Sunday, May 09, 2010

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

There is a clematis vine on a trellis just outside my garage and I've been noticing a redbird flying away from the very same spot whenever I get close. I took a peek earlier last week and saw there was, indeed, a nest with eggs. I couldn't tell how many as I didn't want to get too close and cause the mother to abandon the nest. My middle son, Jason, took me out to breakfast/lunch today and when we got back, I remembered I had my camera with me after hearing the mom fly past when I got stuff out of the car. So I stuck the camera at what I hoped was a good angle and took two photos. One was just leaves but this one shows at least ONE new birdie in the world. Happy Mum's day Red Lady!

Yesterday, two lace guild members and myself drove up to Chesterton and spent a wonderful morning dying fiber under the tutelage of Pat Winter! I say fiber because they dyed mostly silk ribbon and I dyed cotton thread. It's amazing how fast time flies when you're having fun! I was the designated klutz this day, spilling dye a grand total of THREE times! I am not usually this clumsy but I hadn't slept well the two nights previous and it all caught up with me last night. I laid down on the sofa at 9:00 p.m., thinking I'd snooze for 20 minutes or so and then rinse out my threads. HA! I woke up at 10:30 p.m., made my last email check and went to bed, not getting up until 8:30 this morning! I think I was just tired.

So before I left with my son this morning, I rinsed all my threads and hung them to dry. They're still a little damp so I've got out the rest of the skeins I'd presoaked and started finding containers for the dye I brought home with me. I need to go get some more containers. LOL! But I will play more when I return.

Before I left Chesterton yesterday, Pat gifted me with this beautiful seascape brooch and I wore it on my jacket today at the restaurant. I can't get over all the tiny tiny details in it! My son looked at it and said, "hmmm...kinda busy..." LOL! I forgot he had lasik and probably can't see those teensy details all that well.

Last night before I ended up on the sofa, I finished tatting this motif I started the night before. I think the thread is some I bought from Karey Solomon at a Tat Day somewhere. It doesn't show so much in the scan, but I really like the confetti-like appearance.

I got the motif from this book, the picture on page 18 if you have it. It's really kind of hard to see but there are three of them on a bag and it's tatted with beads plus a center pearl is added during stitching to the bag. This one was a test tat for me, to see how the thread and the pattern worked out. I believe I will tat three now, with beads, and also make a bag as instructed and sew the motif to it.

And hey, if you want to see some stunning tatted lacework, go to this website: http://www.artedeldettaglio.com/eng/index.php
This is the home page with a slide show but check out "articles" which shows and describes tatting embellished items that are stunning. I've said before that we tend to tat small items but there are some people who go beyond that and tat works of art. Maybe I should attempt to make something on a larger scale. Some day.

9 comments:

  1. Love the Tatted Motif and the colour is really fresh and Sring looking!

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  2. That website was something! It has some very beautiful and different items. Just goes to show us tatters what can be done with a shuttle and threads. Gets my creative mind working overtime.
    Thanks, Gina, for sharing this with us.

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  3. Hi Gina!
    That thread and pattern really do compliment each other! You'll have to have your son take another look at that "busy" brooch after his eyes settle - it GORGEOUS! Thanks for the link to that website - the drapes got me. I just can't IMAGINE how long it took to make that edging!
    :) Ann

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  4. The seascape brooch is lovely. I love Pat's work. Can't wait to see your threads.

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  5. The brooch is wonderful. I love any kind of seascape.

    Although lacemaking is something I haven't tried I do love to look at what other ladies create. I love the colours, strong and clear.

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  6. hi! :)
    I came here looking God knows what..
    can't believe the things you do, they are simply beautiful!!
    I like a lot knitted and embroidered crafts, but I'm not so good at this, my grandma would have loved it!!
    keep you in favs
    vivi from argentina

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  7. Amazing you got so close to the little bird! So sweet ... and hungry!

    Love the motif. I have a skein of Heather's yarn all picked out and it is going to be on the shuttles tonight, as I have the book. Yesss! Love it! (The dragon will have to wait!)
    Fox : )

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  8. Gina,
    I see that you got the numbered comments to work, :)
    I have the book too and all the patterns in it are lovely. There are good ideas in there on how and where to use tatting.

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  9. Yep, I'll post more about comments soon. Thank you Jon for your help!

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Emails and comments both are welcome and always read.