This is one of my favorite angel patterns, by Martha Ess. I tatted it for my friend and coworker whose birthday was Tuesday.

I have 5 more repeats for the sixth row on the beaded bag. Still have several rows to go. I can do about half a round per evening. The lighting is bad here but when I'm finished, I'll make sure it's color-true and clear.

I stopped at Trader Buck's on Monday night to see if that one booth vendor ever brought in her mother's shuttles and tatting stuff. This is about the 3rd time I've stopped and while they've added new stuff, none of it seems to be in the line of tatting or any kind of needlework. So...I end up buying other stuff in other booths! I love this Christmas tin. Only $1.00.

Inside, there were about two dozen crocheted snowflakes, big ones in big thread, all starched up very nicely. Unfortunately, I don't really care for them so will probably pass them on somewhere.

I loved this little vase - butterflies inside and out! I think it needs a little tatted doily to go under it ~ one that has butterflies around the edge.

There was this sweet old fashioned sort of shabby chic candy dish too. I believe this was $3.00. Everything else was $1.00 or less!

This plate has a stubborn sticker on it. I'll have to soak it off. I thought the flowers showed up better than they did. Have you noticed something about the lattice hole pattern around the outer edge? They are not consistent. Only one is evenly spaced in a 2/3/2 arrangement. All the others are 3/3/2 or 3/3/1, depending on the angle you view it from.

This is a close-up of the flowers on the plate.

I have just got to find a way to display all these romantic precious beauties!

Tatting Tea Tuesday 10/27/09

Who knew? The Tat Rap by The Tat Mafia

NOTE: Please REVIEW this before playing in hearing distance of children!!!! You may not want them exposed to some language.



That said, I'm totally unprepared for today's TTT. I have an angel scanned that I tatted for my good friend Paula Vitello whose birthday is today. She has the angel now but I didn't upload it before I left for work this morning.

So...I was going to show you the links to some of my favorite tea sites but then I found this video, which I think is amusing, so I decided to post it instead. I teafed it (teaf being a word from a non-tatting friend meaning to steal it from someone else's blog) from Tea Guy Speaks. You knew something like this had to come from a guy, didn't you? Actually, now that I look at his blog more, he has all kinds of videos on there about tea and music!

I guess I'll show the angel in another post. I'm also on my 6th row of the beaded bag. I test tatted another motif from the design tat course, but have not worked on my own drawing as I expected to do. My bad. I've been really tired lately for some reason. Must be the Autumn Haze coming over me. LOL!

I started physical therapy on my ankle and I'm amazed at how much better I'm walking in just days. No wonder people kept remarking that I was limping.

Well...off to an inspection!

Rubber Stamper Magazine Winner!

I chose this tea-for-one on my bookshelf at work. It's a favorite.

There were nine names to put in the cup. I checked just before noon for any stragglers and there was ONE. I took the cup down to the breakroom where friends were eating lunch and asked someone to draw a name for me.

And the WINNER is VALERIE from Val's Simple Passions!

Val, I'll send that right out to you as soon as I have a mailing address. I emailed you privately. Congratulations!

I was just glancing at my blog, the overall look of it and noticed the archives. I started blogging in 2003 and blogged 236 posts that year. I haven't blogged that many posts in a year since then and it wasn't even a full year! LOL!

The reason I mention this is because I've read posts from other bloggers, not just tatters, bloggers in general everywhere, who feel committed to posting every single day and then they beat themselves up when they don't. Why? I've always wondered that - really, why?

I write. I write a lot. I've written newsletters for various organizations and contributed articles to publications both lace related and work related. It finally dawned on me one day that I am an author, a published writer!

I always wanted to write a book and have taken writing courses and attended a few workshops or writer's gatherings but never really, truly, honestly considered myself a writer. Until that moment. It didn't even occur to me that I was published. I was never paid for what I wrote and I guess my definition of being published was actually about being paid.

