What I've been tatting

[moniqueleigh]

A couple of years back my mother asked me to tat some snowflakes for her tree. It started out as 36 flakes. I told her there was no way I was going to find time to tat that many by Yule (she made the request in mid-October, IIRC). Since then, there's been general laziness, boredom with white thread, the vagaries of scheduling time (that wasn't already set aside for, oh I dunno, spending with my hubby), trying to sort out a new craft (knitting), etc. So, I think she's gotten 18, maybe 21 of those.

But, of course, every time the subject enters conversation, Mum decides she needs more snowflakes. "Oh, after seeing them on the tree, 36 just won't get the coverage I want. Could you make about 50?" "Oh, let's go for the last 2 digits of your birth year, 72." I'm just waiting for her to decide she needs all 4 digits..... *sigh* Meanwhile, she hasn't even gotten the full original order yet. :/

Edit: The increases are all in good fun. Mum & I have a great relationship & have been known to get quite silly with each other.

But!! I have finished 3 more! Woot! Also added as I forgot to mention before: All 3 were tatted with DMC 80 in white. The beads... Err, have to check later. They came in a box that had about 20 different colors, each in a teeny Tic-Tac style box of its own.

The first two are from Kim Millar's pattern.



This one's from Lenore English's pattern.



They haven't been blocked or starched yet (obviously), but I'm pretty proud of myself. :)
x-posted to my journal

Comments

[roobarb.livejournal.com]

I'd have taught her to do some by now

that would cut the job by half, though still it'd be more than the original order :-)

[moniqueleigh]

:) I've suggested that a time or two. She used to cross-stitch (she taught me), but her eyes aren't good enough for that anymore. And I can't fuss too much as she's in the process of crocheting two queen (or king?) bedspreads -- one for me & one for my brother.

If she can do those itty-bitty squares & still keep her sanity while teaching public school elementary, she'll have me beat!

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

Yay beads!

But your mom...someone needs to tell her that they take time and she's getting a bit greedy.

[moniqueleigh]

As I mentioned above, she's plenty busy herself. :) And half of the asking for more is teasing. The other half is "now you don't ever have to think of gifts for me, just tat more snowflakes." LOL

[nonniemous.livejournal.com]

Lovely snowflakes and I have got to put beads on mine when I do the next bunch!

I third the comments about your Mom; she needs to be very grateful for what she's gotten and learn herself if she wants more.

[linaelyn.livejournal.com]

hey. you're still up. :-)

I'm surfing friends friends, and I was just wondering who had this community friended. Should have guessed.

[moniqueleigh]

Thanks. Beads on free picots are really easy! Just thread the needed number (& a few extra, just in case) before you start tatting.

And Mum is very grateful. As I've mentioned above, she's pretty busy crocheting bedspreads for my brother & myself (a few squares at a time, to be attached at the end). And most of this is teasing. We've got a great relationship, so she knows I'll just throw shuttles at her if she gets too bossy. ROFL

[wosny.livejournal.com]

They are lovely, how long does one take on average?
I really agree on budgetting time, it's worse than money, so much gets wasted on random things. I jump guiltily every time I get caught on the computer...Still it is handy to have an ongoing christmas present scenario, I wish my mother liked tatted stuff!

[moniqueleigh]

Heh. I just answered this question on my journal, so I'll just copy/paste my answer:

Errr.... Well, I don't really keep track. The big one took about a few days, but not all at once. It was tat for 30 minutes, go play on the 'puter for a few hours, tat for 15 minutes, get annoyed at my thread breaking, watch TV with the roomies for a few hours, tat for 1.5 hours, realize I've left my pattern in the other room & don't know what comes next, lather, rinse, repeat. Heh.

So... maybe 3 or 4 hours total? At most? But all 3 were done in size 80 (which is horrendously tiny, but not so bad as sewing thread) & white. So I get bored really, really quickly & have to go do something else.

Then again, with a repeating pattern (like a snowflake or edging), you eventually get into a groove where you don't have to think too much. Just put your hands on auto-pilot 'til you get to the end of the round. :)

[majolika.livejournal.com]

72? your mum is nuts;)
but wow they are pretty!

[moniqueleigh]

Thanks. :) And I think she's kidding about the number. I think. ;) Then again, if she's not, I'll never have to figure out what to get her for gift-giving occasions.... *chuckle*

[jesslin.livejournal.com]

I *love* that pattern, and for much the same reason - BEADS! I went through a time where I think I made 25 of 'em just by using 'found time' on the bus to work in the morning. One of the main reasons I love tatting.

Your mom's a lucky woman to have you making these for her. And you're lucky to have a mom that does for you too. Sweet!

[moniqueleigh]

Yeah, she's a pretty cool lady. *sends virtual hugs to Mum since she's an hour away*

And that is such an easy pattern! :) If it weren't for the OMG-white & bored-now, I'd probably do all of the flakes in that pattern.