Hot, hot, hot!!!....

No not the weather, although it is mild, it's dull and misty!!  No... I have been playing with a shuttle and 2 balls of hwt!! (For those that don't.... hwt - hand wound thread!) ROTFL

I found them lurking in a box in the shed.... yellow and orange - hence the title!!  I've also got a burgundy and a green....

So what have I been doing?  Well, in the latest Ring of Tatters newsletter there's a necklace.... Me fell in love with it.... so I started a flower....  What do you mean you NEED to see it??!!  I may decide to keep it a secret.... VBG

Oh, all right then.... here you are:

This is the first 'round' of the flower, quite enjoying doing it (well, a girl has to have something to keep her occupied when she's waiting for the kids to arrive at the crossing point!!)  This was yesterdays effort!!  Will keep you posted on that as well as the Hat!!, although there's not anything new to report on that.... didn't get chance to do any last night!  Did half a motif this morning, and I may be able to finish it tonight....

Anyhow.... back to the coffee....

Chat later

It's a Cat's Life!!!

Today has been a glorious day!!

Pigmini got herself sorted by that nice Mr Mechanic (I'm sure she goes wrong just so she can let him play with her engine!!!) LOL  This is good, because I definitely need her for the weekend!!  We're demonstrating lace and tatting on Sunday!!  There's a 'practice pillow' for bobbin lace and my shuttles and some tatted pieces will be going with me!!  For a start I'll find McVroom!! some earwigs, the necklace will be worn, along with a bracelet I made last year and the earwigs that match the necklace!

Right.... the title of this page.... as I said, today has been gorgeous.... and I found this in the garden:

It's Neo, our 3 legged cat!  (He lost a leg in an argument with a train!!) He was very lucky to have survived at all!!  Fancy just having the time to lay and sunbathe!! VBG  I also spotted this:

Those strawberries come up everywhere!!  This one is a wild one tho.... produces tiny strawberries that get eaten by the birds before I get chance!!  We leave it there to grow, might just stop them pinching ours!!

Not only was I back at school this morning, but I was also back at my friends.... looking after the kids!! A very early morning for me.... 5.15am start!!  Still, I managed to make a start on the last round of The Hat .... or at least the last round before the band and the brim!!

Haven't had chance to carry on during the day.... had to take the car, do Young Sirs pack up and our lunch, washing up, back to school this afternoon.... then spotted Neo.... and we've arrived to now!!  Will do some tonight tho.... maybe, unless I fall asleep that is!! ROTFL!  Mind you.... I've got an idea on what to do with some threads I found.... maybe!!

Isn't it great about Jane going to Palmetto??  I read it over on her blog this morning!!  I'm GREEN with envy!!!  Think it'll do me any good saying 'I'll carry your Case Miss'!!! LOL

Anyway, must make food....

Chat later

WOW!!

You could have knocked me over with a feather (which is no mean feat I promise you... LOL) when I realised that I'd won that gorgeous mocha brown necklace over on Umintsuru's blog!!  Not bloghopping much over the easter weekend sure had it's downsides!!  Still can't believe it!!  Thanks for telling me Girls!!  I've emailed....

Right, that Hat....  Yesterday we had to travel to Sheffield for Sir to collect a whatsit... so we also visited Meadowhall!   Years since we've been!  All we bought was a coffee & a bite to eat!!  Did have a good look on 'the Lanes' though!!  The Lanes are the tiny shops that tend to be more independent than the general 'run of the mill' high street shops you see in every town!!

Anyway, as it takes an hour or so to get there from here I took the Hat with me!!  Managed to finish the round that I was working on!!

The next round is the last one before the ribbon band!  Then it's the brim!!! Onward & upward (or is it down & out....??) VBG

You can see it's definitely more 'bowl shaped' now.... curving nicely!!  Mind you, I'm quite surprised that the pic came out.... it was taken in the car whilst we were travelling!!  Just have to work out in my mind just how the next set 'connects', which isn't easy.... well it's because it's Sunday and my own particular BC3 isn't out of bed yet!!  She can't help being lazy on a Sunday!!  That and she needs to be wide awake early tomorrow.... we're back at school and Pigmini (my mini) is being VERY naughty and has to go to the garage, so I'm having to walk!!  3/4 hour each way and then 1/2 hours work!!

