Ready for the Show!

I finished all the tatting I had planned to do for the show coming up (including another headband I found while packing!)

 

I'll post pictures of the display at the show.  I've come up with some new (for me) ways of displaying thing! (teaser!  lol)

Traveling Jewelry Box

If you read my other blogs, you will know that I am in the process of moving.  I am moving to a town that has public transportation, so I'm working out ways to carry my finished works in smaller containers so I don't have so much to carry all at one time.  Here is my solution to all of the finished jewelry that I have done.  I will be taking this around to several of the boutiques to see if I can put some of my jewelry with them, plus doing different craft shows (there are a lot more there than around here!)  I won't be able to start out taking them to the Farmers Market though...they are only looking for food/produce vendors there.

For those of you who want to make your own earring hangers, here is a photo of mine.

I used an 8x10" frame, 14 count plastic canvas, square wooden dowels and an eye hook to hang it on the wall.  I used a glue called Liquid Fusion to between the canvas and the frame, then small wire brads to hold the wood over the top of the canvas (all on the back of the frame).  Screwed in the eye at the center of the top and hang on the wall.  This frame will hold LOTS of earrings.....depending on the style and size.  If you have a lot of Euro-clasp earrings, they won't work with this as-is, but if you weave a thin ribbon through the holes of the plastic canvas, you will give yourself places to hang them as well.

Oh my!

Oh wow!  I hadn't realized that it had been quite so long since I've been here and posted!  (color me embarrassed!)   I have been very busy this last year, making jewelry and other things for the local Farmers Market and Craft Shows.  I'm currently getting ready for the upcoming season for the Farmers Market...it starts on April 27th.  Can you believe we have snow on the ground again though?  :-O

I have a new love to share with you all!  I recently discovered Kumihimo (Japaneses Braiding). 

I started out with a Kumi Loom, but really didn't like the lack of tension control.  I wanted to go all out and get a Marudai, but the ones online START at $105! Not....so, I was going to have my brother (who loves working in wood) make me one when one of the ladies over at InTatters mentioned that she made one with a wooden stool purchased at WalMart.  So...I went to WalMart, got a 24" tall stool for under $20, ordered 24 wooden thread spools from Ebay and then went to Home Depot with my digital scales and bought washers and bolts to make the Tama (weighted spools).

Here are some photos of my Marudai, Tama and Counterweights

24" wooden stool....much less expensive but just as effective!

Yeup, I know the hole isn't in the center...had to let my friend help me...lol



3 washers, the bolt and a bit of calk to hold it all together and the Tama weighs exaclty 70gm!



Using Fishing Weights as the Counterweight and a 1-1/2" clip on a Medium Ez-bob to hold the cord in progress.

 

Here is the beginnings of this cord going onto the Ez-bob

 

I add a length of string to the spool to hold my working thread so I can use as much of the thread a possible.



When I get to the end, I just tie together the two threads that are worked together.





After doing the second set, I take the counterweight off and continue tieing off.



Finished!

  As you can see, I'm having a blast!  You may ask what I will do with so much cord...well, I'm taking it to the Markets with me and making neck cords, friendship bracelets and key rings....also have plans to tat directly onto one of the neck cords I made with beads...yeup, you can add beads as you are making the cord too!

Can't promise to post every week, but I WILL try to post a lot more frequently than every 12 months....lol

Lots of Earrings Made!

Well, coming up on the Christmas Season for the Farmers Market I bought a brand new earring display, then had to fill it with earrings.  We were off the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so I had 2 weeks to get all the earrings done that I wanted to.
Here is the display all filled up.

Here is a better picture of all the earrings.

The only ones here that are not on the display when I took the photo are the Christmas Trees.  Most of these earrings are now available on my blog store.
Even though the Market will be open one more week I will not be going.  It is just TOO cold!  Even with all the layers of denim and flannel I had on last Saturday I like to froze!  Not very many people came either.  Funny thing is that 3 people came who had never been to the Market and didn't even know we were there even with all the advertising we do and all the signs at the gate and along the road...gotta wonder about some people...lol

I have posted all the new Christmas ornaments on my store too but I really want to show you this snowflake that I test tatted for Frivole (from InTatters).

Criss-Cross Crystal Snowflake

I tatted this one according to the pattern but the next one I just couldn't resist adding beads.

Criss-Cross Crystal  Snowflake with Bugle Beads

Believe it or not, this one is exactly the same stitch count as the first one.  The only difference is that the picots are longer to accomodate the bugle beads.  For any interested in the pattern, Frivole has posted it for sale on her Etsy Shop.   I tatted both these snowflakes with Lizbeth Niagra Falls size 20 thead.  I just had to order me some Blue Ice that should be here soon to do better justice to the snowflake patterns that Frivole is coming up with.

So much new jewelry!

If you are following me on my By Carolivy blog then you know that I have been really busy the last couple of monts at the local Farmers Market selling my cards, tatting and home baked cookies.  Well my tatted jewelry has been selling like hot cakes, so instead of posting the huge amount of photos I am just going to give you a link to my Photobucket where you can see all the new jewelry I've made (both shuttle tatted and needle tatted)

I hope you are all having a wonderful Summer and getting some wonderful tatting done.  I am going everywhere with my tatting now and even have several ladies who have asked me to teach them how to tat!  Yeah!  Spread the tatting to all you can. ;-P

Newest Tatted Jewelry

I've also been busy making some more tatted jewelry.  This set is Dream by Yarnplayer is up on my blog store. 
I made my set with Lily 6 cord Ecru thread in size 30 and Teal(ish) leaf and seed beads.

I am currently working on another necklace and earring set and should have it up very soon...if all goes well.  I haven't been doing much tatting lately as I haven't really been feeling well lately.  Been getting a LOT of reading done lately, not much else...sigh...