I've had friends encourage me to write online where I could be paid, but I want the cold hard paper publication that can be seen when the power is off or the server dies. I suppose that belief or definition doesn't serve me all that well either, but there you have it.

Anyway....all that from a thought about posting. Well, I also got an email about NaNoWriMo. I have yet to finish a novel in the month of November. I haven't even really tried - I just tried to accomplish the word count by using my blog entries for that month. Maybe this time I'll write real stuff that goes together!

I continue to tat on the beaded bag and am on the 5th round now. I plan to get back to the software lesson in the Design Tat group this weekend, as well as finish up winterizing. I'm itching to sew and embroider for some reason. All that magazine culling is making me want to do all those projects I've been putting off for one reason or another.

OH....I ordered two of those patterns from the little dress quilt blocks last week and they arrived on Monday! Fast! She told me they would be sent out by Monday. I keep finding tatting books or printouts too.

My lace guild is having a formal display through the Tippecanoe Arts Federation next year. We had to submit an application with photos to be accepted for an exhibition. Now I've got to figure out what I will make that will be "exhibit-worthy".

Okay, one last reminder for tomorrow's giveaway of the Rubber Stamper magazine! Post a comment on that entry which is HERE and you'll go in the hat for the drawing. Do not post anonymously. I have no idea who Anonymous is or how to contact Anonymous so the name, Anonymous, will NOT go in the hat. I'll draw it at noon on Friday. Hopefully that will give me time to contact the winner and verify a mailing address so I can get it in the mail on Saturday!

Someone asked about the occasion....no occasion, I'm just continue to declutter and this keeps it from getting too boring. Besides, maybe someone will make me one of those delightful tea cards that I will never have time to make for myself. (ulterior motive apparent now!)

Tatting Tea Tuesday 10/20/09 & Giveaway!

Look what I got! I was on a tea blog and happened to see some tea jewelry and thought....I want something like that! I have teapot earrings and you see those everywhere, though mine were made for me by a friend, so I didn't want that but perusing Ebay, I found this lovely vintage brooch which was on a Craft & Barrow card but the back of the pin says KC© and I haven't had time to look into it.

Til now....there are several companies that sell jewelry that have KC as part of their name, Kansas City being the most common and my best guess. The card the brooch arrived on didn't look like it originally belonged there. Although Kohl's might sell jewelry from the KC brand, I don't think it is Croft & Barrows. Doesn't matter as I love it as it is, but I got that "feeling" even when bidding that Croft & Barrow wasn't right. Don't know for sure though.

Now for the giveaway! I am still culling magazines and found this scrapbook stamping magazine which has several ideas for cards having to do with a tea theme. I don't have the stamps, time or inclination to ever make them, SO.....some lucky person who does gets to have this! I don't generally get a zillion comments like some people so I think I'm safe in putting the names in a hat and drawing one. That means, if you don't want the magazine but want to comment, just say you don't want in the drawing and I won't put your name in the hat. Make sure I can contact you!!!! I'll draw the name on Friday. You must comment on THIS post or I won't catch it.

Okay, one more thing. As I was going through another storage tub, I found yet even more printouts that I must assign to a binder or in the circular file. I found lots of OLD correspondence too, from my early tatting days. Remember that spiral bookmark in my pattern folder and I couldn't remember who made the original for me in an exchange? I found the email! It was Darlene Ulbricht. I wonder where she is now? The pattern actually started with the edging (I'd call it an insertion) from the book edited by Rita Weiss, Tatting Doilies & Edgings, on page 23 of my copy. These are a collection of patterns from 6 earlier publications that Dover put together and Rita edited. They range from 1920 to 1944 but I don't know which one it originally came from. Even so, the idea to tat it in two colors like that came from Darlene.

I'm having a busy day Tuesday, so this is written ahead and scheduled for Tuesday. Have a wonderful day sipping tea, nibbling on chocolate, and tatting away!

Lace Day in California

Just a quickie today!

