Green and Gold Cross by Grandma...

Meant to post this earlier today...this is another cross Grandma Stella tatted.  The thread is likely size 30, in a pretty mint green and gold.  This is one that was given to my husband some time ago...and I spied it in his Bible today and thought to share it with all of you...

She did many many variations on this cross, slightly different centers, stitch counts, etc.  Like the one here that I posted about previously.  It was definitely something she tatted over and over again...and her tatted crosses are the thing I value most and the reason I stepped back into the "ring" and finally really learned to tat nearly 3 years ago.

Crosses in school colors...

Well, it has certainly been a week!  I last posted on Sunday, and it seems like forever ago...so many things going on with the end of the school year!  I spent about 10 hours volunteering at older daughter's school this week, in their school garden and then helping them make ice cream and tie dye some shirts later in the week.  We have been to school orchestra concerts, talent shows, end of year picnics, field days, and I'm not sure what else...it's all kind of a blur at this point.  The last end-of-year family picnic was today though, and these crosses went home with three wonderful teachers...

This first one, I showed when it was almost completed...

This is Mary Konior's "Small Cross" in size 70 vintage thread, the navy is Star, the gold variegated is labeled "Fil Pour Crochet CtB France" and "Cartier Bresson", I have not seen that before, but it is very nice thread and looks superb in this pattern with the navy thread.

This second cross is "Christina" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn.  The thread is Lizbeth size 20 Navy Blue and Golden Yellow Med.    It's a beautiful pattern, as are each of the ones I have tatted from this book.  The photo could be better, but I was trying to get a quick picture after I finished it this morning and before it left my hands...

Here are the three crosses together, the one on the left I showed a week or so ago in this post.

Hopefully, life will slow down a bit now.  Today is my Birthday, I had wanted to get a giveaway together for today...but it will have to wait another day or two until I have caught my breath again.

Marathon Tat...

So...you all know I have been working on some crosses in my older daughter's school colors for end-of-the-year teacher gifts.  Well, little Rosie Posie has been asking which ones were for her teachers and I've been "I don't know"ing it away, unsuccessfully.  Not that I didn't want to, I just wasn't sure I could get it all done.  She was very insistent last night that her teachers should receive crosses too, and I agreed.  So looked through what I had on hand and found 5 of these Mark-My-Word crosses by Mary Konior.  Those seemed about right.  I thought that would be plenty...

Well, this morning when I dropped her off at school, I asked how many teachers.  There are 8, and I needed 3 more crosses...so I hurried home and got busy.  It was only 3.5 hours before the end-of-the-year party...I managed 2 more with having to make cards and eat lunch too...and found another bookmark (not a cross) to make the 8, it was the best I could do.  It felt like a marathon...but was worth it.  The crosses/bookmark's were all well received.  The program has been a treasure, my little one has learned so much!

Here are the two crosses I tatted this morning...

Size 20 Lizbeth in Sea Scape and Jelly Bean.

Here is the little bit about tatting I included in the cards...

just to explain the bookmarks a little bit...(mostly pulled, hurriedly, from Wikipedia)

I like people to understand something of what they have received when I do give my tatting.

Back to finishing existing projects now (I hope)...

Small Cross Waiting...

Not a lot of tatting happening these past two days, just a ring here and a chain there...but, I have nearly completed this 'small cross" design by Mary Konior. 

There is a missed join that had happened back whenever I initially started this, perhaps that is why I laid it down...but I elected to keep going when I noticed and simply made that the top arm, in order that it should look more intentional.  

Now, I just need to tie and sew in the ends and add a tail...oh and block it a bit.  Waiting for morning when I am less tired and less likely to skewer myself with the needle!

I'm afraid I've spend more time on this of late...

My pretty Rosie Posie received a new book from Grandma and was eager to try it out!  We have had fun playing with our craft supplies and creating princess accessories...sometimes these things are, indeed, necessary you know!

Whiled Away with Workbasket...

I probably should tat first and read blogs later...but, after a busy day that did not involve time to sit, I did the later first and Lace Lovin' Librarian's post today led me to another way of whiling away my tatting time...

She is currently looking for all of the issues of the Workbasket magazine that have tatted cross patterns in them.  I find this of particular interest because I am fairly certain that these are the majority of the cross patterns that my Grandmother had access to and therefore tatted.

I knew I had two patterns, and was able to pull those copies from my stack...one was one (that sounds silly) that Diane didn't yet have...

I KNOW Grandma tatted this one, as I have seen this cross tatted by her...

(aren't the old illustrations lovely!)

It is from this issue...

which I recently acquired at our local thrift store (I paid 1/2 the "sticker price" on one of their sale days).

