The 2 identical tatting craft packs – to be given away to two lucky people who comment – one here on the blog, and one on Facebook!
Wow- it has been a busy week out our house. It was also a busy week for the facebook page for onemadtatter blog – we are at over 300 likers. That has jumped from around 250 a week ago. So I have cleaned out my stash* and have 2 identical (except for colour of thread and shuttles) tatting craft packs (pictured above) I will also add chocolate before posting. You will need to comment on the blog post or on the facebook page (under the link to the blog post). Yes- I will post internationally (I am based in Australia). There will be one winner chosen from each forum – that is one commenter from the blog and one from Facebook – if you comment on both you have double the chance 🙂 Next Saturday- November 22nd at 5pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time) I will put names into a list and use a random number generator to pick the winners. I will announce these on this blog and through facebook after the draw.
One of my greatest triumphs in tatting was mastering the flip- it took a long time for me to do this as I was learning from books, before you-tube and internet could show me. For more about this learning journey see this post.
So my question to you – what do you think is your greatest craft triumph? I can’t wait to read about it 🙂
Until next time, thanks for your support and happy crafting
Fiona T
*Items in this giveaway are from my craft ‘stash’ – all items were purchased by myself and stored in my pet free, smoke free home. The vintage tatting books are in good second hand condition. All other items are new.
One Mad Tatter 
Awesome. I love the purple aerlit. I haven’t got any aerlits yet. Happy Tatting Fiona. ^_^
Love the combinations…and will enjoy looking at your blog just as much I am sure!
Hello! Trying my luck again 😀
I think my greatest craft triumph so far has been making the leap from the needle to the shuttle…nothing against the needle at all, but I have been able to go much farther with my tatting since the switch, and it took me a l-o-n-g time to get it.
Incidentally, I’ll be in Australia (Canberra) for two years starting in February… 🙂
That’s exciting Kristen- about the craft and the move! I have started following your blog too- some wonderful resources there.
Aw, thanks. 🙂 I feel like I am a slow tatter but the book reviews have given me a push to do more “small stuff” to have more pictures of patterns from the books. I doubt I ever become a designer, so the reviews are my contribution to the tatting world. 🙂
I am enjoying your reviews. If we all did the same things it would get very boring- one day you might design, I dabble in it – but it is very much a hobby. We do have a great community, I am so glad we have the internet and our various crafting/tatting forums too.
Love to win . Love your Blog
Great idea Fiona! Amazing 300 already!
Biggest triumph for me was to remember how to start off tatting again 3 years after my initial lessons! Beat me for ages but I got there and haven’t stopped since.
Hey Fiona. Wow 300 so quickly! Congratulations.
Greatest triumph would be overcoming the frustration of forgetting how to start off my tatting when I picked it up for the first time 3 years after my initial lessons. I so badly wanted to tat again but couldn’t remember how to hold the thread. Finally booked a lesson and as soon as she started it all came flooding back! Such a tiny thing stopped me!! Never stopped since!
That is a triumph. I look at youtube now and can’t fathom what took so long for the penny to drop for me!
My biggest crafting triumph was 30 years ago when I first taught myself to crochet and knit. I was in my early 20s, was a SAHM to a toddler, was living in a small apartment in a place I disliked, and was pretty isolated and depressed. I taught myself to knit and crochet using a magazine called Stitch by Stitch–and it really was one stitch at a time whenever I had a few minutes. Years later I taught myself to needle tat from a book, but by then my daughter had graduated from high school 🙂
Craft can be our sanity sometimes! Thanks Shari 🙂
My greatest craft triumph was completing the Master Phase of the Tatters Across Time Proficiency Program. Like you the flip took me quite a while to perfect. Then one Saturday I sat myself down to learn how to do a split chain. Perseverance has been the name of the game in my tatting journey. Accomplishing Master with the Proficiency Program catapulted my confidence with tatting.
Wow Shelly, well done – that program sounds very challenging (I looked it up a couple of years ago…it is on my possibility list for after I finish my current study). I think these challenges we set ourselves really help our confidence with our craft, and also our confidence in life.