I found this on the celtic tatters list and asked if I could post it here. The cut off for registration is earlier in the pdf flyer, but as you can see with Kathy’s email, the date is now December 18th. Great opportunity, don’t you think???

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Registration is now open for the 4th annual Winter Lace Conference.
http://www.hedgehoglacers.org/Winter_2010.pdf

If you think, by mid-February, you will be tired of all the cold and snow, then check us out. The Conference will be held in sunny Southern California on Presidents Day weekend, February 12-14,(OK, we do get rain on occasion).
The tatting teacher this year will be Debbie Arnold of DS9Designs. Debbie will also be bringing all of her wonderful thread.

Just write in tatting as your choice of class. Last year the tatting class was cancelled due to lack of interest, so when the organizers made up the brochure, they didn't plan for one this year. A few of us tatters talked them into adding the tatting class if we promised that it will be attended by at least 10 tatters. If we can't make the enrollment size it will be cancelled again and we don't want that, do we? If you would like to thaw out for a weekend, learn some new things in tatting (maybe even complete a project), eat way too much food, laugh too hard, and spend too much money, please sign up before December 18, 2009.

Kathy Lowe
Anaheim, CA
tgatekeeper1-at-yahoo.com
(replace -at- with @)

I was tickled by a post on a new blog that I've put in my sidebar, Katiemacs Tatting, a new tatter. Unfortunately, she does not have comments enabled so Katie, if you are reading this by some chance, GOOD FOR YOU!!!

Katie finally found a way to learn to tat from the DVD by Janette Baker. It reminds me that when I was demonstrating tatting at the Feast last week, I heard that many times..."I tried and tried and couldn't learn". It was mostly from written text so I would go through the motions slowly and explain the "flip" and saw the lightbulb go on for a few people. BUT...seeing it in person is only as good as the memory. Will those people remember it by the time they get home? How many times did I take a class, feel like I had a concept down, only to be confused a few days later at home? I don't just mean in tatting either - anything. That's where the value is in DVD's, videotapes, and videos on YouTube. Great memory refreshers!

I haven't yet viewed the DVD so I can't attest to this particular one, but I've heard several people say they learned from it so it can't be too bad. Jane Eborall has mentioned a DVD created by the Ring of Tatters on her blog and I suspect it is equally good, so it comes down to postage costs for the buyer. I don't have any idea what the difference might be, but if you are a struggling wannabe tatter with few people resources, I would strongly encourage you to get one however you can. LEGALLY!!!

Someone recently emailed me and asked if I knew how this was tatted. I gave it a pretty good shot, thinking the flowers were done with chains, using graduated picots, turned to tat in a different direction for the top curve, and then tatted and joined down the other side. You can see some some other examples here.

Turns out it is actually Oya, a Turkish needlelace. You can see examples and an explanation here and here and here and here!

How's that for inspiration???? I have a photo album I titled "inspiration" and I keep all those inspiring photos I find in it. I have yet to do anything with them, but perhaps the design class will motivate. Whoa...inspiration and motivation is not the problem...it's TIME and ENERGY! LOL!

This weekend is devoted to domestic issues, getting ready for winter inside and out. I'll probably work on the beaded bag late. It's a very simple pattern and something easy, almost mindless to do when I want to relax. I'm only on the 3rd of 8 or 9 rows, so it will be awhile before I show any progress. My bottom corners appear different and I'm perplexed about it. I certainly don't want to start over at this point. Ah well....

Part of the design class involves test tatting other members' motifs from their written and diagrammed instructions. I haven't had time to do very much - I think I posted two earlier, here and a few days earlier on September 16th. I finally had some time to start with the software program to learn the diagramming but one evening was enough. Had to take a break so I tatted this motif by Lenore atTatt3r-Lace. Lenore does all kinds of laces and has some much-loved older designs online tatted repeatedly by many of us. This motif certainly does not do her justice. I meant to start the center in such a way that I could climb out with a split chain and not have to cut & tie, but confusion reigned after all that software drawing (sounds good to me!) and I started with the wrong chain, the picot one, so that meant I'd end up with a plain chain when I need the picot one to climb out. I was halfway around before I realized it. So you can see my hidden end. Blech! This was also size 70 thread as well as being varigated so I don't think it showed off the design as well either. I had no problem with the pattern though, and that was the point of the test-tat.