Chat later

Definitely Friday!!

Morning All

I had hoped to show you some real progress on the Hat today.... however the 'powers that be' decided differently!

Wednesday afternoon we went out with Madame and her Mum up to Wharram Percy.  We had lunch in a pub at Sledmere (wonderful lunch it was, albeit a tad 'ouch' on the pocket!!)  We'd intended walking round the gardens at Sledmere House.... but it was SHUT!!  Soooo.... we went to Wharram Percy instead!!

What is it??  Here's what English Heritage say....

The village of Wharram Percy, in the Yorkshire Wolds, 

was continuously occupied for about 600 years, 

but by 1527 it was almost deserted, as a result of gradual

 abandonment and forced evictions. The ruined church is

 the last standing medieval building. 

Around it are the grassed-over foundations of

 two manor houses and about 40 peasant houses 

and their outbuildings. 

Since 1948 the settlement has been the focus

 of intensive research, which has made it Europe’s 

best-known deserted medieval village.

Some pics were taken but I can't share them with you now, because they're still on Sirs camera!!  You can still see the church, but the rest is just grass.... and really peaceful!!  You'll just have to make do with these that I took on my phone....  The building isn't that old.... 1850's it was a railway station (I think). (Actually, it's younger than our house by around 20 years!!)

So that was Wednesday, yesterday we spent most of the day in the garden, weeding, planting, etc...  and last night was my Lace Class!!  Got there, no problem, but... coming home the engine on the car decided to misbehave!!  It boiled!! (Again!!) this happened a few months ago and the water pump was replaced because it had gone!!  I've got demo stuff sitting in the back of her and she's in serious trouble!  Pigmini (her name) has a mind of her own!!  It's just dawned on me that I don't think I ever said why it's Pigmini's Tatty Tales.... Pigmini is my mini, she's 11 years old and usually behaves herself, but I think she must have some fetish for the guys at the garage!!  She's called Pigmini because she's yellow and has purple pigs in the logos on her side!!  Looks like she's becoming a stroppy teenager!!  She's off to the mini doctor on Monday!

Anyway, this morning, we were just getting up when the phone rang.... Sirs Mum.... in agony!  She's 92, lives on her own and a few weeks ago decided there were too many weeds in her garden (she's a keen gardener, does almost everything herself).  She needed a trip to A&E because she was in soooo much pain and couldn't move!  We rushed over, without breakfast or coffee or anything, thinking she must be paralysed or something!  She was pottering in the kitchen when we got there.... anyway, we took her.... strained muscles in the lower back (or as Sir puts it.... a pain in the bu....!!)  She's to take both ibuprofen and paracetamol every 4 hours, and if it isn't any better, see her doctor next week!

With any luck, I might just manage to do some tatting tonight!!  Did get a bit done last night, but not a lot as they say!!

Chat later

Eggs and Chocolate and....

Yummy little Granddaughters!!! VBG

Didn't get much tatting done yesterday.... I was out babysitting my gorgeous Granddaughter!!!  Mum had to go see someone and couldn't take young Madame with her.... so Granny got to babysit!!!  We went for a walk and she charmed the men we saw in the street, loved the cherry blossom falling on the pram and coo'd & giggled at everyone she met!!

On our return, we sang songs (she was playing with Nellie.... so it just HAD to be Nellie the Elephant didn't it?? LOL) (Actually, it's probably why it rained.... Oops.... Sorry!!)  Then we watched the cats in the garden before reading stories, which is quite difficult when you start at the wrong end of the book!!!  Well, Madame had the book and I was busy trying to stop her eating it!! LOL  Oh, and she has decided that Roly Poly is a good game!!

Anyway, tatting.... I found some gold thread wound on some lace bobbins.... I'm now seriously thinking of winding it with the white cotton (both are around an 80 thickness) to make a HWT for something exotic... like earwigs!!! VBG or a brooch....

