flower in flesh in thread

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This post has been waiting to be written for almost a fortnight .... I just couldn't form the words. While I miss chatting through my blog and through comments on other blogs, I was just not in that phase. While I read up most of the blogs during this time, sometimes I simply scrolled through the pics. I hope you will excuse and forgive me for being a lurker.

One morning my hubby brought me this portulaca flower from his garden. Can't say how it looks online, nevertheless it is a beautiful soft pink with dense layers - almost like a carnation! We usually allow these blooms to remain on the plant since they wither very quickly if not in water (unlike the jasmines I posted recently which remained in bloom even after 14 hours without any water). Of the two plants he has, one has already died away 'for no rhyme or reason' but this other one is flourishing quite nicely. We're hoping the number of blooms will keep increasing.

Pic was taken on 30th August 2025 as was the one below.

I had been engaged in doing up a block tatting pictorial in answer to a specific doubt. It spiralled into a virtual ready reckoner of various effects, methods, etc., etc. Had to shelve it for a while but will be back on it in a couple of days. Anyways, my dear friend surprised me with this pattern of Dora Young's Round Pinwheel Doily from her 'All New Knotless Tatting Designs' (2nd ed)! I just had to tat it!

Worked with Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8, ball and shuttle. I had started with grey in shuttle and a yellow ball. It dawned on me that a variegated or tinted thread should work well in such a pattern so I switched to this. 

This pic, taken on the 5th of this month has 17 picot-round completed. Since then I have added more rounds - I'm probably on the 21 picot round (amidst other Endrucks-related behind the scene stuff). 

The green scrap thread is a marker for the start of the round. It's not really required since the pattern is extremely simple and spirals around almost mindlessly. Haven't had to retro-tat even once. 

Not using a picot gauge - I prefer to eye ball picots as much as possible and while I know they are not all even here, it still seems to turn out fine.

The doily is so well-constructed, so well-designed, that it lays flat throughout. The frequent joins in the dense portions give it a nice texture. And it is exactly the type of patterns I enjoy working on -- tatted all from the front!