A quick bit of needle tatting

Nothing terribly spectacular, just a little something I made up as I went along. 

^_^

I reiterate: Oh, to be perfectly organized!

The good thing is that I finally seem to be waking up a little. Here in Cancun, we've been having a lot of rainstorms and heavy cloud cover vs. the bright scalding sunshine we normally have and I'm pretty sure that it's having at least a small effect on my energy levels. 

Anywho, the good thing was that over the weekend I took advantage of the fact that I had an excuse not to do anything else and actually did something! 

First of all, I did get a little bit of work done on Le Masterpiece.

At first, I was enjoying the relief that came from doing the wheels instead of constant corded brussels (this was before I got the magnifier ^_^), but now I can't wait to go one to the next step--muahahaha!

And then I went a little crazy on Doodleplex.

Now I'm seriously happy that I decided not to try to make it symmetrical in true doodle fashion...because I'd be blowing a gasket right now.

Here (hopefully) you can see what I was trying to go for. I used different colors for the french knots to see if I could get a sort of gradient affect...but I decided that it was approaching overkill (if not already there) and went on to the next thing--a questionable satin stitch archy thing. 

The thing is that... apparently... it's recommended to go about doing padded satin stitch a slightly different way... but then again, how boring would life be if you didn't do things the hard way and give yourself a migraine? 

My point is that last night, while waiting for some caffeine to wear off at a certain hour of the night, I watched Mary Corbet's video on how to do a padded satin stitch.

I'll admit that things might've gone a little better if I'd watched it before... >_>

Anywho, during the same bout of insomnia, I decided to take a shot at some interlocking rings and chains with my brand spanking new tatting needles. 

I must say, I think it went along swimmingly before I got completely frustrated and decided to try it again when it wasn't closer to sunrise than sunset.

^_^

(3 slideshows) So... I came up with my own needle tatting techniques... i think

I say I think because for all I know, they're already out there and I just haven't found them yet... and they probably are--but it'd be kinda cool to think otherwise, huh? ^_^

The first thing that kinda stumped me when it came to needle tatting was a way to do thrown off rings, or "floating rings". I remember seeing a video out there, but it had a result similar to mock rings with shuttles. 

I'm a little OCD sometimes, so... that kinda bugged me.

Therefore, I thought I might as well take a crack at figuring it out. 

Tada! Floating Rings (Thrown off rings) with with a smooth chain underneath!
(Click the little speech bubble button on the bottom left hand corner of the slideshow for the instructions in the comments)

As you may have noticed, making floating rings requires cutting the thread supply off from the ball... Now, in shuttle tatting, I don't have this problem because of the supply on the bobbin--so I hit the internet again. I found some good tutorials, but I still felt like seeing if there was a different way for variety's sake:

Adding thread to tatting with the magic thread trick!

And lastly, because it seriously bugged the biscuits out of me when I had a piece of thread left over on the needle afterwards, I give you: 

How to start tatting with a left over thread!

I have no idea if these techniques will work for you guys, but I sure hope they do!
All I know is I'm having fun over here.
^_^

Oh to be perfectly organized...

For lack of a better explanation, my time-management skills have, frankly, sucked massively for the past few days. 

Granted, it's been a little hectic down here. My dad left on a trip to and came back from Dallas in the space of about five days, rain storms have sapped me of energy, my dog got sick and I had to take him to the vet, more storms rolling in and we have to get prepped for them, had a midterm to turn in, yada yada yada...

Anywho, I have managed a little progress here and there.

First of all, I've finished the buttonholing on the inside of Le Masterpiece: 

I've also done a microscopic amount of work on Doodleplex (I'm talking like... three stitches, max).

No progress on trumpet -_- haven't exactly gotten around to trumpet for some reason. 

I think the most I've managed to do on any one project would have to be Evelyn's Doily. 

Oh! and I've been practicing my needle tatting. Unfortunately, though, I accidentally threw away most of the practices I'd made during a little cleaning incident =S but I do still have a couple!

I think I still need some practice.

^_^

Because: I'm nuts, and my dad and cousin are aweeesoommme!!!

First of all: look look look!!! 

You: Karla, is that what I think it is? 

Me: Yes, I dare say it is. 

TATTING NEEDLES AND A MAGNIFIER!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

First off, I'd like to give a shout out to my dad and my cousin, Sheriesse and say THANKS for schlepping out to Hobby Lobby during Labor Day weekend ^_^

Second: I can do needle lace without going blind now!!!!!! 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

My dad brought these from Dallas (no tatting needles in cancun =( booo!) and I've even started practicing a little! 

^_^

***

And now... I'd like to announce... the LAST ROUND OF EVELYN'S DOILY!!!!

(Theme song from space odyssey 2001 plays in the background... lights dim)

 TA DA!!!

I've gotten a little farther since taking the picture, but this is basically proof that I'm absolutely nuts. Five bucks I"ll be moaning and groaning about it within a week or two.

But it's worth it.

^_^

Originally, though, it gave me a heart attack. The first side came out looking great, but when I got to the second side...

It turns out I had the stitch count wrong in about 3 places >_< 

But now that's all fixed and everything's looking great!

^_^