I digress... (do I??) the Hat is coming along slowly.... the first of the 12 'start of the side bits' were done the other day (I'm sure I put a pic up.... the cream one that looked blue), and I've now got the first 2 of the other filling in bits in their proper place!  See what I mean?  Once I've got the other 4 in place the whole thing will start to look more like a bowl!! LOL  Still lots to go though.  It's the top and the bottom ones of the 3 on the right hand side!!!  I took the photo on the pouffe while the cat was not in residence for a change!!  It still looks a little blue on the left tho... think it must be the daylight or something!!

Young Sir was shattered when he eventually got home 2 nights ago.... he'd started work at 9am Monday and was supposed to leave work at 5pm.... he stayed until 10pm!!!  A 13 hour shift is not my idea of fun!!  He must be barmy!  His attitude is that he gets paid tho.... VBG  Then he was back 2pm till 10pm yesterday and will be today too....

Ok, so why Eggs and Chocolate.... well it is Easter Week and I didn't get any easter eggs or chocolate.... but that's OK because I'd sooner have that yummy granddaughter!!!! LOL  Maybe I should call this post Rhubarb & Custard.... because a friend brought me a rhubarb plant for an Easter Present!!  Just gotta get it in a bigger pot and.... Yum in the Summer I hope!!!  (Wonder what Rhubarb muffins will taste like.... That'll stop Sir eating them.... he can't stand the stuff!!)  More for Meeee!!!

Anyway, coffee or something methinks....

Chat later

The Demise...

On Easter Saturday we visited a local town where there's always a large market on a Saturday.  Veg and fruit were purchased from our favourite stall, and meat from the local butchers & deli (who's extremely good...).  There's a cafe up above the shop.... coffee & pork pie for Sir, coffee & fruit cake with Wensleydale cheese for me....  For those of you who don't know... Wensleydale cheese is made in Yorkshire (funnily enough... in Hawes, Wensleydale!!), it's a crumbly cheese, not unlike cheshire, but with a far better taste and texture!!  Best eaten with either home made apple pie, or with fruit loaf (or christmas cake....)

Anyway, while we were there I was browsing a local mag, and came across this.... just had to share it with you....

Goodbye to Common Sense!!!

OBITUARY

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.  No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.  He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain;

Why the early bird gets the worm’

Life isn’t always fair;

And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.  Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student/ but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot.  She spilled a little in her lap, launched a lawsuit and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by..... his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;

I Know My Rights

I Want It Now

Someone Else Is To Blame

I’m A Victim

Pay Me For Doing Nothing

Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone.

How true is that??

Yesterday, we were at a friends house in the afternoon for a barbie... they throw wonderful barbies!!  lots of people, lots of food, lots of drink of all types!!  Brilliant!!!  And, before you ask... of course I stayed sober enough to do my tatting!!! (Not...Hic!!)

This is what I've managed to do over the weekend!!:

So that's the 'no 2' motif done with... now for the 'no 3'!!  Don't ask me why the colour looks blue, because it's definitely cream!!!!

Off for coffee

Chat later

Good Friday

Now can someone please explain why it's called Good??  Christianity states that crucifixions took place on this day.... that wasn't good surely!!  Maybe the explanation lies elsewhere....

I googled it.... and this is what Wikipedia said:

The etymology of the term "good" in the context of Good Friday is contested. Some sources claim it is from the senses pious, holy of the word "good", while others contend that it is a corruption of "God Friday". The Oxford English Dictionary supports the first etymology, giving "of a day or season observed as holy by the church" as an archaic sense of good (good, adj.), and providing examples of good tide meaning "Christmas" or "Shrove Tuesday", and Good Wednesdaymeaning the Wednesday in Holy Week.

So now we know!!!

Anyway.... can someone also explain why it is that I have a favourite nail for tightening rings and chains.... and I broke it on Wednesday in that garden!!!  How annoying is that??!!  I spent last night attempting to tighten a different way.... didn't work, so I'm just using what's left of me favourite nail!!! LOL

This morning while it was cloudy I went 'blog hopping', a favourite pastime....  you learn all sorts of things.... so, I followed links, made coffee, followed some more links and found a site that had something VERY interesting on it....  it was this!!  Thanks for putting it up Tatting Fool!!!! VBG  I do so love it when someone posts something useful!!! And before you all run away muttering 'that's not very interesting'... it is to someone who loves that type of thing!  So there!!  I love some of her other tuts as well!!  One thing that will make me run away muttering is.... split chains!!  (Aaaaarrrrgh!!!)  I just can NOT get them to look right no matter what I do!!!

