BLOCKS & BUTTONS and VICTORIANS REVISITED - Two New Books Now Available!

Friday, February 20, 2009

More about Hector

When I posted my Hector class project last time, I meant to challenge the other teachers (or the ones with blogs anyway) to show their class projects too, just to show everyone how much fun it will be. It was a while before I realized that I forgot to say that. Anyway, a list of the classes follows. The entire registration flyer may be found in the files section of Yahoo Celtic Tatting (as pdf) and Here be Tatters (as Word doc). If anyone wants, I could email it as a doc attachment to you.

Hector fun:

90-minute classes – offered Saturday 10:30- noon, Sunday 1:30-3:00 pm. You may take one each day – please indicate a first, second and third choice on your registration sheet.

A) Chaine Maille Earrings – Bina Madden - Learn how to tat and interlock rings in the Byzantine chain maille pattern, deciding on ring size (number of stitches)based on your individual tension and size of thread; a unique thread hiding method to make rounded instead of tear drop shaped rings will be taught. You will need size 20 thread; alternatively you may use DMC metallic pearl cotton size 5 thread (25 yd skein split to two threads, not DMC metallic on the spool); Dritz Looped Needle Threaders or preferred needle for sewing in the end. You will also need a pair of ear wires (available from vendors).

B) Tatted Tea Coaster – Sarah Kelley – Tat a coaster in the shape of a teapot. You will need a Tatsy tatting shuttle and heavy cotton (these items available from vendors)

C) Christmas Tea Ornament - Ginny Weathers – Designed by to fit over a glass ball, this gorgeously ornate ornament uses lots of beads, including some special ones provided by Ginny, and a long-beaded-picot technique that will be taught in class. Kit fee ($3) includes the ornament, special beads and coil less safety pins. You will need to bring to class about 400 seed beads (size 10 or 11). Pre-stringing information will be sent with your confirmation

D) Orange Picot Bookmark – Karey Solomon - Play with picot variations while creating a bookmark to mark your pages when teatime is over. You will need two shuttles and size 20 thread in the color of your choice – Orange, (Earl) Gray, Green, or another favorite.

E) Tea Party BLING BLING! - Ruth Perry - for advanced beginners on up, create a stretchy tatted bracelet with a combination of Celtic Tatting, Daisy Picot technique, and Dora Young's knotless tatting (also known as split chain technique) using Marie Smith's easy split chain method. These techniques will be taught in the class. Students may bring a small tatted motif to attach to their bracelet, buttons or bracelet charms. Beads, buttons, thread, and charms will be included in the kit ($5) for the class. Take home a bling-i-fied stretchy tatted bracelet, and the techniques to apply tatting to anything, including stretchy closed-circle bracelets, hair bands, even tea cup/wineglass bangles.

F) Beaded Block Tatted Heart – Kaye Judt - Proclaim your love for tatting, tea, or anything else. This block tatted adornment can be decorated with a variety of bead designs. Students need 150 size 10 or size 11 seed beads in a heart color threaded onto 1 ball of size 10 or 20 tatting thread, one shuttle (do not wind) or size 5 tatting needle, and usual tatting supplies.

3-hour classes offered Saturday 1-4:30 (includes tea-and-raffle-break) and Sunday 9:30 -12:30

G) 3-D Tea Blossom – Sabina Cardin (Bina) Madden - this diminutive, sculpted blossom uses rings and Josephine rings that may be tatted two different ways (loop-tatted ring off ring or mock rings with ring off ring) and Bina will teach you both of them. Bring size 20 thread in a floral color and complimentary size 11 seed beads plus 5 green size 11 seed beads; also bring green thread to tat over wire for the stem. Other supplies will be provided in class. Bina, from Everett, WA, is known to many as the developer of the Half Moon Split Ring and the Celtic Knotted Picot, and she is the “Thoughts On Tatting” editor for the IOLI (International Old Lacers, Inc.) Bulletin.

