Translate

====================

====================
Dear Reader,
I share here what I like and what works for me. If you've been following me, you know that I can change my mind from time to time, and feel free to comment that I'm completely wrong, you may be right. I'm not running a business. I'm not paid and have never received any compensation or facilitation for any review/brand/site here mentioned. In case one day we'll ever meet, I'll be the one offering you a cup of Italian coffee, too.
====================

Thursday 25 July 2024

smiling flowers

I’ve a fascination with 3D flowers tatted with thin thread. A pattern I love is Jeanne Lugert’s rose (I tatted a miniaturized version too - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2018/01/anonymous.html ).
Lately, while exploring possible designs where I can use treble tatting stitches, I found in my notebook a round motif from 3 years ago, for which I haven’t shared the pattern yet, you can see it here: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/06/special-note-for-my-dear-email.html. Looking at it with new eyes, I thought the rings with treble tatting stitches would be good for making petals… Well, tiny petals with my size 80 thread! 

It’s not a brand-new idea and a very simple pattern too! But I like it and it’s going to be my new favourite pattern for emptying shuttles! I’ve already tatted a dozen of them, and I’m happy to share the pattern with you. I hope you like it, and that soon you’ll have your bouquet!

I already have a name for them! Thanks to the Endrucks 1920 Project, The Smiling Lady and I are in constant email contact, and I know for sure that she loves flowers (especially roses). Have you already seen her “E43 3D Generic Flower”? (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/07/so-many.html )
So, I chuckled and for once found the perfect name for the pattern! "Smiling Flowers" - in Muskaan’s honour!

ds = double stitch
tds = treble tatting stitch
fhs = first half stitch
shs = second half stitch
- = picot
vsp = very small picot

Smiling Flowers have two parts: the flower (centre with a bead, and two layers of petals), then the “green” part, which is calyx, stem, and leaves.

CENTRE (pink thread in pics)
I used Drop Miyuki 3,4mm beads. Load the bead in the loop around the hand.
Hide the starting tail under the first stitches.
Ring (6 picots): 2ds, -, 2ds, -, 2ds, -, 1ds, 1 bead under the leg of 1fhs, 1shs, (-, 2ds)x3. Close and do not cut thread.

Here is how I placed the bead:

 

Then, there are two layers of 6 petals each, around the central ring:
 
PETAL
Ring: 1ds,5tds,vsp,1ds. Close.
After each petal, always lock join to the next picot in centre ring. (see Fig.1)


After the first layer of 6 petals (see Fig.2), I repeat another layer of petals on the back of the first layer, and always lock join to underlying picots in the central ring (see Fig.3).


I tatted two layers of petals, so there are 12 petals. Then leave a tail of about 15cm and cut the thread. To finish, from the backside, pass the tail through the bead to move the tail under the centre of the flower (see Fig.4).

CALYX (green thread in pics)
With one shuttle loaded with green thread - unwind from the shuttle a tail of about 15cm.
Ring: 1ds,5tds,vsp,1ds. Repeat 3 times. Do not cut the thread. (see Fig.5)

Make a knot (between starting tail and shuttle thread) and pass the flower tail in the centre of the green rings, as shown in Fig.6.

STEM under the calyx
After the calyx, I encapsulate the two tails (green and pink) in the stem.
Tat a Josephine (or Spiral) chain of 20 fhs.

LEAVES
Ring: 10ds,3fhs,p,3shs,10ds. Close.
In the stem: Encapsulate the two tails with one fhs (see Fig.7 and 8)
Repeat 3 times.

Leaves are 3 rings, note that I tatted one fhs in the stem after each ring

STEM after the leaves
Tat a Josephine (or Spiral) chain of 20 fhs.

FINISH
Form a loop with the two tails and tat 10 unflipped half stitches over all the 4 threads of the folded tails (see Fig.9)

Then, open the loop as it was a ring, and tat 16 unflipped stitches, as in the second side of a split ring (see Fig.10).

Pull the two tails and close the loop like a mock ring. Secure the shuttle thread at the base of the mock ring and cut all tails (see Fig.11 and 12).