Last night I was at Class, (think I mentioned it yesterday....) Teach hadn't read the blog.... so she didn't say anything!!  But the table was full of lace pillows so I retired to the easy chair with me shuttles.... I did a lot of tatting (not!!), but I did manage a bit.... this bit....

So as you can see, the Hat is moving along (albeit slowly)!  Mind you, I had to rewind my shuttles (both of them) during the evening as they both decided to run out of thread!!  Not good!!! LOL  It's not going to fit on the chair arm at all soon!!  I'll have to find somewhere else to photograph it!!!  Oh, I also found out that one of the 'Thursday Night Class' has the finished article somewhere!!  I'm demonstrating lace with a friend in a couple of weeks, and we'll put on a bit of a display.... I've got my fingers crossed it may 'just' appear.... then I can take a real photo instead of the one in the book!!  (wonder if I can say it's finished.... VBG)

Oh well, they say it's Easter so I think I may have one of my favourite lunches.... Toasted Hot Cross Bun with Cheese!!!

Chat later!!

How to...

completely sort your muscles out!!!  That's what this post should read!! VBG

Miss me yesterday and Tuesday??  Tuesday went by in a flurry of meetings etc and as for yesterday....

Well, a good friend of ours last summer complained to Sir that he didn't have a strawberry patch in his garden.... (remember the jam making??)... So... Sir thought it was a good idea to propagate some plants for him!  A while later we had 18 plantlets for him which we have over wintered at home.

Last week when we saw him we pointed out that if there wasn't a patch created soon, then the plantlets would HAVE to go in our patch  (in which we don't need extras....).  It was arranged to spend some time down there to 'sort the garden out'.... Now have you ever thought that this might NOT be a good idea??

We descended on him, with brush cutter, strimmer, spades, forks, rakes, secateurs, gloves, extension cables....

What did we find??  Well, apart from the path created when he had some horse manure delivered... this was what we found....

Yikes!!  The brambles (blackberries, they're known locally as brambles) were made short work of with the brush cutter, bagged into large garden sacks (12 of them full!!), and then we waded into the 'corner' behind the shed, where the strawberry patch was to go, in order to remove the assorted weeds, rubbish etc... old paddling pools, polythene with grass growing over it, old plant pots... balls... we picked up a LOT of those....  (what's more.... when friend's daughter and hubby were asked to help.... they both decided they had other things that needed to be done immediately!!  They are both around the same age as our kids, and neither of them work...., both were in the house... they live with her Dad!... you don't want to know what was muttered!!)

Anyway, after what seemed to be weeks, but was actually about 8 hours, we ended up with this:

Bit different isn't it?? Needless to say the plants are now in, and we had a well deserved meal in the pub!!  Incidentally, we did look for the 'knee high' Allarwe indians... didn't find any tho, although we did rehome a number of garden toads!!  Allarwe indians??  They are about knee height and go around in 6 foot high grass, as they can't see where they're going very well, they push their way through, shouting 'We're the Allarwe!!'... Now that'll sort out a certain OG's ageing knicks!!! ROTFL

As for tatting, well... I managed this so far:

As you can see, the next 'round' of motifs are going in!! The 'feet' are the next round, 6 of those and then 6 in between them!  The third one is about to be started!  what's more I've got class tonight, and the shuttles go with me as well as a lace pillow  (pillow is usually left in the back of the car), if there's room and your's truly can be bothered to walk back out and get it, then bobbin lace may be made.... otherwise it's me, shuttles, coffee and chat!!!!  Our sort of class!! LOL  Now I'll know when Teach has read this, because she'll mention the pillow or some such!! VBG.  Mind you, it may just be shuttles tonight, don't think the back will stand bending over a lace pillow after yesterday!!

Right, off for coffee...

Chat later

Sunny Easter Holidays!!

Oh I do so love it when it's sunny!!  There's something about the warmth.... ('cept for the icy cold wind that's blowing...) but we won't dwell on that!!

