Completed hippos! Part 6

The hippos are still arriving from all round the world. There are now 76 - whoooopeeeeee!!!

This one is from Nancy Clemmons in Alabama, USA. She said the following and left the shuttle next to the hippo just to prove her point!!

"This TIAS project was a blast! It was fun and educational. I tried not to panic when the beady eye wouldn't behave. See how little thread was left on the shuttle? I was determined to finish before I ran out.. "

Next to arrive late on Wednesday evening is from Jolande Donders who is a member of Riet's tatting guild in The Netherlands. What a happy looking hippo!!

The next hippo is from Stephanie Bryant who said.
"I had to set my little hippo aside for Days 9 and 10, but I finished up the other night. I think my hippo is a little "odd" (possibly because I haven't starched it) but I love it anyway!" So do I, Stephanie.

Friday morning and a lovely surprise as another hippo wanders into my inbox. I thought they would have stopped arriving by now but the more the merrier. This one is from Patty Dowden.

This one is from Betty Vos (via Riet). She says she will wait for the next project. Well, Betty - I'll try my best!














Saturday morning and the parade of hippos takes on more members!!! Here is one from Diane Saunders and she said.

"Henrietta so enjoyed watching the Hippo Parade with me. Here she is, trying to decide which color was her favorite."
I love the picture of Henrietta - very original background!

Diane also sent her friend's hippo and said this.

"I'm also sending you my friend Bert's hippo. I taught Bert to tat when we met 3 years ago in Florida. She's from Iowa, and we've had a nice little tatting reunion this month and have enjoyed working on this project together. "

Another hippo has come in from Riet. The message with it says
"This one is from Rita Brienissen and she would like to let you know that she really enjoyed it to take part in the project. There are now 17 hippo's that came and one is on its way isn't that great from such a small country? to be honest 2 are guildmembers but live in Belgium. I am proud of my country."
I proud of The Netherlands and it's guild members too.

Completed hippos! Part 5!!

Tuesday morning and the next few hippos have wandered in overnight!

First is BJ's worked in vintage American cro sheen - this particular batch is a firm thread. BJ said.

"That 'eye' ring was a challenge. This was so much fun."

Next is Karen Lowrimore's hippo. What a stunning thread. Karen says it's a size 10 Aunt Lydia thread - she has no idea the color name/number. She also says.
"I am slower than most of the folks that participated, but here she/he/it is. Had to have some tutoring, but made it through!" Well done, Karen.

Next is Becky Snyder's hippo. She says.
"This has been a blast! Thank you so much for coming up with this neat idea!"

Coby Roozendaal said that she liked the program, but not knowing what it should be, she didn't know which colour she had to use. After findingout at the end it was a hippo, she tatted a new grey one on Sunday.

Lieve Rabaey, is (like Coby Roozendaal) also a member of the Dutch guild but she is a Belgian tatter. Thank you, Riet, for passing these two on to me.

Now you ain't seen a hippo like this before! Is this a new species? This one has just come from Michelle Roebuck who is the editor of the Ring of Tatters Newsletter. It's taken her a few days to find her digital camera and connections to the computer but it was well worth the wait, Michelle. What a beauty!!

My very big apologies to Lynda Krupka who has just asked where her hippo is that she sent on Sunday. I'm sorry to say that he arrived safely but just didnt' get onto the blog!!! Here he is now in all his glory. Sorry, Lynda.

This wonderful hippo in it's own very pretty setting is from Elisabeth Geurtz. She told Riet that she wasn't intrested in the pc that much, but when she read about this project, she was running to the pc every day , to look to see if there was another piece. She likes the result but she regrets that it is over. Thank you Elisabeth I am so glad you enjoyed it.

Can you divorce an adopted son? I wonder. No, probably not and I don't want to either. A few years ago I decided to adopt Mark Myers and the joke has continued, but after his hippo just turned up I'm wondering what I've taken on!!! It's well worth a visit to Mark's blog for further instructions on how to work his version of the hippo. Well done, SOJ

The next hippo is from Agnes de Koning. Thank you, Riet for passing him on.

I'ts now Wednesday morning and here is Sharon Davis's hippo. Apparently he was kidnapped by her great grandson!!! She got him back after he'd been named 'Hulk'!!!!

