A question for lacemakers....

A friend of mine has a beautiful wedding gown from her marriage nearly 49 years ago!  Unfortunately, a mouse got into the storage bag at some point.  Since I know that some of you out there are absolutely lace geniuses, I was wondering if any of you could tell me if there's any chance of repairing it in any way --or if you know where she could turn to have it repaired.

Please, let me know if you can help at all!  THANK YOU!!!  

(If you need any further details, please, just ask and I'll be happy to ask her.  Thank you!!!)

Love, Hugs, and a Million Thanks,
Stephanie Grace

Bad Mojo?

I gave the heart another go today... Cut off six yards of Twilight HDT, grabbed a ball of black and a needle and went for it... 

Y

Yup... you got it!  It did it to me AGAIN!  I spent around half of an hour trying to get out a knot with a size 14 crochet hook and sheer determination and... SNAP!  *cries*  I just needed to close that ring, do a chain, one more ring, on more chain and it would've been done!  I was... 24 ds away from completion.  

After that, I decided I'd just make a simple all-rings flower with what was left of the cut thread... Second ring and, BAM! Knot.  Tried and tried and tried and... Snap.  

I think the thread hates me!  I wonder if maybe I'm creating some kind of bad mojo when I pick it up because my thoughts go to "Twilight" the movie and I instantly want to roll my eyes.  Horrible trash in my opinion...  

The Twilight Karma Gods are definitely out to get me via that wonderful thread...  So sad... *pouts*

To make up for this (and a whole lot more), I was able to click "order" on my Amazon cart tonight... and did the one-month trial of Prime for the free two day shipping... FOUR new tatting books are heading my way! *squeals*  One includes a DVD so that, hopefully, I'll finally be able to get the shuttles to cooperate with me so I can do needle or shuttle depending on the pattern.  :-D  ...and some new tatting needles, of course!  (I'm starting to learn that I'm just as hard on them as I am on cell phones...).  

Hopefully, everything will go as planned and everything will be here on Friday.  ...If that happens, maybe I'll finish the bell I started way back so I can truly "ring" in the new with tatting. ;-)

Peace, Love, and lots and thread,
Stephanie Grace
P.S.  That reminds me... I need new threads.  I realized that I don't have any blues which is just..blasphemy.  So, what are YOUR favorite threads and/or brands?

Twlight HDT = trouble for December 28th...

Since I saw this thread ("Twilight" from trappedinabead.com), I've been trying to think of a perfect pattern for it... Well, last night I decided that I just *had* to try it with the heart pattern... So, I tried that today.  I was goin' strong, then, BAM! I realize that I added an extra ring.  Of course, I kept going then the thread knotted and I just gave up (the result is on the bottom of the picture below).

But, I didn't want to waste the thread, so I "emptied my needle" with a cute li'l motif that proved, yeah, I like this thread with black.  :-D  I've got a few ideas for the plain-looking motif, but we'll see what happens.  My main focus is finishing something that was meant to be done for Christmas. *blushes*  

Love and hugs,
Stephanie Grace

Hearts, Hearts, Hearts...

I don't know how I got so hooked on these.  LOL.  (It seems like that's how a majority of my tatting happens; I find a little pattern and just keep doing it over and over and over and then I move on to the next one and... same things. LOL).  

The one on top is DMC Cebelia, Size 30, in Victorian Rose (223) and Ivory (712).  I also used "Rose Glow" beads (size 11/0) from Running Springs Beads.  To add the beads, I changed the first chain to B3p4B3 and the last to 3B4j(through bead)3B; All other chains I changed to 3B4B3.

The one with the green border was done with two HDTs from trappedinabead.com which is apparently no longer available. *cries* Remind me to e-mail the woman and make sure that she's okay...

The pink-bordered heart was done with LizBeth, size 20, in Denim Whisper (from an exchange... yay!!!) and Dust Rose Lt. 

Now, I just have to figure out what to do with all these hearts! *laughs*

Well, hope you all had a wonderful day --and, if you in my neck of the woods, had a great cup of hot cocoa while watching people shovel! ;-)

With love and hugs,
Stephanie Grace

Merry Christmas!

Sure, I'm a few days late, but Happy Holidays to you all!  :-*  I hope that you all had wonderful holidays and got everything you wanted! :-*

I finally got the snow that I wanted yesterday into today.  We're in the 20-30 inch area.  :-D  The winds are scary, but the snow is so pretty!  (Thank goodness I don't have to go outside for any reason, LOL... Pretty to see, not so pretty be out in).

So, while today was supposed to be dedicated to playing catch up at writing.com, I'm thinking that this day calls for my comfy blanky, a cup of hot cocoa (or tea if I don't have the kind of cocoa I'm wanting, LOL), and some tatting.  :-D  Now, let's just hope there's a good movie on demand or something so I can really have a nice, quiet, peaceful day (until Hubby gets back...). 

Well, that's about all for now.  Oh...wait... There are a few things that I could post so that y'all see I haven't been completely idle lately...

The hearts are L'il Heart by Brigit Phelps.
The wreaths are from... I don't remember.  Handy Hands page maybe?  Finally, the "flowers" are from the book "Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns" by Monica Hahn, though I know the pattern was actually originally by someone else (too lazy to go look though...).

Love and hugs to you all,
Stephanie Grace

No Tatting To Show... :-(

So, no, there's nothing to speak of in the way of me tatting... Well, there are tiny things, but nothing that I know I can mention...  There may be a multi-medium project coming shortly with tatting though... ;-)

I have not been idle, though... I've been working on rediscovering my love of clay.  For the last few days, I've been making thing and after with clay... I'm fairly certain that knowing the exact number of petals I've done would make me sick, LOL.  I'm hoping to keep at it and improve and get to where I was a few years ago so that, maybe, I can see a pendant or something someday... Someday....