Did you say chocolate? 😉
It’s very generous of you to offer this giveaway, and it’s a very nice package.
My greatest crafty triumph is to have learnt to crochet and tat from books and Internet. I need to practice both more (difficult right now with a newborn) and there is tons of techniques to try and master (split chain anyone?) but I will enjoy the challenges.
Congratulations on the newborn! I found slow and steady with tatting was the way to go – there so many techniques that could be done, I just wait until a pattern comes along that I really want to do (Jane’s Sea horses needed split rings, and beads, and a while later I came across Anne’s Dragons that needed single shuttle split rings – they took a lot longer, lots of unravelling rings). With each new thing though the challenge is the thing that keeps me keen. Split chains I only recently revisited, and have mastered after adapting an older doily pattern to reduce the number of sewn in ends 🙂 it is worth persevering. Hang in there and be kind to yourself- newborns are A LOT of work (but wonderful to cuddle).
oh- and yes I did say chocolate 🙂 the sort will depend on how far the package travels- it needs to get to the winner in edible condition 🙂
Wow…what a generous give away. Both have a good choice of color and items. Love the shuttles.
Always happy to share Barbara 🙂
Congrats, it is so cool, 300!!! I have taught myself crocheting, knitting, embroidary, and cross stitch when I was a teenager. They all came so easily, but 30 years later and and trying many times I finally beat the flip. When I did finally get it I did the happy dance! Thank you for your thoughtfulness of this wonderful give away. (Hope I get picked, hee hee).
Happy dance for your too – it is a fiddly thing, but a triumph when you get it. 🙂
Congratulations on reaching the 300 mark. I enjoy seeing your projects and getting tips on techniques. I think one of my biggest accomplishments was figuring out how to do the last join in a doiley. My grandmother taught me to that when I was 6 (40+ years ago), but it wasn’t until last year that I finally got to where I could hold my starting correctly to get the join without a twist. It seems like a simple thing, but….
Thank you for the generous giveaway and the inspiration.
Yep- that last join had me stumped for a while to. Everything we learn seems simple after the fact LOL.
Hi Tracey – the craft pack has been redrawn, Congratulations: you are the ‘new’ winner. Please get in touch with me via here, or facebook, within 3 days- Today is Wed Nov 26th.Sorry- This has been redrawn- on Sunday Nov 30th- new winner is Winnie.What a great giveaway! I think one of my biggest accomplishments was finishing a crocheted Winnie the Pooh, which was almost as big as the child to whom it was given.
Would love to see a photo of that. Often making something for someone else is what can spur me to finish a project. The things I make for me are often the UFOs 🙂
Congratulations ! I am happy for you ^^
Thank you so much for this giveaway. I hope I’ll be lucky *_*
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I don’t have a greatest triumph. My triumphs are in learning a new technique, or improving. Now if you ask what is your most favorite make up to now, I would say the shawl I tatted edgings for.
Wow Winnie- I would rate the shawl edging as a triumph! That sounds like a big task 🙂
Hi Winnie- the craft pack has been redrawn again – You are the new winner. Contact me within 3 days to claim your pack. Facebook is the easiest way- Congratulations. Fiona T
congratulations on 300 likes and thank you for the contest!
My greatest crafting triumph is finally gaining the patience to stick with a large project until it’s finished.
Would love to win. Especially the book. Always looking for new ideas and things to tat.
My crafting trumps is learning scmr and tatting letters
I love your blog! My biggest craft triumph would be in teaching myself how to shuttle tat, like you, before youtube was around to show the way!
Yes. Congratulations on 300 followers. I learned shuttle tatting this last spring and trying to get to the point that I can make pretty Tatting’s, so I can post them. I enjoy looking at all the beautiful Tatting’s that everyone posts.
Would love to see your work so far 🙂
My greatest craft triumph as far as tatting was also learning the flip…for some reason my brain fought me on that! Then…I learned split ring…and for half of that, you do NOT flip…Mind.Blown.