Got a Gas Man coming this morning to see if he can mend the coal effect, victorian looking, fire in the lounge... it doesn't want to ignite!!  How annoying is that??

Anyway, as I'd done the earwigs to go with the necklace, I've gone back to the Hat!!  The top of the crown is finished!! and now I am starting on the side bits to come down to the band... 2 rows to do altogether - 24 motifs!!!  With the 7 I've done so far that'll be 31 motifs before doing the band and then the brim!!  Ooh... that makes it sound as if I've an awful long way to go!!!!

So, here's the top of the crown:

Those earrings I did to go with the necklace, Sir decided he doesn't like them or the 'dangly bit' on the necklace!! MEN!!!  Can't be doing with them criticizing my work!!  I may never wear them now!!!  Might just have to do some more!!!! (slightly different!!)

Also, I went for a walk yesterday.... down to the carpark on the river because we've just had 2 benches donated by the local pub (they were refurbished at the end of last year, and the outdoor benches were 'surplus to requirements'!!)  It's not a huge distance from home, but in order to not make the walk linear, it's quite a way round.... along the riverbank and across the fields!!!  Anyway, these seats....  they've been installed down near the car park!!  The nearest one has been there a while, but some more were needed, to stop people trying to picnic on the wall!!  It's not a huge carpark and there's no parking overnight on it... in fact the gate is locked shut between 8pm and 8am!! every day of the year!!!!

Look good don't they??

Chat later

I wandered....

... lonely as a something or other that we haven't got in the sky today!!!  Wall to wall sunshine at the moment!!  (Sorry Mr Wordsworth.... I do love your poem really!!) (Thought.... wonder if anyone already has, or I can design a daffodil for a brooch... it'd look fantastic on my aged dark jacket!!)

It's the first day of the Easter Holidays at our school, so no school run this morning!!  I went with Sir instead.... we ferry a blind girl to Beverley 3 days a week.... (Or rather Sir does, when I'm doing School!!) this was followed by a bacon and tomato sarnie down by the river, which was gorgeous until the guy living on the boat moored right on the lock decided to light a fire!!  It blew straight at the car!!  Grrr!!!  So we had a leisurely drive home again!

So, last night I had got 'fed up' of tatting cream.... not that I object to tatting cream really, but a lady does need some colour in her life!!   Well this particular OG does anyway!! VBG  So....

Remember this from a few days ago??

Not content with just the necklace, I created these last night:

Just the ends to finish off and the hooks to put on!!  Thats number 15 of my 25 for this year!! LOL  Am going to sort through my stash of buttons later... see if I have 7 the same or similar colours to the necklace.... then I can do a bracelet to match!!  (Note to self.... remember to look at the necklace and see if 7 is the right number or too many for your wrists!!)  It'd be right if I created the thing only to find it fell off!!... wonder what it would look like with smaller buttons... I've got those... hmmm....

Chat later!!

Boys!!!

Around 17 years ago when my son was at school I went to collect him at the usual time.  Unusually (for that time, but not later...) I was 'invited in' to see the head....  why?  Young Sir had 'gone missing' along with 3 friends at lunchtime!!  They'd hidden themselves under the coats in the cloakroom to see what happened when 'teacher' couldn't find them!!

Now, there's nothing unusual in boys doing this sort of thing is there??  So why does this incident stick in my mind.... well.... this particular 5 year old gave everyone a running commentary on whatever was going on in his mind!!  He could not be quiet or sit still!!  We always knew what he was up to from the mutterings!!!  It took him years to cotton on that if he'd shut up then I wouldn't have known that he was... taking satellite dishes to bits to 'see how they worked', or raiding the fridge (corned beef in one hand and cheese in the other... bite out of each one!!), or 'finding out how Daddy's motorbike works' with a screwdriver and a spanner!!  Not this day.... he'd actually kept quiet!!!  Gave the teacher apoplexy!!  She's never forgotten the incident either!!

Why am I telling you this??  Well, yesterday afternoon I got a panicking parent asking if I'd seen one of 2 brothers.... I had, but.... younger brother had 'gone missing'!!  Looked under the coats in the cloakroom I asked??  No, he wasn't there!!  I waited an extra 20 minutes before I got the report that he'd been found.... he'd gone to his brothers friends house looking for older brother!!!  Just reminded me of Young Sir at a similar age!

