Tat's Heaven

These shuttles have just been finished by 'im in the garage',  the colours are amazing.  From left to right Sequoia, Mahonia and Ebony.  They deserved a little sunshine this afternoon!  These beauties are for sale, but do you know what I really don't want to part with them, well not just yet.    Busy tatting another version of the raindrop and having so much fun with beads again, although have too many of them, can't help buying more packets everytime I visit Singapore.

I finished this doily a few days ago but I am actually not that happy with it, the thing is the  piece really needs damping, blocking and a good press.  This should not be needed but I think some parts of the pattern did not work that well.  I have used three makes of thread on this doily Manuela, Coats and Lizbeth all 20.

I was trying to see whether this raindrop pattern would look better with a few beads, then  it could possibly be used as a Christmas decoration.   It worked well for the top one, but may be I should have used green and red beads as well as clear ones. However, I was in too much of a hurry and could not find them straight away!  The one below I substituted the button for a large bead and used two 80 threads wound together.  Instead of using chains around the edge I worked some lock chains . I have actually finished the Renulek doily just need to get a good photograph of it. I don't find that particularly easy because of its size, but will try and show it you soon.

Raindrop No 3 petit is the name of this motif which Karen kindly linked from her blog  to a Japanese blog . I could not resist having a go at tatting it and decided that adding a button in the middle really made a difference, but as you can see the addition has made it slightly larger.     I have some more thread at the ready to tat another one, but again it will be different to these.  Over the last few months I have missed tatting with beads so feel that the next one might need a little bling!

Thank you to everyone for being so sympathetic about my big disappointment on the Renulek doily which I thought I had completed, only to find a huge mistake. Last night I  chopped off the the wrong bit and have loaded the shuttles ready to go again. Having a little break from the offending piece, meant that I was able to return to this doily and complete another round, and gosh how fast it went, how relaxing and satisfying to see such an instant result. However, the other doily is calling me, which one will I work on tonight?

Last night I finished Renulek's doily and was looking forward to showing the piece in all its glory this morning, the last day of July. Especially after months of struggle tatting a piece which has constantly caused me much anguish.  My plan was to get up early today and iron the piece, photograph and show it on this blog. However, the plan went horribly wrong when I spread the doily out only to find that I had done the last sixteen repeats wrong!  Really don't know why I did not check I was doing the pattern correctly, but had a feeling that only picking it up, sometimes late at night I just lost the plot!   Here it is ready for the big snip!  So may be before the end of August it will be finished, who knows?  Feeling very sorry for myself today.  

First I must point out that I do not need more thread, although some projects demand more than one ball of the same colour.  Also not been blogging for ages now because I seem to be unable to find the time and inclination to sit down and tat much. Sadly making hardly any progress on the two doilies I started, so I thought buying some more thread would give me a boost!  Although at the moment preparing for another Craft Evening on Tuesday, so may be not this week.   These were e.bay wins and paid on average, including postage about £1.30 a ball. There are some fantastic colours in the boxes so quite pleased that I have more threads to play with in the future.