But, I have mastered it, and can pretty much do split rings in my sleep! Much more sane, easier, to do split rings with a shuttle instead of needle…much more productive, and do not have to keep rethreading the needle.
I haven’t ever got the hang of needle tatting. I too had that ‘mind blown’ moment with split rings – I had been doing that for years 🙂 and finally it was useful 🙂 The ring off the split ring was another ‘oh that makes so much sense’ moment.
This is a brilliant competition! My tatting collection is fairly appalling as I’ve only been tatting a few months. 🙂
It will build up quickly – my collection has been steadily growing for 20 years. It’s never appalling to be starting out!
This is a wonderful blog, and a very generous give away. I will be asking for a newsletter!
LOL- No time for a newsletter – the blog is enough for now, but thanks for your enthusiasm 🙂
I would love to win. My greatest craft triumph is teaching myself to tat and also to spin beautiful yarn.
I have started to think about spinning – another wonderful art in itself.
Great blog….it was about 30 years ago that I learned the flip.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Would love to win the shuttle . Love your blog .
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
My biggest triumph is taking the plunge to learn to tat. I’m struggling but enjoying the process.
Starting can be the hardest step – but it will snag you in, this tatting 🙂 Keep trying and sharing your work and ideas 🙂
My greatest triumph craft wise is to learn that it takes time and patience to learn the new craft and practice, practice, practice so with shuttle tatting even the little things i accomplish makes me happy. Thank you so much for such a nice blog.
Yes- many crafts are a lesson in patience. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
My greatest craft triumph has been actually designing tatting patterns and seeing people use them on the internet. But I must say I do get a little help from big sister! Also motivating ‘Im in the garage’ to make tatting shuttles – that is a challenge at times!
Thanks Sally – it is exciting developing your ideas to publication. You have a great support crew there 🙂
Congratulations on your 300 likes,
Thank you for doing a great giveaway, my greatest craft triumph would be my knitted lace tablecloths, they take months to knit the biggest so far ended up with 2,000 stitches.
My tatting triumph was tatting the butterflies for my wedding, I had them on the dresses, favours and i sewd them onto the silk flower bouquets.
I hope you double your 300
Margaret
Thanks Margaret, you are a wonderful support here and have been for a while- thanks. Wow, knitting a table cloth is amazing (I’m still going on my Kina lol). I love tatted butterflies, do you have a picture of the dress?? It sounds lovely.
This is a brilliant idea 🙂 Love it!
My biggest triumph is probably sticking to it, not giving up after rage-quitting because the demn rings wouldn’t close (not flipping correctly), I always calmed myself down again and started again and again. And the fact that I’m self taught.
You can read all about that on my blog if you’d like, I blog about all my milestones in tatting.
Yes- I agree, some days it just doesn’t work- knowing when to walk away and try again tomorrow is much better than ‘getting in knots’ with it…pun intended 🙂
Wow, exciting give away! Congratulations on getting so many likes. I think my greatest tatting achievement was designing the Under An African Sky doily. I’ve been really delighted by how many in the tatting community have chosen to tat it from my pattern.
That is a beautiful pattern Jane – a great achievement indeed – well done 🙂
my greatest craft triumph was learning how to tat at 12. I watched my mom for years and loved the doilies! For hours and hours she would sit there and make amazing ornaments for our Christmas tree! Now with the internet I learn all the new techniques and I get to teach her!
That’s so exciting- making wonderful heirlooms. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I should say mastering the flip but I being able to open a closed ring to fix mistakes is probably my greatest triumph!
Yes- both a Triumph. I have only opened a closed ring successfully a couple of times- once on the last ring of a show entry a few years ago.
