Sunday, February 22, 2009

Black Lace Scallop Necklace

I finished working on the doily. It is just so fragile - I'm going to recommend that she avoid handling it too much and frame it as soon as possible. It really is not usable as a doily because of the condition the lace is in. I wish I knew what had caused the problem - whether it is the type of thread, starching method, how it was stored, etc. so I could avoid doing that to any of my own pieces! This particular doily has a lot of sentimental value to the owner so I tried to get it in as good a condition as possible so it can be framed and become a family keepsake. Hopefully she will be pleased with the results.

I was hoping to have finished something in LadyShuttlemaker's Peach Pandorea thread, but unfortunately I did not have any beads to match. I will have to go beads shopping! Instead, I pulled out Pamela's Coral Reef and have ideas for a necklace. However, with trying to catch up after missing a week of work, I didn't actually even get it started.

So instead, I'll show a different necklace I finished recently. This one is tatted with black thread and shiny black delica beads (a whole lot of them). It is a simple scallop pattern which I *think* is in the book "The Tatter's Treasure Chest" - up until now I have not been good about keeping track of where I get my vintage patterns from - but I'm trying to do better. I have so many books - they take up crates and crates. Anyway, here is the finished result. The little flower in the front is a lightweight acrylic bead made by another artist.


The matching earrings are a very simple basic earring I've been making from the very beginning of my business - I call it my "Tat" earring because it contains all of the most basic tatting construction in just 32 little knots - it has one ring, one chain, and one picot. I vary the pattern a lot with colors and beads, and I make a lot of these earrings. Again, the bead hanging down from the base is from the same artist as the flower on the necklace.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Elizabeth, today my husband asked to see your latest creation :) Yes that how much your work is appreciated. Do you have a tutorial for the beading work you did for your heart necklace? This new one is precious, though I would love it with a semi precious gem or central pearl.

Elizabeth said...

How nice of your husband! :-)

I was able to find the pattern for the beadwork on the heart necklace on the web (I actually bought the magazine it was in originally) - but there is an instructional video and then if you wish to you can buy the .pdf version at the website. The link is: http://www.beadandbutton.com/bnb/default.aspx?c=a&id=3085

Have fun! I love beadwork almost as much as I love tatting.

Marilee Rockley said...

Both the necklace and earrings are sooo elegant!
Pretty new look for your blog, too.

Kathy Niklewicz said...

Hi Elizabeth - Enjoyed your comments about NOT going skiing - good idea! My husband and I both roller skated during the 'disco skating' era (1980-85) and one of our first dates in 1960 was at a roller rink! We also loved to dance! Were actually in a made-for-TV movie in 1989. How's that for intriguing?
Love your 'new' blog, and as usual, your gorgeous tatting! Just discovered a bead store (tons of beads) in our area, and the gal who owns it never heard of tatting!
I hope to enlighten her!

liasmomma said...

I found your blog on your FB site. Your work is just SO BEAUTIFUL Beth!!! WOW!! I haven't seen any of your more recent creations and you just keep getting better and better. God has certainly given you a gift but I always knew that even back in college before you started tatting. Hope to see you soon.

Love,
Trish