******************************

Ideas for using the Smiling Flowers:

- Make wreaths or bunch of flowers for gifts
- They can be earrings, too! Just hang the mock ring to a fishhook and wear them.
- Glue two or three together for brooches or on hair clips for girls.
- Link flowers to chains or lobster clasps, for bracelets, decorations, or trinkets.
- Lanyards. Don’t cut the thread after the flower, tat the stem and the leaves and continue with another flower!
- Edgings. Tat flowers in assorted colours (without the green part) and then tat an edging in green, joining flowers at intervals.

wreath - flowers sewed with invisible sewing thread on the green ribbon wrapped around a cabone ring.

******************************

If you google tiny tatted flowers, there are wondrous pics by Japanese tatters, for example I found flowers tatted by megumi_tatting (https://www.instagram.com/megumi_tatting/  ) and "Atelier Sakamichi" (she writes a tatting blog: http://atsaka.exblog.jp/ ).

I’ve just bought (in Amazon) the Kindle edition of “Tatting Lace Flower Accessories” by Emiko Kitao (2016). If you love tiny flowers, that is a beautiful book for you too! Also, there are patterns for tatted letters, framed in flowering hearts. There are creative ideas and clever use of picots. You can read Leigh’s review here: http://www.somethingunderthebed.com/CURTAIN/REVIEWStat/REVIEWS_ItoL/JPN/Kitao/KITAO5.html  
It’s in Japanese but with clear diagrams and pictures! Ahah! Don’t laugh! When I opened it for the first time I was confused!… My fault! I should have opened it from the last page. In fact, Japanese books read from right to left, the reverse of what I usually do.

(Fingers crossed, I hope I made you smile for the flowers and not because of my English!)

Ciao, Ninetta

Tuesday 16 July 2024

it wasn’t love at first sight

When Muskaan and I talked about starting the #TALmeEndrucks in Jan 2023 (see previous posts with label TALmeEndrucks), she mentioned Endrucks's continuous method of climbing out, that she had tried in the E28 doily, and I was really curious to learn it, we both love exploring tatting techniques together. But neither of us had time to face the big challenge to rewrite and test the original pattern at the end of December 2022.

When I eventually tatted it, I was very grateful to Muskaan for her incentive, because I discovered the ***magic*** inside the pattern! Actually, during 2023 I tatted it 3 times following the original one-pass pattern with shadow chains (plus one another doily tatted in parts for the TALmeEndrucks game). I fell in love with the original pattern - from a technical point of view - and Muskaan is very right that it is an amazing example of E’s talent as designer.

Frau Eleonore has something to teach us in every round. For example, we usually find doilies where the number of ds increases in subsequent rounds. But she designed a flower in the centre, with double lines of chains. In Round 4 and 5 I think she was very clever to add shorter chains in the sides of the petals, that is: 4ds in Round 4, over the corresponding chain of 6ds in Round 3, and then only 3ds in next Round 5 over the previous chain of 4ds. This trick makes the “V” space between petals narrower, and the chains, one over the other, occupy less space. Once Round 5 is completed, the motif remains flat without the need to be blocked.

Also the finished doily didn't need any blocking, it was perfect just off the shuttle!! The credit goes entirely to the designer!

The pattern is rewritten in modern notation with diagrams - and I should thank Muskaan twice for proofreading it!  Here is the link to the pdf for the original one-pass pattern with shadow chains  - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y2j1TSp1ENorfe_fEeUlysq3TY-s1LoW/view

I haven't changed anything, I followed faithfully the original stitch count and pathway. It is so easy to work the entire doily in one pass using *shadow chains* (this is a term coined by Muskaan), and amazing how Endrucks created that path! In the old book there is only a slight difference between the original model and the original text (a difference that sometimes is present in other patterns too), that is the number of picots in 2 rings (r2 and r3, if you read in my pdf) - one picot less in the text -. In such case I followed the model showed in the old photo.