H) Maltese Teapot – Martha Ess - This sweet, two-color teapot introduces the Maltese Ring. This pattern will be in Martha’s forthcoming book and we get a chance to be among the first to enjoy it. You will need two colors in size 20 or 30 thread and two shuttles. Martha returns to Hector from Greensboro, NC. She is the designer/author of “New Critters on the Block” (block-tatted animals), “Tat’s AmorĂ©,” (collection of heart patterns) and “Holidays on the Block,” (block tatted animals and other motifs).

I) Wide pendant necklace – Nina Libin - Dark beads and gold thread (kits will be available for $10) create an elegant Beanile-tatted necklace. Students who wish to string their own beads should contact the instructor for directions (n.libin@gmail.com); otherwise bring shuttles, preferably without picks or crochet hooks. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and now living in New York City, Nina is the author of "Tatted Lace of Beads, the Techniques of BEANILE Lace” published by LACIS in 1998 and the newsletter series “Lace of Beads”.

J) Tea-Bag – Karey Solomon – A beaded tatting ball-thread holder will be tatted using size 5 thread, beads and a cabone ring, to attach to a small tatting bag. Learn how to tat onto a ring, lock chain and mock ring. (Kit $5 includes all materials and pre-strung beads) Bring at least two tatting shuttles and a fine crochet hook. Karey has 19 tatting pattern collections in print, writes and edits “Tatting Times” a quarterly tatting newsletter and is one of the organizers of this conference.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Looking forward to Hector



I am looking forward to the 11th Annual International Tatting Seminar in Hector, NY, sponsored by the Finger Lakes Tatting Group under the leadership of Karey Solomon. Classes will be Saturday and Sunday April 18-19, and on the Friday before, there will be tea and snacks at Karey's shop in the afternoon and an informal bring-a-dish supper at the Firehall in the evening.

This Maltese Teapot is the project for the class I will be teaching. It begins with the Maltese ring in the middle, and then it's downhill from there, with just ring and chain in the outer rounds. The cup pattern is provided as well, should anyone want additional practice with the Maltese ring in a smaller piece. The cup does have split rings.

I teach the Maltese ring using the modern method rather than the Riego version. When I figured out how to make the ring that way, I thought I had made a revolutionary new discovery, but then I learned that method had been discovered before and was already in use by the Shuttle Brothers, Mark, and others.

For the class, you will need 2 shuttles and 2 colors of thread. I told Karey that I recommended size 20 or size 30 thread since I find those sizes easy to work with and big enough to see what you are doing. But if size 10, or 40, or perle cotton is your favorite size, I am sure that will be OK. It is important to use good quality thread. Maltese rings can be difficult to close since they have a lot of stitches. If the thread is not smooth enough to slide well, it may break when you close the ring.

I hope to see many of you there.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Motif Twenty-five -- At Last

I haven't shown much tatting lately since most of it looks like this:


But once in a while, it looks like this:



But what to call it? Crazy quilt teapot? Flowers of Spring? I'm not so good at coming up with names.

I claim this as the final entry in my second pass at the Twenty-five Motif Challenge, though I am months behind my year's deadline. After a bit, I expect to start up again.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Time Out for Tree Balls

This time of year, I love walking through a near-by neighborhood full of "tree balls". I'm not sure if this idea originated here, but it is a really big tradition here now. I couldn't hold the camera still enough for really good pictures, but I hope you can get the idea. All these lights are balls, mostly 24 inch diameter or so hanging in trees. Some of these streets have hundreds, if not thousands, of them. Besides the beauty, I love the sheer dedication of these people. They had to MAKE all of these since the commercially available ones are way too small.

I think this blog http://www.lightedchristmasballs.blogspot.com/ belongs to the family that started the tradition. They have lots better pictures and some interesting reading, including instructions on making and hanging the balls.

