Yakut with Beads

 I am really enjoying tatting the motifs from Jon's book Elegant Tatting Gems.  Her patterns are both diagrammed and written out, which has turned out to be invaluable!  I thought I preferred working from diagrammed patterns only, but I have found out that I don't always know which way to turn or reverse my work to get to the desired spot to start the next element. [Is that just me?] When I go back and look at the written pattern, the "aha!" hits me in the forehead.

I decided to tat the Yakut motif with beads added, so I figured out how many beads I needed on each shuttle to place them correctly. (I think I am becoming obsessed with beads.) This would be comical to anyone watching me figure it out, and then a comedy act in itself as I thread the beads while one of the dogs decides to join me on the couch.  Mind you, one of the dogs is small but is old, deaf and blind with horrible depth perception for jumping onto the couch.  The other is a 65 lb. lap dog who plops her head on my lap regardless of what I might be doing (or holding.)

I placed the very first bead in the wrong picot, but didn't realize it until the next repeat.  Oops.  I didn't want to turn back, so I just ignored that little mistake and decided to count it as added 'character'.

I got ALL the way to the 5th spoke of 6, and then ran out of thread on shuttle #1.  I KNEW there was not enough thread on shuttle #2 to finish either.   I didn't think I would need to calculate how much thread I might need for one small motif if I just filled two shuttles.  Oops #2.  How can such a small motif give me this amount of grief?  Thank heavens for tatting friends who just happen to have some of the same thread.  Michelle was kind enough to mail me enough thread to finish the motif.  Whew!  I really didn't want to have to order more thread for just one spoke. 

Lizbeth Leaf Green Size 20 thread
with multi-colored beads.

I like it!  Now I just need to block it well and add it to my collection of motifs to add to sewing projects. 

Since we don't have beautiful spring weather to enjoy outside (ugh!)   it's been dreary here. Ruby showed us how to relax and wait for spring in the few rays of sun that appeared yesterday . . .

Patience.  Patience.  Patience. (In all things!)