The poor blocking is also my fault. I'm currently dealing with my 2 cats in the computer/craft room. They've been out all summer and I'm trying to get them used to being inside with my son's 2 cats. I have to keep them in that room with their litter box and food unless I'm around and can put the food away and intervene if the hissing gets too extreme. My son's cats are on a special diet so they can't eat each other's food. Eventually I'll wean my cats to his cat's food but one thing at a time for now.

Oh...why did I mention the cats in relation to the blocking? Well...everything I do in that room is now being monitored and interupted by one cat or antoher jumping on me and my desk to get up higher on the computer desk. I have weird typos and struggle to scan and print. Generally, I just put them out of the room temporarily. The blocking is a hurried job, done in another room where I can't see as well and then left in the craft room to dry.

I switched to a different thread, size 50 by Altin Basak, for Krystals' motif. I had no trouble tatting this one either. I think this would make an especially pretty doily or mat by connecting several together. I didn't climb out of this one either. I have done it before, tatting the chains upward instead of downward, but my brain was really on overload by this time so I took the route I knew the best.

Oooohhh,just found a new blog, about Apron Memories, by/about EllynAnne Giesel. I never wear an apron and yet I love them to pieces and have a few that I keep hidden away. I love the embroidery on one and hope to recreate it some day. Listen to the interview with ABC on the blog and hear that Southern drawl! Here's another one!



I think I need to change something for the search engine. It does not find things! I know I have photos of an apron on here that I purchased in the past year with tatting on it. Ah, HERE it is!

Enjoy!

Tatting Tea Tuesday 10-13-09

I can't believe it is Tuesday already! I've had to stop and think several times today - what day is it?

Well...adding to the post about Ravelry.com yesterday, one thing that started this was that Jeff from Bridge City Tatting, sent me a link not long ago about a pattern on Ravelry for a crocheted tea set. Since going to Canada and then the sale at ZigZag Corner, I've been trying to keep my purse closed, but it did get me exploring the site again. I do like the freebies!

This pattern was done by about 5 people on Ravelry and the pattern source is Lionbrand. I so wanted to crochet this before today, in thread so it would be small, and with a tatted edging along the rim, but.....life is busy right now.

I'm continuing my magazine culling and brought up a stack to go through later this evening, noting one that has a complete tea set on the cover. LOL! I was pretty sure I had several patterns in stash somewhere.

Last weekend I was getting antsy to embroider. I still haven't but I dropped in on a yahoo hand embroidery group I belong to and found a reference to Kreations by Karon, where doll clothes are stitched, embroidered and embellished on quilt blocks. The designer, Brenda, made duplicates of all the adorable outfits she had made her grandchildren through the years and re-interpreted them into quilt blocks. I was so "gobsmacked" ( a term I hear from our folks across the pond) that I immediately emailed her and asked if I could use a photo or two for my TG blog post!

And yeah, she gave me permission! At first, I thought this sweet christening dress had tatting on it but she said no, "some have French lace edging and some have an embroidered Picot Bullion Edging, which looks similar to tatting."
There are so many to pick from - I don't know if I could! It would be extremely expensive to get a pattern for each one but I could pick my favorite (HA!) and frame the block or make it a pillow. She also sells kits that include the fabric.

So, here I am, drinking the iced tea I've been slurping all day, and daydreaming about adorable dresses on quilt blocks! Hope you enjoy looking at them too!