A wonderful giveaway! I started cross-stitch when I was in my early 20’s. At 28 I had my daughter and wanted to knit her a beautiful outfit. I perfected my knitting in time to knit a sweater and skirt for her at the age of 4. I have knitted several garments for her since. I also wanted to make homemade quilts after seeing my grandmothers fine work. By the time my son arrived, I was quilting and knitting both. At quilt club we were given the task to show items from a craft that did not include quilting. One woman brought in her watercolor paintings, a true work of art. I took in my cross stitch picture of Jim Harrison’s Cola barn, and another woman brought in her tatting examples. She did demonstrations at schools, so she had a wonderful display of different shapes tatted to show her skills. My great-aunts tatted pillowcase edgings and handkerchief edgings, all in white thread, until their deaths (in their 90’s), and it was something that I thought was a dying art. The lady who brought the tatting display agreed to teach me the basics of shuttle tatting. I still knit and quilt, but tatting has a special place in my heart – in connects me to my past, and allows me to use beautiful colors to create something of beauty.
I do love these connections with our crafts- it is a link to the past, and the future (someone said on my blog recently that we are making heirlooms – I hadn’t thought of that before. I like thinking that these lovely things, made of beautiful colours, may bring joy and their own stories into the future.
Been learning needle tatting my greatest challenge right now is to even master tatting going to learn now to shuttle tat now thinking it might be easier but I really want to learn!!!! Love the look of tatted jewelry and SNOWFLAKES
Good luck Carrie – it would be great to be ‘ambi-tatterous’ 🙂
As on facebook – Have to enter a giveaway!!! Don’t you know? It’s mandatory 😀 . Thank you for your generosity.
🙂 Thanks for stopping by 🙂
My greatest craft triumph probably occurred early on when I was learning to tat. I had the coats and clark Learn to Tat booklet and it had this beautiful doily that I just HAD to make. It motivated me to learn the craft (as I tell people, it’s one stitch – but learning it is the hard part!), and I found the pattern had an error in it that initially left me baffled. Once I figured out the fix, it was smooth sailing. I made that doily – in size 70 thread, no less – and went on to make several more in the same pattern. Next to that was figuring out how to do the chains backwards so my work has a right side and a wrong side, and it looks much better. Now to revisit that original doily…
It is lovely to have a ‘go to’ pattern. I seem to have those for Plane trips. Well done in figuring out the ‘bug’ and good luck in re-visiting the old pattern- I try to change them a bit now by using split chains/rings to reduce the old ‘cut and tie’. I would love to see your fav pattern 🙂
WOW…. A Giveaway!!!! I LOVE giveaways!!! VBG
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
what a nice thing for you to do! here’s hoping? 😉 Linda
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
It is a fantastic give away, thank you so much! The purple – pink pack has got awesome colours, I liket it very much! My gratest tatting triumph was my first own designed snowflake, I think. You can see it here: http://csipke-csoda.blogspot.hu/2011/12/14-motivum-elso-sajat-tervezesu-hopihe.html
Wow Axa, The look lovely 🙂 Coming up with your own patterns is great. Thanks for sharing.
This is a delightful thing you are doing! Both color combinations are delightful! I had tried to learn to tat off and on since 1967, when my Grammy tried to teach me. She passed before I could consistently complete the flip. After finding it on youtube in 2010, I used two balls of Aunt Lydia’s size 10 and just started a simple ring-chain. Mistakes and all are on that yardage but I completed the ball (the second filled my shuttle). I could not only consistently flip but could do it with eyes shut! Grammy, I know you know I can tat now…thank you for the introduction to the most calming thing I know outside of prayer!
Yes- I agree, tatting has become my meditation. A peaceful addiction 🙂
Congratulations on 300!! Next stop…500!! This is a wonderful thing you are doing! Both color combinations are delightful! I had tried to learn to tat off and on since 1967, when my Grammy tried to teach me. She passed before I could consistently complete the flip. After finding it on youtube in 2010, I used two balls of Aunt Lydia’s size 10 and just started a simple ring-chain. Mistakes and all are on that yardage but I completed the ball (the second filled my shuttle). I could not only consistently flip but could do it with eyes shut! Grammy, I know you know I can tat now…thank you for the introduction to the most calming thing I know outside of prayer!
up to 350 now- I can barely believe it 🙂
I love Tatting and tole painting. One accomplishment that stands out for me with tatting is the fact that it opens doors for me to talk to complete strangers and share my love of tatting. I take my tatting everywhere I go. One time a man saw me tatting and started crying because it reminded him of his mom and grandmother tatting together. He even asked if I could teach him. I gave him my card but never heard from him. Still I saw how tatting can open the floodgates of emotion in someone’s life. Pretty cool.