A happy acquisition for me and I was pleased to be able to share it too...

This is my "stash" of Workbaskets from various sources, some from Grandma (she gave me her duplicates years ago, but Daddy hasn't found her collection at the farm ~ don't know what happened to them), some from an antique store, a few from a friend from Church, and a few from the thrift store...

Now, as to whiling away my tatting time...I can only say that Workbaskets are like potato chips...you can not devour look at just one!

The small pile in front are my duplicate copies...I need to figure out what to do with these, there are certainly some interesting patterns in there.  

I am thinking about a giveaway to include some of these workbaskets and a few other "goodies" for my Birthday next week, 

What do you think?

I have never done a giveaway before, but I have been the recipient of some lovely things...perhaps it's time!

Two Finished Today...

The first finish is the Mary Konior Mark-My-Words Cross...

but it seemed a little on the easy side as there was only one chain left to tat!

Here is where it was when I picked it up, how silly that I hadn't finished it...

Here it is finished!

The thread is a DMC Cabelia I think, the core looks the same as the others I have but it is missing the label, so I am not 100% certain...has the same feel and look too though, so pretty sure.  I believe it's a size 20.

Since the first finish was so simple, and I had the time today, 

I pulled another from my purse...

This is the Rachael Mohler Flower bookmark I was working on here.

I did four picots on each chain though, and five on the end with the tail so that there was a "middle".  

I tatted another of these sometime back in pink and yellow (I don't think I managed to post about it), and I most often tweak a pattern a little the next time round.

This is what was left...again, not a lot, maybe took a 1/2 hour or so to finish.

...and here it is completed. (25/25 motif challenge, time to start again)

The threads are Lizbeth size 20 Island Breeze and Ocean Turquoise Dark.

Love how both came out...and it's nice to have some finishes and three empty shuttles! (I use the remaining thread to make the tails the way I do, simple I know, but I like them this way)

We'll see if I can keep going and finish a few more!

Monica Cross completed...

Here is the Monica Cross, from Lene Bjorn's Tatted Bookmark's - Cross Shaped, completed...and just under the wire to have a completion to post today (actually, this posted 3 minutes after midnight ~ so not quite, but I finished it on the 10th)!

Here is what it looked like this morning when I picked it up to work on...

Not much progress this evening when I picked it up again...

But, I managed it...

and even a reasonably decent photo.  

I will have to remember that the laundry room light is good for this!

The threads are Lizbeth size 20, golden yellow med. and navy blue. (24/25 motif challenge)  Yes, I used the shoelace trick all over the place to get the chains/rings all one color...but I think it was completely worth it, I love how the yellow chains wend their way through the pattern!  These are my daughter's school colors and this is to be a gift for one of her teachers (It's a catholic school, so this is more than acceptable) 

Now, I need to go to bed I think!

Sunday Morning...

It's Sunday morning and that seems like the perfect time to share this with all of you.  My Grandma Stella was very active in her church, the United Methodist Church in Sunburst, MT.  She made and tatted many things for the altar and other areas of the church.  I know that she made stoles for her Pastor and sets to decorate the front of the church for different liturgical seasons.  I ran across a photo of one altar scarf she did and thought I would share that...this is a photo of a photo, so the detail is not there, but it is worth sharing regardless.

 

When they built a new church recently, my Father chose to sponsor two of the new windows in the church in memory of my Great Grandmother May and my Grandmother Stella...they are beautiful and a lasting tribute to two amazing women who loved this church and it's congregation...

 

 

This is also where the memorial service for my Grandfather was held...this is a photo of the gathered family between and in front of the two windows...I am close to the middle between my two daughters...

 

It was really special to be in a place that my Grandmother contributed to and was so honored in...it made my Grandfather's memorial service that much more special.

Tatting and Tea on Tuesday...

The girls and I had a little tea on Mother's Day...just for the fun of it!  These are pictures from Sunday's tea...

We shared a nice pot of lemon tea, some chicken salad on heart shaped home made bread, fruit, and some tea biscuits. We used some of our pretty tea things...

A lovely teapot my Mother gave me years ago, a set of luncheon dishes from my Grandmother, some silver "tea" spoons and cream and sugar set we found this past summer. It was a fun time with my two girls.

Today, I had tea again with my littlest one...this time a pot of golden monkey black tea...and I tatted while she nibbled her tea biscuits and fruit...so of course I was too busy to take pictures today!  It truely takes a concerted effort to tat with a three year old who feels she must be a part of everything.  One must keep her supplied in tea and munchies, coloring pages, stickers, bits of thread to "tat" with, or what ever else it takes...and fit in 2 or 3 rings or chains in between each request.  I am learning to manage it though...