Tea Quote: Tea ~ the cups that cheer but not inebriate. William Cowper

Ravelry Freebies of Note

I've been too busy to actually work on my own projects very much but I have been able to surf now and then. If you don't already belong to Ravelry.com, you should check it out. Membership is free. It's for knitters and crocheters but you never know....maybe tatters will be added in the future. At any rate, it's a good way to keep up on trends, as well as get input on thread and yarns. There are free patterns and patterns for purchase.

I love looking in the galleries and seeing what everyone is making, how they've altered it from the original and what they've done to make it work for them. It's also a great way for you to track your own projects. I really would love to see a tatting section. We have so much fun visiting each other's tatting blogs and learning how different threads and techniques work differently in the same pattern. This would be a more precise way to track those projects.

In the meantime, here are some cute projects (and free) that I thought you might enjoy.

Spring Chickens by Jacqui Turner

Spring Chickens pattern here!

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Flower Scarf by Robyn Diliberto

Flower scarf pattern here!

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Apple Cozy by Theresa Grant

Adorable Apple Cozy pattern here!

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The beer sweater by Melissa Martensen

The Beer Sweater pattern here!

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And there is a pattern for a piggy mask here! (aka swine-flu-mask) Personally, I'm so tired of the jokes about this one that I chose not to picture it here.

I'm anxious to try out the apple cozy myself. There is no real reason for an apple to have a sweater but it just looks so darned cute!

I fell at work last Friday coming back from an appointment in the rain. All is well but I'm still stiff and sore and try not to do too much that involves a lot of physical movement. I did go to the Feast of the Hunter's Moon and fulfilled my time to demo, but I only walked around with another friend enough to get the food we really wanted and then I took the bus back to my car. Later that night I met up with some high school friends for dinner so I was worn out by the time I got home and iced up my ankle as soon as I got in the door. By Sunday morning it had improved and even by last night, it had gotten considerably better over where it was in the morning.

I could sit only so long at the computer before it got uncomfortable so I didn't get to work on my Design-Tat class project or write in my blog. I did continue going through several stacks of craft magazines. I'm so proud of myself for culling them out! There are some that have maybe ONE tatting pattern in them so I will scan the pattern and then offer those for giveaways in the near future. I also have tons of knit and crochet publications. I'll try to sell them first on ebay and if they don't sell, I'll take them to the half-price book store or maybe into my lace group for them to pick through first.

So...pretty soon I'll be tatting again!

Just a quickie to say I corrected the Beginners Beaded Brooch pattern after someone let me know I neglected to put the last 6 ds on the center rings! Found out a bit more about widgets too!

I got the bracelet finished last night or as much as I'll finish it. I rarely wear bracelets and even more rarely any kind of tatted jewelry. Don't know why...I just don't, so I didn't put the jump ring fastener on it. I blocked it but I think it still looks pretty rough. If I find some more beads like this, I'll play around with the technique more. For now, I'm just happy to say I finally finished a project from one of Rita's classes! I've taken classes with Rita before and never seem to get around to finishing them. (not only hers, most others I've taken too)

So now I can get back to tatting the beaded bag from Sharon's book and catch up with the Design-Tat class. I'm demonstrating tatting at the Feast of the Hunter's Moon on Saturday and have tons of inside/outside work to catch up on at home on Sunday so I won't get to do much. I can't tat the bag at the Feast because it's definitely NOT period correct for the mid 1700's.

I cleaned up some stuff in the flower bed this evening and harvested the remainder of my basil, which I still have to cut and freeze. I also put a few outdoor things away and loaded up some garbage. That's more than I can get done most nights. I need to mow one more time, hopefully Sunday if it's not raining.

I've been having trouble wearing my contacts in my right eye so have resorted to my glasses the majority of the time. This is the 3rd day this week I've had a note to myself to make an appointment with the eye doctor and the dentist and didn't get it done. No excuse for that. My afternoon appointment cancelled and while I did have things to do, I could have made a few phone calls!

