Blog - FairyLace

Posted on September 15, 2023September 15, 2023 by Elena — 8 Comments

Results of the competition

Results of the competition for the best doily name, or how the wrath of injustice is for us to live.

Hello everyone! The competition for the best name for my new doily is over.
I am eternally grateful to all participants for their extraordinary creativity and activity!
Alas, my holiday mood was very spoiled today. One of the members of the FB group accused me of quackery. She wrote in several groups that I was a liar and was not giving away any prizes. How can you be so unfair? After all, this lady didn’t even try to take part in the competition. I was upset and very offended.
I hope you can share some positivity with me and I will feel better. Please forgive me for being too emotional. Alas, I could not come to terms with such injustice.

Of course, I couldn’t choose one option from the many most unexpected, most imaginative and most beautiful names! You are extraordinary! Thank you very much for your creativity, imagination and support of my blog! I really liked absolutely ALL the options! So I resorted to drawing lots. And I made a short video report. You can watch on my YouTube channel how I chose the winner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03JPh1vhfjM&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ

So, Results of the competition!

The winner of Connie’s competition with the name for doily Galaxy Flower. Congratulations!
I send her the pattern by email.
To celebrate all participants of the competition, I am providing a 30% discount coupon for the purchase of this pattern to ALL participants. Please check your emails.

Now the doily pattern with a wonderful name is available in my store, please check it out! https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/product/galaxy-flower-tatting-pattern/?removed_item=1
Thank you again for your active participation and support!

Follow my blog because I am planning some more contests with exciting prizes!

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Elena — 90 Comments

Easier done than said

Easier done than said, or a new competition for tatters.

Hello everyone! Of course, you know the expression “Easier said than done”. So I’ll tell you honestly, this is not about me! It’s easier for me to do than to come up with words to describe my work. I mean, it’s easier for me to do than say! LOL

Besides, I don’t speak English well enough. I have already asked my friends on social networks and subscribers for help several times. I need a nice name for my new doily. Help! And I just remembered the competition that I held for my followers. What wonderful names you came up with for my doily Honeycomb . I was impressed by your imagination. I promise I couldn’t have come up with a better name! I wrote about this competition and the winners on my blog. https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/2020/06/

I am sure you will be happy to take part in the new competition for the best name for this doily! After all, the winner will receive a doily pattern as a gift. And the first 20 participants will receive a discount on the purchase of this pattern in my store.

Easier done than said — Easier said than done

And I will definitely add a video lesson on my YouTube channel, as well as a video report on choosing the winner. So don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay updated! https://www.youtube.com/c/ElenaKozinenko

So, the conditions of the competition:

Subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already.
Come up with a name for my new doily and write it in the comments to this post. ATTENTION! Only titles written on the blog, not on social networks, will participate in the competition!
The winner will be announced on September 15th.

I wish you all good luck and look forward to your wonderful doily names!

Posted on August 17, 2023August 17, 2023 by Elena — 2 Comments

Once I caught a fish alive

Once I caught a fish alive, or how to quickly and easily wind the threads in several layers.

All plans go to hell when the air raid signal goes off…
It scares me terribly. Because the consequences of the bombing are always unpredictable and terrible. And every time I seem to crumble into small pieces. This is a very unpleasant feeling, believe me. Each time it becomes more and more difficult “to collect yourself as a whole”. But your kind words, your prayers and thoughts about me and my country help me.
Today, the third time, an air alert has been declared throughout Ukraine. Everyone get to cover now! I managed to shoot material for the video in my studio. And I can mount the video and write an article anywhere (even sitting in the basement, which I don’t have, unfortunately…).
Sorry for such a sad start. I thought for a long time if I could write about the war in my needlework blog. Tatting, sewing, embroidery, knitting, macrame, all my creativity is my life. But this terrible reality is now also my life, alas.

I caught a fish alive

So, I wanted to remind you of a nursery rhyme. Probably, in every language, children count one-two-three-four-five, read a poem or sing a song.