I copy here for you the text written by Muskaan:

Shadow chains "are “extra” chains, used by Endrucks for continuous tatting, to cross over elements or to climb out to the next row. Instead of using split chains (or split rings) to climb out like we would do today, Endrucks continued with extra chain(s) to reach the desired point to start the next round. As the name suggests, the extra chain is worked very close to a previous element. This causes the model to lose perfect symmetry, yet the shadow chains are not easily visible. […] you can find them if you look carefully for “bold” lines, but they almost disappear in the overall view."

Muskaan traced Endrucks' continuous paths with shadow chains in the #28 doily:
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/07/continuous-paths.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/10/bagatelle-to-bagaball.html 

************************

It wasn’t love at first sight between us and Frau Eleonore!

Muskaan started the exploration of E’s patterns in 2015, here: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2015/11/pattern-eleonores-angels.html - but many years passed before I started tatting my first model from the book, long after Muskaan’s first model. And now, after it’s almost four years since we started the Project, after that all the book’s patterns have been reworked, my PIC (Partner In Crime), Muskaan, found the right words to express our feelings:

It’s an open secret that in 2015 I was not impressed by the tatted lace I saw in Frau Endrucks’ book. There did not seem to be any visual elegance and if not for my commitment to Georgia, I would’ve given the book a miss. And what a monumental loss that would’ve been to my own tatting journey and to the eventual Endrucks 1920 Project and a prosperous partnership with Ninetta.

The cover doily was one such design that did not appeal to me. I’m pretty certain Endrucks was inspired by the radioactive symbol. What I find appealing and impressive are the outer arches that form the triangle! And to think that this entire doily is designed to be tatted in one pass, attests to the clever and innovative designing skills of the Frau.

I can’t thank my PIC, Ninetta, and Reiko, enough for taking on this huge task of doing the presentation of the E44 pattern (thanks to the reworking by Reiko Akamatsu) and hosting the tat-along. While I got to play with colours and work the doily in parts, Ninetta worked it in mostly one pass. This is something I am eager to tat myself, in order to admire firsthand the designing prowess of Endrucks. Since many of her patterns require mindfulness due to change of directions, working the motifs in two colours was our way to demonstrate which shuttle was in use, and ensure a wider participation.

This tat-along turned out to be such a satisfying and inspiring experience. The versions that our members tatted brought out so many hidden features of the pattern, highlighting different aspects. It also led to spin-offs such as 3D baskets, a mega doily, flowers, possible arrangements, and even a ship! One is truly spoiled for choice when it comes to this one designer of 44 patterns.

If you want to look again at the coloured version tatted by Muskaan for the TAL, here is the link: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-cover-covered.html 

And here you find Muskaan’s motifs with arrangements and combinations using Motif G from the TAL - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/07/e44-motif-arrangements.html

Note: If you like exploring the vast range of patterns, ideas, models, information related to the Project, we compiled all the important links in one document called EPLinks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view

Ciao, Ninetta.

#TALmeEndrucks - cover doilies roundup:
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/06/cover-doilies-roundup-1.html
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/07/cover-doilies-roundup-2.html
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/07/cover-doilies-roundup-3.html

Thursday 4 July 2024

cover doilies roundup 3

Continuing from previous post, roundup for the Jan 2023 Tat-Along in the Fb Endrucks group.

The journey wasn’t easy: some tatters ran and helped others, some tatters went at a slower pace but eventually made it. Very few tatters decided to stop at a certain part or (perhaps) didn’t share their finished doily. In any case we would like to sincerely thank all participants for the time, enthusiasm and great motivation they put in our TAL, we are especially proud of some tatters that showed us a terrific improvement. We all have had our ups and downs but also learning how to overcome has been a great satisfaction! And thanks very much for the beautiful moments of lightness that we spend together!

In this post there are pics of the last work-in-progress sent in, by tatters listed alphabetically. In the two previous posts you find the finished dolilies.

Links to the pattern reworked by Reiko Akamatsu and to Parts 1 to 6 of the Tat-Along game are in the following post: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/06/cover-doilies-roundup-1.html

-------------------------------------------------

24. Afra Pozzato – She stopped at Part 4, but I think that it was a very critique moment for any participant, because she wasn’t the only one that got stuck at the same stage. Her last pic is from 8th March 2023



25. Daniela Bogacka – Her last pic is from 1st April 2023 and she was still optimistic to finish it, but we are still waiting for her completed doily pic.