So...it will be a busy month. In fact, the rest of the year will speed right on by now...as if it hasn't already!

Tatting Tea Tuesday 10-06-09

First - a tea quote:

Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth -~ Alexander Puskin

Just a little more about Tat Day in Ontario....

The evening after the last class when we were on our own for dinner, I was invited to share pizza and a beverage with several other ladies in someone's room instead of going out. It was one last chance for chatting along with the late night ending in the classroom before everyone left the next morning. It was great fun and made for a fond memory.

The surprise gift was from Kelly Dunn of Tatfully Yours. She gave me this lovely little organza bag with a celtic tatted heart attached.

Inside of the bag was a miniature Celestial Seasonings tea tin. Can you guess what was inside?

A bag of spearmint tea! Kelly remembered that I'd said Spearmint was a favorite and gave up one of her own stash just for me! LOL! There's also this little star container of pink beads. I thought that was really sweet of her. Thank you Kelly!

Oh, and she brought this delicious dessert called Skor Squares and anticipating that we might want the recipe, she included it in the bag!

I've been working on gifts of my own lately. These teapot bookmarks are going in thank you cards to some ladies at work who went together and got me a hibiscus bush for my birthday last summer. I've been intending to do this ever since July but didn't get around to it until those days I was off last week. I just finished them Sunday night. The two on the furthest left are Lizbeth Sherbert Delight which I purchased at FET (Fringe Element Tatters) along with a burgundy that matches. They are prettier in person. Just looking at a scan makes the dark really stand out in a disjointed way. I think I've lost the label to the middle one, also a Lizbeth thread. The two on the right are hand dyed threads from Karey Solomon. No color name. They are both size 20 but I think the smaller one might really be size 30. Very pretty subtle changes in color.

(NOTE: The teapot pattern is in Martha Ess's book, Tea is for Tatting. I just add a tail to make a bookmark. I keep thinking surely everyone knows about this book, but clearly they don't judging by the questions I've been getting. Get it! It's worth it!)

I also bought a Lacis shuttle from Karey - the turquoise one. (I know it looks blue here) I just love these translucent colors! I got the magenta one at ZigZag Corner this weekend.

ZigZag Corner is closing the fabric and quilt supplies store so there was a sale going on and I had a discount punch card full from prior purchases so I made a trip for tatting supplies. They weren't on sale but I had a hefty discount coming from the card and there was this Japanese book that I'd had my eye on for awhile. I ended up getting two other books, one of Iris's books and the Janette Baker beginning tatting book. The discount was so good that I basically got one of the books free! Not the Japanese one though. LOL!

And here is the bracelet from Rita's class. Now that I've got the bookmarks done, I can finish it. Can you see it's one long strand of fixed beads? I guess they are at the Dollar Store there. I've not seen them around here, but maybe I didn't really look for them. I think it's really clever the way Rita designed this - we started in the middle, worked up the middle, then down one side and now I'm going up the other side. I made a mistake when I attached the first side to the middle in one place. It's easy to get the middle strand twisted as you go along and by golly I did, even though I was watching. I even knew at the time that it was questionable that I'd gotten the twist straightened. I'll finish it and keep it for inspiration.

If you've been to a Tat Day, you know what the vendor tables look like - books, thread, beads, shuttles, tatting tools.....there's plenty to drool over! So I didn't take photos of that; I took photos of the some out-of-the-ordinary offerings. These hand-carved shuttles and woodworked pieces are by Murray Lincoln. For some reason, I can't find my program which lists his website in his contact information. Oh wait, I found it!

Note the tatting inserted in some of the open spaces. I love the celtic love spoons.

Here we have all kinds of beads from Brenda Franklin. Kits and beads and kits and beads.....so much to pick from!

This is the raffle table. It was ongoing and items were added periodically so you had to keep buying tickets just when you thought you were done. LOL! Very clever strategy.