One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go?
Because he bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on my right.

Surely you will be surprised and ask me: why a nursery rhyme? We’ve come to wind the threads! The fact is that winding threads in 2, 3, 4, 5 and even 6 layers is as easy as singing a song.

So, all you need is a ball of thread that you need to rewind, and an empty spool from the sewing machine. I was lucky, on my Bernina the bobbin reel is enlarged. Therefore, more thread is wound on this bobbin. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t like working with multiple layers of thread. But sometimes I just don’t have threads of the right color with the right thickness. For example, for jewelry set Danuta, I wound metal embroidery threads in three layers. The pattern for this set is available in my store: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/product/tatting-pattern-set-danuta/

So, step one:

Wind the threads from the ball onto the spool. I do this on a sewing machine.

Two layers

It’s elementary, Watson! Two threads in one.

Three layers

You only need a ball. Make a loop, forming three strands. Tie the end of the thread and loop to the shuttle. Gradually winding three threads on the hook, thread the ball of thread into the loop. Ah, I’m not sure I can explain clearly. Therefore, it is better to watch the video, please (link at the end of the article).

Four layers

In this case, you need to go back to winding in three layers and simply add thread from the spool. Thus, in one step you get 4 layers at once, hooray!

Five layers

You only need a ball threads. We do the same as winding in three layers. But now we need two loops of different lengths. Oh, I won’t even try to write how to do it. And again, I suggest watching the video.

Accordingly, for six layers, you need a winding option for five layers plus one thread from the spool. And this “song” can go on forever!

I am very grateful to you for your patience! Now finally a link to the video. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. And also I will be very grateful for following my blog and comments. https://youtu.be/q53Ejc9gI60

Thanks!

Posted on August 2, 2023August 3, 2023 by Elena — 2 Comments

Cro-tatting Lesson 7

Cro-tatting Lesson 7 , or translation difficulties.

Hello everyone! This article is a continuation of Lesson 6. Therefore, follow the link if you have not read or watched the video of the previous lesson: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/cro-tatting-lesson-6/

At first I wanted to start this article with the story of the Tower of Babel. Well, you remember how God gave people different languages so that they would not understand each other. But then I thought that this is not entirely true. The question is philosophical. Because very often, speaking the same language, people cannot understand each other. Probably, this happens because many people have forgotten how to listen, empathize and understand others. And the notation in English for crocheting terms me to such reflections. How can I figure this out, I have no idea! LOL

But I’m pretty creative, you know. Therefore, I decided to write an abbreviation for UK and for US. Hope you don’t get confused!

So, today I invite you to make a small round motif with two rows. We will make the second row with single crochets. Yep, that’s where we got it! Don’t worry, we’ll fix it. UK terms – dc ( double crochet ), US terms – sc ( single crochet ).

Row 1

The first row consists of Rings and Chains. The chains in cro-tatting are crocheted and form an “arc” of air loops (in the abbreviation сh).

Row 2

In the second row, I used rings and single crochets ( or double crochet ) . Please note that before performing the Ring, you need to turn the work. And since you are getting the wrong side, it is better to start a double stitch from the second half. You will clearly see in the photo how the front side (pink ring) differs from the wrong side (yellow ring).

For clarity, of course, I made a detailed video. Don’t forget to subscribe, comment and share my video on social media please. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpE8dFoOJtM&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ

FREE PATTERN LESSON 7

You can download the pattern Cro-tatting Lesson 7 by clicking on the link. Or just take a screenshot. https://drive.google.com/file/d/16VtiI2bIQy7RqmpuMJIhbx29agpDibpD/view?usp=sharing

If my articles are interesting and useful to you, subscribe to my blog, comment, share on social networks. Your feedbacks is very interesting and important to me. Don’t forget to check my store, welcome: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Elena — 6 Comments

Why you need Tatting Split Ring

Why do you need Tatting Split Ring, or how laziness becomes the engine of progress.