Here are two of the creations... There's plenty more, LOL, and plenty more to be finished and even more to be made...

This one is baked, painted, and on a black leather cord necklace.  Just needs a quick coat of finish, but I can't do that here, so it's got to wait until Wednesday...

Here's one without painting, straight from the oven:

 

 Same one, after painting... Again, still needs a coat of finish.

There is a lot more for me to do, but I wanted to check in... Any thoughts or tips??

Love and Miss you all,

Stephanie Grace 

R.I.P. Aunt Grace

I haven't felt ready to post this, but I realize that I'm neglecting my blog again... I'm going to make this brief and I will, hopefully, post again tomorrow or later this week.  Here's why I haven't been here:

Saturday, October 23, Aunt Grace turned 71.

Tuesday, October 26th, she went in for stents.  Things, well... let's just say things went horribly wrong.

Grace passed away on Saturday, October 30th.  

I'm still not over it, but I'm healing.  I wish I had put that bear together for her... I wish I still had time to teach her to tat like she wanted me to.  I wish I could give her one more hug or call her one more time.  I love you, Aunt Grace.

-Stephanie Grace

Has it really been THAT long???

I'm still here... well, I will be.  ;-)

I haven't been tatting.  I realized how much other things were getting backed up and somehow got lost in all of that...

On the upside, the major distraction was a writing contest at writing.com (My home for the last going-on seven years...).  It was a multi-round contest that ran from September 13th to October 2... The good news:  I took third overall and first in the poetry category!  :-D  I was shocked beyond shocked!  I've NEVER finished a multi-round contest and never in a million years did I think I would place for anything --especially not overall!  :-D

Now that the contest is over, I'm planning on getting on track.  I need to make a plan so that I can tat, write, and read everyday.  Wish me luck with that!

Well, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and that I have intention of coming back full force ASAP.  

I've miss you all very much; how is everything, my darlings??? Great, I hope!

-Stephanie Grace

Happy Labor Day! What a weekend!

First of all, I would like to thank Susan and Wanda for the wonderful exchanges!  I meant to scan everything once I got my end out but, well, I never seem to get anything done on that wonderful "I Want To Do" list... Maybe next time one of you can send me a dirty dish so it can be cross-over onto the daily To Do list? :-D  Both exchanges were amazing and I can't thank either one of you enough.  Seeing your tatting made me think that maybe I am really doing this right!  THANK YOU!!!


Thursday, I received the print and cards that I won from Fishing and Wishing (click the button on the right and go check them out!  It's awesome!).  I'm in love with it all and can't wait to post pictures of what I received --I will tomorrow, I swear.  I hope. It's all gorgeous!!!


Friday was a BIG disappointment.  No mail!  There should be laws against me not getting mail on my birthday!


Then, Saturday came and I got a WONDERFUL surprise when I opened my parents' mailbox and found my threads from Roberta over at http://www.trappedinabead.com (work in progress)!!!  I was way too giddy over threads... or so say those that don't understand!  Then, I rushed home in time to get my package from http://www.be-stitchedstore.com!!!  Sure, I'm disappointed that my black solid wasn't in there, but I'll survive.  YAY me!!!  :-D  Such a wonderful day!


Of course, my other package (the one from LACIS with my rosewood needles) got close on the same day, but won't be here tomorrow due to Sunday and Labor Day.  Ugh.  Why can't we have the option to get mail everyday???  


So, that's all the really GREAT stuff that's happened... And Mom getting out of the hospital on the fourth, of course!  Right in time to join us for our barbecue!  :-D  


There's more to come and, yeah, I tatted another butterfly, but not much else --I started Queen of Hearts again, but I don't like the color combination, so I stopped that and then tatted another butterfly since I got the Size 15 and 16 crochet hooks that allowed me to FINALLY use my Czech 11/0 seed beads!  :-D  Picture to come.  


Well, that's me checking in.  Tomorrow should bring plenty o' pictures for everyone.  :-D  I'm also thinking of starting another blog so that this one can focus strictly on tatting and the other can be for all rambling of everything else... Just can't think of a name for it... Then again, I also want to give this one a new name...  Any thoughts?


-Stephanie Grace

I did... WHAT?

The plan was to order threads... And, of course, I did!  I ordered hand-dyed from a very lovely woman and I cannot WAIT to tat with it (more on that when I get the thread) and then I ordered a few solids (not enough, in my world) and new needles...  So, yes, happy birthday to me...  But what did I do??  I couldn't resist... I ordered the Rosewood tatting needles from LACIS...  They were so pretty I couldn't help myself!!!  You KNOW what I mean!  :-P  Just hoping my card went through as Better Homes & Gardens didn't want to let me order Ozzy food with it.  :-P to them!  (Needles, threads, and turtle food for my birthday... I'm so special!!! LOL).  Yeah, yeah, it's not until the third, but, Hubby brought home the card from his grandmother --whom I need to call tomorrow and thank profusely!  