26. Hanneke Holt - Her last pic is from 19th Jan 2023, the doily looks fantastic and almost done, but we cannot say if she finished it or not, she hasn’t shared any other pic.

27. Jiamrat Supapol - Her last post is from 12th Jan 2023 and it seemed she was really running to finish it, but we had no news after then.

28. Julie Myers - She surprised us tatting a squared version. She said “I am hoping it will look like 4 baskets of flowers“. Her last post is from 21stJan 2023, where she shared her designing setbacks: “Well, set 4 is done. As I was laying it out last night I realized I had done the last tentacle in the wrong spot. I decided at 11:30 at night was not the time to be fixing it, so I cut the chain and backed things out to where I could do the repair in the morning. Hiding the ends was a trick, and tying in new threads took a few minutes because one end was very short. Now to plan out how to do the gap sections.
Fingers crossed, her doily is still a WIP and not a UFO!

29. Maureen Lawrence – Her last pic was posted under the “Welcome Post” of 2nd May 2023. She wrote:  “Slowly getting there! This is the attempt I didn’t throw away. I am enjoying it, and learning how to handle the joins on the second side of the floating chains. But I simply haven’t had time to tat, there are so many requests for knitting that I can pick it up only in the odd minute here and there. Four grandchildren who live in very cold parts of the country need to be warm so that’s what I do. There has been a new baby who arrived in our family as well, and he needed a shawl. I will complete this, but not this week.” Then, many wishes to all her little family members, of course the doily can wait!

30. Pam Hemenway – On 7th Jan 2023 she had a speedy start and needle tatted Part 1, then no more pics from her.

31. Romana Stelmach – Her last pic is from 8th Jan 2023 (only as a comment in her previous post), and she shared her tip with us: “First time I'm taking part in this challenge, first attempt was with too thin thread, I think. Second attempt with Lizbeth 20 and  it's looking much better. I changed the tension in last row,  usually I tat very tight, but for this pattern that was a reason for the centre not being flat in first attempt. So I recommend to tat 3rd row a bit looser then usual and its nice and flat

32. Ruth Palsson - She joined the TAL at its very start but this is what she said: “Here is my round one. The left hand one, with beads, is a SCMR. For that one, I messed up the mock picot! I flipped the first stitch.  I put my phone on it to flatten it and smashed one of the beads! It’s called improvising blocking! […] The right hand one is a normal ring and  I made the mock picot properly. I didn’t tighten the final chain properly. They will both look better for a proper block!! Lizbeth #20 shade 161
I am not doing the rest of the doily because I do not like it. I do love this little motif!

 

33. Sharada Rajan - Her last pic is from 10th Jan 2023, and later in the month she wrote that she was waiting for some yarns, in fact she said: ”Was not happy with the way this particular color turned out. Will complete it soon”. So I suppose that she finished it but I have no pic to show you!

34. Suzanne Fortier - Just right after our first post on 3rd Jan 2023 she shared her pic in a comment, only PART1, but we had no updates after that date.

**********************

I love the cover doily, for many reasons - especially after I tatted it following the original pattern, as Muskaan would have loved to do for the TAL. All in all, even if we expert tatters had difficulties with it, absolutely I learned a lot, as usually we learn a lot when we have to overcome difficulties. Tatting it in parts and comparing all participants’ tips and tatting experiences, mistakes and achievements, it was a great lesson for all of us.

From Muskaan and me, our heartfelt thanks to Reiko Akamatsu and to all participants for keeping our group so active!

And many thanks to my PIC, Muskaan for her constant and expert support and encouragement  🥰

Ciao, Ninetta.

Related Posts -

Tuesday 2 July 2024

cover doilies roundup 2

Continuing from previous post, roundup for the Jan 2023 Tat-Along in the Fb Endrucks group.

Muskaan and I tatted the cover doily too. I tatted the doily in one colour and shared my stepwise pics for where to climb out with split chains, etc., to avoid frequent cutting and hiding. Alongside, Muskaan tatted it in colours and in separate parts. In this way, in our good intentions, anybody in the group could have had the chance to follow either any of us or even switch from one to the other between rounds as they wished.