Ok, so I didn't get as much done on That Hat yesterday... between cooking and washing and meetings and boys going missing... Anyway, this is how far I am now....

I even sewed in the ends!!

Thanks for all the nice comments about it folks.  For those that don't know, the pattern is in here:

Last day of school today for the Easter break.... maybe the hat will 'grow' a little faster!!

Coffee awaits!!

Chat later

Spring is Sprung...

.... the sun is riz... I wonder where the birdies is?  The birdies on the wing.... but that's absurd!! I thought the wing was on the bird!!

Don't ask me where that came from!!!  somewhere at the back of my memory, filed in a cupboard with a faulty catch, I seem to remember that it was written in an old autograph album from around the time I started learning to tat, crochet etc... all left handed!!  Not knitting tho... I was taught to knit at 5 by an aunt and still knit in the Northern English way - needle under right armpit and yarn in right hand... stitches go from left hand needle to right hand....

Anyway, I went down the garden this morning to the sound of bird song which is where the whatsit came into my mind!!  The bush sticks that we planted last week are budding!! Well, most of them are anyway!!  Certainly the beech and something else (the rose ones I think) are being a little slower but there again we do live in an 'exposed to the elements' part of the UK!! VBG

So, yesterday I mentioned getting rid of the metal shuttle as my second shuttle on this 'ere hat!!  Here you can see motif 5 on the go, and before I go much further I shall finish off those ends on 2, 3 and 4!!

If you compare pics from yesterday you can see that I changed the metal shuttle for a plastic one.... much lighter on the little finger!!  The metal ones would be brilliant for tatting with a shuttle and ball, and keeping himself quiet about the 'flipping click' every time you pull more thread off the tradional shuttles!!  I've got adept at using my thumb nail to 'ease the thread through to stop him complaining!!  He complains about the click, young sir's fish tank bubbles, keyboards clacking and 'fidgeting' by the cats etc.... yet he has the tv turned up so loud that you could probably hear it on the other side of the railway line!!!  (Did I ever mention we live in a 200 year old railway cottage???)

However, I digress.... I am going to HAVE to make some earwigs to go with that necklace.... now where did I put the shuttles, thread, beads, buttons..... (goes away muttering and decides to make another coffee....)

Chat later!!

Sunshine and hats!!

Morning All

Well, it was sunshiney until a few seconds ago.... now it's cloudy and the wind is quite cool!!  Been at my friends house to get her kids up for school this morning and, of course, the shuttles came with me!!  No chance of me leaving them at home!! LOL

Sooo... the hat now has 3 full motifs on, I ran out of thread at the end of the 3rd one on the 'second shuttle'.... so I wound some on a metal shuttle as you can see....

It's now back to a plastic one!!  The major challenge with the metal one is that it's too heavy to use as a second shuttle/chain thread!!  Made me liccle finger ache!!  However, just before I changed shuttles I couldn't resist taking this pic in the early morning sun!! VBG

I get the impression that the sun doesn't know whether to be out or hided this morning!!  One minute it's sunny, the next it isn't!!

A crochet group on Yahoo that I belong to had a 'brainwave' a few weeks ago.... lots of them wanted to learn tatting.... so.... we now have a new Yahoo Group called 'Wannabe Tatters'!!  Seems there are lots of peeps out there who want to learn!!  What they really need is just a few 'prolific' tatters to show them the way!! Some of them want to learn (shhh.... needle) tatting as well as shuttle tatting!!  Anyone out there interested in joining us??  Just click on the 'Wannabe Tatters' above!!  This particular crazy tatter only does shuttle tatting!!!  I'd feel it was more like crochet or embroidery if it was done on a needle!!  And.... I'd be forever cutting thread!!!

Anyway, coffee calls!

Chat later

It's Raining!!

Morning All

So.... it's not really rain,  more wet!!  Got slightly damp doing the school run this morning.... most parents seemed to have taken the kids in the car.... think they think kids are made of sugar!!!

A good friend text me on Saturday to say she's also now a Grandma!!  Another little girl to keep us all going 'Ahhhh'!!  Sent congratulations to the new parents and new Grandparents as you do!!

