Hello Friends!

Each episode of Baby Doll's FAVORITE program, Yo Gabba Gabba, begins with a greeting from DJ Lance Rock, "Hello friends!"  I don't ACTUALLY say it aloud, ESPECIALLY in public, but SOMEtimes when I pick up a sewing needle or tatting shuttle I think to myself, "Hello friend!"

This week I was excited to bring three "friends" together for a play date - tatting, sewing and embroidery.  EVERYBODY played nice and the result was this jumper for Baby Doll.  During the winter she will wear it with a pink turtleneck and pink leggings.  Then next spring she will be able to wear it by itself.

The jumper was made from Simplicity pattern 3662.  The shoulder straps button in the back and the bows at the side allow for fitting.  The jumper is fully lined and could probably be constructed to be reversible.  I made my own piping for the bottom hem so it would match the pink I used for the motif.  It was an easy pattern and I would definitely consider making it again.

You probably recognize the motif from my last post.  I have wanted to add a motif to a little skirt or jumper for some time now and when I found this one I thought it would be PERFECT.  I had originally planned to sew it on subtly, but somewhere in the planning process I VEARED off course and decided to stitch it on LOUD and PROUD with embroidery floss matching the colors of the fabric.

Afraid that the motif would be STRUGGLING for attention on that field of dots, I decided to give it its OWN stage which I created by first setting a green circle into a larger pink square using a technique I found on Dioramarama.  It worked WONDERFULLY!  Then I embroidered my tatted motif on,  cut the pink circle to the size I wanted and appliqued the WHOLE shebang to the jumper.  Because the jumper is fully lined the LOVELY back side of my embroidered work is not visible.

I tried it on Baby Doll and she seemed well pleased because APPARENTLY you need a colorful dress to dance along to numbers like "Hey, Won't Somebody Come and Play?" and I'm pretty sure she will be reflective for any night time walking.  Safety first!

If You Go Down in the Woods Today...

You're sure of a big surprise --- but not because of picnicking teddy bears!  OH NO, the woods I wandered today had tatted motifs CLINGING to the trees like monarchs in the woods of Mexico!!  There were THOUSANDS of them in a STUNNING array of colors, shapes and sizes!!!    

OR... it COULD be that I was actually just traipsing through my soggy backyard where there are a COUPLE of trees... and quite possibly this was the ONLY motif hugging either of them and then ONLY for the space of a shutter's blink... a girl can dream though... and if you're gonna dream, you might as well make it a DOOZY!

For this motif I used Cebelia #10.  It is the "Pink Coaster" pattern from Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic.  An ant kindly climbed aboard for size comparison purposes... I "thanked" him later...

SURE it looks like a quiet, demure, unassuming motif NOW, but I hope in the coming days to release its inner wild child!  Wish me luck...

Wrap It Up, I'll Take It!

I'm stringing beads for my latest take-along project!  I'll be using a #20 Lizbeth thread and some  SPARKLIER THAN THE PICTURE SHOWS beads to make a very simple edging of rings and chains.  I like to keep an easy-peasy project with me when I'm out and about.  I am SHAMELESS about pulling a piece of tatting out to complete even a SINGLE ring when the opportunity arises because I have learned not to count on too much quiet tatting time at home... You would not BELIEVE the interruptions which have occurred while I have typed these few lines!  REALLY.  So here's to long lines and packed parking lots... I may make a few poor gift choices for Christmas so I can enjoy some quality time returning them!

Leave Her to Heaven?

Should I just let this one go or throw good thread after bad in an effort to salvage this misfit motif?

It is SUPPOSED to be Celtic Flower from Celtic Tatting Knots & Patterns by Rozella Linden using Lizbeth #20 thread.  I like the pattern VERY much and was excited about making it with some new thread.  Unfortunately after careful thought and planning, I went and mixed up the threads I was using and ended up with too much solid green and not enough variegated thread showing.  The spoke motif (solid green) which is woven into the flower motif (variegated) was a little twisty, so I didn't snug the stitches up as much as I should have which resulted in the spokes being too long, and one ring into the final round I can tell they will not lay flat with any amount of coaxing.

What to do, what to do...  I'm thinking I will get the motif a room in Tat Limboland where it can reside until I feel like snipping off the final round and retatting the spoke motif in another color yet to be purchased (because I NEED more thread - really, really I do).  And I SUPPOSE I believe in second chances... especially when you bring thread into the picture...