Wendy Durell sent her hippo in on Monday but he obviously found a better watering hole and didn't arrive. Thanks for sending him again this morning, Wendy.

The hippo who is next in the parade is from Jane McLellan in Zimbabwe who also sent in some WIP scans last week. This is Hippy the Flower Power Hippo. Well done, Jane for getting to the end and coming up with a fantastic result in spite of having to learn several new techniques!

The next hippo is from Rika Hekkelman. Riet forwarded it to me and said the following. "It was a big struggle for her, not the tatting but making a picture She got some help of her son a nice boy, but a son who can tease he called the hipo a little pig."

Another member of Riet's tatting guild sent her the next hippo by snail mail. It was safely sewn onto a card. Her name is Tine van Hoof.

Completed hippos! Part 4

I've just remembered that Marty sent this link in too. Just too funny. Is that you singing,

Here's Suneala's contribution but she also says
"Had a little difficulty while I was closing the ring with the bead. Is there a better way to close it?" Sunela, you're not the only one to suffer this problem. I will try and explain it in a new page on my 'Tips and Techniques" section of my web site.

Next hippo is Janet's in a very pretty thread. I am guessing that it's a Flora thread. Am I right, Janet?











Ah, Marty's just dropped in again with this link!!!

Half past ten at night and past my bedtime but I just had to add Jenny Griffin's hippo called Hattie. LOVE the colours, Jenny. What thread did you use?

Monday morning - just gone eight o'clock and I'm back to add more hippos!!!
The first in this morning is from Utlinde from Germany.

Last one in this morning (before shower and porridge!) is from Babette Garman. This is what she said about getting her hippo over to the UK!!
"Hopefully attached file has scan of Sheila the Hippo; apologies for taking so long to send scan, but as soon as she saw the surf report I had great trouble catching up with her."

I will now blog these and add any others that bumble by as they arrive. Off to start the 'non tatting' related part of the day.

Lunch over, aged parent sorted, tea drunk with friend and now I'm back with a few more hippos who have come in while I've been out!

This hippo is from Marjan Groenveld-Klomp - she says
"Hippo tsunami.... and another hippo, and another, and another but this time a Dutch/Belgium one! - can you still find a place for him?!"
Of course I can - the more the better!

Next one to arrive is from Margaret Jenkins. She said
"One hippo lumbering your way, hope it arrives O.K.!"
Thanks, Margaret. I do like the thread you've used - your hippo looks as if he's got a cheesy grin on his face!!

Now we have an albino hippo!!! This is from Mary Harris in Indy. Here's her message.
"Albert, the albino hippo. Thanx so much. He is sooooo cute. It was a challenge, but doing it as a group and seeing how the others were doing really helped. "

Well we now have 49 hippos on the blog postings. WHAT a lot of critters, eh? I'm only hoping that they don't start fighting - or even worse - start breeding!! My computer will start groaning under their weight!!!
Here's an interesting link about hippos - it was in yesterday's Sunday Times.

Next in is Kathy Lowe's hippo all the way from Anaheim. This is what she had to say.
"Here's my hippo. The colors I chose plus the motifs in the body remind me of a stuffed hippo (named Hippy) that I was very fond of as a kid."

Cora Martin's hippo has just bumbled in. Here he is!!

Gordon said.
"Gwen said after mastering the SR I was away. I would never have tried something so complicated in one go, it has given me so much confidence."

Nearly bedtime and the last few on this posting.
Just in is this pair from Kristina aka Spinn, in Sweden. This is what she said.
"I don't really know if my animals are hippos, but I had fun!"







This next one is from Mary Jarvis. She says.
"Another hippo for the bloat!". Thanks for the hippo and the other link too.

Completed hippos! Part 3

Hmmmm, this is becoming a bloat of hippos. Yup, bloat is the collective noun for a heck of a lot of the darn critters!!!

Kate Sharp wrote about the things she achieved. I've put those on my other blog here. Her comments are mainly directed to this TIAS but might also be useful to other designers too.

Half past twelve now and Aileen's Violet has just wandered into the in box!!!












Next in is Jennifer Williams who started all this with her request for her son, Richard.










