I downloaded these last night but it was late and I thought I'd get to this sooner today than I did. This is the same as the white one, also in half-stitch.

I used a pink size 20 thread along with a white/gold metallic, also about the same size. I like the sparkle it creates in the finished bookmark. I don't really like to tat with the metallic because the gold thread tends to break when I close a ring so this is a good use for it.

I also waited until I had done one half stitch on the right side before I added the bead in hopes that it would look more like the left eye. It does but is a tad bit (1 stitch) lower. I guess it's doing to be a bit off, regardless of which way I do it.






This is the first Torchon bookmark. The stitch is the same throughout, but there is a pin between every stitch so it's time-consuming in that respect. I can tell I got a pair twisted somewhere. You can see at the bottom of that first white inner square, actually a diamond shape, how the white trails off in both directions at the bottom point. That must be where I mixed it up and you can see the same pattern all the way through. I should have 3 white diamonds and 2 brown diamonds in the center.

The directions don't tell me that but the picture in the book does and it makes sense that it would. So I will try it again Tuesday night and see if I can't keep track of the path better. This one is done in size 8 perle cotton, using a brown and a cream color. I think it looks very masculine and would be a nice gift for a male.

I had a little trouble understanding the way the bottom was finished off. Once I finished the left side, I understood better so the right side is much tighter and cleaner.

After repeating this exercise tomorrow, the next one is the same except it will have "spiders" in place of the diamonds. I feel like I'm making good progress and understanding more every time. This one started at a point so that part was new as well as the flow of the stitches. I really need a bobbin winder.

Here's the latest bookmark. It's the same pricking as the last one, but this one is done in half-stitch. I used white DMC perle cotton and some Altin Basak size 20 white with a gold thread in it - known as "metallic". I think it turned out pretty.

With this one, I learned more about "twists". The number of twists is a design feature too. I couldn't really tell where the workers formed a design because of the colors I used. I will probably make this one again, just to practice.

The next one is a Torchon lace. I've never been very fond of Torchon because it seems a bit coarse and rough looking compared to the other laces but I suppose this will be good practice too. Actually, the bookmark looks very lacy.

At the moment, I have 2 thumbs and 1 finger taped up with a bit of ointment under the bandaid because the tips are cracking. Another finger could be but then I'd feel like Edward Scissorshand. The corner of my mouth is cracking too. I know it's from the cold weather. The furnaces run so much that the air is dry, my body is dry, and even outside, the frozen snow means there is very little humidity in the air. Quite the breeze going this week too. I've been in and out several times a day going to and from campus appointments. I loved the mild winters we were having for a few years. I want them back!

Here's my first sample completed. I knew I was making a mistake with my end twists but nothing came apart.

Here's the one I completed last night. I'm still confused about the end twists but I made it work. I just need to read up more on it. It's only with the half-stitch section because of the way the thread lays on top, it can't twist the way the directions say.

It took me about 4 hours to complete this one. Yeah...my shoulder was burning. And my eyes. No bobbin lace for me tonight! I used size 8 perle cotton.