Hello everyone! Sometimes I hear bewildered questions from beginner tatters: why should I learn Split Ring? It’s complicated, troublesome and not useful to me. I can list several reasons why you need this. So, first, the Split Ring is cool! Secondly, you can make the Ring two-tone. Thirdly, a lot of modern tatting patterns often use this method (for example, my Celtic bracelets).

Little trick with Split Ring

But the most important thing for me is the ability not to cut the threads between the rows using the Split Ring. I have already said many times how much I sooooo hate to hide the threads after the end of the work. So, I guess I’m a classic lazybones! Because I’m trying to come up with a new way to “make my life easier.” This is how new useful devices are born. I am deeply convinced that the remote control was invented by a classic lazy person. Just him did not want to get up from a warm chair to change TV channels! Haha, I’d be a millionaire if I came up with something like that!

I don’t even know which tatting master first came up with the idea of using the Split Ring to move to the next row. Alas, not all patterns can use this trick. But that would be perfect, mind you. Because I don’t need to cut and hide the threads in the middle of the work several times. As a result, I hide only two (or sometimes even one) threads at the end of the work ALWAYS! But so far this is unrealistic.

In the end, I liked this trick so much that I decided to create a doily pattern, where all 5 rows are weaved without breaking the thread. This is doily Azure Sky. https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/product/doily-azure-sky-tatting-pattern/

So, in conclusion of the post, I want to offer you a video. You will see how to use the split ring to move to the next row of a round napkin without cutting the thread. Please support my blog and my YouTube channel with likes, subscriptions and comments! Thanks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wETpH0sP56o&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ&index=50

Posted on July 24, 2023July 24, 2023 by Elena — 2 Comments

DIY fabric

DIY fabric, or creating a unique pattern from pieces of fabric.

Hello everyone! I am very pleased to read your comments and feedback on my new work. Thank you so much to everyone who supports me during this difficult time!
You know that my first and main hobby is tatting. But there are still many types of needlework that I can do well (as it seems to me!).

One of my favorites is patchwork. I’m sure you’ve heard of the pizza technique. Oh, it’s not about the food! Although I heard Italian housewives say: “I put everything I have left after dinner on pizza for breakfast in the morning!” Very economical and creative, in my opinion. So why not use practical advice in needlework ?! So, we use everything that remains from previous projects. And I used not only pieces of fabric, but also pieces of lace.

So, step by step we go to the ideal result. And I hope our pizza turns out “delicious” enough!

Step one

First determine the size of the placemat you need. I made 24×36 cm. Cut out a rectangle from the main fabric (I have it red-orange), adding 4 cm to the size of the placemat on each side. We also need rectangles of synthetic winterizer and adhesive double-sided interlining 24X36 cm. But you can make a non-woven rectangle 4 cm smaller. Also prepare a piece of 20X 32 cm from nylon, or mesh, or organza. It can be any fairly transparent fabric.

Ah, I almost forgot the most important thing! Prepare ANY pieces of fabric.

Step two

This step is the most exciting, I think. Here you can show all your imagination. Place fabric pieces on the non-woven rectangle as you like. No restrictions, no canons! You create a new fabric yourself. Remember you, I’m a fan of tatting? In the center I added a sample of one of my little lace projects. 🙂

Step three

Now gently “glue” the pieces of fabric to the interlining and synthetic winterizer with an iron.

Step four

Cover the resulting sample with a transparent cloth rectangle and secure with pins.

Step five

Put together all the layers of the prepared rectangles and quilt with a pattern that you like. It can be squares, circles, leaves, flowers. I chose a pattern that some craftsmen call “brains”. With the BSR foot, stitching becomes an absolute pleasure!

Step six

Forming the corners and borders. I plan to make a video on how to do it quickly, neatly and easily. So don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for updates. https://www.youtube.com/c/ElenaKozinenko

Step seven

Iron the finished placemats. And delight your family with a new dinner decor from the new DIY fabric! This way, your meals will be much tastier!