Here is what I tatted today...

This is Mary Konior's Small Cross from Tatting with Visual Patterns.  The thread is vintage size 70ish Star Tatting thread in shades 129 (the Red) and 122 (the Blue). 

The colors are the recipient-to-be's favorites, blue and red (KU colors ~ she comes from a family of dedicated KU fans). I think they combine to make a very pretty cross that I hope she will treasure.  She had her first communion Sunday before last, so I am a little late with this, but she is the daughter of a good friend and I really wanted to send her a cross to celebrate the occasion.

I've tatted the pattern before as written, so as is my usual, I played a bit with it this time, fiddling around with the outside round a bit, joining the center picot of each ring...I think it gives it a somewhat crown like effect on the edge.  I rather like it, though I like the original version as well. 

The photos are imperfect, having been taken this evening after the girls were put to bed and I had time to sew in the ends and give it a quick tweak with the steam iron.  The first photo shows the colors more precisely...but the flash hides the stitches, so the second one shows the stitches to somewhat better effect. 

This goes in the mail in the morning, I wanted to share it before it traveled to other hands.  There is much I have wanted to share, but it seems the limitations of time require that I have to choose between doing the tatting and other handwork or blogging about it...so I have been doing it but not sharing about it!  The school year is winding down, so I hope that will change with the advent of summer.

I have another cross to tat in the next few days as well...this one for my older daughter's teacher.  An end of school year gift...entirely acceptable and very appropriate as she attends a Catholic school.  I want to get started on that while I still have a bit of time...so I will leave you until the next time (hopefully sooner than the last!!!)

Playing with Konior's Large Cross...

Hi, My Name is Julie and I like to play with other people's patterns...I think it's an addiction and maybe should be added to the tatter's 12 step program!  Tatting itself is addictive, but creating something new from something existing or even just tweaking something a little to make it your own is even more addictive. 

Here is the latest Mary Konior "Large Cross" from Tatting with Visual Patterns that I have been working on...

Working on this one in a size 70 variagated lavendar/purple star thread # 139.  It's nearly done, needs to be done so it can be mailed off to reach the recipient by her birthday later this week...but I keep getting distracted...This is my latest deviation from the pattern...

I was tatting along on the cross and the thought occured to me that just one side would make a lovely edging...so modified it slightly, adding an extra picot on the chain, an extra stitch (to even out the numbers) and picot on the large single ring, as well as a picot on the middle ring of the clover. So...there you have it, an edging adapted from Mary Konior's "Large Cross."  It is different enought that I think I will count this one as #23 in my 25 motif challenge.

I have fun playing with tatting little bits of different edgings to grace these little shirts for my Rosie Posie...and she loves them.  I have learned that the size 10 thread seems to me to look nicest on the knit fabric and produces a suitable length of edging with only a small bit of time commitment.  This thread is size 10 Coats Royal Classic Crochet Thread (mercerized cotton) in Ocean.  It contains a number of my Rosie's favorite colors and she loves it. 

The edging is attached to the fabric by both the chain and ring picots, to prevent excessive curling when washed.  Since this is for a toddler, it has to be wash and wear...and I've found that attaching both sides of the edging helps it to stay prettier for longer.

I do realize a lot of tatters don't enjoy larger size threads, feeling that after tatting with smaller thread the larger feels like rope.  However, I don't mind them at all and readily switch between sizes.  I believe this may be because I crochet quite a bit with a variety of yarns and threads so the size difference doesn't seem to bother me at all...and I have many pretty threads in these sizes.  I also like to fit the thread size to the projects I'm working on, the size 70 being perfect to make the "Large Cross" small enough for use in one's Bible and the size 10 terrific for a knit childs top that must be laundered regularly.

Oh...and, no, neither the shirt nor the edging was pressed in the above photos...someone insisted on wearing it right away and I'm lucky to have gotten those photos...

Here she is, in her shirt, playing a version of peek-a-boo with an apple and an orange!  She's a darling...very fun to have her in our lives, she is a blessing!

I continue to hope to post more...but cookie sales for my Girl Scout troop and the general business of the household and children who have been sick with colds and stomach ailments has been keeping me away.  I continue to tat, stitch, draw, and craft though...and to read and enjoy everyone's posts on their blogs!!!

Mary Konior's Large Cross...

Having completed the "Small Cross" successfully, I turned to the "Large Cross" in Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns book...I really enjoy this pattern.  Since it would be rather "Large" if tatted in a size 20, I have gone with smaller thread for this cross...

This one in a melon and green variagated vintage J&P Clark's size 70 thread was the first I made...my husband has claimed this one...

