Bookmarks

I'm a bit late sharing this pattern, I should have had it on my website at the end of March, but I'd bought a new computer and have been a tad busy so haven't had time to learn how to 'drive' it. Mostly it's just getting used to the new look on the screen but I'm having to check that the links on my website aren't broken.

I created this very easy cross bookmark pattern for my tatting groups to work on in March. The straight version is for the beginners who might have a problem turning the corners to work the 'branches' of the cross. If you'd like the patterns they're on my website (click on' Cariad Tatting' on the left). The straight version is called 'Bookmark 1'.

Sponsored skydive

I know this has nothing to do with tatting but this is my 16 year old grandson, Matthew, two weeks ago on his first skydive. He has been wanting to do this for a few years but had to wait until he was old enough. He is raising money for the National Autistic Society and, even though you can't see it in this photograph, he is wearing a T shirt showing the logo.
Matthew knows more about autism than other youngsters of his age because his younger brother, Simon, is autistic.
I am very proud of Matthew but wish he'd do something less scary.

Oops!

The link isn't working properly for February's pattern so if you would like it click on 'Cariad Tatting' on the left and you'll find it on my website under 'Patterns'. It's called ' 'Marion' - a coaster.

February's Pattern

This month we did an easy pattern. In a size 20 or 10 thread it can be used as a coaster or small mat.If you make things for dolls' house dolls it is perfect for a table centre if you work it in a silk sewing thread. The pattern can be found here http://www.cariad-tatting.co.uk.coaster25.pdf/

More 'playing'...

For the necklace the picots on the chains were replaced with seed beads. I don't wear earrings myself but these will go with the necklace to make a 'set'. For the pendant on the right I used a 5/8th inch (15 mm) round bead with a diamante finish to add a bit more bling.

Sequins or beads

This is what I did with my ladies this month. It's a flower motif and
we called it 5 + 5 = 10, the pattern is on my website.


I wondered what it would look like if replaced the sequin with a large bead. The beads measure 3/4 inch (18 mm) in diameter and a little over 1/8th inch (4 mm) thick. Firstly I needed 6 pattern repeats (that is 6 rings on each side) and I made the chains a tad shorter (2, p, 2, p, 2, p, 2) for a snugger fit.

Christmas and variations on a theme

I spent a few weeks over Christmas with my daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in London. Continuing their family tradition, we went to the pantomime in Richmond on 23rd December and on Christmas Eve we saw the show "Jersey Boys" then dined at a restaurant at Piccadilly Circus, returning home in time to put out a mince pie and drink for Father Christmas - and a carrot for Rudolf, before a very tired Sam went to bed.
There were eight of us round the table for dinner on Christmas Day. Their cat, Charlie, felt left out and as soon as anyone left the table to fetch something - or to top up the wine glasses, he curled up on their chair. Laura felt sorry for him so put another seat just off to the side for him. It worked because he was quite happy after that.
I wasn't expecting to have much time to tat while I was away so I didn't take my usual selection of threads and beads with me, just a ball of white thread and some silver beads. As a relaxation one evening I thought I'd play with the Snow Flower pattern and see how many variations I could come up with keeping the same stitch count but using different methods for adding the beads.

The motif in the centre is the Snow Flower and only in the motif on the top right have I changed the stitch count. This motif has beads added at the centre of the rings and on the picots between the joins on the rings, and from the ball and shuttle threads on the chains.

The motif on the bottom right - all the beads on the rings were added on picots as the rings were worked, then joins were made to adjacent rings, to one side of the bead, as they were worked. The beads on the chains are singly on the first and last two picots and in groups of three on dropped/downward picots half way along the chains.

In the motif on the top left the beads on the rings are added to the picots as the rings were worked then the adjacent rings were joined to one side of the bead (as in the motif on the bottom right). The beads on the chains are long picots holding 10 beads and a join was made between the beads with three beads on the 'inner' side and 7 on the 'outer' side.

In the motif on the bottom left the beads in the centre of the rings were added in the dropped/downward picots. The chains were worked in 'sets' and one, or three, beads were brought up from the ball thread after each 'run'.

I haven't had time to write out full instructions for working these variations but might one day.