Motifs # 3 and 4 were humbling!

Wow, I need PRACTICE!  I found I had lost a lot of comfort and confidence!
And it shows in the quality of the finished items!!!

MOTIF #3 is a simple butterfly
from Big Book of Tatting (House of White Birches)

Cebelia #20 shuttle tatted

MOTIF #4 is the Wally Sosa revision of an old pattern

(pattern is here)

Dept 71 and Aunt Lydia size 10 shuttle tatted

I had problems hiding ends (tatting over tails) ... definitely easier with the smaller thread!!!

And, I RAN OUT OF THREAD on the last chain of 6 ds in the purple/berries butterfly!!!!

I tied on a bit and ended up needle tatting that last chain, but it shows (from the last ring on the left wing to the base of the head).  Also, I matched thread colors, then picked up the wrong ball of purple!  I didn't notice until I had the main rings done, so kept going!!!

One good thing came out of the past week.... I diagramed three 'made-up' butterfly patterns... so I am tatting and writing down the patterns... :)  Hope all goes well!  :)

25 Motif Challenge rises from the ashes!

Okay, I'm feeling melodramatic this morning.. must have been that old movie we watched last night!  :)
I am beginning the '25 Motif Challenge' completely from the beginning and hopefully, this time I will complete all 25 pieces in one year!
Offical begin date is December 18, 2011.

MOTIF #1 is a Workbasket butterfly--- (May 1983 issue and a link to an online pattern here)

Size 10 Royal thread -- needle tatted

Motif #2 is a doily--- (pattern from A New Twist Twist On Tatting by Catherine Austin)

Size 10 Aunt Lydia thread in Oasis color

I began this doily nearly three years ago, and I loved the way the simple rings and chains looked and I enjoy anything made in this color thread.  Somehow, the simplicity of this pattern got lost among all the new techniques I began to learn and the 'fancier' patterns distracted me from completing this doily.  I always intended this to be on the little table by my chair, and I can't believe I waited this long to finish it!!!

If these don't jumpstart CREATIVE IMPULSES....

... nothing will!!!  My thread orders arrived.... and all those bright colors and shiny threads were so exciting!  If these don't spark my imagination and drive my ambition, I might just have to give up!

I also ordered threads from Herrschners... Aunt Lydia has size 10 in the Monet and Aspen varigated colors... and I have used Red Heart yarn in those colors, so am excited to see just what they look like worked into tatting or crochet.  Plus, Department 71 size 10 thread came in an interesting red/purple/burgundy color..... it will be fun experimenting with those too!