Meetings

Next meeting will be Monday, December 14, 2009 in the small meeting room at Joplin Public Library, 5:30pm – 8:00pm or any part of that time you can make it. We are changing from our regular date because of the holidays.

It’s bring your project night I will have some bookmarks with all the classes listed for all of you at the December meeting.

You are always welcome to bring your own project to work on, or ask questions on a problem or learning something new every month.

Each month I will edit this post to show the next meeting.

 

Tatted Insertion Work

Insertion Worked in Tatting

Beeton’s Book of Needlework was originally published in Great Britain in 1870 by Ward, Lock and Tyler.

Instructions below as per the original.

For modern tatters, oval means ring and purl means picot.

This strip of insertion is worked with two cottons. Work with the cotton in the left hand over that in the right hand. Both ends of cotton are fastened together at the beginning by a knot. First work one half of the insertion the long way in the following manner:–1 plain, 1 purl, 1 plain (the purl must be very short); turn the purl downwards, 6 double, 1 purl, * 6 double, 1 purl, 1 plain, which must all be turned upwards; then turn the work so that the upper edge is turned downwards; work 6 double, fastened on to the last purl turned downwards (the fastening of the stitches is made with the thread in the right hand); a loop turned upwards is thus formed; turn the work downwards, draw the cotton in right hand underneath that in left hand, and work 6 double, 1 purl, 6 double, all turned upwards; fasten these stitches on 1st purl turned [10] downwards. In this pattern 1st of border pattern is thus completed; turn it downwards, 8 double, 1 purl, 8 double, 1 purl, 1 plain, turn work downwards, 6 double, fastened on last purl of last pattern, turned up. Repeat from *. When the insertion is of sufficient length, work the other half in same manner, and fasten it on the 1st half by means of purl stitches between the 8 double stitches twice repeated.

• Designed by: Isabella Beeton

Let us know if you try this one and how it worked out.

 

Tatted Christmas Tree

A lovely Christmas Tree pattern suitable for beginners, with pine-tree like picot needles. A perfect ornament for the holidays!

Rings, Picots and Chains is all it is.

I prefer to make useful items, so I’m really pleased with this little tree. You can use it as an ornament for your tree, a decoration for a gift, an embellishment on clothing or Christmas quilts, or you can thread ribbon through it to make it into a bookmark. Add beads to it to make it sparkle, too.

I purposely made the branches so they looked thick and “fluffy”. I tried at first to join more picots or to add a few less so you could see each individual one, but it just didn’t have the right effect. Pine trees have needles going every which way, so I thought the tatting should look similar.

This pattern is beginner level and uses one shuttle (or needle).

ds	double stitch	R	ring	Ch	chain
p	picot	j	join	lj	lock join (join using shuttle thread)

Instructions:

Lower branch

R: (3ds p) 5 times, 3ds close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R 2 times more to make clover leaf
LJ to closest open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
LJ to next open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close, turn
Ch: 12ds p 12ds, turn

Middle branch

R: (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds j to center p of last R on lower branch (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R 3ds p 3ds j to cp of next R on lower branch (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds close
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R once more to make clover leaf
LJ to open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close, turn
Ch: 12ds p 12ds, turn

Upper branch

R: (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds j to center p of last R on middle branch (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds close
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R once more to make clover leaf, turn
Ch: 10ds p 3ds, turn

Tree top

R: 3ds p 3ds j to center p of last R on upper branch (3ds p) 3 times, 3ds close
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R once more to make clover leaf, turn
Ch: 3ds j to p on last Ch, 10ds, turn

Upper branch

R: (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds j to 4th p of previous R (3ds p) 2 times, close
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R once more to make clover leaf, turn
Ch: 12ds j to p of next Ch, 12ds, turn

Middle branch

R: (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds j to center p of last R on upper branch (3ds p) 2 times, close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R 2 times more to make clover leaf
LJ to open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close, turn
Ch: 12ds j to p of next Ch, 12ds, turn

Lower branch

R: (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds j to center p of last R on middle branch (3ds p) 2 times, close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R , 3ds p 3ds j to center p of next R on middle branch (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
Repeat last R 2 times more to make clover leaf
LJ to closest open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
LJ to next open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close, turn
Ch: 10ds p 3ds, turn

Tree base

R: 3ds p 3ds j to center p of last R on lower branch (3ds p) 3 times, 3ds close
Leave 1/2″ thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 4 times, 3ds close
R: (3ds p) 5 times, 3ds, close
LJ to next open thread
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds j to center p of first R made in first lower branch, 3ds p 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 3ds j to p of previous Ch, 10ds

Cut and tie.

If you prefer looking at the diagram

Copyright 2007 by Nancy Tracy, All Rights Reserved.

---

 

November 2009 Meeting

We decided to meet on December 14th instead of our normal 3rd Monday because it is Christmas week. We are going to do what we did last December.

If you have some crafty stuff that you no longer want to complete, yarn you don’t want to use up, etc. Bring it with you and we will do a “trade or exchange”. We’re calling it White Elephant. Only bring a few items because we will have to be in the small meeting room and there will not be a lot of room to do this.

