ON LINE CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

Sue Hanson's 4-Block Tatted Heart was my second piece of homework in practicing the block tatting technique. This was done with size 30 Pizzazz thread which works up beautifully. The block on the upper right side is the point where I felt I had finally made a successful, tight block. Now, I'm on the hunt for block patterns - because practice makes my efforts, if not perfect, better! Thank you Sue for this lovely pattern. Motive # 19

Block Tatting Techniques: In our on-line class we are learning block tatting this year. It seemed simple enough; a chain which doubles on itself and connects with very small picots for form a tight block. It is a bit more challenging for me than I thought it would be - but as with anything worth doing, it requires practice. This was my very first effort. It is Teresa's Ombre Block Heart. I am not 100% pleased with this first effort but it is a technique worth accomplishing as it adds a sense of solidity to a piece of work. This was done in size 10 Lavender thread so that I could observe what was taking place in making a block. Motive #18

The Hippo Chronicle:

Quite a lot of folklore has sprung up on Jane Eborall's Tat n See site. There are now over 100 hippos - a true boat of hippos. One of the hippos on her site is described as an 'out of control' Texan Circus Hippo. It became evident to me that the Ecru Plain Jane Hippo who emerged from my shuttles had become enamored of the Blue eared, yellow collared Texan.

Sure enough, a few days of frolic in the Rio Grande during a recent warm spell; homeward bound came the audacious "Jane" with her colorful offspring who was named, "Miss Pearl" because of her stunning pearl eyes! Miss Pearl isn't tatted in frontside/backside technique, and she has some genetic aberrations - her tail is set a bit low - but overall she is a colorful addition to the hippo family! Tatted in Pizzazz, hand-dyed yarn, size 30. Thread Source: Yarnplayer on Etsy Motive # 17

My Granddaughter, housemate said, "Ooooh I want a bedspread made of your hippos" While I appreciate the thought - and this is the first time she has gotten interested in what I tat - a bedspread is not likely to happen!
However, after my urgent commitments I might consider 2 pillows - each with two hippos facing; boy and girl. However, there will be only one plain Jane hippo - I'll do the other with Yarnplayer's fanciful colored yarn! If this comes to frutition (you never know - life happens), I'll post the pillows with their adornments of a bloat of hippos! All because of Jane Eborall! Thanks Jane - that's all this 'old fruit' needed. A bedspread? LOL

A few weeks ago Jane Eborall decided to have one of her designs on a Tat It and See site. We did not know 'what' we were tatting; but we tatters followed happily along - various guesses were a pig, elephant, rhino et cetera. A few of us chose a hippo - by day five I was sure it was a hippo, my husband was equally sure it was a rhino! On Day 10 we finished the mystery tat-along.

This was fun on a number of levels. 1/ the mystery of 'what is it?';
2/there was just a little tatting project each day (so time for retro tatting as needed; 3/knowing we were doing something with Jane and a large group of tatters. We all hope that Jane, or someone else, comes up with a mystery design that we can do day-by-day because this was so much fun.

Motive #16

BJ's Completed Hippo - Needs to do the "Buns of Steel" video!