So Sorry!

I really do need to post more often!  I have been doing tatting...really!  I've just been so busy, I forget to let you all know what I've been doing.  So, this post is going to be picture intensive.....I'll put a little blurb in with each photo too...(go and get a cuppa, I'll wait....)

Lacey Bookmark done with shuttle

This bookmark is tatted with a size 10 Grey thread that I had intended on using on the following Two-by-Two bookmark, but it was a different weight size 10 than the burgandy I did the center with....so, since the shuttle was already loaded, I made up this bookmark.

Celtic and Two-by-Two Bookmarks

 I really like the burgandy and cream thread of the Two-by-Two, but really think the bookmark would have "popped" more if I had been able to use the grey thread...ah well.  I LOVE anything Celtic, so this bookmark was a joy to make.  What a lot of color combinations you could use to make this gorgeous bookmark!

Jane's Bookmark (shuttle)

 This little bookmark has to be one of my all time favorite patterns to work, needle or shuttle!

Color Challenge

These bookmarks are the results of an interesting Color Challenge that one of the ladies from InTatters put on.  Tat something with a Variegate, then with the Variegate and a Solid Color, then reverse those colors, then the Solid Color.  I had a limited amount of the size thread I wanted to use, so that is why my solid bookmark is Cream instead of White.

Jane's Bookmark

This is Jane's bookmark again, using all of the thread leftover on the shuttles from the Color Challenge.  Not enough for a "full length" bookmark, so I added ribbon to both ends.

Hematited Bracelet

This bracelet is made with Split Rings and Hematite Beads (alternating round and square), then the Chain done after all the Rings are done.  I made this bracelet to give my youngest daughter when we picked her up at the airport right before Christmas.

Greenman Necklace

I made this necklace with Split Rings, various sizes of Hematite Beads and 4 Garnet Beads (right near the Green Man).  The Green Man was a gift from my friend when I went to visit her in Upstate New York late last Summer.  Originally, I just had him on a silver chain, but it just didn't "work".  I think this necklace works really well with him.

My Christmas Earrings

Ok, last tatting picture for today.  These are the earrings I made for myselft for Christmas.  I had made another pair that was similar and when I was at a Craft Show in early December, a lady wanted a pair of Christmas Earrings, and I didn't have any on display.  I was, however wearing a pair that I told the lady I could make a pair like them for her if she wanted.  Well....in the end, I just ended up selling her the pair out of my ears...lol....so I had to make myself a new pair.  The thread is actually some that I plied myself.  My OH made me a spindle, based on the CD/dowel spindle and I used 3 strands of Machine Embroidery Thread.  After plying the thread together though, it had way toooooo much twist, so I found both ends and let it "untwist" onto itself, essentially re-plying itself again in the opposite direction.  I really like how the thread ended up and will be making more of it to tat jewelry with.

Christmas Craft Show 2010

Here is the display from the Christmas Craft Show that I did.  I sold a few cards and actually sold quite a few of my tatted earrings.
I have another show that I am getting ready for on February 12 that will be at the Country Club again.  I can just hope that i do as well there as I did at the Christmas Show.

Now that you have seen what I have been doing since I posted last time, I will "try" to post a bit more frequently so my posts aren't this long again...

Sending you all hugs
Carol

I'm SO bad!

Sorry I keep falling behind!  See my post here for more expaination...

We have finally taken our Tatting Designs to the point where we have drawn the whole design out!  Here is mine!  Hope you all have fun with it!

Here is some more tatting that I have been doing.  These patterns come from Lyn Morton's book, Tatting Jewellery and are tatted with a single strand of Gold Metallic DMC embroidery floss and size 8/0 seed beads.

Latest Tatted Jewelry

This pattern comes from the book Tatted Jewellery by Lyn Morton (not yet available her in the US, but available in the UK)
I used a single strand of DMC Metallic Gold Embroidery Floss to tat with and large seed beads.  I added a very tiny (2-2) ring at the base of the earrings to accomodate the erring wires.

The patterns in this book are stunning eyecandy and I can't wait to tat up some more!

One More Pendant

I had so much fun making up Yarnplayer's Dream pendant that I made up another one.  This one is worked in Black DMC Light Effects Embroidery Thread (1 strand) and uses white pearl seed beads and opalescent Dagger Drop Beads, tatted on a #8 (Very Fine) Needle.

Working on the last row of another doily to show you all. Unfortunately, I think my "tatting time" may be curtailed for a bit very soon. I am haveing some work done on my house and the contracter is hoping to start next week...Oh, but it will be SO nice once it is done! I have a large deck on the front of my house and when he is done, most of it will have a roof over it! Yippee! I plan on getting a nice Deck Chair so I can enjoy being outside again! I have had to stop going outdoors except for little forays of no more than 15 minutes, even slathered with SPF 50 sunscreen as I have developed a sun sensativity...sigh. It will be nice to be able to get back outside, while still being protected from the sun!

Another Tatted Pendant

I saw this pendant done up the other day in a stunning Red & Black combination for the Chinese New Year and just had to go find the pattern!  I've made it with the beads I have on hand at the moment...NOW I need to find some better ones...this Pendant reminds me SO much of Dreamcatchers!  The pattern is by Yarnplayer and can be found here.  I want to see if I can find some "feathers" to make a necklace set now.  Anyways...on to this one....I have tatted it with ONE Strand of DMC Light Effects Embroider Floss, color # E436 Golden Oak, using a #7 Needle.  The seed beads are some that I got in a recent Swap and the leaf beads are some that a friend gave me and that is all I have of that size, so I can't even make a set with this design.... :-<  Gotta get me some dangly beads! ;-p  The cord it is on is 2 strands of the same thread that has been twisted back on itself.