Motif #6 Tatted Marche Bag

Tatted Marche Bag
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

This is from another book I bought at Japan Hobby Show, _Hajimete no Tatting Lace_, _Tatting Lace for Beginners_, by sumie.
There are many pretty motifs and edgings in the book. No doilies and biggie stuffs.
I used Lisbeth #40 in Sherbet Delight.

In the book, there are three bags and they are made with solid colours, ecru, sand, and brown. I think I would make this again with solid colour thread. Maybe it would be much prettier.

Motif #5 Tatted Heart Motif

Tatted Heart Motif
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I went to Japan Hobby Show on Friday. There I bought two tatting books just published.
This motif is from one of the books, _Tatting Lace Lesson Book_ by FUJISHIGE Sumi.
There are many motifs, edgings, some doilies, necklaces and some more. FUJISHIGE is famous for flowers and clitters, but those are not much in the book.
I used Lisbeth #40, instead of Olympus Emmy Grande which is instruction calls for.
The book shows a doily made with eight of this motifs.

Motif #4 Tatted Bookmark

Tatted Bookmark
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Another issue is split rings. I've tried it for a while recently, and I think I've got it.
This bookmark is one of those exercises. Jane's bookmark.

I used Olympus #40. It is strange but this green thread makes stitches crisp. It seems turquoise thread does, too. I think that's because of dyes. I love this colour and its crispness.

Motif #3: Diamond Motif

Diamond Motif
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

SCMR, Self Closing Mock Ring, has been an issue to me.
I just can't tat it neatly. It easily becomes a mess.
I've been practicing, and, well, it looks better than before. At least I think so.

I've tried this motif of Jane once. The motif turned out as something completely different from the original.

This motif is one of my favourite. So, this would be a nice opportunity to try again since I started my 25 motifs challenge.

The result is much better than before, yet there is still large room for improving.

I used Olympus #40 in 731 and 455. I should have used darker colour for inside.

Pattern: Diamond Motif by Jane Ebrall.

Motif #2 Floral Bookmark

Floral Bookmark
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I don't usually use bookmarks when I'm reading. I just remember the page number.
At the same time, I love to tat bookmarks. They are small, pretty, and make me experience finishing.
In knitting (and maybe crochet, too), you do cast-on, and knit. But finishing, you don't do as much as casting-on. At least, I haven't. There are too many unfinished objects around me.
I've made this bookmark of Kersti a lot and still I have some difficulty at the end. It is hard for me to join the final petal to a picot on the third petal of the previous flower.
Maybe I'll tat this more and find out more comfortable way to join.
I used Lisbeth #40 Sherbet Delight. It's my favourite colourway and it looks pretty in this bookmark. But #40 is a bit finer. #20 would look nice.

#1 Dragon Wing Doily

Dragon Wing Doily
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Ever since I found 25 Motif Challenge, I've wanted to participate. I even wrote it down as my New Year Resolution once.
But I haven't. I've been procrastinating. Just because it would be too much for me to tat 25 motifs in a year.

I've changed my mind.
What I need is a challenge.
I may not tat 25 motifs, but it's ok for me. Challenging means much more to me.
Of course, my aim is to tat all 25 motifs.

And this one has been procrastinated, too.
Ever since I saw a Dragon Wing Doily by Anne Bruvold, I've wanted to make it myself. It looks so close-tatted and that's my favourite.
I downloaded the pattern and found out it requires a shuttle and a ball. It is easier than it looked.
Still, I just put the pattern in a "someday" folder, not a "next" folder in my memory.

Finally, I've made it. I used Lisbeth #40. It took me some time, so rings are in different sizes.
But I did it.
That's important.

I really love this pattern. It's fun to work with, and the result is so nice. This one is about a size of a coaster, so I'll put it under my glass.

Shetland Yarn

Shetland Yarn
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Things get better little by little at least around me. I go to work on weekdays. Often I can't buy what I want to because of supplies are not enough.
But, just as Dickens wrote, "it is the best of times and it is the worst of times. In short, this period is so far like the others."

I've found my Bossie FeatherWeight was broken on the next day of the earthquake. Something heavy might hit it. The whorl was split in half. I sobbed.
But, other Bossies of mine are all fine. I just didn't feel like to spin after the earthquake for a while.

Today, suddenly spinning mojo has been back to me. I just picked up some Shetland top and blended with a handcarder.
I had white, light brown, and brown fiber. In the picture, the largest skein is made of almost the same amount of white and light brown. Other small ones are made of different proportion of three colours.

I'm not very good at carding. Fiber is in fine condition so the result are not so bad.
Blending fiber is such a fun. I've learned it from Knitty. I've tried it some time and found that I love to blend natural colour fiber. A little bit of dark colour, such as bordeaux or dark navy blue would be nice to add.