Design Brief or how I invented..flower pot!

We were asked to design  a product in my art course. Product have to be functional and have to be ceramic based. So I decided to design...Ta-Dah... Ceramic flower pot with crochet top! :) So here my design board and samples of my work.

Crochet samples of pot's top all made by myself

Little cactus in the pot represents sample of how finished product will look like

See you soon,

FROGGY XXX

Yarn post, or how much I love my Granny...

Week ago or so I rang my Granny, who is living in Lithuania, to get me few balls of lace yarn (seriously just few balls, cause yarn is so much cheaper over there). And what I got? 48 BALLS OF YARN! Happy happy days, now I have loads yarn to practice my lace-making skills! My granny is seriously the best granny in the world, love her to bits!!! Thank you so much!!!
And the colors are amazing, full RAINBOW colors! Now I be gone for few days and going to come up with few masterpieces! :)))

Yummy colors!!!

See you soon,

covered in rainbow, FROGGY XXX

Tatting

My new passion - Tatting. Absolutely loving it! So what is tatting (I think it's Frivolite in other languages)?

Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops.Tatting can be used to make lace edging as well as doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces. The lace is formed by a pattern of rings and chains formed from a series of cow hitch, or half-hitch knots, called double stitches (ds), over a core thread. Gaps can be left between the stitches to form picots, which are used for practical construction as well as decorative effect.

Tatting dates to the early 19th century. The term for tatting in most European languages is derived from French frivolité, which refers to the purely decorative nature of the textiles produced by this technique. The technique was developed to imitate point lace.

In German tatting is called Schiffchenarbeit, which means the work of the little boat, referring to the boat-shaped shuttle, and in Italian tatting is called occhi, which means eyes, referring to the rings which make up the lace. (Wikipedia, 2012)

Me practicing with shuttle tatting

 What  I'm doing is called shuttle tatting. Remember my last post about Knitting&Stitching Show, was picture there about lady who gave me her shuttle? So there it is, the grey (its grey, right, just quality of pictures not good, cant wait for Xmas to get myself new camera) shuttle (my favorite by now). Another one just came in the post today, didn't tried it yet.
So what is Shuttle Tatting?

Vintage tatting shuttles from the early twentieth century.

Newer type of shuttle with hook.

Tatting with a shuttle is the earliest method of creating tatted lace. A tatting shuttle facilitates tatting by holding a length of woundthread and guiding it through loops to make the requisite knots. It is normally a metal or ivory pointed oval shape less than 3 inches (76 mm) long, but shuttles come in a variety of shapes and materials. Shuttles often have a point or hook on one end to aid in the construction of the lace. Antique shuttles and unique shuttles have become highly sought after by collectors — even those who do not tat.

To make the lace, the tatter wraps the thread around one hand and manipulates the shuttle with the other hand. No tools other than the thread, the hands, and the shuttle are used, though a crochet hook may be necessary if the shuttle does not have a point or hook. (Wikipedia, 2012)

Close up of my practice piece

Love this Book, its called Tatting Collage as you see, and have loads of nice patterns for beginner and not only (got this book in local library, but mite actually buy it for myself. 

Butterfly I made and stick to my Art Journal

I was searching internet for good tatting sites and tutorials and came over to this one, its called Tatted Treasures, and its absolutely amazing, and has good tutorials, videos and all stuff you need if you want to start tatting.

So Happy Tatting Everyone!

Tatted Froggy XXX

Knitting & Stitching Show..or Heaven really Exsists!!!

This Friday my and my friend Aisling went to Knitting and Stitching Show in Dublin's RDS. OMG! Its was amazing! I cant even explain how I felt when I saw all wool, tools, needles and hooks, felt and fabrics! I thought 'I'm in Heaven!'
So less words, more pictures (oh, its going to be long long post :)

Me participating in Innocent Smoothies Action

Book Hunting

I love second hand shops, really really do! You never know what you can find in them!
I got amazing vintage book today. In perfect condition as well. Its called 'The Boys' and Girls' Cinema Clubs Annual', and its from 50s. 50s, right??? I love 50s and everything with 50s involved makes me so happy!
So this book is unreal treasure! Was asking the woman in the shop will she have more vintage books, and she said she will! Score! Cant wait to get my paws on them! :)
So here few more pictures of this amazing book:

Alice in Wonderland, I adore it!

And my little man got a book (he loves books), and more than books he loves Trains. Any time he sees train (even in the book) he screams "Chou-Choooo":)

* * *

So was happy shopping day today, we got loads of stuff: Warm clothes and shoes for Cillian (well prepared for cold weather now), got 2 balls of sock wool, nice wallet for myself with my adorable Cherries, and of course books!

your book lover,

Froggy XXX