Now, if I had just been home to tat all day today, that would have been nice.  Instead, Mommy's "same day" surgery turned into an overnight stay.  Nothing major, she'll be home tomorrow --well, today, at this point, but me taking her meant getting up with Hubby at 6:15ish (and we can see how late I'm usually up) and then TRYING to nap, but had to get her to the hospital for 8, so that didn't happen.  Tried when I got back my parents' house and still no luck... I just can't sleep once I'm awake.  So, I waited around until she called at ten to one in the afternoon to give me the overnight news and update and then I went to the grocery store (I hate shopping) and then the pool store (I felt like an idiot; I haven't paid attention to or taken care of that pool in years!).  I was going to make meatballs and spaghetti for Daddy et al tonight, but Sis took him out for dinner, so I made the meatballs and will give him some to heat up tomorrow --errr... today.  

How and why I'm still awake, I have no clue.  I do know, though, that I need to get off my rear, make Hubby's sandwich for tomorrow and get some shut-eye!  Oh... but I wanted to figure out ordering beads... I guess that shall wait until tomorrow (otherwise Hubby isn't getting his sandwich which will mean him waking me up at that ungodly hour again to make it... Ever sliced a tomato half-asleep?  It's never fun! LOL).  

Well, that's all I have to say for now... and while my corny brain wanted to say "tat's all", that reminds me... I need to rename this blog.  Tomorrow... Err... today is another day, right?  Maybe I'll dream something up.

Oh!  And I didn't take the sewing machine...  grr... Glad I have this blog here to remind me of such things! LOL.  Must get sewing machine....  Or, no, I guess not yet... not until I get the new threads, one of which I'm hoping will match the bandanna coloring so I can do an edging eventually for it...

{i}ENOUGH, Stephanie Grace!  GO TO SLEEP!!!{/i}

Yeah... You're right.  Sweet dreams, all!  :-*

-Stephanie Grace

Queen of Broken Hearts

I decided to tat Mary Konior's "Queen of Hearts" as a gift for someone.  Since said person likes purple, I went for it.  BIG MISTAKE!  Every time I touch purple, it twists, tangles, and knots itself into submission!  I go two rings and three chains in and then the thread decided that it wanted to hate me.  I set it down and, after three days of fighting with the same knot, I think I've given up.  It means not having enough purple to finish, but I'm pretty sure I'll get over it.  I just can't get this stinkin' knot out no matter what I try.  Frustrated?  Oh yes, I am!  I'm going to give it a go in another thread, even if it's not favored colors.  I can always do purple another time.  Right?  Right.  (Not that I'll ever buy purple, but variegated with a touch of purple, sure...).  


I have to get bookmarks done and I want to work on edging the plain bath towels that fill my bathroom when my favored towels are getting washed.  I also still need to finish that bear (yes, I know I'm horrible... I'm just intimidated by it) and I finally found these really pretty bandannas that I bought a few years back to make a pillow with.  Of course, they're red and don't match... no, red matches my blue couches, right? Right.  (It's also just about the same print as my bath towels, but those are black...). 


Okay, less rambling, more tatting...  
 See y'all later!


-Stephanie Grace

How does it work?

So, I won't "sell" anything because I haven't designed it and I've gotten offers from people.  Here's the question of the week:  What if you buy a book and the pattern is from said book?  If you're not mass-marketing, but get a monetary offer from a friend to compensate for time and thread, is that okay?  

I mean, I've actually refused money offerings because the design I used was created by a member of the tatting community and the pattern was free.  I've directed them to the designs, but so many don't even know what tatting is or don't want to make it for themselves and then, if the designer doesn't have that pattern for sale... I mean, I actually feel bad for telling people, "No, you cannot buy it."  And I really can't afford to just keep tatting and giving things for free, so I'm just wondering what YOUR take is on this whole copyright situation.  

As an added note: I would NEVER offer anything for sale that I didn't design myself... I'm just talking about people asking, "How much do you want for that?"  If you make it and share a picture and someone asks, just for that one thing, and you'll only be getting, say a buck for it to cover shipping and thread, is that really so wrong?  I'm asking before doing because I hate that I have people wanting things that I just have lying around... ALSO, what if you use a free pattern for a different project?  I mean, say it's offered online for free, but you're using for embellishment of a different project, possibly a completely different medium... What then?

Yeah, yeah, me with the questions. ALWAYS.  I like to know what I can before I do anything to avoid any "bad" that could arise...  So, what are YOUR thoughts?

-Stephanie Grace

Ugh. Argh. Grr.

Have I ever mentioned that I am incredibly blonde?  Sure my hair isn't the platinum blonde of my young years anymore, but my brain is SO there!  :-/

The other day, I was tatting in my bedroom.  (I'm a good wifeypoo and opted to watch television in there so the hubby could watching television and listen to his radio in the living room... Silly me...).  I came out to go on the computer and got a bit lost.  Hubby kept complaining about my tatting stuff being all over the bed (well, it was his side...), so, in a huff, I went in, grabbed it all, and brought it back to the living room.  I MUST learn not to do things "in a huff"!  

Fast forward to the following morning.  I awake thinking, "Ow... It felt like something poked me."  I laugh it off, figuring I'm still half-dreaming (so not true that you don't feel pain in dreams --I feel it all the time --and never wake up when I actually get hurt while sleeping).  Of course, I make the same motion I made the first time... Ow! It feels like something poked me!  This time, I get up... and then I see it... A thread.  My heart sinks and I dare not touch it... but I must.  

