Thread position and starting a doily

It appears that my earlier post about not looping the thread round my pinky when making chains has got Fox mystified and Zarina curious.  Fox seems to have another thought about it as she explained in her blog post.

Anyway, to give a clearer picture of how I hold my thread, here are some photos as I explain the method.

I only loop the chain thread once round the little finger at the second notch of the finger.  The thread then goes round my forefinger.  My forefinger controls the flip of the doublestitches.

When tatting, I pinch the work with my thumb and my middle finger and curve my pinky and the ring finger.  Curving the pinky keeps the thread in the fold of the finger.  This position keeps the tension in the thread.  If I need to add more thread for the chain, I just stretch out the pinky a bit, and pull up more thread with the forefinger, and curve it back again.

While I am at it, I might as well show how I hold my thread when making rings. I think it is no different from how I normally see others hold their thread.

The work is pinched with the thumb and forefinger and the shuttle thread looped round the other fingers and back to the pinch.  For rings, I manage the flip with my middle finger with the ring finger and the pinky curved.  I use the pinky to pull more thread from the shuttle when the loop gets smaller as I tat, without having to let go the shuttle.

Here is a picture of some tatting that I have just started.  There are other projects which can't be shared right now, one of which is for an exchange.

This doily is a tat-along project that I have started with Zarina and Surya. This is the Clover Doily pattern by Eileen Stafford (the link is via the way-back machine, so it may or may not work when you click on it).  I am using a 'vintage' thread for this doily, the thread label is shown besides the doily.  I don't know what size it is, I guess 50 or 60.  For a rather old thread, it is wonderful to tat with.  The rings close very smoothly and there isn't much twisting at all.

I am just starting Row 4 out of 9 rows. With some other on-going projects, I am not sure when I'll finish this.  There is no time limit to complete the doily.  You may join us with this tat-along if you wish, and post your progress as you go.

More Tatting Goodies .... he he he .....

I received my giveaway prize from Aileen.  She wrote about giving away "bombs" to celebrate her birthday in March.  These are what Aileen packed in her bomb.

As you can see, these are all very useful gift.  One can never get enough of thread and beads and shuttles.  As you can see I used the shuttle immediately to start on a new project. The Ez-bob will be for my one of my HDTs that are still in skeins, when I have a project for it.  The needle holder are, what else but to hold my needles.
Aileen packed the shuttle in the small black pouch, which I will do the same to stow my shuttle when I travel. The Merlion frodge magnet will go on the fridge.  It will join the many magnets on my fridge right now from the different places that I have been.

Now, that rubber thimble (or it could be plastic,?), this one I am not sure.  It fits nicely over my pinky so it may be to protect it when I wound thread over the pinky when making chains, like this:

But, I don't wind the thread over my pinky when I make chains, so it doesn't look like that is how I will use the thimble. Or, over my middle finger when making rings, like this,

Surprisingly, the thread slides very well over the thimble, so this will be the best way to use it. It will certainly prevent  the thread from cutting into the finger, especially when working with fine thread. Except that, now I may need to find another one because, for chains I use my fore-finger to control the thread. Hmm ....

Anyway, thank you Aileen for a wonderful package.

Something Fishy in the Mailbox

I am glad I joined the special Online Tatting class on International Tatting Day two weeks ago.  There was no lessons on that day, you can't really tat and eat chocolates at the same time, really.   Instead, Georgia had a few games and challenges going.  One of the prizes for the challenges was sponsored by Isdihara, and I won it! he he he ...  These are what I received form her,

Chocolate fish, a blinged shuttle, a card and a piece of tatting

Closer picture - even the card has chocolate fishes on it.

Yes, a chocolate fish!  It didn't quite last the long trip, from a temperate climate to the tropics, cause it melted some when it arrived.  I had thought that Isdihara was going to send me a fish shuttle, not the fish chocolate, LOL.  Otherwise I would have mentioned about the warm temperatures here.

I have read so many posts about the blinged shuttles, in so many blogs and now I have one of my own, woo hoo.... Thank you Isdihara, for everything in the package. Melted or not, the chocolate is quite tasty - my favorite kind with cripsy crunch candy in it.

Taking a break again ....

.... because Mary came to visit ..... for a month ... he he he .....
Oh ... I am just taking a break from my other tatting stuff, like these

for my niece's wedding

 and this,

and instead I will be tatting with Mary.

"Mary who?"  you asked.  This Mary ...

If you have been following Martha's blog, you may have read about Mary's Traveling Book.
I already have the other three of Mary Konior's tatting books,

• A Pattern Book of Tatting
• Tatting Patterns, and
• Tatting with Visual Pattern.

This Tatting in Lace book is the elusive one.  It doesn't help at all that the price is going up and up each time I looked it up online.  I have already given up on ever getting it to complete my collection.
And then, Martha came up with the brilliant idea of sending her copy to travel round the world.  Its first stop is Malaysia, and I get to keep it for one month!

I started on a motif from the book as soon as I got it.

Pattern in the Cat's Cradle

I think one of the reasons why I like Mary Konior's designs, especially her motifs, is that when they are joined together, the resulting piece is totally a trick on the eye, mesmerising even ... if I can use the word. Another  example that I like is her Windmills design from the book, Tatting with Visual Patterns.   Jeff Hamilton piece is totally awesome.

Thank you Martha!

Libur di Bandung

I took a break from tatting and all the other stuff for a brief holiday in Bandung, Indonesia.  Despite the rain falling on most of the days while there, it was a thoroughly enjoyable trip.  Here are some pictures to share.

In front of one of the many shopping outlets that attracts visitors to Bandung

The hotel where we stayed

Bandung is located on a plateau, surrounded by hills and mountains

Kawah Putih is a lake in a volcanic crater with high sulphur content.

The yellow sulphur residue is visible along the edge of the water and it has that smell, too

Group photo before leaving Kawah Putih

A misty Situ Patengang or Lake Patengan

When the mist cleared, the clam waters of Situ Patengang reveals a beautiful sight of the hills beyond

Learning to play the angklung at Saung Angklung Udjo , an experience that should not be missed if you have the chance to visit.