Invisible Snowflake, Adventures with Thread, New Toys, and a Mutated Orchid

I have continued playing with invisible thread. I finished the Tatted Layered Snowflake:


This, of course was designed by Nancy Tracy. As Diane mentioned last week, when I first posted about invisible thread tatting, the snowflake looks like it is made out of ice. I have to agree. Unfortunately, the snowflake is kind of wavy and uneven 'cause I haven't blocked it yet. Why not? I'm not sure how to block nylon thread. I highly doubt wetting and pinning it out like you would with cotton thread would work. If I remember right, the packaging the thread came in said the thread can be ironed. I may try that. Maybe. I figured I'd post a photo of the unblocked snowflake in case I end up with a puddle of nylon. Of course, I would need to layer it in between some fabric. Right? Anyway, in case anyone else is wanting to join Jane and me in the joys (???) of tatting with invisible thread, here is some info that may be useful. The thread I'm using is Coats Transparent Nylon thread, size 0.005 (not sure what unit of measure they are using). Four strands of this thread equals approximately a size 80-90 cotton thread. According to Jane, two strands of size 80 equals a size 20 (it does, by the way), so logically, the same would apply here. Eight strands of the thread should equal about a size 20 thread. I haven't tested this. If anyone wishing to try tatting with invisible thread has any questions, just ask.

Moving on. While at Wal*Mart the other day, I came across some really nice looking metallic thread. It's Guttermann's Metallic Thread (I don't recall the actual name if different). Here's a pic:

The scan doesn't do this thread justice. It is really nice looking thread. And it is really fine. I haven't attempted tatting with a single strand of it. I did try tatting with it combined with another thread. Here is a scan of that attempt:

You should be able to see the colours better here. For this sample, I used the metallic thread with DMC Cordonnet size 100 thread. Size equivalent of these two threads combined? Drum roll...... size 80! Approximately. I planned on using this thread with the invisible thread, but I think I will be using it for the snowflakes I am/will be making for the Snowflake Round Robin that I have joined. Of course you won't see them for a while.

I recently purchased a new monitor for my PC since my old monitor has bee acting funny, and basically threatening to die. I had to get an LCD monitor (like there was any other choice!), and it had to be bigger than the CRT monitor I had already (just a little quirk of mine, no real reason for a larger monitor). I had initially planned on purchasing a 20" LCD monitor, but when I got to Staples, that changed (it always does, doesn't it?). They had a 22" widescreen LCD monitor on sale. It was only $20 more that the 20" one I had decided on. So the 22" monitor ended coming home with me. It looks awesome! I've only used an LCD monitor a few times before, so I'm still getting used to it. I also got a new cellphone earlier this week. I haven't had a cellphone for a couple years now, but with winter coming (unfortunately!) I felt I should get one again. I've been lucky the last few years and haven't needed it when traveling, but you never know. And the best part about the phone I got is that it was free! When all is said and done it is, anyway. If it matters, I got a Motorola W385 phone. Out of the phones the carrier offered, it seemed to have the best user ratings at various opinion websites.

Finally, I wanted to show you a picture of what probably is my last new orchid till spring.

This is a Phalaenopsis, just like most of the others I posted, but something is different with this one. It has what I believe are Peloric flowers. That is, the two petals have mutated for some reason to look like the lip of the orchid. So the flower looks like it has three lips. Some people may not like the way it looks, but I think it's kinda cool. It was the reason I bought it after all. Apparently, the flowers can revert back to normal, depending on how stable the mutation is. So I'll have to wait and see what happens next year when it flowers again. I think that's everything right now. See ya later.