Yup, you guessed it, I pulled the thread and, at the end, was my finest tatting needle!  :-O  It was embedded so deeply into my blanket, that, had there not been string attached, I would have had a VERY hard time getting it out...  Needless to say, it's bent beyond recognition.  I tried several ways to straighten it and, well... No such luck.  Thank God my birthday is on the third and I'll be able to get new needles!  :-D

Since that dreadful day, my tatting seems to have come to a standstill.  It's not even the needle I use most often (it's in second place, though), but, for some reason, since that happened, I just haven't sat down and really concentrated on my tatting.  :'-(  Tomorrow, I need to get reviews done over at the writing website (writing.com) since my membership runs out at the end of the month and I don't want that to happen, but I swear to tat at least SOMETHING!  I still have more cards to do, so maybe I'll work on that --but I'm so incredibly sick of butterflies and flowers right now! LOL.  I need to make bookmarks for someone, so perhaps I should try and figure that out.  I've never even completed a bookmark --Tried, but never cut enough thread. :-(  Yes, at least one bookmark tomorrow.  Maybe I'll take out the paints and cardstock and use them as well as tatting...?  Hmmm....

Well, I hope everyone out there is having a lovely day!  I know my days are getting better.  :-)  Thank God football has started!  (Okay, so only pre-season, but, still... it's football! LOL). 

-Stephanie Grace

Not Tatting Related by SO PRETTY!!!

Going with my theory that life gets better once Football starts has really changed my life!  Giants (my team) played their first preseason game last night and since then:

• I saved around $66 on an order from Snapfish, gettign 67 4x6 prints, 1 8x10 collage print, 1 8x10 print, and two photo books of 20 pages and around 95 photos all for $10.98.  Yes, happiness...
• Giants beat the Jets! (Yes, I know it's meaningless, but I still get to brag to Daddy whose a Jets fan! LOL). 
• I got an e-mail telling me that I WON a giveaway over at Fishing and Wishing!!!  I won a matted photo print from Lisa Caesar Photography!!!  I was stunned... Really, I turned into some bubbly, happy maniac at that point. LOL.  I never win such things!!!
• Got a call of warning and planning early in the day from someone who LOVES to wait until last minute to tell me things...  Yes, the Full Moon is only a few days away.  LOL.
• Got another call about something VERY good happening.  More details will come later, maybe... it's not anything to do with tatting or anything, but happiness nonetheless.  :-)
• Our finances may even be a touch better now... No, not through anything big, but we'll now make it to the end of January without too much strain (i.e. We can keep our lights and food! LOL).  

Now, what could I be posting about?  How about this: I WON from Fishing and Wishing and I want you to as well!  The latest giveaway, Framed Photo and Matching Cards, is just amazing!  The print and cards are from Blue Boat Photo and really made me want to jump through the computer and hug the woman who makes these amazing things --and of course the woman who does the giveaways.  

Just looks at Vintage Twinkle!!!  How can anyone not fall in love that image???  I WANT IT!!! LOL. 

My suggestion:  Head over to Fishing and Wishing and get yourself a chance to win this amazing offer!!!  Sure, it'll make it harder for me to win, but what are my chances of winning two such beauties in such a short span of time anyway? LOL. 

Well, that's all for now.  I may post again later, though.  I didn't tat anything today, but I did dream up something that I want to try...  ;-)

-Stephanie Grace

Glue

Another after-thought post. LOL.  When you dot your knots with glue, what do YOU use?  Also, when adding tatting to something else, do you use the same glue or a different glue?  

Thank you!!!

-Stephanie Grace

Revealed.

Since the cards that are going out in the mail tomorrow are already inside their envelopes and ready to do and this is going to a friend that doesn't tat (I thought it might, LOL), I figured I'd share with you all what I've done... :-D

I messed up with the flower on her headband... It was dark and I didn't realize that it was a different thread than what I'd used on this card.


So, here's more about it:  The tatting is done in an unknown LizBeth size 40 thread and LizBeth white size 40.  ;-)  My friend sent me a whole bunch of Cicely Mary Barker cards a few years ago.  Well, I haven't mailed stuff out like I did then (i.e. stopped pen-palling... THAT's a lost art form, not tatting!)  Anywho, when a beautiful soul sent me this thread, I immediately thought of this card... I think it matches SO well! I really could not resist putting them together.  A BIG thank you to Wanda for inspiring this and to Roni and "R" for providing the materials that made this come together.  Yeah, sure, it may not be perfect, but I actually like it! LOL.  Now, I just need to make some more and find threads to match the other cards! LOL.  :-D  (I have two more with this fairy going right now... have to tat more flowers for them, then I think I have three or four of this one.... And a bunch of others!  YAY!!!). 


Yeah, yeah, it's not much but I'm just so pleased to see my tatting being somewhat useful!  (My mom wants one like this to give to a neighbor for a thank you card...).


-Stephanie Grace

Thread?

While I have it on my mind, I have a question:  Anyone know of variegated threads which do not take forever to get from one color to the next?  I know I read something somewhere about LizBeth shortening the length between colors, but I'm curious....  With my birthday coming, I plan on getting some supplies since I'll *gasp* have a little money (I doubt that; by that time, I'm sure any money I get will be needed for a bill, but a girl can dream, can't she?).  I also need to really decide if I like 20 or 40 better, but I think it depends on what I'm doing....

Tentative list (so I don't forget):

• Notebooks (hey; it's back to school time and supplies get cheap... It's the one perk to having your birthday around Labor Day, LOL.... A "writer's" dream!
• Pens/Pencils (even though I have a million and one, I always need more).
• Glue
• More Tatting needles (so I can go ahead and bend them to the comfort of my hand via hours of tatting, LOL).
• More tatting thread; especially variegated threads.
• Black tatting thread --it's a must and I'm getting fearful on my stock! LOL.
• Green threads --sure, I'm not fond of the color, but I can't make flowers without stems and leaves forever, can I?
• One of them there plastic boxes to organize threads that are on the classic cardboard/plastic flat spools... (My mom is using one for beads that I used for beads when I was probably 6 or 7. LOL.  It has my name written on it, fading, and she's not givin' it up. LOL.)
• Cardstock.  
• Maybe a metal bookmark or two to adding tatting to?

