something everyday. Be sure to check out Diane and Margarets snowflakes! There's a whole blizzard about our blogs!

 Enjoy!

 

Snowflake #20

 Yesterday was a flurry of work and getting over a head cold so I didn't finish a snowflake. But I did find a blog post after linking around Jon's pattern page. The website is called Tatting Treasures. She did a great blog post on some quick and easy snowflakes. So I picked a couple patterns to finish tatting today.

 Snowflake #20

'Star of Edda Schneider'

 Tatted in Lizbeth White, size 20

The pattern is in Italian so I plugged it in to GoogleTranslate and VOILA!

I like how intricate this pattern is : )

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!!! Have a great evening everyone!

 

Snowflake #19

Snowflake #19

Pattern called 'Spoke Snowflake' from the book Tatted Snowflakes by Vida Sunderman.
Lizbeth white thread size 20

 I rather like this pattern! It was pretty simple & I think it would look good in two colors : )

Until tomorrow!

Snowflake #18

 

 Snowflake #18!!

Tatted in Lizbeth Snow White, with clear and aqua beads

Here she is! From the same book as #17 called Tatted Snowflakes, is the 'Double Star Snowflake!'

 A star within a snowflake!

Here is a picture of the center star with clear beads:

 

 Then the second round I added light blue beads:

 It was my mom's idea to do the final round in a different bead color and I LOVE IT! 

We are in the midst of a very windy snowstorm. The snow has stopped falling and is now blowing all over kingdom come! We only got an inch, just enough to make the landscape look like Christmas time! We are very blessed to have power at the moment. There are a lot of local people in neighboring cities without power and it's supposed to be pretty cold for the next few days. We'll keep them in our prayers and everyone else in the path of this big storm!

Only 5 more days until Christmas!!! Good night everyone!

 

Snowflake #17

Tatting with a kitty this morning. It's warm inside and out of the rain. This is Levi - our big cat that is such a sweetheart! He's huge, but has such a gentle soul. He loves to crawl into our laps during the winter and snuggle. And I tell ya, when this fella purrs, the whole chair vibrates.

He helped me tat this little star snowflake this morning! I'm working on another one in that turquoise blue and white! Maybe a few beads will be added too!

  Snowflake #17

Pattern called 'Glittering Snowflake' from the book Tatted Snowflakes by Vida Sunderman.

 Tatted  in Lizbeth white, size 20

 Blessings to you this Thursday afternoon!

 

Snowflake #16

Snowflake #16!! 

Pattern from Jon called Featherline Snowflake.

This was a great little challenge because the six center 'rings' are all Self-Closing Mock Rings with a Floating ring in the middle of each SCMR. The outer round is tatted with two shuttles as well. Great pattern to practice some more challenge techniques! I kind of like the vibrant blue with the white; it makes for a bold statement. Maybe some clear beads on the outer round would jazz it up a bit?? : )

Tatted in Lizbeth White and Ocean Turquoise Light, both in size 20

We are expecting a pretty big snowstorm to hit northern Illinois with in the next 24 hours, so there will be a blizzard outside... AND INSIDE! I plan on making quite a few snowflakes over the next two days to catch up. 

Have a great evening! Love from the Midwest,

 

Snowflake #15

 Snowflake #15

From the Book Easy Tatting by Rozella F. Linden
Tatted in Lizbeth white, size 20, with gold beads 

  Margaret had tatted this snowflake and posted it on her BLOG and since I have that book I decided to make one too!

 

 

Snowflake #14

 Snowflake #14!!

 This snowflake is called Rose Window from Jon's Snowflake Pattern page. I think that this is my favorite snowflake so far in this challenge! I loved the idea of joining to every other picot in the center ring. Tatted in Lizbeth White with small gold beads.

I think the gold beads gives this little snowflake an elegant look.

Tuesdays are my day off of work so there will be more beads on snowflakes tomorrow!

Have a good night everyone!

 

Snowflake #13 and a friend

Snowflake #13!!

This is a pattern from Jon's Pattern Page! She has a whole page devoted to Snowflake Patterns!

The one below is called Quantiesque and has a neat Celtic center so I decided to highlight that and change the color. It has an icy look to it. Tomorrow's pattern will be from her page as well! : )

And look who stopped by!!!! A little Reindeer friend from Jane Eborall's page!! What a cute little pattern. He's only about the size of a quarter but it was fun to take a break from snowflakes and tat this little guy!