I love this story- and responded on facebook- wonderful connections within, and beyond, our community 🙂
My greatest crafting triumph happens when I am able to teach a new craft or skill to someone else.
Great to share this skill. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Trying my luck but I don’t ever win things lol! I taught myself to tat on Halloween this year so I’ve been tatting for less than a month. I have made a few things and think I’m doing pretty well. I agree that perseverance is definitely important when learning to tat. I had to sit down and spend a day on each different part of tatting until I could figure out how to make it work without messing something up and having a knotted mess! Thanks for the contest!
I recall ‘Knotted mess” and it can still happen now if I don’t pay attention 🙂
Congratulations on receiving 300 likes on your page! 🙂 I love to tat; however, it is very difficult to find books and tatting materials in stores within driving range. I do order materials online; however, some sites are very confusing. I am hoping to find some new tatting friends who can help. Thank you so much for your Facebook page! 🙂
Yes- I have relied on online sources for a long time now. So happy that the internet can help us today 🙂
Mastering the flip was also my greatest triumph. I taught myself with the help of Janette Bakers book and DVD Learn to Tat.
Great story – I’ve heard good things about that DVD. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I struggle with Fibromyalgia. I feel like anytime I get up the energy to actually make something is my craft triumph! I love to craft, but working full time and time with the family leaves my spinning, knitting, tatting, sewing and weaving on the back burner far too often.
Collete- yes, I agree- it was my crafting for short times each day that helped me through my diagnosis for Dysautonomia. Every minute we can create is a win!
Congratulations on reaching 300 followers! I really do enjoy reading your blog. Keep it up. (Oh, and I’m hoping to win the craft bag, of course!)
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Hi Fiona congratulations on the 300 likes. I love reading about everyone’s journeys with their crafts. My greatest crafting triumph would be this year when I won the first place at the Brisbane EKKA for the doily that I tatted for my sister. I even did a happy dance in front of the case. My other triumph is when I teach others to tat and get tatting buddies.
Congratulations! that’s a big win! Is there a photo of the happy dance (or the tatting)? 🙂
My greatest craft achivement was to start a Tatting group and making 7 great Tatting friends through it.
That’s lovely Jean – I sometimes think our crafting friends understand us best 🙂
Congrats on your milestone! Love teaching new people to tat.
Thanks for stopping by Marie 🙂
My greatest triumph was being able to pick up tatting after 25+ years of not even thinking about tatting. I’m still working on keeping everything even because it has been so long.
Ah, it’s like riding a bike…isn’t it? I’m sure with a little practice it will become easier 🙂
Going from simple crochet (only single and double) to crocheting complex things like bowls and doilies by forcing myself to follow a pattern for a bowl (in English!) and after that it was no turning back! Also, learning how to tat. It took immense patience.
P.s. Follow me as @yarntrek on Twitter 😉
Well done- I learned Crochet last year and am very proud 🙂 I am very good at trebles 😉
I tatted a girl’s baby bonnet that can be used as part of a wedding veil when she becomes a bride.
Wow Beverlee – that is lovely. We really are making items to be cherished.
I’ve tried many different crafts, but I think my biggest triumphs were the two intricate cross-stitch Christmas stockings I made for my nieces when they were born.
I don’t have much patience for cross stitch – I try every now and then, but am very slow 🙂 Well done on making lovely Heirlooms 🙂
I would say that learning to tat without a teacher and teaching myself many different techniques to become an intermediate tatters is my biggest achievement.
I’m with you there- I really don’t know any other tatters ‘in person’. Well done for sticking with it and learning this lovely craft.