Yeah, pretty sure that list is way above any amount of money I'll obtain, but, oh well... I'll put on my frugal hat and make it work! LOL.

So, after all that, here's a question:  As a tatter, what's your thread preference?  Do you have an absolute favorite?

-Stephanie Grace

I'm still here... I swear

I'm still here. ;-)  Just...yeah... Another sick family member (she's still in hospital... we're praying for her... I'd give more details, but this is the more private side of the family and I know I wouldn't appreciate people blogging about me without my knowledge, so I'll leave it at that.). ;-)


In tatting news:  Yes, I have been tatting.  :-D  I also learned that tatting on the beach on a breezy day is a HORRIBLE idea! LOL... Especially when a seagull (which we named Todd) decided to taunt me and set my "ornithophobia" into a frenzy. LOL.  Not fun. 


I'd love to show what I've done, but I cannot.  Not until I get two things in the mail and have the arrive at their respective homes... Then, I'll post away.  :-)  


I'm thinking, though, that I may take a break tomorrow from this "project" and do something else.  Making the same patterns over and over is starting to get boring. LOL.  Maybe I'll sit down tonight and design something else to tat tomorrow...  Just one thing different and then I'll get back to "work".  (Which isn't a lie as I was offered the possibility of selling what I'm making!  Yes, someone wants to PAY me for tatting!  I'm flabbergasted!  And, since I didn't get the pattern from a book or the internet or anything, I have no qualms with this. LOL.  This is why I need to design things myself:  So many people ask how much I would sell something for when I post a pic, but I can't sell something that someone else designed without permission and I don't want to have to obtain it for fear of being a nuisance...  or maybe because I'm just plain shy?  :-)  


Well, I'd say that's enough rambling from me.  I'm going to either go tat, go start trying to sketch something to tat, or get lost in some dumb Facebook game, LOL... Or maybe get lost going through all of the blogs that I follow and haven't been on to keep up with?  Sounds like a good choice to me. :-)


-Stephanie Grace

A lot of this and a little of tat.

So, here's the quick update of why I have not been here:

Thursday, July 22, morning: Found out that my Daddy needed surgery on his neck. 
Thursday, July 22, night: Found out that the surgery actually meant them cutting open his throat, moving his esophagus and larynx, and then putting some marrow from his hip into his neck.  SCARY! 

Friday, July 23: Found out that the surgery would be that Monday.  


Monday, July 26:  Daddy's surgery went fine and this Daddy's Girl was on Cloud Nine knowing that Daddy would be fine.


Tuesday, July 27:  Woke up to a call from my mom telling me that Jersey died.  Jersey was a beautiful Rott/Shepherd mix that my brother brought home from Colorado in 2002.  He was the BEST dog... a gentle giant and a beautiful soul.  It's torn up the heart of every family member.  Same day, we picked up Daddy and had to tell him that his best friend wouldn't be there when he got home.  Too much to handle, for me.  My heart shattered right there and is still nothing but slivers.  



Today:  Daddy is fine and we are all healing.  Poor Daddy cannot leave the upstairs of the house since that's where the bathroom is, so he's going stir-crazy, but he's okay.  (When he got home, I put a one-cup coffee maker in his room, gave him bottles of water, his mug, his tea bags, bottle of honey, two spoons, a soup mug, and packets of oatmeal. LOL... Then, I gave him my little netbook thingy and my brother hooked it up to his television and gave him a wireless keyboard and mouse --I'd be in HEaven if I was him! LOL.).  

So, that's all, in a nutshell.  And, now, a few little butterflies:

 

Just something to share

How adorable is this?  Yes, I realize I'm a bad blogger.  :-P  I still feel like I'm tatting like crazy with nothing to show... Well, some things I *could* show, but I can't... Not until the recipients see them first. LOL.  Anywho, isn't this perfect?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50905904/emery-pincushion-felt-cup-of-hot-tea

La La La....

I feel like I have been tatting nonstop for days and have nothing to show for it.  Tonight, though, I WILL post some kind of something to show you all. :-)

I want to thank everyone who responded to my last post.  Your e-mails have really brightened my tatting spirit everyday since I posted.  :-)  THANK YOU!

Okay, back to tatting, just wanted to check in. 

-Stephanie Grace

What's Tatting?

So, I started tatting a pattern and messed up.  Big disappointment as I was using the thread that gave me mucho problemos last night.  GRRR...  The mess up was my fault, though, as I J-ed to the wrong P in petal six.  Argh!  Life, though, shall carry on.  I'm just not sure that I'll be tatting any more tonight.  I had a full day and feel a little blah, I guess.

So, I know have only 16 followers, not all tatters, but I was wondering if any of my "followers" (what is this, a cult? ROFL) would be open to a small exchange of some sort.  I realized that I've never actually touched, held, or seen in person, a piece of tatting other than when I tat.  I wonder if actually holding even a ring tatted by someone else could give me more insight into what I'm doing and what the final outcome should really feel like, etc...  This, of course, will require me to tat something small for an exchange, but... Anyone interested?  Even if it's just a simple little flower, I'll be happy as a pig in slop --and can easily tat a 4-8-8-4, [4+8-8-4]3x, 4+8-8+4 flower. LOL. (Pattern from memory, I believe it's the medium flower from "Flower and Spray" from the Beeton book? ...It's one of the intatters.com Need Photo patterns.  I don't have green thread to do the whole thing, so I've been practicing with flowers.).

