Someone asked about subscribing to Tatting Times. I have to admit that I often don't include information I've posted before. Maybe many times before. Try a search with a keyword in my search engine to the left and see if you can find the information there first. But without further ado, here's the subscription information:

Tatting Times, P.O. Box 9, Hector NY 14841, USA $16 USA, $17 Canada,$18 everywhere else, in US currency only, published quarterly. You get all 4 issues regardless of when in the year you subscribe.

This is part of a cotton runner that I bought somewhere a long time ago. The embroidery is ordinary, even a bit amateurish but the runner itself is in good shape without stains or tears. I bought it because of the tatting but the tatting...is not the best. I don't understand why the ends are different from the sides. The tatting is stitched on, however, and not tatted on. I'm going to remove the tatting and use the runner so make little bags or something. I'm not sure yet. I think I can reuse the tatting on the side to trim the tops of bags but I have no clue what to do with the tatting on the ends. I suppose I could dye them and then find a use for them.

I'm really not even sure I want to use the side tatting on a gift. I'll try pressing it and see what happens or perhaps even wetting and blocking. A good crisp thread doesn't usually fold like this. I have a feeling it's sewing thread. Or maybe just too fine to hold its shape well. I imagine it was very pretty when it was freshly made!

This is my poor attempt at decoupage. I filled in the ridges and circle on the Clover shuttle and then painted the top pink. Only the top. The print came from some Disney napkins on clearance at Walmart. I think it's Cinderella but I'm not sure. I got them for the border which includes this little birdie. I had trouble cutting the side edges off though. I trimmed close with scissors and then used a blade but the paper wanted to roll instead of cut. So my side edges are a little rougher than I would like but given it's a first try, I guess it's not too bad. It's very hard to find tiny prints on napkins. I really dislike the neon green out of all the shuttles so I'm probably going to do this to ALL my green shuttles. Those are the ones I give away when someone needs a shuttle too. I don't care if I get it back. LOL!

Here's that cluster motif completed now. I grabbed something vintage from a book and tried a new version using this cluster. I was emptying a shuttle and ran out of thread at the very end. The center was done poorly anyway so I'll work up a nice version and post it when I'm done.

Tiny doily for a shuttle.

I finally started sewing the monkey clothes! I had hoped to have the pair sent off by now but as long as they get them this month, I'll have fulfilled my promise. I have to make his trousers and then start on the female. So much more to her clothes! I've never used a pattern to dress them before, just using my own and very simple outfits like my grandma used to make but I thought I would try this out. I think they will make a very handsome couple when I'm done!