Isn't the monkey cute? I used both colors in the end. It really went pretty fast but the diagrams are a little tricky to follow. There are letters to tell you where to start each segment, but it does take some studying to follow. I wouldn't recommend it for the beginning tatter.

I now have 3 critters for the storybook. I need at least 3 more. I'm thinking of doing Mary Parrott's Parrot for the next animal. The email address that came up with the Tatchat page for patterns is not good however, so I'll have to find out dimensions somewhere else. Any other tatters out there who have made this parrot? What size thread and how big did it come out? I need something in the 6" range or less. hmmmm....I just found another addy to use.

I'll also do the croc if I ever find him and that leaves one more...........I'd like a really funny duck, but I don't remember any duck patterns. Just geese and swans and chickens.

The cybergroup associated with this blog Tatting Goddess Updates is doing a little striver exchange right now. A few members posted photos of "strivers" for tatting, a little beaded thing with a clasp on the end that you use to mark your place on your work. Every so often, I mark a place with a different colored thread or a paper clip or safety pin, so this is a pretty alternative. They must be mailed out by April 24th, but they are so easy to make - I finished mine last night and will mail it out today. (Watch for it, Mark!)

It was funny because I had all these beads and findings strung out all over just to make one teensy little striver! Well, I ended up with 2 and would have made more but I wanted to finish the monkey too. Pics will be posted on the list, but I'll show some here too once everyone has theirs. It's kind of fun to exchange a tatting tool instead of tatting, for a change.

I have a Sunday night online meditation group that I missed for a few weeks and almost missed this Sunday, but got into late and still had fun. I keep forgetting the online tatting class too! Last week was a darling bunny edging! This week, Riet had a beaded dimple cross that looks intriguing. Go here if you are interested in participating. No money, no committment, just a desire to have fun learning is required.

See these lovely pencil drawings of a laughing smiling Christ with the children. A far more joyful scene than what we are usually exposed to. Go to "prints" and then "As I Have Loved You". It makes you feel good to look at them.