Well, I think this is it for now. Can you tell I'm longing for Spring already? The marigold pair resulted when I was emptying shuttles. Took me forever to find the right thread for the 2nd of the pair! I didn't realize I had so many shades close to both of these colors. The lighter color was Altin Basak but the label was off of the orange and it looked slightly larger so I'm guessing it is a Coats thread in size 20. The middle one is Lizbeth Springtime but I used different colored beads on each shuttle. Not very noticable but it was a variation. The yellow and green one I tatted in the class. Size 20 or 30 but I'm not sure what brand - big balls so either Aida or Omega. When I started tatting, I could barely tell the two colors apart but once they were done, it was noticable. I had taken the Springtime loaded shuttles with me to show 2 shuttles CTM (continuous thread method) winding with one thread. And as I said, the marigold one was a result of emptying shuttles.

I sorted a lot of boxes at the weekend - only the tip of the iceberg - but I found tons of thread and shuttles and beads and partial projects and patterns that were NOT in the usual places. I have a habit of taking samples with me when I go to teach and then not putting them away when I get back home so I have a LOT of organizing to do. I found all sorts of goodies I'd forgotten about. I'll try to show some of them later. When I'm more organized. (what is that hyena laughter in the background I keep hearing???)

Now...I have to tell you about my mistake. I didn't want to, but I'm aware that sometimes people do something I've done just because I've done it. Not everything I do turns out well.

I noticed when I had to move some beads from an ending shuttle to a new thread that the cream thread at the end was showing some "pink" tinge. I suspect it was from sliding all those beads, yet again, over a doubled thread. That's not a good sign. Beads should not leech their color...good beads anyway. When I blocked the necklace, I wet it as I always do, and all looked well. All WAS well.

But remember I said I was going to Scotchguard it? Now, smart logic told me I should tat a small sample to test it on before actually spraying. Did I do that? Well....I was going to...but I got impatient...and I sprayed. THEN I set the board up vertically near the heater vent so it would dry quickly.

I was appalled the next morning to see that the bottom part of the necklace looked discolored! It had a rosy hue which wasn't even consistent! Someone in my lace guild who came in late and didn't hear the story, bless her heart, loved the effect and asked how I got that??? Now it was only near the bottom and I have to assume that since I propped the board vertically, the moisture followed gravity and that's why I see it only at the bottom. I wonder if I'd laid it flat if it would have done that at all? Was it the chemical application or gravity?

So I soaked it in Oxyclean, 2 batches of it, for hours. It helped, but I can still see it. And you'll notice the beads are all green now. Except for the earrings. I soaked them in the second batch so they would match but I notice one earring still has more of a creamy colored bead than the other. I think if I soak all of it again, it will remove all of the rose hue, but....I don't like those green beads on this color combination. Nothing can be done about that.

So now you know....ALWAYS TEST! ALWAYS!!!