Here is a site with another version of the instructions: http://mm.news-record.com/legacy/indepth/08/tree_balls/











...AND BELOVED NEIGHBORHOOD TACKY


Before there were tree balls, there was Mr. True and his little tiny house with a bazillion lights on it, just around the corner from where I live. Cars used to line up to drive by, like they clog the tree ball streets now. Mr. True was known as the "Santa of Chapman Street", and dressed as Santa and gave candy to all the children who came by. Mr. True passed away a few years ago, but his sons keep up the lighting tradition, though the Nativity scene and the rooftop sleigh seem to be missing this year.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Motifs 18 to 24 -- Snowflakes



You would think from this blog lately that there hasn't been much tatting going on. Actually, I have been hard at work making ornaments to give the girls at work. This is a group of Jane Eborall's Sequin Snowflakes. All those messy strings are the hanging loops sticking in all directions. I personally prefer the second, heavily beaded version off the pattern, but I needed the simpler version to get it done in time. Jane has so many great tips for adding beads as you go, which allows for maximum creativity with minimum premeditation, which is great for working at home. For this project, I strung all the beads ahead of time, so I could slip a couple shuttles in my pocket and I was all set to tat on the bus, during my coffee break, and any spare moment.





This one is Mike Meloy's snowflake. This is a quite nice one round snowflake - it works up fairly quickly, but has plenty of visual interest. In size 20 thread, it fits the bangle bracelets. Maybe a good idea for next year's giveaway.

If anyone thinks showing this many motifs all at once is a thinly veiled attempt to cover up the fact I missed my year's deadline for the challenge, all I can say is "Shhh!" Just one more...

Meet Danny


Remember my post about the package from Ireland? Pamela hastened to tell me that it wasn't a wait-till-Christmas-Day type package. Luckily, the post was running ahead of schedule, so there was still plenty of oxygen left, and tragedy was averted.

This is Danny, one of Pamela's magic creations. I wish you could see all the details and the tiny stitches. And there was a skein of Rainbow Bright too. I am so lucky.

Danny has been exploring his new digs, with much head-shaking at the dust and clutter. Here he is, climbing in the closet shelves. Is he looking for a storage place for his thread, or hoping to add to his own stash? I think I had better keep an eye on him.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Time Out For Crochet--Polar Bear



I enjoy lurking at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amigurumi. Today's post is a thank you and Merry Christmas for those nice folks there (and anyone else who crochets).

Polar Bear
Copyright 2008, Martha Ess, revised 12/10/2011
You may make copies for yourself and a few friends, you may make, give, or sell the item, but you may not reprint or repost the pattern elsewhere without permission.

Materials: worsted weight yarn, white and small amount black, fiberfill, size G hook. (optional red yarn and white pom-pom for trim)

Size: 5 1/2” long, 3 ½” high

Body: Do not join at ends of rounds, work continuously, marking ends of rounds. The eyes are French knots, easiest to work a little while after the ears have been made. Stuff with fiberfill as the opening grows smaller.

With Black yarn
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic circle (or ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook) (6 sc)
Change to White yarn
Rnd 2: [2 sc in sc, sc in next sc] 3 times (9 sc)
Rnd 3: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 2 sc] 3 times (12 sc)
Rnd 4: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 3 sc] 3 times (15 sc)
Rnd 5: sc in each sc (15 sc)
Rnd 6: 2 sc in sc, sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc, 4 dc in front loop of next sc (ear made), sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc, 4 dc in front loop of next sc, sc in next 2 sc (16 sc and 2 ears)
Rnd 7: sc in each sc and sc in unused back loops behind the ears (18 sc)
Rnd 8: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 5 sc] 3 times (21 sc)
Rnd 9: sc in each sc (21 sc)
Rnd 10: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 6 sc] 3 times (24 sc)
Rnd 11: sc in each sc (24 sc)
Rnd 12: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 7 sc] 3 times (27 sc)
Rnd 13: sc in each sc (27 sc)
Rnd 14: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 8 sc] 3 times (30 sc)
Rnd 15: sc in each sc (30 sc)
Rnd 16: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 9 sc] 3 times (33 sc)
Rnd 17: sc in each sc (33 sc)
Rnd 18: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 10 sc] 3 times (36 sc)
Rnd 19: sc in each sc (36 sc)
Rnd 20: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 11 sc] 3 times (39 sc)
Rnd 21: sc in each sc (39 sc)
Rnd 22: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 12 sc] 3 times (42 sc).
Rnd 23: sc in each sc (42 sc)
Rnd 24: [decrease, sc in next 5 sc] 6 times (36 sc)
Rnd 25: [decrease, sc in next 4 sc] 6 times (30 sc)
Rnd 26: [decrease, sc in next 3 sc] 6 times (24 sc)
Rnd 27: [decrease, sc in next 2 sc] 6 times (18 sc)
Rnd 28: [decrease, sc in next sc] 6 times (12 sc)
Rnd 29: decrease 6 times, sl st in 1st stitch and end off, leaving a few inches of thread. Sew closed.