Okay, enough rambling from me.  Maybe I should try my hand at tatting again tonight...

-Stephanie Grace

Yesterday's Tatting

So, I've decided not to post any of these to the Motif Challenge until I stiffen something.  I'm determined to actually be able to say that something is fully complete.  :-)  

Anywho, I saw this really pretty edging and thought that it would make a nice choker and/or bracelet.  In my brain, I thought just three repeats might make a nice pendant for a necklace... I was thinking black ribbon for the necklace part...  Well, I'm me and went and messed it up, but the basic idea is there... (The worst part is I couldn't figure out how I messed it up last night; I woke up this morning, looked at it and went, "Duh!  That's what I did!".  I'm thinking of trying it again... I know I don't have enough thread for a full choker, at least I don't think I do, not in 20 anyway, but maybe another three-repeat pendant attempt?  Or do we think that's a bad idea? Hmmm.... 

Here 'tis, done in LizBeth Black and Red Burst, both in size 20, I think.  

Oh!  I still need to respond to comments for yesterday and the day before, I think... It never occurred to me that I should click into my settings and look for e-mail notification options so that I could actually respond to everyone.  Good thinkin'... I'll do that now. LOL. 

-Stephanie Grace

Stiffy Situation....

So, I really want to finally finish something... By that, I mean actually cut the threads and stiffen it, but I'm afraid.  Is anyone on that has any tips?  I'm going to start with the cross with the pink button, but I'm afraid that I'm going to mess it up.


Okay, I get it:  Tip #1: Don't be afraid to mess it up.


Anyone want to say anything? LOL.  Or, can anyone explain why I'm so afraid to do it?  LOL...  I'm also wondering what to do with these crosses. The one that I made today (not posted yet) is small enough to be a pendant, but the others... I don't know --and I'm afraid to the extra threads because what if they'd be useful for the final outcome?  


Someone, please, help!  *blushes*


Thank you,
Stephanie Grace

Another Cross; Motif #2 of 25!

I finally gathered my courage and decided to join The 25 Motif Challenge Aren't you proud of me?  LOL.  

Now, the tatting of today --so far.  I made another cross.  The extra picots bothered me, so I changed the pattern a bit and then I decided I wanted to use these pretty beads from a necklace that I took apart a while back.  Here's the final product:

 I also used a bigger button, the thread just kind of outlines it when it's sitting right --which I could NOT for the life of me get it to do for scanning... every time I flipped it over to scan it, it moved... GRRRRR...  It is now sitting on my ironing board and, hopefully, I'll gather the courage to do some stiffening this weekend.  Maybe tonight after I grow some "beer balls"? LOL. 

I may also have another person or two to teach...  Here I am still learning and I'm gathering "students" left and right. LOL.  This will bring the count to three, possibly four.  For #3, I must thank TotusMel  whose designs inspired my thirteen-year-old niece's friend to learn to tat.  :-)  A tatting pool party will be held on Wednesday while I'm doing laundry.  It seemed best that way so I can just handle one person at a time.  I don't want to be answering three people's questions all at once. :-)  I'm not like that. LOL.  No patience in me for stuff like that.

Wow... I wrote all of that two hours ago! LOL... Sending now and then hoping to tat something else tonight!

-Stephanie Grace

July 8, 2010

I spent, well, all day tatting but only have one "finished" piece to show for it.  I revisited Brigit's Button Cross --found at http://brigitstatting.blogspot.com

It's not blocked not have the final strings been cut --Can you tell I'm intimidated by all of that?

 Hubby agreed that I've definitely gotten better.  Not quite "there" yet, but this is definitely an improvement over my last attempts at this pattern.  I have a few ideas in my head I'd like to try, too.  I wrote one out the other night and realized that it wouldn't work as I wanted it to, so I'm going to try again.  If it works it *might* be really cute, but I think I'm going to re-do the design a bit... and I got inspired for something else too with tatting.  :-)  I have not found or seen the ideas in my head anywhere online, so I'm really hoping that they work so I can feel an added pride and confidence... 


Well, I hope that you're all having a wonderful week filled with plenty of air conditioning!  The heat has been BRUTAL here this week!  *makes sick face*  Disgusting, that's the only way I can think to describe it. 


-Stephanie Grace
 

Pendant

After fighting to thread needles and arguing with thread that apparently felt a deep hatred for me, I became determined to get at least the pendant part of this pattern done.  Naturally, I messed up and skipped a ring, but I just kept on going and skipped the same ring on the other side. ;-)  

I did it in purple since I'd failed with LizBeth Red Burst and my "Natural" color.  I figured I was just going to mess up again, so purple was the only choice (I don't mind messing up with purple, but God Forbid I waste an inch of any blue color! LOL.). 

Well, here is the end result.  It's not blocked nor have the strings been cut down yet (I need to look up how to use magic strings... Hmm...).  I'm definitely going to attempt this again with a better color. ;-)

-Stephanie Grace

Rock and Roller?

So, I tried the "walk away from it" theory with shuttle tatting.  Yesterday, I picked up a shuttle again and, again, ended up with knots (which led a great laugh today while browsing patterns online and kept finding instructions on how to make knots... I definitely got that part down pat --now, if I could master actual stitches, that'd be great! LOL).  

Today, I picked up the shuttle again and... to my great delight, I actually made a few stitches!  Watching a video yesterday, I noticed the woman was putting the shuttle "under" the thread between index and ring finger.  I tried that theory and, when it came to the relaxing of the middle finger, it worked much better for me.  :-)  After several stitches, I decided to close it into a ring and be proud. LOL.  Apparently, I didn't put it enough and thought I'd messed up, so I cut it off and came back to the computer.