Then I attempted it again in this beautiful lavendar and yellow variagated J&P Coats size 70.  This was a gift from Michelle from her Aunt Rose-E's stash along with the beautiful lavendar rose hankie I have shown (more to come on that).  It's gorgeous thread, and happens to be in my parents wedding colors.  My Mom still enjoys things in these colors, and this will go to her...

Finally, I found this thread in a bag of mixed threads I picked up at the local Arc Thrift store...tucked down in the middle of a larger ball.  It's gorgeous with the dark wine blending into a pale rose.  It had no label, but I believe the thread to be a vintage J&P Clarks size 70 as well, based on similar balls I have seen on E-bay.  I knew right away that I wanted to make something for myself with this one, so here is my cross...

Here is a photo of all three crosses I have done in this pattern to date...I'll count them collectively as #12 in my 25 motif challenge.

I have now tatted this particular cross three times and I still rather enjoy it...it fits nicely into my handbag so that I have something to work on wherever I am...

I found this little case at the local Dollar Tree that just fits a couple of clover shuttles, balls of thread (the small stuff), scissors, the pattern, and a pin for picking out the inevitible mistakes...a nice little bit of tatting to go.  I am lacking a needle though...

What size/type of needle does one use to sew in the ends on this tiny thread?  I have yet to find one that works without great force and potentially breaking the threads.  Everything I have found is just too big in diameter.  Grandma always just cut and tied a neatly trimmed little knot and didn't fuss about the ends, but I rather like sewing them in as the appearance is just that much neater.  Any suggestions?

As you can see from the contents of my little box...I plan on another of the "Large Cross" in the lavender and yellow variagated thread with the chains in yellow this time...Dad will like that one I think.  Oh, that yellow shuttle has a bit of that wine and rose thread left on it.  I'm thinking earrings...

Completed Mary Konior Small Cross...

I left you all last when I had just started this cross, so I thought that would be a good place to begin again...

This is done in LizBeth size 20 Antique Violet Med. and Ecru...The pattern is Mary Konior's Small Cross from Tatting with Visual Patterns.  I added a tail done with a twisted stitch and repeated the arm motif for the top...I love how this one came out...

 
This is motif #11 in my 25 motif challenge.  I finished it about a week after I started it, but between travel, school starting, and a surgery for my husband...blogging simply has not gotten to occur for a couple of months.  I have completed several things that I would like to share...I hope to share more with you tomorrow.

A Cross, Mary Konior's Mark My Words Once More...

Here is a little cross I had finished a while ago and hadn't posted.  I kept this one for myself, so still have it to post.  I love this pattern by Mary Konior, it is her Mark My Words Cross.  This is a pattern I keep coming back to...very pleasant and fun to tat...

This thread is also an absolute favorite of mine, I simply love the colors in this Lizbeth Vineyard Harvest thread...

It is quite petite, though very pretty, in this size 20 thread...

I have done this cross several times before in size 10, which I actually like better.  It's a little like Kirsti's Stumpy bookmark that way...it looks very nice in the larger thread, while most patterns are better done in something finer.

Oh...and I nearly forgot my cup of tea!  Well, one for my older daughter and one for me...

A Cross for a Lovely Girl on her First Communion Day...

This Saturday we are going to be attending the First Communion of one of our beautiful nieces and I thought that a tatted cross bookmark for her Bible would be very appropriate...and hopefully something she will treasure for years to come.

I couldn't find exactly what I wanted for this...so I tweaked a few things to get what I think is something she will love and enjoy...

I found a cross bookmark pattern in Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns by Monica Hahn...I love the overall design, but wanted it a little more lacy rather than with just three picots on each chain, and didn't quite like how much the chains overlap between each arm of the cross.  You can see this in the photo behind my finished cross below:

I had also seen Ruth Perry's easy cross variation of Beeton's edging here and a bookmark I tatted a while back that I know I had the pattern for but can only find a picture of one like it that Mary at Peachtree Cottage did, both of which I took some inspiration from.  At any rate, I modified it to my satisfaction by making the chains in the crook of the arm a bit shorter and adding a join where they meet up and by making the chains lacier by doing them with more picots as on the bookmark pattern I mentioned but cannot find. 

Here are a couple of additional pictures of the completed bookmark:

I used size 20 Lizbeth in Tropical Punch and Azalea Medium for this cross bookmark.  The charm at the end is something I saw someone somewhere do with their bookmarks too...thought it was cute and would appeal to a young girl.  I would like to try tatting this again and try some other things with variations on the picot count and the length of the chains.  It's a fun cross bookmark to tat, I enjoy the little flower motif that is created by the little rings.  This will be #8 in my 25 motif challenge.