Oh and here is the best news of all.... We are forecasted to get a snowstorm on Thursday! It's been such a warm December so far that we are ready for some white around here!

Have a great evening everyone!

 

Snowflake #12

 Snowflake #12

Pattern is Kira's Star

tatted in Wedgewood light, size 20

 

 

Snowflake #11

Snowflake #11

Foster snowflake with larger beads

Tatted in Lizbeth size 20

I tried to be more consistent with the spaces between the rings. I really like the look of this snowflake : )

 

It's been quite a busy day! I'm beat! Time for bed!

 

Snowflake #10

 Here is snowflake #10! The pattern is from the Piney Woods Tatter. She posted a FREE pattern of a beautiful snowflake and will be posting more rounds in the next few days! I can't wait to see what she adds onto this pattern; her work is beautiful so I know it will be lovely!

 Tatted in Lizbeth White size 20 with aqua beads

Piney Woods Tatter Snowflake Pattern

Have a great evening everyone!

 

Snowflake #9 and a Mystery

Snowflake #9

 Pictured above is Snowflake #9. She is tatted in lovely Lizbeth White, size 20 and is from Barbara Foster's Snowflake book. I tatted this one during a movie so I wasn't very consistent with the spaces between the rings. Time to get out the picot gauge!!! This would look really pretty with Le Blog de Frivole's Ice Queen technique; using straight beads on the long spaces! I'm going to have to get me some of those beads and give it a try! Be sure to take a look at her beautiful snowflake!!

 **********************************************************************************************

 Now for a change in topic.....

 OK, there is a debate going on in the house! Is this motif below, considered a snowflake? What do you think? I'll name the bottom once YOU dear readers have decided. Vote by leaving a comment. I say it looks like a snow crystal.... What do you think?

Is it considered a Snowflake???

 I'm looking forward to what everyone thinks of this one!

Update! This little guy has been voted as a crystal! Thanks everyone!

 

Snowflake #8

 Here is Snowflake #8! 

I had a bunch of extra size 10 thread left over on a shuttle so I decided to use it up! 

Here is one of Diane's most popular patters: Kira's Star! This was a great pattern to take to work and tat during my lunch break! There will definitely be more of this little star (with beads!) in the future!

Here is the Home Page for Birgit's Tatting Patterns. There are some terrific patterns here!

I included a shuttle in this picture for size comparison :)

 Tomorrow is my day off and I plan on tatting up a little snowstorm! Beads on Tuesday! Hurray!

 

Snowflake #7

Snowflake #7

 Foster snowflake in Lizbeth White size 40

 I like this pattern a lot! I'll probably add some beads to the next re-make!

Diane had a great idea to add a doodad to the center and I'm thinking that that is a FABULOUS idea! ;)

Be sure to check Diane and Margarets blogs for their snowflake a day challenge!

Until the next snowflakes hops off my shuttles!!!

 Have a great week everyone!

 

Snowflake #6

Snowflake #6 - I know it's not a typical snowflake color, but this is my FAVORITE color thread :)

Tatted in Omega thread, light green, size 30. I used split rings to climb out of the inner round! I'm getting the hang of split chains and rings! They are pretty handy and save a ton of time!

From the book Tatting Patterns & Designs by Blomqvist and Persson. Great pattern book, by the way!

 Hope everyone had a great day!

 

Snowflake #5

Snowflake #5!

Wedgewood Light, Lizbeth Size 20.

 Barbara Foster Snowflake from Snowflakes and Festive Ornaments

I like how this one really looks like a little ice crystal!

 

Snowflakes #3 & #4

Since my first snowflake in this challenge took two days to complete, I made two today so I have four snowflakes on the 4th of December. I had the day off and spent it outside doing horse chores (and riding too!) and tatting this evening.

These are both Mary Konior patterns. The blue is called 'Carnivale' and the green is called 'Posy.' I know the green one isn't very snowflake-like, but with the red beads I was going for a holly-wreath motif. I'll probably put a little red ribbon on it to make the motif look more like a wreath. It still has enough of a Christmas theme to make it into the 'Snowflake-a-day' challenge : ) I've never tatted the blue pattern before and I like the shape of this motif! I may join more of these together and make a mat down the road.

There are now three of us tatting snowflakes through December. Margaret joined Diane and I today! Yippe!

It is fun to tat the same things that other gals are all over the world! I enjoyed the Lace Mat Tat-a-long that Jon did and it's fun to have a common theme amongst other bloggers.

Until next time!