Hearts

Just in time for Valentine's day, I am working on this hearts bookmark.

All I have to add are some split rings at the top and a little something to hang outside the book.  I love this heart pattern because it is so versatile and tats up really quick.  If you can manage a Self Closing Mock Ring and a ring thrown off the SCMR, then it's an easy pattern to master.  The pattern is by Anne Bruvold and you can find it here.  If you haven't looked at her patterns, it's well worth a trip to her English pattern site here.  This bookmark is tatted in vintage Coats and Clark size 70 tatting thread in white (yellowed with age) shades of pink, and pink.

In other tatting news, I was inspired to do a little baking from Carollyn's blog.  She posted a cake recipe with tatting as the decoration. Inspired isn't really the right word.  I copied her instructions exactly and here is the result.

The cake was delicious and got eaten very quickly. It's a great recipe when you have nothing in the house.  It requires no eggs, milk or butter.  Perfect if you're snowbound.  The tatting decorations were a little rough in my version.  Next time I will use motifs that use a larger size thread.  I believe all these motifs are tatted in size 30 or 40 thread.  But it was a big hit all around.  Thank you Carollyn.  You always post such great ideas on your blog!!

And finally, progress on the TIAS that Jane Eborall is hosting.  Here is the motif after day 7.

And here's what it looks like after day 8.

I think it is starting to take the shape of a face with a beard.  The two flowers at the top look like eyes and the triangle at the bottom looks like a beard.  It could be a gnome, or maybe a character from Duck Dynasty (a reality TV show in America where the main characters sport long beards).  It could even be one of the guys from the band ZZ Top.  Or it could be none of the above and I am just seeing things.  It's fun to tat these and try and guess what you are making.  It's not too late to join.  Check out the official TIAS web site here.