These items were up for auction. Rita Cochrane acted as auctioneer, climbing up on a chair to be seen by everyone. The safety geek in me cringed but I remained silent. Rita's description of each item and enticement to bid was hilarious. The auction and raffle table raised a lot of money for next year's event.

I said yesterday you would get to see some of Ginny's exquisite tatting today. See that beautiful sunflower doily? The ornaments in the center are Ginny's too. There is some other tatting around it but I'm not sure you can see it well, even when you click on it to get the bigger picture.

Last year participants were given a metal napkin holder with the instuctions to decorate to the best of their ability in tatting. I think one is missing from this photo - cut off by the frame, but they were certainly creative!

The one in the very front was the winner by popular vote. It was so pretty and dainty looking. A good choice! Next year's challenge is a little heart box to decorate.

I don't think I've ever won anything at these raffles, not even at the ones my own lace guild hosts so I was pleased as punch to win this red cake stand! I love blue glass and red glass and well...just about any colored glass, but I have very little red glass in my possession.

Here's how it looks from the top. I can use it at Christmas and Valentine's Day especially but any time is a good time. I might have to bake a cake before the day is over!

Not only did I win the cake dish, I won these beautiful lemon-scented bark roses. They are currently in my bathroom.

I show this box only because they are the most delicious cookies! I've almost eaten all of them now. They are a cranberry, citrus and oat crunch blend. It's made by Kraft so I'll have to see if the equivalent is made in the States.

Next post I'll show the thread and shuttle I bought as well as an unexpected gift. Stay tuned!

Tatting Friends in Canada

I usually post under the photo but this time I'm posting about it above. In case you ever noticed. (SMILE!)

I did get to take one class while I was in Cambridge Ontario. Rita Cochrane's class, a beaded bracelet done in one pass. It's not done yet, but Rita will be pleased to know I'm on the last row. I was ready for a break and it dawned on me that I'd brought my camera but hadn't taken a single photo so I popped up and made the rounds. That empty space there between the two ladies is where I was sitting. Do you think they noticed I was gone? They look pretty engrossed in the bracelet! I'll show mine in another post, hopefully complete by then.


The woman on the right is Ruth MacEachern who kept me informed about when I was teaching, my hotel, and just about anything else I asked about!



And here is smiling Susan Johnston, the other organizer that I heard from. I'm not sure who all was involved, but the event went smoothly, as far as I could tell.



Oh look! Here is Ginny Weathers from the Hector group! At least you can tell she is smiling! You'll see some of Ginny's exquisite tatting in the next post which will be about "what was on the tables."



Here is Kaye Judt (standing in red top) teaching one of her classes. I think it was the Paisley class but I'm not sure - might have been the Woodland Critter.



I don't know which project this group was working on but they seem pretty involved!



This is the other side of Kaye's table in this class. The lady on the left in the lavender top is Heather, a dear woman who travels from the UK every year to visit family just in time to attend their event.



Oh, those busy ladies were working on Karey Solomon's Angel class. I should have gotten closer pictures of what each is working on.



If I remember the placement of the tables correctly, this group was part of Brenda Franklin's class which was either a beaded zinnia brooch or a beaded tassel. Brenda's classes are non-tatting. There was another non-tatting class by Wynn Reid, about crochet and knitting. It's nice to have alternatives to tatting - you can bring a non-tatting friend or learn a new skill.



Rita Cochrane is in the upper right helping a student. For the life of me, I don't know why (yes, I do, my camera battery died!) I didn't get photos of Rita playing auctioneer. It was quite the feat!



And last but not the least, by any means, the young lady in the bright green top is Rita's granddaughter who was teaching some needle tatting herself! Rita's vendor sales also went to a fund that is sending her granddaughter on a school project trip to Normandy. They've been studying the battle at Normandy and have the opportunity to go there in person.....but of course, you have to have money to do that. She's a sweetie, just 16 and very good at tatting.



The next post will be about "the stuff on the tables," what I bought, and maybe what I'm doing now. Whew!