A New Beginning

Hope every one of you blogging friends is having a nice New Year!
(I'm having a slow start, being overwhelmed with catching up on my WIPs, and blogger having issues with uploading pictures.)

Towards the end of 2012, Diane and I exchanged some doodads. The doodads are gorgeous. Thanks, Diane. I am having some fun tatting using a couple of these.

I decided that Fox's motif, Athalia, which you can find here on tat-ology, is one I would like to tat with a doodad. It's a delightful pattern.



Tatted with #40 Lace Yarn Thread from Daiso

Another view of the same motif, Athalia

Last week, I met Tong Huey, for dinner. She loves crafts and is into crocheting. She's makes lovely items. The eclectic cafe, Tea Cosy, serves rather interesting fare and it also sells the furniture as well as home accessories it has on display.

Tong Huey and me, and our prettily plated and sumptuous dinner on the table

After dinner, I found some netted yarn in Spotlight. Needless to say, being ever so curious, I bought 2 balls to have a go. I didn't have any idea how the yarn was to be used, as the label only had pictures of knitted ruffled scarves. I came home and checked out youtube for some idea(s) and hopefully instructions to crochet with these yarn. I did find some useful videos.

Voila! Now I have 2 beautiful things to decorate my neck.


Crocheted ruffled scarf with Moda Vera Ridgley Mesh, Grecian, 100g, 100% acrylic

Crocheted ruffled scarf with Vera Moda Togari Mesh, Tango, 100g, 80% acrylic, 20% nylon

Free Form Tatting with Doodad

Life's not too bad when I get to tat. :D

Picking up from where I left off yesterday, I actually managed to tat a free form around another doodad! It's essentially made up of chains, using only one shuttle. Looks like a rose to me. Think I'll name it Val's Rose.

Tatted in #20 thread named Enjoy, Light Pink, Size: 4 x 4.5 cm

And then there were two!

 

Sure having fun!

Ta-Dah!

So I tweaked the pattern -- both in the stitch count as well as the look of the outer row, not to mention adding beads to it!

Tatted in #20 Flora, Navy Blue, plus iridescent #11 delica seed beads.

Of course this is not the only possibility. The number of repeats of the hearts could be anything between 2 and 10! I must say I'm pretty happy with this motif now. Have to now think of a name for it, as is the tradition. (My brain cells are getting a little hyper being worked so hard. LOL)

I have to confess one thing though: I added the beads because I saw how Fox's motifs and pendants turned out so much more refined with beads. Thanks, Fox, for the inspiration. Although, I do have to say that I have an inherent fear of using beads in tatting.

I really had a lot of fun designing something around this 10-point doodad. Was challenging but I'm glad I did it. I'm probably not going to stop here, as I found more doodads (but in a craft store, of course!). OK, I'll leave you now with these...