Including the two of us, we had a total of 34 participants (tatters who tatted at least Part1) and 30 doilies completed (plus 1 big version by Reiko)!!!

In the current and in previous posts there are pics of the finished doilies, by members listed alphabetically. In the next post I’ll show you the WIPs sent in.

Links to the pattern reworked by Reiko Akamatsu and to Parts 1 to 6 of the Tat-Along game are in previous post: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/06/cover-doilies-roundup-1.html

-------------------------------------------------

12. Michiko Ujihara - She showed us her WIP at the end of January, then she was silent for two months, but when she posted again in March she showed us a delicate brand new finished doily!

13. Muskaan - When she shared her version, she said: “Couldn't help myself, just too excited to show my finished peacock-inspired Endrucks' Cover Doily in 7 colours/shades.” No wonder her beautiful coloured pic had more than 70 reactions, all likes and hearts and wows! Read her blogpost here: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-cover-covered.html


14. Ninetta - Yep, that’s me!


15. Nona Litzelman - In her sweet words: “Finally got it done! This was a very complex project and I enjoyed it immensely. Love seeing all the different versions…there are some very creative people in this group. Thanks for all the wonderful instructions.

16. Paola Bevilacqua - I’d like sharing with you her own words in Italian: “Non è stata proprio una passeggiata, però gli scogli bisogna superarli, un po' col ragionamento, un po' con l'intuizione. Questa è l'ennesima prova che il chiacchierino non è uno scherzo. C'è sempre da imparare, non è mai finita.  Grazie a Reiko, a Ninetta, a Muskaan.” Translation:- It wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but you have to overcome the obstacles, partly with the reasoning, partly with intuition. This is yet more proof that tatting is not a joke. There is always more to learn, it's never over. Thanks to Reiko, Ninetta, Muskaan.

17. Paola Emilia Rotuletti - She posted in mid-February, writing “slowly, slowly with a thousand interruptions and a thousand defects I finished it, with the intention of doing it again” - That’s a promise, isn’t it? Best wishes to her, hope she has many doilies planned!

18. Reiko Akamatsu - She joined us tatting two more versions. She had already tatted 2 doilies when she prepared the pdf in 2021. See her 2 previous versions here - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/08/love-for-lace-music-and-nature-driven.html

And also she tatted one new big version! Amazing!

19. Riva Nudelman - She often joins our games, with her colourful tatting. She said of her doily: “not perfect but having a great time and a learning experience”. 


20. Roberta Porati - Despite she hurt a finger, she finished her doily with great determination and enthusiasm, she persevered and also learned new techniques along the way.

21. Silvana Buonvino - She’s one of the most active tatters in the group. If I understood well, she touched on a possible second doily… hope we’ll see it, sooner or later…

22. Stella Marina - How nice when members share their thoughts! She said: “A little crooked a little patched up, at least I managed to complete it! The next one I have to make it perfect! Thank you very much Ninetta Caruso Muskaan and Reiko. This doily for me represents life: sometimes difficult, other times smooth but always challenging… and full of colours, I bet you have a good laugh at this reflection of mine ahh” - Absolutely agree with Stella, life is colourful! That’s great, we are expecting a second doily from her, too! 

23. Vani Kattoju - She’s self-critical but she’s a creative tatter indeed, and always ready to play with us!

… and the list is not finished yet!
Ciao, Ninetta

Related Posts -

Sunday 30 June 2024

cover doilies roundup 1

In January 2023 we had our first Tat-Along in the Fb Endrucks group.

Endrucks’s 1920 book, ‘Die Schiffchen-Spitszen’, has 44 patterns including a triangular doily on the cover. In 2021 Reiko Akamatsu had already rewritten and diagrammed the cover doily pattern, although she modified and split it into many separate motifs. This is the link to the pattern reworked by Reiko - https://drive.google.com/file/d/10KQwPg8fa4cy5l6P6bt3PIYg7H6GWfVc/view 

In spite of the appealing idea to follow the original pattern, worked in one pass, Muskaan and I hadn’t time to write, diagram and prepare it for the TAL (I’ll talk about it in a future post). 

