Where to Find me

I'm not sure if I will be able to post here today. I tried yesterday but when I wanted to start a new paragraph, well, I really don't know what happened, LOL. So I went to blogster (sshhhh) to complete my posting. For those on tatchat who are looking for my entries in the 25 motif challenge, look for me at http://dianatats.blogster.com. You may have to copy/past that link as I'm not sure how links in postings written without the html format will work. I guess that blogger is moving to blogger beta and it may take a little time to get it all changed over. I've been enjoying blogger, so I'm looking forward to being moved over to beta in the near future. In the meanwhile, my postings will be at dianatats. I have a blogger site here for my motif challenge gallery, but the one in blogster shows the pictures in a gallery-specific list in the side margin or whatever it is called. Also, I've been so excited. I made a first listing on eBay!! It is for a 16" blue necklace with white 'pearl' beads and gold coated seed beads. The clasp is a sterling silver lobster claw clasp. I listed it for auction, but I like it so much I'm going to make one for me! My friend in Arizona has sent me a bunch of beads and string-able stones to use and I'm having a good time using it all. Some of the beads/stones/pearls have a hole that is too small to put on my thread, so I bought a tool to enlarge the holes. I bought one that doesn't have a battery and I'll tell you, it has some serious capacity to cause muscle build-up in the fingers, hands and wrist! OK, I tried again to start a new paragraph, but it won't let me do that, so please pardon my run-on paragraph. Well, off to do more tatting! Wish me luck in my eBay auction!!

The Ultimate Finish?

I've been trying to get ready to place some necklaces and bracelets on eBay for sale/auction. My brother had suggested that I use something on my tatting to preserve the color and to protect it. I don't remember what he suggested I use to preserve the color; I can call him and ask. I bought a can of Krylon Kamar Varnish at Wal Mart the other day, though to protect the work. It says that it is for protection of oil, acrylic and watercolor. It doesn't say oil, acrylic or watercolor what. It does say Non-yellowing and that it is acid-free. I had thought it had said it could be used on ribbon items to protect them but leave them flexible. Now I'm wondering if I read the back of one can and bought a different can. (hew hee hee) I would imagine that it should be ok with fabric as people who paint with oil, acrylic and watercolor use the paint on a canvas. I'll check the website and if it is ok, I'll post a picture of the finished product after using this on an item.

25 Motif Challenge

I will be posting pictures for the 25 motif challenge at my gallery site to see if I can create a gallery on one site.

Making Ornaments

These are two of the ornaments I've made. The 5-pointed Star is designed by Monica Hahn in Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns. The butterfly is designed by Darlene Polachic in her Big Book of Tatting. I love these patterns. They just make me happy. I added hangars by finger tatting around cabone rings and tying them onto the ornaments so they can be hung on a Christmas tree without having to tie them onto the branches. I want to use them to make blouse pins, also. I remember when I first started really working on my tatting. It took eight hours to make the 5-pointed star. Of course that was while working night shift, monitoring a young client's breathing. Things go slowly in the middle of the night when you're tired. Now, on a good day, I can make it in only one hour.

Struggling with photos

I've been struggling with posting pictures and hope I'll be able to do it. I have a picture of a necklace and bracelet I made without someone else's pattern, a photo ornament from a pattern by Darlene Polachic's coaster pattern and a bookmark I made from a picture online. I'd love to give credit to the person who did design it. Unfortunately, I don't understand how to get the photos to post.

Learning Curve

I bought books here and there, online, craft store, Wal-Mart. Mom picked me up some through her catalog shopping. Each one had sufficient challenges for a beginning tatter. I learned each time. As my books accumulated, I forgot where I had learned a new skill. I had gotten to the point where I could join the last chain to the base of the first ring, facing inward. That was not a problem, very easy. I learned somewhere along the way to join the last chain to the base of the first ring with them facing outward, but I forgot how to do that and where I had learned it to begin with. At this point, when I join the last chain to the base of the first ring, i flip the piece over, joining backwards and there is a twist in the picot. I learned how to do the split ring. At first that was difficult. Then I decided I wasn't going to use the second half shuttle as I did the first half. I'd take it in my right hand and move it freely around my thread, held in my left hand. I moved only the right hand threads. I've got that down pretty well, too. I had to work harder on split chains. I would have to use the instructions I found at Jane Eborall's site to be able to do it again. It took me awhile to wrap my mind around the instructions, but I was then able to make tat-man's bunny with the split chains. I'll take things one step at a time, learn a bit here and a bit there. I wanted to post the items I've made, but think my saved pix are too big. If someone else can help me with that, I'd be very grateful.

In the beginning

I learned to tat when I worked at a Bank in Utah. My friend and I would go to break together and she did all kinds of wonderful things. I asked her to teach me to tat and she did. I learned fairly well and thought I was doing splendidly until I compared what I was doing to what she was doing. I was going....1,2,1,2,1,2 and she was just zipping right along. I couldn't even see her hands, they were going so fast. But I continued, going 1,2,1,2,1,2 and was finally able to finish an item. I don't remember what it was, but I was proud of myself. That was around 1980-1981, before my first son was born. I've never compared what I did then to what I am doing now, because for all of this time, when I made something I gave it away, especially for Christmas. In December of 2004, we all gathered at Mom and Dad's for Christmas. I got a chance to look in the box of ornaments and there were the things I had made so long ago. They were pathetic looking things and I felt embarrassed for a bit, that I gave away such piddly little things. But they are mine, from deep inside, where my creativity hides. My tatting has improved over the years, and because I've hardly ever had money for Christmas, I've totted as gifts, things I've found in instruction books. I love my instruction books! This past Christmas I made some ornaments and doilies I've found in various books. I'm not a world class tatter, or maybe that's tattess, but I have a lot of fun doing it. I've accumulated a nice collection, ornaments, necklaces, doilies, bookmarks. I don't know if I'll ever be able to sell any, but I can dream. I hope someday I'll be able to go into the box of ornaments at Mom and Dad's to take just one to see how it all started.......in the beginning.