The weather kept me in over the weekend tho, well almost... we did go see how the garden hedge is doing, and a few bush sticks are budding, so that's good!! .... anyway we couldn't do much outside... so I finished this:

That makes 14 of my 25 for the year!!!  Just need to put the clasp on now and it's ready to wear!!!  I love the colours in it!  Just realised, you can almost see the shadow of the camera!!!  Roll on Summer when I can wear me sleeveless teeshirts and the necklace!!!

I'm also getting on with the hat....  Motif 3 is being attached as you can see here....  The ends of motif 2 would have been finished.... but I forgotted me whatsit this morning!!  Must remember to look for me scissors....

I think it's going to look good when it's eventually finished.... dread to think how long it will be tho VBG!

The furry cushion is trying to climb on top of son's fish tank.... she thinks that because it's heated and so it's warm up top, then it makes a brilliant seat!!  Definitely shades of.... 'but it's warm so why isn't it for sits???'... makes a change from the computer!! LOL

I may just go blog hopping now.... see what you've all been up to over the weekend!!

Chat later

Furry Cushions!!

You know what it's like when you go to sit down in a chair and find it already occupied??  Well, I frequently find this warm furry cushion in the back of my chair....

Luna is a Madam for doing that!!  Her take on life is.... 'if it's warm, I sits and kips'!!  Cheeky Madam!! VBG.... she's actually a permanent lodger in our house...  belongs to Sons girlfriend, but lives with us!!

The necklace is coming on.... I do love the colours in it.... only now I have to find my ball of thread again.... one shuttle is almost empty!!!  Must find it later!!

Here you go:

Another thing I did a few weeks ago was to find a stack of buttons in a box in the local supermarket.... not being able to resist them I got them and added them to my stash....  However I hate throwing things away.... and the box is Very Useful:

One way of trying to keep my thread for the hat clean!!  Here's the first motif for the centre of the crown!!

Oops.... Noooo.... That's Li'l Miss with some of her first food all around her mouth.... have warned Mum that it gets interesting when it's in her hair.... between her toes.... Remember what that's like?? LOL

Try Again....

Got it right this time!! LOL

Aforementioned Son reminded me a short while ago of an Amon Amarth (some rock or heavy metal band or something that he listens to).... he bought a t-shirt from one of the festivals.... the washing instructions on the inside are very explicit.... full instructions on temp, ironing, etc.... and then at the end it states 'Or give it to your Mum'!!  Guess what he does.... VBG

Anyway, coffee awaits....

Chat later

Finished!!

Planting 108 hedge 'babies' comprising, hawthorn, blackthorn, field maple, beech, hazel, wild cherry, bird cherry, guelder rose and dog rose!!  All mixed higgeldy piggeldy!! VBG

Now I forgot to show you just a bit of the 'stuff' I got at Harrogate last week... so here goes:

First up is the Celtic tatting book.  I did have a go at a small circle with a celtic shuttle, but... I still had to cut the shuttle and the ball off in order to finish it off!!  Think I must have done something wrong, so I'll have to try again!! LOL  Maybe I'll show you a pic of it another day...

What?? You want to see it Now???  Ok...

I may just make another one and make them into earwigs!!

Then there was this:

Given that my DD sings songs and nursery rhymes to our Granddaughter, I just had to get it!!  Keep her bedroom full of animal 'pictures'!! VBG

And, last but not least, there's the shuttles.... the red one is a Starlit by Handy Hands, the 2 painted ones are hand painted by Amanda for Roseground, and the last one was found in a box 'specially for me' by Stuart Johnson!!  He doesn't make them as a matter of course, so I was delighted when he found it lurking for me!!  You can see that 2 of them have been wound already, in fact you've already seen them.... tatting the hat!!

Anyway, that's really all I have to show you today.... the weather is dull, damp, foggy and 'orrible... and those hedge whatsits are in, so.... with any luck I can do a bit of tatting today!!  In between doing lunch and son's packing up and the ironing, and posting a parcel for Sir, and....

Coffee calls!!!

Chat later

I Made It!!!

Into the 'wall of Fame'!!