There have been many new challenges and accomplishments since I learned to tat and I was most proud of learning throw rings. This two shuttle technique led to many more patterns and tatted pieces.
It’s amazing how just using 2 shuttles can open up a whole range of beautiful patterns.
Oh please pick me… it’s my birthday on the 24th, and this would be a great gift !!!
Sorry I didn’t see the question…my greatest accomplishment has been to teach myself to tat, with both the needle and shuttle… in just a couple weeks..
I’m envious- you are ‘ambi-tatterous’ 🙂
I think my greatest craft triumph was learning to spin. I never took a class, never really had a teacher, but I bought a hand spindle back in the 80′s and the nice guy in the shop showed me the basics. I then spent quite a long time on my college campus in a secluded area, practicing and fuming, until it all clicked and I got it. Then I taught my two best friends… 🙂
I often wonder abour the origins of the various crafts, the people who first came up with these ideas were brilliant!
Right now my biggest triumph is that I learned how to untat a ring successfully. Thanks for the chances at such a generous giveaway.
Tat on….Helen
Hi Helen- The random number generator says you have won the craft pack. Please message me through facebook to organise delivery of your craft packsorry- this has been redrawn..Hello ! (sorry for the language, my english is not very good…) I discovered your blog and I found your idea verry good ! I love your Enthusiasm ; tatting ist fantastic and I like your work. Bravo and continue on this way…
Thanks for the chance you give !!!
Clarisse.
You seem pretty enthusiastic too! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Wow this is so generous of you, congratulations on reaching 300 followers. My greatest craft achievement will always be teaching my nan (grandmother) to crochet. She taught the rest of us all how to knit from a very young age but had never got round to learning crochet until she came to visit me after I got married. Am still Learning tatting and don’t have much stash as yet so would love to win.
Carol- the stash creeps up on you 🙂 One box becomes one shelf…then another shelf…oh dear. Thanks for your story 🙂
My biggest triumph is in future. Thanks for the chances at such a generous giveaway. Yuliya.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Congratulations! My greatest achievement is completing a project (any project) as I think I have CADD (craft attention deficit disorder).
LOL- I like that- CADD…I think there are lots of us in the boat 🙂
I taught myself to tat from videos on the internet, and I’m pleased with my progress! I just started teaching a friend how to tat and that makes me happy. Thanks for the giveaway.
Well done, thanks for stopping by 🙂
How lovely!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
That’s such a lovely gesture to have a giveaway. 🙂
I also learnt to tat from youtube and books. Luckily, I didn’t have any problem learning the flip. My greatest triumph is when I come up with my very first pattern which is a Chinese Lantern.
That sounds great- do you have a picture of your lantern?
Hi, Fiona.
I have the picture and the pattern up on my blog. The link is http://tattedtale.wordpress.com/my-own-patterns/chinese-lantern/
I would love to win…being a broke tatter I have to hope for chances like this.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
My greatest triumph has been to fill my 7 1/2 foot Christmas tree with tatting. It is very full now, but my goal is to have 1,000 snowflakes, bells, crosses and/or holiday items all in white. I’m almost there – have less than 50 to go. Problem is I’m running out of places to put them. But I will get them all placed on, you can be sure of that! I’m also working on my 4 1/2 foot Angel tree. It has over 100 different angels with room for more. Have no idea how many more I’ll get on it, I just keep looking for new angel patterns to tat. I actually decorate 7 Christmas trees each year 4 with all tatting. Yes, I do love to decorate for the Christmas season.
Wow Marie, that’s amazing. That would look like….well…snow! Fabulous idea 🙂
Though I haven’t tatted in quite a whie, I enjoy your blog and FB page!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂 Glad you enjoy what I share.
As a new tatter I fell in love with Tina Frauberger Crowns so I had to learn to work with two shuttles and create throw rings. After many yards of thread I finally reached a point where my throw rings sat up nicely.
Yes- there are sometimes ‘techniques with in techniques’ that are hard to master- well done for persevering.