More Thread Exchange Projects

As I've said before, the Thread Exchange Blog is a fun way to trade samples of thread. Typically, the samples are 12 yards (11 meters).

Then comes the question of choosing a project you can complete with the sample. Motifs and bookmarks work great. Here are two of mine.

This one is a bookmark of Mary Konior's Duet pattern, made with size 20 Lizbeth #125 Seascape. I looove this color on the ball, but in this particular bookmark, not so much. Perhaps the back and forth rings were not a good choice for this thread. It looks better on Isdihara's blog.




I also used an exchange thread to perfect my koala bear pattern. I think this is Lizbeth 691 Mocha Brown Medium. It's a nice shade, a bit warmer than the similar Cebelia I had been using.

I've wound my shuttles with more exchange threads, so watch this space....

Later...by the way, I can claim this as Motif 20 in my current 25 Motif Challenge.

More Critters -- Now on Sale!

I am pleased to announce that More Critters on the Block is now on sale.


I will, of course, be bringing plenty of copies with me to the Palmetto TatDays conference.


The book is digest size, 8 ½ x 5 ½ inches, and has 32 pages plus cover. There are 23 patterns in all: hummingbird, dolphin, koala, skunk, butterfly, ferret, dachshund, elephant, raccoon, turtle, sheep, lamb, rhinoceros, hornet, owl, giraffe, gecko, whale, bluebird, grasshopper, fox, alligator, and pig.


Here are a handful of the designs.



Despite the recession, we decided to keep the price at $10.00 plus shipping, like my other block tatting books. You can go to my site here for links to buy a single copy through PayPal. If you would like more than one book, email me and I can send you an invoice for reduced combined shipping. There is an address there too, for snail mail check or money order payment.

I would like to thank my test tatters, Jane, Heather, Pamela, Stephanie, and Sherry for all their help.

Whooo Can't Count?

Erm, that would be me.

Keep in mind that a digest size booklet is made of letter size paper folded in half so each sheet of paper makes 4 pages. So a booklet needs a multiple-of-four pages. A while back, I thought I had a book's worth of patterns, but when I pasted them together, I counted 29 pages. Rather than cut out one page, I thought I had plenty of time to make up three more patterns for a 32 page book. I went merrily on my way until last weekend when I did the book layout again, and came up with.....31 pages! One short! What went wrong?

I bet some of you see where this is going. In a booklet, that first sheet of paper with the title page also has the final page on it as well. On my first layout, "Page 29" was supposed to be the other half of the first sheet, but I forgot to move it there. I really should know better.

I had to turn out one more pattern. The process went something like this:


While I feel a bit silly that I couldn't count my pages right, those last four patterns were the fox, koala, weiner dog, and owl, so I'm glad it worked out that way.

By the way, that thread is Lizbeth Mocha Brown Dark. A lovely, warm brown perfect for bears, puppies, etc. I got a sample through the Thread Exchange Blog. I'm definitely going to get myself my own ball of this thread.

Another 12 Yards from the Thread Exchange

I got this green thread from Fox and it is the actual sample from the header picture of the Thread Exchange blog. I'm not sure what it is, but it feels like a size 10.

I made two of my new hummingbirds from the upcoming book. I was trying out a different way to work the pattern, but decided it looked better the first way.

There was more that 12 yards on the floss winder, and I actually made a third hummingbird, but it seems to have flown away....

Coming Soon--More Critters on the Block

victats@gmail.com said...
All of your test tatters have been tormenting us with pictures of your new patterns...when is the new book comming out?

The answer is August. Definitely in time for the Palmetto conference. My team of test tatters is turning out critters at an amazing pace, though I am getting bogged down with perfecting the last few patterns. It always works OK out in the end, though.

Thank you to everyone who answered my earlier blog post with suggestions of critters to make. Before I knew it, I went from too few ideas to too many. There could be another critter book way down the road with the leftover ideas.

On a different note: when (if?) I get a little more caught up, I'll tell you about the new love of my life. Here's a pic:

More Block Critters

Several of you have guessed that I am working on a new Block Critter book. I don't have a book full yet. What critters would you like to see?

Zoo

I went to the Zoo last week. Can you tell?