You know you're getting somewhere when 'certain OG's' start following what you post!! LOL

Yesterday was a gorgeous day!!  We went out for lunch with Madame, the Birthday man & lady... his parents, our son and my MIL!!  Sitting in the sunshine at the side of a peaceful lake... gorgeous!!  Then we came back to carrying on with this 'ere hedge!!

Hopefully the plants will go in today!!  Please note.... this is about a third of the length of our garden!!  It may only be 20 ft wide but it is loooong!!  Incidentally, the privet shown is staying, but it's rather spindly.... we were gifted it a few years ago with virtually no roots!!


Ok... so this hat.... I started it:

First mistake?? Forget to join the chains at the first picot!!

Cut it off, start again:

Second mistake?? Forget to join the 'ears'!!

So, I've started a THIRD time!!!  Hopefully.... well they do say third time lucky!! LOL

Now, you know that I'm not very good at learning not to not read destructions before you tat!!  Ass that I am!!  (Yeah well... Assume  makes an ASS oUt of ME!!) LOL

The necklace is coming on apace!!  I've put some extra beads in the middle simply because I was searching my stash and came across a hailstone!!  I decided hailstones just went with rainbows!!  Did that bit whilst at my friends this morning.... I look after her kids when she's at work and her hubby is working away, and get them up for school and things!!  They go to school when I do!!!!

Here you go:

With any luck I'll be able to share the finished article next week.... hedging notwithstanding!! VBG, I've got another 2 hailstones.... earrings maybe?? and No.... not the 'titfer'!!!  (for those who don't.... 'tit fer tat - hat' in cockney rhyming slang or some such....)

Oh well.... back to the hedge!!  I'll try not to plant me!! LOL

Chat later!

IFT!!

Morning All

Now some little bird told me that it's IFT today!!  For those of you who are not tatters... that's International Tatting Day!!  So, happy tatting day to all tatters!!

More importantly than that, of course, is that it's April Fools Day.... now the one thing that really gets me about April 1st is that people pull jokes on each other on MY Daughters Birthday!!  Not only is it her birthday, but it's also her husbands birthday today!!!

So.... Happy Birthday to Both of Them Too!!  We do tell them occasionally that the only reason they got together was so that they couldn't forget each others birthdays! VBG

Right, tatting....

Now last Saturday was The Last Harrogate Lace Fair (which I hope they don't really mean) and I went along with my Crazy Dutch Friend and her hubby!  I only came back with a little bit.... honest!!  a few threads, some lace bobbins, a few shuttles and some books!  Oh, and some beads and some tiger tail for making a necklace.... I'll show you it when it's finished!!  It did look good when they showed us the example!

So, these 'ere threads and books.... well, a couple of weeks ago I fell in love with this book:

That Hat just has to be made!!!  I've started it, and got as far as the second repeat of the first round.... and then realised that this particular Fool hadn't read the pattern properly!!  So I cut it off and am about to start again!!  'Twill be later tho.... we're out for a meal at lunch with DD and her hubby and his family and our Granddaughter, and Sir's mum and our son....  then son has to go to work.... 2pm till 10pm!!  I may Just have the shuttles in my pocket!!

Also, Sir decided it was about time we made a hedge or fence or something instead of the netting we've got at the bottom of the garden.... so he decided to dig a trench, fill it with horse manure, so that we can plant 100+ hedging plants.... hawthorn, dog rose, wild cherry, beech and whatever else is in the HUGE box that arrived yesterday!!  challenge is... the trench is at the moment a field that hasn't been touched for YEARS!!  Very sandy soil, but.... very overgrown with couch grass!! and brambles!! OUCH!!  Fancy taking tatting time away from me to dig the edge of our garden!  Just to put plants in!!  Mind you, it will look good when it's established!!  I'll show pics later!  I'm sure the cats will Love it!!

Where I stand as a 'Lollipop Lady' there's a beck (a stream) and I couldn't resist taking this pic of it...

my very own bit of wild area in the midst of a Huge new Estate that's over doubled the size of the village in the last 15 years!!  There are water voles just down stream a bit... and I frequently see them 'pottering' along the edge of the bank!

Anyway, back to the manure and the trenches and wrapping birthday presents!!

Chat later