Otherwise, bring whatever project you are working on and we’ll have fun seeing what everyone is doing and listening to all the wonderful stories.

Would you like to see what the 2010 itinerary is going to be, barring any closed for snow days?

January – Crochet -granny squares

February – bring your own project to work on

March – Crochet – chainless and extended

April – bring your own project to work on

May – Quilting – hand strip piecing, 4 patch and variations

June – Quilting – hand strip piecing, half-square and quarter-square triangles

July – bring your own project to work on

August – Sewing an apron

September – bring your own project to work on

October – Bow-making

November – Plan the next year classes and bring your own project to work on

December – Bring your own project.

There will be a separate post with the details of the supplies you will need for the classes. Look for that in upcoming months.

Now for the show n tell from the meeting:

 

Crocheted Hotpad/potholder

We’ve had several requests for this pattern. My Mom gave me the pattern that she made from an antique hot pad that was found in a church basement. She took it apart to see how it was made. It’s double thick.

(If you would like to make a different size, measure diagonal across the size square you would like to make and make a chain that long before starting the rest of these instructions.)

Use a G hook and cotton yarn (nothing that would melt from heat)

Chain 36

SC (single crochet) in 2^nd chain and all the way around chain with 3 SC at bottom of chain.

Working on back loop, SC 15 rounds.

After crocheting all rows

Stop on side and slip yarn through.

Leave 12 inch tail. Turn to right side and fold into square.

See the diagnal opening?

Whipstitch edge together with tail.

The completed hotpad/trivet

If you want to see more pictures and step by step instructions go to:

http://www.mielkesfarm.com/diagonal_hotpad.htm

 

October 2009 meeting

This was our first needle tatting class. I brought samples of what I have learned about different thread sizes and needle sizes.

Thread size 80, 20 and 10, all four needle sizes

Those that wanted to practice on how easy it was to learn needle tatting were able to, though we had to share tatting needles. Lorene has found a supplier she can get tatting needles from, visit her blog to see when she gets them in. http://yarnbasket.wordpress.com/

I forgot to get some pictures of Angie’s relative’s tatting and they were beautiful work too. So I’ve put two pictures of some tatting I found that was made in 1919.

Now I know you are looking forward to see what some of the ladies brought for show n tell check it out:

Thread size 80, 20 and 10, all four needle sizes

Remember this afghan pattern from our crochet class a couple of months ago & you can partially see all the color blocks that is making another afghan

 

September 2009 meeting

We had a wonderful time and learned a lot about making jewelry. Personally, I learned I liked to work with wire when making jewelry instead of string, my only other experience. We even had a drawing to win a pair of earrings. Which young Payton won.

I was amazed and grateful that 12 ladies made it out in the storm and came to class. Next month will be the tatting class. Check the Meeting blog for more info.

In our gallery of pictures for this month you will see Charis moving so fast to help all of us that she is a blur, I didn’t get a picture of everyone but you can see we were busy.

Ocean’s variation of the bracelet

Show n Tell

Show n Tell

Show n Tell

Show n Tell

Show n Tell

 

August Meeting

Besides working on the crochet pattern of Baby Stroller Blanket. Here are some of our show n tell from that meeting:

First up is Debbie with her orangutan and the others are of Lorene’s projects she won ribbons with at the fair. Next year, I hope more will enter some of their wonderful work.

 

July 2009 unusual meeting

We usually have a lot of fun at our monthly meetings. I sometimes wonder what others think of all the laughing that is going on inside the library meeting room. July was no exception as far as the laughter goes.

What was unusual was that someone had donated to the library lots of bags of yarn. And I mean LOTS. Trashbag size.  Many bags. The teen knitting group that meets at the library on Thursdays had gone through and nicely organized the yarn and picked out some for themselves, the previous week.

At the beginning of the meeting I told them I was going to bring in some yarn for the the group to go through. It took well over an hour for everyone to have a chance to get through the yarn and make their selections.

Just a few of the ladies on the floor in the library meeting room

It was nice to hear that some were going to make some items that they will donate to help others. Kind of a pay it forward. Possibly baby afghans for the hospitals, who knows what else these talented ladies will come up with.

A few of the ladies had already left by the time I went to get my camera but the rest agreed to line up for a picture if I would not post full body shots of them crawling around on the floor. It seems most of us are not fond of our behinds.

Cathy, Debbie, Debbie, Shelly, Ocean, Angie and Janice with their yarn selections from the huges stash of yarn that was donated to the library

Partly what amazed us was so much was donated and they were expensive yarns. There were lots of different types that we had never tried knitting or crocheting with. It will be exciting to see what the ladies do with some of them. I will be glad to post some pictures of the ones they bring to the upcoming meetings. Maybe some of them will post comments of their projects they are going to be working on from some of this yarn.

 

Take a look at Melissa’s wizardry

Missing Melissa emailed me that she has not been able to come to our CnC because of her bf change in shifts, but she is hoping to make it back soon.

She has sent a couple pictures of some recently finished projects and the last one is the one she is currently working on:

Colorful and beautiful

Gorgeous Lady

Melissa’s current project

I’m wondering how long does it take to do some of this beautiful work?