Tatman's Chatline

I took this picture of Tammy with an unexpected, interesting effect to the mood of the subject. Basically my flash didn’t go off and my camera doesn’t do well indoors and no flash. But I still like how it looks

This is what Tammy was looking at from the front window.

Two weekends ago we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens with Kim’s parents to take in the sights of all the tulips and flowering trees. Below is a slide show of some of the pictures I took at the Gardens. More will come later when I get them out of the camera and developed.

I can’t seem to get the slideshow to always show up in my blog. So if that happens, click on VIEW ALL IMAGES link above.

Will be making lots of these to fill the spaces

I ran the Family Fun 5K run again this past Saturday put on by my church. It was so windy and humid that my time was AWEFUL! So dissappointed in myself. I had a real hard time running this year and I had to stop a couple of times for breathers. Last year was cooler and I made it all the way. Cooler weather I can handle! But it was in the mid 80s and humid and my lung capacity just can’t handle that. I tend to run less in the summer because of that. But I have to keep up a regiment for my health. Of course the 5K run started at 9am and it was started to get hot. I tend to run at 6am when it is much cooler. Will stick with that

I made these simple circle motifs about a week and a half ago one evening. It is my usual rings of 3 picots separated by 3 ds and chains are 3 picots separated by 3ds. 7 rings and chains in all. Kim was altering a prom dress that was really plain and wanted something to dress it up. I got this hairbrained idea to tat little motifs and connect them with a tatted cording for a vine. It didn’t take me too much time to get them done. THe dress was such a plain thing that it needed something to spice it up and look more like a “prom dress” than a plain bridesmaid dress(its previous life). The dress is all royal blue satin and strapless. It has a band of royal blue satin at the top part and this is where we were thinking of putting these motifs at random with a tatted cord to connect them. And then we would apply them with matching beads. We kind of nixed that idea when we found a glitzy fabric that complimented it. The girl to wear the dress wasn’t sure and maybe not too keen on the glitzy fabric and just wants it plain with a black satin ribbon around the waist area. OH WELL…..can’t say we didn’t try.

So now I have these eleven motifs that need to be done something with. I don’t want to just stash them into my abyss of an office/needlework room that is just overflowing with supplies strung all over and dust bunnies collecting all the goodies.

Got any suggestions????

I started this Idrija style flower and leaf earlier last week and finished it on Saturday. It was a design that I have been meaning to work up. Has possibilities. Not sure if I will use it. It may be too different than the other style flowers. But I have it done for reference!

I finished one flower over the weekend and then started another and finished it late Sunday evening. I was fairly proud of myself. I know I should get more done, but life happens and you can’t rush delicate tatting! This flower is reminiscent of Bucks Point. I got it done and the negative space is pleasing. Kim happen to be working on a prom dress with stiff netting and I layed this flower over it and I really like the effect of the netting in the negative spaces.

So I got some of this netting I had in my stash and cut a piece for the background. Kind of looks like the CTTT point ground that is in Bucks Point. I think this will work really well to add and then apply to the fine netting of the dress. Gives more dimension!

I like how this 5 pedal flower turned out and was fun to make. Not laborious. And it does have other design possibilities. Like make it 4 pedals and turn it into a dogwood flower. But I don’t think I will do that with my niece’s lace. Not one of the flowers we are working with for the wedding. But at a later date I may revisit this option

This has the same center as the previous flower, instead of rounded pedals, I made them pointed.

Yea, that’s right….worth repeating several times. I really like how this motif turned out and it wasn’t too labor intensive. I like how it gives a shadow effect with the light airiness of the center and then two heavy rows of pearl tatted chain on the outside. This one is easily converted to 5 pedal or 7 or 8. Real forgiving! I can see making the chains on the outside pointed to make a lily shape. Hmmmmm……..

Just chillin’

The diva cat, Liza, looking at the birds out the window

Little Princess Tammy

Tammy looking at the birds out the window

Gold finches have arrived in our garden

The woodpecker that frequents our front tree

I really like how this design turned out. This has to be the longest cluny leaf I have ever tatted! Never even attempted one this long in bobbin lace either! But it worked and it was the perfect element for the stamen that sticks out of the flower in the center. Besides the pearl tatted chain with rings element, I also used split ring ground for a lighter effect to set off the bold stamen. Calla Lilies is one of the flowers that will be used in the bouquet and arrangements for the wedding. So I came up with a calla design to put into the dress. I know……all these designs(fall motifs, exotic flowers, etc.) put together may look strange, but I think it could be pulled off if arranged right on the net background. We will see.

I added on to the little acorn motif……just a weeeee bit!!! Ok…added a LOT But I was planning on adding another acorn sprig and decided it needed a leaf to grow from. It isn’t a true oak leaf. Not even a pin oak leaf. Just something stylize to give the effect. That is the purpose of most of the motifs in the wedding lace….to be wispy and stylized.

On to another motif!