Tat's Heaven

There are so many wonderful tatting patterns to be found which generous people have shared, via their blogs, that it is often so difficult to decide which one to start next.!  Here are Gina's bunnies .    I've no idea what to use them for at the moment but they are so cute.     Jeff has designed this small motif called Sine Wave Star, so before other projects took over I managed to tat it.  Of course there are many important conditions when using other people's patterns and Jeff does mention them above the instructions to his pattern      Here is the finished necklace from my last post, it was really to test the large shuttles, which are now packed and ready to go to Jane together with some more pop-a-bobbin shuttles at the weekend.  Apparently the ones that Jane put in her Etsy shop yesterday sold extremely quickly, she told me that she went to mow the lawn and came back to find them gone!   Yesterday we went to see some wood...

  Some of you may be interested in these shuttles?  Martha originally requested one to be made to her specifications and hers was the first and a sort of trial shuttle, you can see it here .   I have heard that a couple of people might be interested in purchasing them so decided to ask "I'm in the garage" if he would make a few more.  He didn't mind as it made a pleasant change to work on something different other than the Pop-A-bobbins shuttles and small post shuttles.  I always test tat all the shuttles that he makes, this often causes arguments especially when one of them does not pass the test and he refuses to believe me! As a craftsman he takes it so personally and it often only takes a minor adjustment before it is fully endorsed as a "fit for purpose shuttle".  This particular shuttle he tested with a size 20 thread by just snapping it between the points (no he can't tat). Then I came along with two threads and started working with a size 20 an...

The paisley pattern looks like a twisted teardrop or kidney shape and is Persian and Indian in origin.  Quilt makers sometimes call the pattern "Persian Pickles" and the Welsh name it "Welsh Pears".  There is a town called Paisley in Scotland but not sure what the connection is, if any to the place.   This motif is one of Mark Myers designs AKA Tatman and I just added beads.  My aim was originally to sew them on to a plain skirt but gave up the idea as it did seem a never ending task.   It is a very clever pattern and I recommend it to you to give it a try, I intend to make more in the future. So my delight was to see that Jane had made a bag and tatting pouch out of some paisley material, very chic.   For me the word "Paisley" evokes those wonderful fabrics that Liberty of London make.  I was in the big city last month and took a photograph through the window of this scarf.  I was with two fellows so was not allowed to go in! If you can...

Today marks 100 yrs since the death of Florence Nightingale, who did so much to improve nursing. Her home is not far from where I live and this is a picture of her grave in the churchyard near by. You will notice that it only has her initials on F.H. this was her request.  Florence grew up wanting to improve the care of the sick, nursing then was seen as employment that needed neither study nor intelligence and her family didn't want her to be working in the awful conditions that hospitals were known to be in at that time. They expected her to be a lady who would have no need of employment.When in 1854 the Crimean War broke out Florence, together with thirty-eight nurses embarked on the task of cleaning up the filthy Army field hospitals in Crimea and slashed the death rates of wounded solders from typhoid and cholera.  She carried a lamp as she walked the halls of the battlefield hospital and became known as the "lady with the lamp". She saved thousands of lives by insti...

I am delighted to announce the two winners of the 100th anniversary giveaway. With the help of a spreadsheet and a random number generator two lucky winners were found.  They are "Crazy Mom Tats" who will receive a popabobbin and "tatterjil" a post shuttle in the turquoise box.  Congratulations to you both, could you both please e.mail your address to popabobbinshuttle@googlemail.com. As this was to celebrate my 100 th post I just had to give a prize to the 100 th comment, sorry it isn’t a shuttle, because there isn’t a shuttle available at the moment, instead there is a box with some goodies in.  Congratulations Kathy Niklewicz, I have received some wonderful and interesting comments from Kathy since blogging so feel I do know a little bit about her, please can you also send your address. Many thanks again to all who entered from all over the world, perhaps I should hold another giveaway?!!!   This is a necklace that I made for myself,  and I wear it quite...