Monday, December 16, 2013

Another Snowflake and Another Thistle (Motifs 48 and 49)

I'll be the first to admit it, this snowflake is a little punky:
Motif 48 (#15 on the way to 25 by the 25th)
 This is 5/6 of the way to being Snowflake 1 from "Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments", but it didn't quite make it...partly because I was running out of thread on my shuttle, but mostly because I didn't make the first long picot long enough and I couldn't fit another ring...oops :)

Oh well, it's another 5-point star/snowflake hybrid, nbd.

Then, because I had a little green thread left on the shuttle, I decided to make the other thistle motif (practically the same as before, but slightly less complicated) from "Mastering Tatting."
Motif 49!! (#16! on the way to 25 by the 25th)
I am actually very proud of this motif, because it is the first that I've finished without twisting the final picot!! I've been trying to figure out how to do this since I started shuttle tatting, and with patience and a little help from Jane Eborall I finally figured it out!! I've been trying to do the folded join and it just hasn't worked out for me...but Jane's way of avoiding the folded join did the trick...today, anyway. :) Thanks Jane!

The photo of this pattern in the book actually shows the thistles uncut, but I liked the frizzled look from the first thistle motif that I decided to frizzle this one too...

And now I need to take a moment to brag on my amazing husband, because he VOLUNTEERED to frizzle a few of the thistles for me. WHAT A GUY!! :)
I love my husband! :)
You can tell this is my husband because the thumbs are normal :)
So here are my frizzled thistles, with special thanks to my favorite guy. :)

So now I have two empty shuttles...and lots of threat to choose from...What to tat, what to tat? :)

Any suggestions?

8 comments:

  1. I like the star and would so put a stiffener in that to hang from a tree, and what a trooper your hubby is looks like you are enlisting the whole family :) even the dog picking pattern, this is great :) I should know I do the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My husband is a gem--he has tried both needle and shuttle tatting and is always willing to comment on my work when asked (and doesn't complain about all the thread laying around the house.) The dog seems to think my tatting books are a great place to relax, which is quite funny.

      Delete
  2. Great hubby and what a good job he did, what with the dog picking the patterns and hubby's help you are doing well,
    The snowflake will quite possibly need stiffening, I am trying to keep away from snowflakes with big open spaces in the future.
    As to what to tat next, I suggest you open a book, close your eyes and take a pin and stick it in. Just as good as the dog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The pin solution might be better than the dog--certainly less damage to the books! :)

      Delete
  3. Just don't stick pins in the dog! I like M's suggestion. Just pin one.

    Your tatting looks great snd your helpers are the best!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pip the pincushion doesn't sound like a very good idea, does it? :)

      Delete
  4. Oh in over fifty years I've never mastered the folded join and because I've always done it the other way have never seen why it's a problem!!!! Hope it works for you next time. Love your frizzled thistles - love your hubby too. Might be in for a bit of cradle snatching so watch out!!!! Keep him under lock and key!!! Hmmm, perhaps I haven't the energy to chase another man!!!! The one I've got is fine anyway!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The folded join seems like it should work, but it just doesn't for me...your solution worked the first time around, so I think I'll stick with it! Thanks again! The biggest problem if you did decide to cradle snatch would be getting to Russia to get at him! :) We're fairly inaccessible right now...but I'll give you a heads up if we are ever in the UK... :)

      Delete