THEN, I tried again... and learned something about myself:  I just might truly be a rock and roller through and through --moreso than I thought! LOL.  How do I mean?  Well, after the first few mess-ups, I finally got a few stitches done...and then realized that my left hand had completely changed position.  Instead of holding the stitches between thumb and forefinger, I was holding them with thumb and middle, my index finger and pinky straight up in the air --yes, the classic devil horns position!  LMAO.  I don't know if it's good or bad that happened, but I found it MUCH more comfortable and my stitches were actual stitches!  I think it lessened the strain on my wrist too, which is always welcomed as I don't really want to have to put my brace on and be out of commission with this for a few days.  


Well, that's quite enough rambling for one post... I'm going back to my shuttle and thread! LOL. ;-)


-Stephanie Grace

Yay!!!

I feel like I am constantly thanking people and, to me, that's not a bad thing.  It shows that I have been in contact THE MOST AMAZING people in this world.  Tonight is no different!  A BIG BIG BIG thank you goes to Ms. Eborall for lighting a fire beneath my butt...  It took me a long while, but I actually got the scanner working!  (Funny; I ended up getting it working from instructions completely in Spanish --I don't know Spanish. LOL). 

Without further ado, here's the first scan that I did.  It's a Beeton Edging, though without the crocheted part.  To me, it looks like moths; what do you think? LOL.  It's done in Perle (Pearl?) Cotton in what I think is Size 8.  

Hopefully, I'll have more scans for you soon, and maybe even this one straighter, but I think I exhausted my energy fighting to get the scanner installed, LOL... Let me not fail to mention that I also went bed probably 2-3am and was up at 6:30am and it's now 10:46pm. LOL.  It might just be bed time for me tonight...  :-/


-Stephanie Grace

Camera Wos #2. LOL.

Call me lazy, but I didn't take the pictures... How is this being lazy?  Well, because I keep looking at the camera and just not wanting to go into the other room and get batteries... Oops.

As per Ms. Eborall's comment to the last post, I'm going to try and hook up my printer/scanner --another lazy thing waiting to happen. LOL.  I know it won't print (It ran out of Cyan, so I bought it Cyan... Got it home, put it in, and it told me then that it was out of Magenta too...) but I'm hoping that I'll get it to scan.  This will require some research, too, since I'll have to get it to work with my Linux OS.  I never installed it after my switch from Windows since I doubt I'll ever get ink.  *rolls eyes*

Okay, okay... going to try it.  Not to mention, I have a few more little "flutterbys" to add to this chain.... Still have to do the crochet part of the first edging attempt too... And still have that bear to put together.  What the heck have I been doing with my time? LOL. 

-Stephanie Grace

Camera Woes

I haven't quite mastered the shuttle yet, but I *have* been tatting.  I tatted a bit of edging found on inTatters?KNOTS --yes, one of the "photo needed" patterns. ;-)

It reminded me of flowers, so I chose white for the rings and green for the chains... Of course, it doesn't look like flowers.  I put it down with the rings on the bottom and laughed... It looks like a string of moths!  Determined not to be discouraged, I decided to try my hand at the same edging, but with, a better visual, I chose what I hope to be better colors.  The rings are now being done in a white-yellow-orange variegated thread and the chains shall be black.  Yes, that's right... It shall be a chain of butterflies!  Well, I hope it will resemble that to someone other than me anyway. LOL.  

I wanted to post pictures of these, as well as something else, but, of course, no such luck.  Apparently, the flash on the borrowed digital camera that I have as well as the one on my cell phone, is too bright for any color to be seen... Not to mention how many pictures end up just being all white.  :-(  I was hoping to take them today while the sun was out, but, of course, 'twas laundry day so I wasn't home and it's been too dark ever since I returned.  Hopefully, I'll get to take them tomorrow.  If not, or if I feel so inclined, perhaps I'll just ask my mom if I can borrow her camera and have Hubby pick it up on his way home... I need stuffing from her to finish the bear anyway.  ;-)

So, it might be late, but anyone want to encourage me and say, "Yes"? LOL.  I've been sitting on the fence about joining the 25 Motif Challenge.  I really want to, but I also have a hard time finding things to tat.  I want smaller things to practice with, but I also want them to be useful --or, at least, something that I like...  While at the parents' house today, I looked at the books I'd handed off to my mom and, well, I didn't see anything I liked in them.  I have a bunch saved on my computer, but a lot I'm just plain not ready for yet and I keep seeing things like that all over.  Add to that that SOOOOO MANY patterns are flowers.  They're all so pretty, but I only have green in the way think thread that I started with and in Perle Cotton (Size 8?) from the aforementioned incredibly generous woman who sent me threads to work with.  


Okay, okay... I'm ending this entry. Enough rambling already! LOL.


-Stephanie Grace

Can we say, "Duh!"?

Yes, yes we can --all of us.  So, I picked up the shuttle and started again.  Guess what?  I think I figured out my problem: I think I've been doing it right and thinking it was wrong --Then, when I was actually doing it wrong, I thought it was right.  Perhaps it's just the blonde in me? LOL.  I am now going to attempt to make a ring and then, maybe, I'll even try to make a clover. LOL.  Slowly, slowly...

In light of this observation, the bear will remain waiting for a little longer...