So, we organized the game in this way: starting from Reiko’s pdf, during the month we shared small portions or rounds at a time and shared pictures, notes and tips for each part at regular intervals. We shared a total of 6 parts:

PART 1 – Rounds A,B,C - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1do3M5OXpn-c6Virwg5mpttgQPDPv9ZUa/view
PART 2 – Rounds D,E - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CPodHnaEo055lHB9WmDDWpmngqGuuSGG/view
PART 3 – Round F 1st part - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F4iIFF366leCRcg3wtmhgtIz5V--Qth2/view
PART 4 – Round F 2nd part - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p39cFTI-2zzxWS66Tv1spsS574Xrr4HE/view  
PART 5 – Motif G - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1km6Fy-tS-1o5LRW2TMI-KFb3KWlzRiCp/view   
PART 6 – Motif H & joining Motif G/Finishing - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ioOVa8DMUN6BHIVzmSvWH9YtGN1T5PMj/view 

Reiko’s pattern with multiple parts turned out to have many advantages, including the possibility of playing very well with colours, and tatters of any level enjoyed working smaller pieces with less fear of mistakes. 

In this post and in the next there are pics of the doilies finished by members of the group, listed alphabetically. In a successive third post I’ll show you the WIPs sent in.

-------------------------------------------------

1. Adriana Tomanin - Joined us with enthusiasm, and she found the doily was not easy despite being a very good tatter

2. Anna Bonelli - She’s another good tatter who admitted to have had some problems in the working, but she overcame difficulties resorting to both shuttle and needle, which she masters smoothly. 

Anna Bonelli even created a derivative model, a basket full of flowers (you can find it in the directory: “Baskets from Endrucks” - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v2hfFk2Nhg3ZpqUSW9vRCV_0AmQYp4qOx7gs3uJEr-g/view  )

3. Anna Tedesco - She tatted 3 doilies!! After the first one she wrote “Questo centrino è davvero difficile da realizzare.” (This doily is really difficult to make). I forgot to ask her if she changed her mind after her third!



4. Antonia Lai  - She tatted 2 doilies, one of which she called her “learning piece” (the dark blue, cream, variegated powder blue & white), but I think both doilies look very beautifully tatted!

5. Beata Sumowska - She shared with us her thoughts that Reiko’s pattern is well developed. We’re very happy that she mentioned it, so we have the excuse to thank Reiko one more time!


6. Brookie Heightsmen - She decided to change the outer contour and said it was her “own touches”. 

7. Debra Fitchen Cox - Very kind of her thanking the group and the admins for giving her the opportunity to learn. Debra, I should confess that also we admin learn something more every time we prepare new instruction and diagrams! 

8. Dorota Siew - She thought she was late for the game, because she posted her finished doily in April. Absolutely she wasn’t late! And we welcome new participants at any time! 

NOTE - If you like taking inspiration from the current or past games, these are now collected in a separate document, just choose one and start! - EP Events: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZiNdE53cvqj2cLlxVP-wlga8aocPtzs5/view  

9. Inga Madsen - She’s a pioneer in tatting and redrawing E’s cover doily, in fact she tatted and diagrammed it in summer 2022, and her work is in the “Orkis Bladet Nr. 76 - Summer 2022” publication of the Danish Tatting Association (but she shared it with us during the TAL and so I included it in this roundup!) 

10. Kseniia Pavlyna - About the colours she used, here is what she wrote: “There was how I could see Bavaria region in Germany after our reallocation from Kyiv in Ukraine to Munich due to war conditions. After start of this project I realized that it was exactly 100 after creation the pattern and this author was originally from German (I was also born in Dresden, Germany before my parents moved back to Ukraine) - such tatting of the life”

Note that she also tatted the edging E6 as a frame.

11. Liliana Tosini - She very nicely thanked us for the continuous encouragement we give to the group. Thank you back for participating and for never being discouraged!

... to be continued. Ciao, Ninetta

Related Posts -

Thank you very much for all your nice comments.

Ciao
Ninetta