Mama's Jacket

Don't you love rescuing linens, hankies, and lace from flea markets? Ah! but what to do with these treasures? This purchased fleece cardigan was perfect for adding some of my finds. One of the reasons I was determined to learn to shuttle tat was to STOP buying every piece of tatting that I found. The tatting that is added to this jacket for my Mother are pieces that I tatted. The silk flowers are from stems that I took apart. They are held in place with vintage mother-of-pearl buttons. The magnolia on the right front is appliquéd fabric. The lace doilies were free motion stitched to the cardigan with invisible thread. I didn't want to cut the hankies for the pockets - so they are folded over the edge of the pocket top and held in place by buttons. It is so "crusty" people stop her when she wears it to get a closer look : )

Peach Mignonette Bag

My plan was to use the SSSR round as the casing for this mignonette bag. But someone else suggested that the cords be woven in a lower round to give the bag more firmness when it closes. The cording is made with a lock stitch of peach and green threads. A lock stitch is made by flipping the first half and NOT flipping the second half. The tassels are made of the same two colors. There are two rounds of onion rings. I tend to work the rounds in groups of odd numbers before changing the count for the next texture. Sure, this one got "out of hand" and is almost big enough to be a bucket! (click on each image to show detail)

Single Shuttle Split Rings

SSSRs are fun! and so useful. Several of the bags that I have done have a ring and chain combination for finishing the top round. I wanted to have a bag that was completed in rings only. The SSSR was a way to create the casing for the pull ties of the bag. Matthew Takeda's instructions for the SSSR can be found on Bina Madden's technique page SSSR - Matthew Takeda

Fun with tatted flowers

This was a fast and fun barrette for a special little girl.
She is a sweetie and put it in her hair the minute it left my hand.
I know that GLUE is a four letter word, but sometimes nothing else will do. The tatted flowers are simply glued to the plastic barrette. (click image for large view)

Dragonflies

gina's YouTube silk ribbon videos

Organza ribbon and beaded dragonflies. The antennae are made with velour thread. Yes! they are stitched with the sewing machine. Here is a beginning page showing how the wings are formed. (Click on the image for a larger view.)
Silk ribbon on the sewing machine is a great technique for beginners to free motion embroidery. It is slow paced and relaxing with FAST! results.  ginabea silk ribbon videos

Tatting Pouch

This is my FAV tatting traveler. It is empty so that a pattern could be made from it. I found it at a beauty supply (now out of business) several years ago. It is not discolored - it is meant to look like tortoise.
It has been a quest to find another of these - it won't last forever! I usually keep my give-away tatting kits on one side and a current project on the other. Various pins and needles are conveniently kept in the exposed zipper fabric.

Tatting is a portable hobby?!?!

Krystledawne suggested that we post a pic of
our tatting space - unposed - just as it is found.
Scarey thought : O
Since I have my blocking/ironing board near the embroidery machine, the sewing sample was found there as well.
I have the three tatted hankies ready for embroidery.
One of my antique irons - no vent holes.
The collar I am working on.
The yards of thread that I untatted : (
BEST PRESS that smooths my tatting as
I work on it.
My fav clear, tortoise, double sided, zippered, tatting case.
Oh! it has my "diamond pin" that hubby's Grandfather made. Yes : ) it is a dime that is welded onto a large safety pin. It comes in handy as a small screwdriver for my GR8 shuttles.

Fun with machine memory

Most computerized sewing machines will allow you to change their stitch attribute settings. Some will allow you to save and combine these changes to create your own "new" stitches. (click image to enlarge)
The Bernina 1630 came out in 1993 and there are many of us still in love with this remarkable sewing machine. There are a couple of newslists that offer a wealth of info about the Bernina 1630.
The first is on Quiltropolis.com
The second is the one I started on Yahoo.Groups
In the files section of the Bernina Devotee list on Yahoo, you will find info that has been shared by members of the newsgroup. In the photo sections you will find member projects as well as pics of our past 1630 Devotee seminars.

Blue Mignonette

Judi Banashek published a book entitled, "Modern Mignonette". I enjoyed tatting with her when she lived here in OKC. I know I am very fortunate to have had her for my first tatting teacher. I had collected patterns and supplies for 15 years before I was able to attend my first tatting class with Judi.

This little bag is one of my early tatting projects. It was not terribly creative except for the band of tiny rings in the center of the bag : ) Judi was encouraging me to experiment with mignonette texture.

I have made several more "adventurous" mignonette bags since this one.

HuckleBear

©2005 gina Butler ~

Wind 2 shuttles with purple thread. (go ahead! fill them : ) you won't be able to stop at just one HuckleBear!) Starting with a thread tail from each shuttle of 4 - 6 inches, set up for a chain. Flip the first half and DON'T flip the second half. This will tie the two threads together. There is no need to start CTM because you want the thread tails for his bow tie.

Bear Head and Ears -1st SCMR:
SCMR - Chain 12 ds Pick up other shuttle to “throw” Ring off chain to form ear 12 ds, close ring Use first shuttle to continue SCMR Chain 12 ds (top of head) Again, use second shuttle to form ear Ring 12ds close ring Use first shuttle to complete Chain 12 ds Close first SCMR.

Eyes and Snout- 2nd SCMR:
SCMR Chain 4ds, Use second shuttle to tat Josephine Ring (this makes the eye) 6 halfs, Join into base of ear, 6 halfs, close JR, with first shuttle Ch 4ds, Use second shuttle JR 6 halfs, join (into base of second ear), 6halfs, close JR, Ch 4ds, close SCMR. After the 2 SCMRs are tatted you will have 4 thread ends. Hold two thread tails in each hand and tie into a bow at HuckleBear’s neck.

Hey Palmetto kids! In green varigated thread he would certainly be a fine Kudzu Bear!

Scissor Keeps

I used Bernina Designer Plus V5 to create these scissor covers.
They were stitched on a Bernina 200 and a Janome 9700.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

I was thinking... A novel idea for a Bride would be a tote bag that she could use to collect her Shower and Wedding cards.

The Wedding colors are to be black, white, and citron. The invitation had this motif in a repeating pattern. I scanned and enlarged it, then digitized it with Bernina Artista 5 embroidery software.

The little hankie is OLD and was 25 cents from the thrift store. The fabric was NEW (also a bargain from the thrift store). The motif was BORROWED from their wedding invitation. And there is a tiny BLUE
button holding the decorative bow in place.

I cut the hankie diagonally and stitched it back together leaving an opening for the ribbon drawstring. It is stitched to the inside of the bag and folded over to the outside of the tote bag to cover the raw edges. It was then straight stitched into place and ribbon was sewn over this stitching.
Two loops of picot ribbon were threaded in opposite directions through the casing. The ribbon ends were sewn together and pulled well inside the casing.
*Tip: When sewing narrow ribbon or elastic, overlap the ends and place under the sewing foot vertically to the bed of the sewing machine. Use the serpentine (or similar) stitch set at W-5-9 and L-0. The sewing machine needle will step across the width of the ribbon without being "swallowed" by the opening in the throat plate.

Single Shuttle Split Ring

When closing the SSSR. You can control the loop that has been passed over the SSSR and the shuttle.

Note: this is the same loop that you will want to pick open to untat the SSSR.