-Stephanie Grace

Done with hooking! :-)

The bear is hooked.  :-)

Doesn't it look just lovely? LOL.  Now, I just have to cut out all of these pieces and put them together to somehow create a 14" bear... This is the part that I was least looking forward to.  The blob in the bottom left of the picture is the center and right of the head that I put together... Perhaps not correctly as they can bite me with the stitch they wanted me to use, but they're together and that's all that matters. LOL. 

So, after my drama of running out of yarn and having to call the company and have them send me more, I was nearing the end and realized that AGAIN, I was going to run out...  Thankfully, I'd kept three pieces from the last time...Got to the end and then realized that I actually had a few extra because I'd added an extra piece in each of the rows for the back of one arm (That's what I get for doing both backs at the same time since I just wanted to finish. LOL).  I thought I was going to scream!  640 pieces of yarn seemed like plenty to finish. LOL.  As it turns out, it was basically just enough... Ugh.

I picked up the shuttle again today and went to make another attempt.  Naturally, all of my foul-ups, however, left me with very little string on it and, while unwinding some to begin, it emptied the thing completely... Now, I'm debating which thread I wind onto it to try with next.  I also have to look up how to handle the metal shuttle.  The plastic ones that I was given were easy to wind, but I'm not sure about this metal one that keeps laughing at me while the plastic ones are taunting me.  I swear they are... They keep chanting, "You can do it, Stephanie... I'll help you... Just try me," and then they crack up laughing when I end up with a knot and just go, "Psych!"  Plastic can be so childish sometimes... 

Now that the bear is hooked, I'm a bit more relaxed and thinking that I may take the night off to tat and put this thing together tomorrow.  I should probably try writing something too since I haven't been doing any writing.  So much to do and so little time in the day.  I need to come up with a routine that squeezes all of this into twenty four hours without disrupting things like cleaning and cooking. LOL.  

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!  I can't wait for Monday to come; I may need a divorce if Hubby is home any longer! LOL.  I'd like to smack the person that approved his vacation!  He's been driving me crazy all week --but at least we didn't fight. :-)

-Stephanie Grace

Still here. :-)

Sorry for the lack of posts; things got a little crazy here. 

My aunt asked me to finish a latch hook project for her, so two days also went to that --two days which ended with a very angry Stephanie as I realized that there wasn't enough yarn in the stinkin' kit.  Called them up and got the yarn today, so I'll finish the hooking tomorrow and then will come the very fun part --putting this thing together.  It's a bear; not a picture of a bear, but an actual bear.  :-/  How much do you want to bet that I mess up cutting the pieces out or in constructing the thing after all the hours of hooking?  Pray for me!  :-*

As far as tatting is concerned.  Yes, I have been tatting.  :-)  Nothing to show off, but I've been doing it, I swear!  Thanks to a woman incredible generosity, I even got some proper threads to play with!  :-)  Thank you, incredibly generous woman!  ;-)  She also sent me shuttles, so I've been getting frustrated with those.  It seems like I'm doing it right, but I can't move the thread to get more nor can I move the stitches on the string.  I'm pretty sure I'm not getting the "flip" right.  :-(  I was really hoping to learn it quickly since it seems so much better for times when I'm in a car. LOL.  I don't like the idea of playing with a needle in the car... just doesn't seem safe. LOL. 

I sat down with the shuttles, a book of needlecrafts (it has about 5 pages for tatting -shuttle. LOL), the computer, and string and still got frustrated.  Hmm... maybe I'll try it again tonight... Or maybe I'll just grab a needle and tat something. LOL. 

OKay, enough rambling.  Time for me to try and get into my InTatters account which for some reason doesn't want to let me in!  :-(

I shall be back later --hopefully with something to show for my time!

-Stephanie Grace

My problem?

So, other than just plain being new to tatting and using wrong threads, LOL, I think I have figured out another reason why I don't like anything I tat: The thread.  It seems like a lot of the prettiest things are done in either multi-color thread or just in pretty colors --That explains a lot to me and has made me re-think my "To Tat" list. :-/  Ugh.  

Okay, maybe an update later.  I kind of feel like tatting right now. LOL.  ;-)

-Stephanie Grace

A 3D button flower?

So, I decided to attempt Ms. Jane Eborall's  Button flower which you can find here: http://janeeborall.blogspot.com/2010/05/earwigs.html

Well, I haven't cut the strings off yet, but I wanted to post this since I'm just proud to have finished one! :-D  Here are the pictures:

I want to try it again as more of a Lily Pad thing, but I don't have the right colors... Wait... I might in my embroidery floss.  I'm going to have to check. LOL.  (Great; If I get lost in cross stitch, I'll scream. LOL). 

-Stephanie Grace

So, not a tatting post, but something else to share!

Look! Look!  Yes, that's right... Click this link and let your jaw drop! I've been shaking since I got the e-mail!!!

http://www.withpaintedwords.com/home.php

-Stephanie Grace

A bookmark?

I finally got ribbon from my mom.  I sat down with, stared at the colors and then came up with a plan.  Wrote down a tatting pattern and I was utterly shocked when the written pattern actually worked!  :-D Needs some tweaking, but this is as I wrote it, so I was happy.  Then, I grabbed my handy-dandy dollar store sewing kit (which was purchased primarily for its needle threader that I broke already... go figure) and came up with how I wanted the ribbon.  Here is the final product:  

 I'm going to block and stiffen the "flower" part later or tomorrow --As well as glue the knots a kit and cut off that extra string that I'm keeping for security. LOL.  (I'm a little knot obsessed.  I realize this).  Oh!  The end with the big flower also has a loop since, if I use it, I'd like it to hold a pen, I think. ;-)

 So, not that anyone actually reads this, but, if you do; Any thoughts?

-Stephanie Grace