Front legs: with White yarn(make 2)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic circle (or ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook) (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc (12 sc)
Rnd 3: [2 sc in sc, sc in next sc] 6 times (18 sc)
Rnd 4: sc in next 4 sc, ch 8. (Hold the leg so that you are in position to work into the beginning of the round, with the right side still facing you. The chain 8 forms a loop which begins the bottom part of the leg.)
Rnd 5: sc in the 4 sc of Rnd 4 and in each ch (12 sc)
Rnd 6 - 7: sc in each sc for 2 rounds (12 sc)
Rnd 8: working in back loops, decrease 6 times, sl st in 1st stitch and end off, leaving a few inches of thread. Sew closed.


Beginning of Round 5 of Front Leg


Completed Front Leg. The large round upper sections of the legs are sewn to the body to form shoulders and hips.

Rear legs: with White yarn(make 2)
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic circle (or ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook) (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc (12 sc)
Rnd 3: [2 sc in sc, sc in next sc] 6 times (18 sc)
Rnd 4: [2 sc in sc, sc in next 2 sc] 6 times (24 sc)
Rnd 5: sc in next 6 sc, ch 12 (Hold the leg so that you are in position to work into the beginning of the round, with the right side still facing you. The chain 12 forms a loop which begins the bottom part of the leg.)

Rnd 6: sc in the 6 sc of Rnd 5 and in each ch (18 sc)
Rnd 7: sc in each sc (18 sc)
Rnd 8: working in back loops, [decrease, sc in next sc] 6 times (12 sc)
Rnd 9: decrease 6 times, sl st in 1st stitch and end off, leaving a few inches of thread. Sew closed

Tail: with White yarn
Row 1: Ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, ch 1, turn
Row 2: Sc in each sc, ch 1, turn
Row 3: Decrease, ch 1, turn
Row 4: sc in sc. End off.

Sew legs to body using whip stitch and stuffing lightly as you go. It is easiest to sew the upper flat parts first. Sew tail to behind.



More views to aid placing pieces:







Optional accessories: (If making for toy for small child, omit accessories, or sew on securely.)

Scarf:
With Red yarn
Row 1: Ch 4, dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in next ch, turn
Row 2-22: Ch 3, dc in next 2 dc. End off. Make fringe with white yarn.



Hat:
With Red yarn
Row 1: Ch 12, sl st to 1st ch
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each ch, sl st to top of Ch 3 (12 dc)
Row 3: Ch 3, [decrease, dc in next dc] 3 times, decrease, sl st to top of Ch 3 (8 dc)
Row 4: Ch 3, dc in dc, decrease, dc in next 2 dc, decrease, sl st to top of Ch 3 (6 dc)
Row 5: Ch 3, decrease, dc in dc, decrease, sl st to top of Ch 3, end off.
With White yarn, turn over, work in unused loops of Row 1 chains:
Ch 3, dc in same ch, [dc in next ch, 2 dc in next ch] 5 times, dc in next ch, sl st to top of Ch 3, end off. Fold white row upward. Sew white pom-pom to point of hat.