Wrapping up odds & ends

I got more books done! I had them put two of Toni Storer's books into one binding. I even had Sharon's book rebound and they were able to do it with my samples still taped inside! I actually took a few out that I thought were too close to the inside edge, but they did a great job. Only $4 for all 5 books.

I stopped at Trinity Mission the other day, a second hand store that uses the profits for charity. It's apparently under new ownership or management and they have been making a lot of changes so it takes me awhile to find my way around. There's not nearly as much that I'm interested in now since they are largely going to furniture and clothing, but I managed to find a few goodies anyway. This pillow for instance. It didn't have a price on it but I got it for $1.50.

The basket is hand crocheted and it appears the ribbon flowers are hand made too. I'm pretty sure I have basket pattern somewhere, but I know there are some tatted ones too. Wouldn't this be pretty with a tatted basket and tatted blossoms?

I suspect this was made from a dishtowel of some kind. The stitching wasn't anything fancy so I'm certain it was handmade and not purchased this way. The ends are not quite even. I think if it were me, I might make these side seams inside instead of outside.

Click on the image and it will enlarge - you can see the hand stitching detail along the bottom edge. It's very simple but effective. I haven't decided yet where I will put it but it's a smaller pillow so I will probably put it with some dolls and stuffed animals. That reminds me, I found a blog recently that had reclaimed a shelf unit with the cut-out hearts. Remember those? Cut out hearts and bears and such were very popular at one time. I have a small lidded bench with a back that has cut out bears, I think. Maybe it's hearts, but I got an idea on how to cover those up. Tiles! A small tile, either 3x3 or 4x4, that I paint...or not. I don't want to give up the bench but I don't want it looking so dated either!


I got the "blackwork" done in brown at this same place, along with the beads and birdie, all in separate packages. I don't think anything was more than 55¢. There was another small blackwork piece like this one and then a long runner but I just got this one. It's very nice work.

I love the birdie. Not sure what I'll do with him yet.


I bought these two framed needlepoint photos when I was with Gail the day after we returned Jane safely home. She took me to this fabulous place where you buy stuff by the pound. It's brought in bins and you rummage through them at your own risk. LOL! I realized when I got home that I had some nitrile gloves in my luggage that I'd forgotten about. They would have been helpful.

I like the frames because they are square matted, perfect for displaying a lot of tatting. You can see in this closeup that the needlepoint is real, not a photo, but I will take those out and maybe have a giveaway for them. I really just wanted the frames! I'm pretty sure these are handmade too.


This was a gift from Gail and Jane got one too. Isn't the little bag adorable? It's a tube-like zippered bag, just the right size for a little bit of tatting supplies. My photo with everything in it did not turn out, but there was a tube of beads, a skein of watercolor thread, a spool of Sulky thread, this strand of beads and the Shuttle Socks! Thank you Gail!

Now this might be a bit boring - just some jewelry findings that I got at the craft outlet store we went to.Silver and gold bits. I think they were only 33¢ each but I could be wrong. Most of the stuff wasn't that great of a bargain but there was a huge variety.
I hope to put some tatting on these filigree findings but I probably have some beads or buttons that will fit on the flat empty space too.These rectangle pendants are open and I thought it might be a fun challenge to find something rectangular to tat in them. A little different from the typical bangle, huh?

These were from the bead store where I went with Jane & Gail. There were tons and tons of beads there - it rivals Von's here locally in variety of beads and actually has more in terms of beading supplies. That's where we got the little drawstring bag too. The beads pictured here are vintage beads, very very tiny and expensive. I loved the hummingbird charm and grabbed it after I'd already made my first purchase, I think.

This sweet little damsel was in one of the bins at the buy-by-the-pound place. Her hair is a bit messy but she was calling out to me to make her pretty with tatting. And beads. And ribbon. LOL! Any ideas?

These threads came from the thread store after the bead store in Ohio. I honestly don't remember buying the red spool. LOL! I don't have a clue what I had in mind although that might be what the clerk there talked me into buying but if she did, I don't remember why. Bad, huh?

I showed photos of some other leaves I knitted that are SO MUCH BETTER than these! I made these Monday night as a refresher for the class I'm teaching at my lace guild Saturday. I don't know what happened. They are so awful! I used 0000 needles (also purchased in OH) and a skein of size 5 thread for the red variegated one. I lost my holes along the stem and then somehow ended up with some odd misplaced hole in each leaf! Clearly I need to practice again. The white one was the second one I made that night in an effort to correct my mistakes and it was even worse! I like to think it was just an off night. (right...)

Okay...that's it for now. Are you bored yet? LOL!