It's been busy lately. Thursday evening I had loads of mail delivery show up. A book I'd ordered for 75¢ plus postage came, non-tatting. The yoga mat and bag I'd picked as my 20 year anniversary gift from Purdue arrived. I just opened it today. Now...to find a yoga class.

My new buttons from Older Rose came and you'll see them further on down. A few other things I'd ordered came too. What an evening!

So in the last post I told you about knitting, practicing the continental method.

This is how far I got before I decided to rip it all out and start over. This all cotton yarn has a soft feel to it and I decided to make it into a winter neck scarf for one of toddlers in my life, children of friends. I decided this one was too wide for little people and I really thought a pattern that looked the same on both sides might be nicer. Not that kids care about right side, wrong side at that age.

So I started over with the garter stitch and a narrower width. This might go to my great grandson or one of the two baby sons of a friend but I will have to knit a second one no matter who it goes to for the "other" toddler in their family. One is a girl and I haven't decided if this will look too girly for boys or not. Need outweighs looks though.

I couldn't believe how fast these buttons arrived! I ordered two more of Gerry's buttons and she surprised me with an extra button, one with roses! Oh my...wouldn't that look nice on the crocheted sachet I made a few years ago?
In fact, I had to go in and dig it out of my sock drawer and lay the button on it to see! I think it would need a clever bow behind it, but doesn't it look pretty? It might be better on something similar but square shaped so the button would be centered and the main focus.

I went to Gerry's Etsy site to get the link and I see she has a haunted house button, for all you Halloween enthusiasts! Only ONE. And now I want a chickadee button, but it will have to wait for next month's paycheck.

Yesterday morning was my lace guild's meeting, Lafayette Lacers. We have a new member, who is also named "Regina". She tats! A newbie, but we'll fix that. While I'm on the subject of my lace guild, I want to mention our Lace Day, the one we have every other year, alternating with Circle City Lacers, will be April 9, 2011, so mark your calendar. It will be at the same location, for those who have been there before, at the Methodist Church. We'll have the usual fabulous array of vendors including Tracy Jackson Kathy Kirchner, Kaye Judt/Jennifer Titus, and John Aebi. We're also having several mini-classes - different laces and subject, not all tatting since this is an all-lace guild. It's 10:00 - 4:30 Eastern DST. Go. Now. Write it on your calendar! Did I mention it's free? The only charge is for classes. Details later.

I've mentioned a few times that we've been getting ready for a month long exhibit at the Tippicanoe Arts Federation which starts October 29th. Yesterday we were trying to wrap up loose ends about the exhibit. Another project we have going is a small Christmas tree that we decorate with handmade lace and donate to a group that auctions it off as a fundraiser. Last year they got $300 for it. The tree this year will be part of our exhibit until we have to take it to the auction group. Carolyn Regnier has been coordinating the tree (and Lace Day) and as an incentive to get our ornaments in and to destash, she has been offering thread. Yesterday, she also gave tatters a shuttle. A blinged shuttle. (Wendy, see what you started???) A new colored Clover shuttle!

Here's the one I picked! I've already tatted with it. I used the one I got from Wendy and this one to tat another teapot bookmark in ecru. I didn't bother to scan it since it's the same basically as the last one. It went in the dye bag. I can't wait to see how those pieces are going to turn out!

Late last night I felt a need to tat with color again and I got out Jane's Christmas Tree/Brooch Pattern. Jane likes to put the beads on as she goes. I don't. I like to have them on the thread and ready to push whereever I want. There are advantages to both methods, but I decided to work out how to add them first. This is very similar to the way Dianna Stevens designed her beaded amulet bag. I wasn't real sure about the sides so I made the split rings but when I do it again, I may try just chains. I don't think it's too bad for a nearly-midnight tatting adventure. I want to try it with two colors of green beads like Jane's photo too. I really do love all the different Christmas tree patterns. I might make up a collage some day of all the trees I've tatted.

One last note. I borrowed this Christmas Tattig book by Rosemarie Peel from the I.O.L.I. library. I think I borrowed it before but I wanted to see it again. It's one of the few books of Rosemarie's that I don't have. I see a few motifs I want to try before I send it back.

I haven't forgotten the giveaways or the tatted cowboy scene I've mentioned in the past month or few days...but I'm still not prepared to show them. Soon!