Here's one from Pamela Myers - more about hers on her blog here.












This is number 33 which is from June Parrett. Thanks, June.











Next in is Bob's hippo. Hasn't this one got the cutest tail?












This is Doreen's hippo - love that colour, Doreen.

Next is Linda Barnes's hippo - first time he arrived he was invisible. I thought Linda was teasing me by telling me he was albino but she'd forgotten to attach the picture - that SO reminds me of myself!!!

Martha Bouwmeester sent in a series of pictures showing her progress. There are too many to put on the blog but thanks, Martha.

Heh, heh, heh, next comes Susan Laithwaite's hippo along with her message -
"My hippo is a Devon Variegated Blue, named Rolf of course, but no sooner had I cut him free from his shuttles than he ran off into the garden. Fortunately, I just managed to take a couple of photos of him before he lumbered into our pond. I can hear his voice gurgling about glorious mud even as I type this. I think I'll have to tat a little Rolfina to keep him company. That'll scare the frogs!"















Next to arrive was Margaret Brown's - she said
"I had a bit of trouble with the bead for her eye as I have never done that before. I will need to practice that part again."
I must add, Margaret, You were not on your own with that.

Trundling in now is Jeff Hamilton's hippo. Here is what he had to say in his PS!!
"PS: I noticed once the pattern was complete, and many other pictures of completed hippos were posted, that it could be turned into a rhino fairly easily. Not that there is anything wrong with you hippo!"

Completed hippos! Part 2

Sunday morning - after shower and before breakfast!!! More hippos have bumbled in overnight!!

First in this morning (I'm starting from the bottom of my inbox which is the order they will have arrived while I was sleeping!) is from Sherry the Celtic Dreamweaver. She's called Floral the Happy Hippo.

Next in is from EttaJ and it's a beautiful shade of pink!

Jaqui Southworth from the UK has done the TIAS whilst on holiday in Florida!! Above and beyond the call of duty, I think!

Next in was from Unarae in AK.

After breakfast and a walk into town to get the Sunday papers for 'him what must be obeyed'!!!

Lorena Finnerty sent in the next one with this comment from an expert - herself!
"See, I know my "butts"!!! hehe. Here is my green hippo, guess his water at the zoo needs to be cleaned better. I tell you, these guys are really messy at a zoo. When they poop, they twirl their tail around and it goes all over. Well at least the ones at the zoo I worked at. I did not work with hippos but did all the big and small cats."

Next in are this pair from Marty. Do hope they're not going to start a fight! Here is what Marty had to say too.
"I'm going to start now so all my Christmas cards next year can give people exactly what they want:

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles or rhinocerouses!
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me tooooooo." Thanks, Marty.

Now we have Martha Ess's hippo. How Martha finds time I don't know. She's in the process of doing at least one more book for us all and yet she still found time to do this. Remarkable lady.

Next is Riet's hippo and this is what she said!!
"Here is my Hippo, he/she needs a bath, had to retrotat several times. It was great fun and I am already missing the translation work."
The reference to the translation work is because Riet not only helped me with several typos (as did others!) during the TIAS but she also translated it into Dutch for her guild members. A GREAT BIG thank you to Riet. Here's the link to her Dutch blog with the translated version.

Another of the ladies from Riet's guild has just sent her hippo. This is from Gerda van Ramshorst. Thanks, Gerda (and Riet for passing it on).

Now you're NOT going to believe the next one!! I wondered why Laura was so quiet - now I know!!! Here's her blog addy too for more giggles!! Please do go and see the full story of Dame Margo!!

Julie Patterson sent her hippo in too. It's SO flattering when another designer takes time to spend time doing something like this - thanks, Jules.

Next I'm 'stealing' a picture off Gina's blog. This is what she said after struggling with the eye ring. "I know this will shock some, but I'm not going to fix it and finish. LOL!" Personally I don't blame her!!! Poor, sad, headless hippo. I still think Gina was hoping the design was her very rude suggestion earlier in the TIAS!!!!

Next is Marian's. I think she's another of Riet's guild members. Thank you, Marian.

Next in is Roger's hippo. Good job, Roger.

Next to waddle in is Tami Drader's hippo. Here's her blog addy for you to see too.