A set of such placemats can be bought in my store, welcome: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/product/four-patchwork-placemats-surprise/?removed_item=1

Posted on July 17, 2023July 17, 2023 by Elena — 6 Comments

How to use fabric scraps

How to use fabric scraps, or what I can do.

Hello everyone! If you follow me on social networks, you have seen my new work tatting. These are the seven bookmarks of the Chakras. Ah, making two orders in two weeks was not easy! Eyes and hands are a little tired. So I decided to take a break from lace and clean up my craftroom.

https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/product/bookmarks-chakras-tatting-patterns/

I’m sure many of my subscribers own several types of needlework. Therefore, you know that it is impossible to put things in order in the workshop without destroying the “stocks”. But throwing away even a small piece of fabric is IMPOSSIBLE! Do you agree? So, I started with a big box of scraps. I had an idea and it took two days to implement it.

First, I ironed all the pieces of fabric. Moreover, I did not select fabrics by texture or color, so as not to waste time.

Then I cut a lot of squares and rectangles. To speed up and facilitate the process, I used a patchwork ruler as a template. And I got the same width of all the pieces – 2.5 inches. By the way, the roller knife helped me to cope with this work wonderfully!

Then I sewed small pieces into long strips. Of course, all the seams must be ironed out. I thought that the connection of small pieces would be too colorful, so I prepared long strips of “zebra” fabric.

Now the fun begins! I sewed all the strips diagonally onto a base of light dense fabric and synthetic winterizer. I also stitched each strip, pinning the layers together. To adjust the fabric while sewing, I use an interstitial fixture. If you liked my special “thimble”, write in the comments!

And at the end of the work, I sewed strips of black dense fabric along the edges of the “variegated disgrace”. The result of my cleaning in the workshop: minus two bags of fabric scraps, minus two sheets of PVC, minus one old tablecloth, minus a bag of sintepon scraps and plus two empty boxes. You see the result in the photo!

So, I showed how to use fabric scraps. In addition to tatting and sewing, I own many other types of needlework. What kind of needlework do you do? Write about it in the comments, I’m very interested. Support my blog, subscribe and share on social networks, thanks!

Also visit my YouTube channel. Subscribe, comments and likes are welcome! https://www.youtube.com/c/ElenaKozinenko

Posted on May 10, 2023May 10, 2023 by Elena — Leave a comment

Cro-tatting Lesson 6

Cro-tatting Lesson 6 , or the return to the beginning.

Hello everyone! This article is a continuation of Lesson 5. Therefore, follow the link if you have not read or watched the video of the previous lesson: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/cro-tatting-lesson-5/

In the last lesson, we disposed of the remnants of the thread. Did you succeed? And I promised to tell you in detail how to connect elements of different colors correctly. Do not throw slippers at me, because I will again talk about the front and back of tatting! Of course, I do not in any way insist on my opinion. Because every artist is entitled to their own point of view. After all, every tatter is an artist! Do you agree? And who can tell the artist exactly how CORRECT? It is possible that you will like the product, which has specially made thin “stitches” of a different color on the front side of the work.

Front or back side?

In my classes for schoolchildren, I show the difference between the wrong side and the wrong side at the very beginning of lessons. Believe me, students perceive this very easily. By the way, it is in cro-tatting that the difference between both sides of the work is very clearly visible. Especially if you use double crochet in the pattern. How unexpectedly, I had an idea for the topic of a new lesson! If you are interested in getting a pattern using double crochet in the pattern , write me in the comments please.

But, it’s time to move from words to deeds, that is, to video! So video Cro-tatting Lesson 6 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGW4f-nMu1g&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ

By the way, I have a video on this subject for shuttle tatting. Maybe this will come in handy too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98FYbzTfzZE&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ&index=26

I will be grateful for the support of my blog and YouTube channel. Subscribe, comment, share on social networks, please! This will help make my information more interesting and useful.

