2010 Christmas ornaments

When my husband and I started our family, I began making an annual Christmas ornament for my children. That tradition has continued without exception. Now I'm continuing to make an ornament for not only my children but their spouses and also their children. Sometimes the ornaments are not given until Christmas because I don't have them finished. This year, however, I got the ornaments finished in a timely manner and gave them to the kids and grandkids on Thanksgiving so they'll have them to use during this Christmas season.

I always try to put a name or initials on the ornaments as well as a date. This year I used small beads to indicate the initials of the recepient and also the year (2010). The snowflakes were made for my kids and their spouses and the penguins were made for the grandkids.

The snowflake is made from size 80 thread and the pattern for the 2 color flake by Anne Bruvold. The penguin is made using size 20 thread for the white and 3 strands of floss (I didn't have any #20 black thread) and the pattern by Jane Eborall.

2008 beaded ornament

I've been doing some tatting with beads. I've made several of these snowflakes and have at least 1 more to do before Christmas. It's an easy pattern. It takes awhile to load all the beads onto the thread. Even at that, it makes a great project to do while watching an NFL game. These little flakes are getting easier and quicker to do the more I do them.

A gift of Tatted Ornaments

I knew that I hadn't posted for awhile but was a bit surprised that my last post was September. I've been working on projects but obviously with no finishes. I hope to remedy that in the next couple months. I hope to post several photos in the next few weeks.

Here are some tatted ornaments that I already had made. I stiffened them and am giving to my friend Jan for part of her birthday gift. I taught her to tat so I know she'll appreciate them.

Tatting Exchange

Here is a photo of the items that I sent to Ellen for the December Tatting Exchange. In addition to the tatted ornament I sent two little crocheted bags (3" across). With their little drawstrings, they'll be nice for small gifts or for a small tatting project. These items were put into a fabric bag on which I'd appliqued a tatted teacup.

Motif #25

This is the last of my motif challenge. This motif is a beaded snowflake pattern designed by Sharon Briggs. uses two different sizes of beads which were loaded onto both of my two shuttles.

I was quite slow getting this challenge completed but I'm glad that I did it. I learned a lot and got more comfortable using the various techniques.

25 motif challenge

This is the last of the motifs made from Lene Bjorn's book, 24 Snowflakes in Tatting.
I've learned much from making these motifs becoming more adept at tatting continuous rounds and chain on chains. With these motifs completed, I know need to decide what to tat for my 25th motif of this 25 motif challenge.

25 motif challenge

With two more motifs from Lene Bjorn's book left to do, I am completing the 24 snowflake motifs in this book. These last two motifs have chain on chain components which I'd never done so I skipped them and left them for the last.



This is the first one - page 16 in the book.

25 mofit challenge

Four more snowflakes from Lene Bjorn's book. These have not yet been blocked as I'm waiting to do all the snowflakes at the same time.

25 Motif Challenge

Here are 4 more snowflakes from Lene Bjorn's book, 24 Snowflakes in Tatting. I'm becoming more comfortable with working continuous rounds rather than tying, cutting and starting a new round.

25 motif challenge

Here are 4 more snowflakes made from patterns in Lene Bjorn's book. These are all done with #12 perle cotton - white. Their size is approx. 3.5" across.

There is a deviation from the pattern on the top, left flake. It has 7 tips rather than 6 because I put an extra chain in the center. It pays to count and watch what you're doing! When I noticed the mistake, I chose to continue rather than to scrap the project and start over. It's still a lovely snowflake.

As I'm making these I'm trying to decide which is my favorite. Right now I don't know. I'm also getting more adept at tatting in continuous rounds by using split chains and split rings. I'll be a better tatter when I complete this challenge.

Christmas gifts

This is a snowflake made from size 12 perle cotton blue 932 and 12 perle cotton white. It is made from an online tatting class pattern. I added a initial charm which hangs in the center.

I've made several of these with different charms in the center. They will be used as Christmas gifts. The size of this snowflake is 3.5" across.

25 motif challenge

Here are 6 more snowflakes made using Lene Bjorn's book.

Thread for these is #12 perle cotton with the exception of the last one which has spiral chains made from #30 varigated crochet cotton. All of the snowflakes will still need to be blocked and stiffened. I'll do that when all of them are finished.

25 motif challenge

Last summer I decided to tat all of the snowflakes in Lene Bjorn's 24 Snowflakes in Tatting. I got a couple done and put the project aside to work on other things. I am once again working on it and these are 4 of the snowflakes. All of these are done with #12 perle cotton and are 3" - 3.5"across.