Posted on April 22, 2023April 22, 2023 by Elena — Leave a comment

Cro-tatting Lesson 5

Cro-tatting Lesson 5, or how to dispose of leftover threads of different colors.

Hello everyone! This article is a continuation of Lesson 4 . Therefore, follow the link if you have not read or watched the video of the previous lesson: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/cro-tatting-lesson-4-how-to-make-a-split-chain-in-cro-tatting-technique/

I really enjoy reading your comments and questions on my posts. Because in this way you help me to make my blog useful and interesting. The idea of today’s lesson came to me after the publication of one of my old works – a coaster from the remnants of threads. You asked to make a video tutorial on how to make such a coaster. Of course I did this tutorial ! The link to the video is at the end of the post.

I’m sure many of you have stocks of thread. Well, how can I stop if I see threads of a beautiful color on sale?! And sometimes, for a specific project, I specifically buy threads of a very specific size and color. And in this case, I always buy a little more thread than required. You probably know how disappointing it is if a few meters of thread are not enough to complete the product. Therefore, I have there are ALWAYS leftovers threads! Of course, you can rewind the rest of the thread on smaller spools …

But it still takes up a lot of space.

So, I decided to get rid of the remnants of the thread. To do this, I needed to combine threads of two colors in small coasters.

Simple coaster from thread of two colors

Note! We add a new thread before the ring or after the ring. In this case, it is very easy to hide both tails on both sides of the ring. And the chain is neat. I did the work with thread of one color until the thread ran out. As you can see, the thread can end anywhere, haha! By the way, I was lucky twice – two coasters turned out to be the same color!

How many words! Where is Cro-tatting Lesson 5, you ask? You can download the pattern by clicking on the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i7TlPsECywGl5j-y81wuiV4_NvMEwmlA/view?usp=share_link Or just take a screenshot.

Watch an additional video for the lesson here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ggzsan6n3g&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ

By the way, pay attention to the connection of rings of different colors. How to make the perfect connection, I will tell in the next lesson. So do not forget to subscribe to my blog and YouTube channel, so as “not to be late” for the lesson!

Posted on April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 by Elena — Leave a comment

Cro-tatting Lesson 4

Cro-tatting Lesson 4 , or how to make a split chain in cro-tatting technique.

Hello everyone! This article is a continuation of Lesson 3 . Therefore, follow the link if you have not read or watched the video of the previous lesson: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/cro-tatting-lesson-3/

Ah, I tried my best in the previous lesson! I sought to convince all my readers of the need to master the reception of the split ring. By the way, this is necessary not only for cro-tatting, but also for the tatting shuttle and for the tatting needle. I hope many tatters will “follow me” in this matter, haha! And today I want to suggest that you use a split chain too as often as possible as well. But alas, I have no new arguments. I’m just sure that we must develop, improve and look for new ways and methods. Do you agree with me? Then you will benefit from my new video, I hope.

I use two methods to perform a split chain.

First method

So, fhe first method is good when you move from row to row through chains. You hide the tail of the thread at the beginning of work and, as the second part of the split chain, perform a double crochet. The number of yarn overs should be 1 less than the number of loops in the first half of the split chain. In my video, this is 5sc and Triple Treble Crochet ( or Double Treble Crochet ). Here again I ask for your help. How is this element correctly indicated in English. Write to me in the comments, please.

Second method

But the second method is ideal if you are going to the next row through a split chain + split ring combination. So, in the video, you will see two threads after the split chain is completed. First thread – ball, and the second – long tail of the thread, which I left at the beginning of work. Therefore we can use these two threads to make a split ring.

Wow! I can imagine how tired you are of reading this! Of course, it’s better to watch the video. Don’t forget to leave a comment and subscribe to my YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvR8NaB1-c4&list=UULF3dn4_9pp7tIKA2k564wLBQ