I was surfing one of my crochet lists today, Antique Threadwork, when I saw a link to the Ferosah Crochet Design Studio. The online book shown on the left is crochet tatted lace. Ferosah also has online pdf files showing you how to do crochet tatting and a motif is included. She also had a free filet crochet fairy chart which I adore and hope to do one of these days soon. I thought the doily on the cover looked especially nice - a combination look of Irish crochet and tatting. Come payday next week, I just might get it!









I love this beaded button....unfortunately, I can't find the website I got it from but it's by Amy Clarke, one of the authors of Beaded Embellishment by Amy C. Clarke and Robin Atkins. It was a tutorial for this specific button! It's not about the embroidery stitches, which are in the book, but it's about preparing and finishing off the button.



And here is the drawstring bag I've started. Quite YELLOW, isn't it? The pattern is in Old-Time Crochet, Autumn 1992, page 30 by Rebecca Hollenbaugh. There is also a tatted yoke. I like the motif for the yoke but probably won't do the yoke itself. I'm on my 2nd set of fully loaded shuttles and haven't even finished the front side. I'm using size 20 Manuela. The pattern called for size 10 crochet cotton, but the finished size is approximately 7" x 7" and I wanted it a bit smaller. Doesn't look like it will be any smaller though. I haven't decided what color of fabric to line it with yet. Or what I will do with it when it is done.

I was just browsing Consumer Report's ShopSmart, a quick and easy quarterly guide to shopping. Credit cards are turning into a nightmare, IMO. If you are one of the fortunate ones who can pay off your card every month, the deadline for doing so has shrunk...down to 20 days in some cases. You have to read the fine print in every one of those annoying mailings to be aware of interest hikes and deadline changes. Late payment fees are as high as $39 now. So what is convenient about having a credit card now? Even online payments might not be credited for 3 days. I think the credit card companies (banks) have become so greedy that they are going to crash. No one will be able to afford them.

Oh, an article on Scooba, the robotic floor cleaner. The $14 mop and bucket beat it out, hands down. Save your money.

I posted all the previous stuff yesterday but didn't come back to finish it ....I was too busy working on this bag. It turned out nicely. I love it. My sister commented that it would hold a bar of soap perfectly. I carted it off to Charlotte today who is setting up a display from my lace guild at the West Lafayette Library this weekend for the month of November. My elephant and garden doily will be there...had to borrow them back from my daughter and sister. I can't find the baby bonnet I have tatted.

Today I got an Old Time Crochet that I won on Ebay. It mentioned some tatting patterns and the cover didn't look like any I have. There are quite a few in there and I'm working on a drawstring bag from it now. In bright yellow. I wanted to work in color after working with ecru for so long but the yellow almost seems gaudy now. I'll have to find a way to soften it. I managed to bridge out of the first few rounds with split rings and chains but I finally had to end off and start the next round independently. The author never says to RW....so I ended up retrotatting a section because the ring was going the wrong way, I think. I stopped because it's not clear where things are to join. I need to read it again when it's not so late.

It's been such an incredibly busy week! We barely got through the Feast of the Hunter's Moon when Pam Myers and hubby, Alan, made it into West Lafayette. They arrived just as my work day ended and I rode over to their motel with them so they could find it faster, and then we came back to West Lafayette and browsed in Von's for awhile, drooling over beads. Bette met up with us there and after much looking and a little buying, we walked over to The Parthenon, a Greek restaurant in the Village
After a delicious meal, we sat and talked tatting. Bette is on the left and Pam is on the right. I don't have a clue what we were laughing about but the white tatting in my hand is what Pam had tatted of Mark's bobbinlace-look-alike bookmark. It just dawned on me that I'm so red because I got a little sun at the Feast. I'd forgotten about that!

Pam and Alan were a pleaure to meet. I wish my week hadn't been so crammed and that I was leaving on Thursday. I would have enjoyed showing them around but we had a great evening! She's convinced me that I need to go to Ireland again!

Thursday I left for Kerrville, Texas with my sister and her husband. Our flight landed in San Antonio and we rented a car there and drove the rest of the way, a little over an hour's drive. We got there in time to see the deer that come up from the woods behind to get a daily corn snack from my uncle. This was a routine we watched every day during our visit with sometimes as many as 25 or more deer. My sister got all the good pics of the deer - my camera acted up when I snapped photos. We went to Fredricksburg on Friday and darted in and out of stores like monkeys! I found a parasol in one store, took it down off the mantle to look at the lace covering closer and discovered it was TATTED! And an antique at that! In fact, it was falling apart, so I quickly put it back on the mantle. I don't know why I didn't think to take a photo. I was so stunned to find it there, in a dress shop, and then I was afraid I'd damage it - I left it pretty quickly! I bought a tea-for-one in one of the shops but remembering I didn't have any room in my luggage, I kept purchases to a minimum. No thread or beads or such to tempt me here.

The next day we went to Wildseed Farm. They sell all kinds of wildflower seeds and herbs and gardening supplies. They also had a tea shop, which my sister and I love to go to, so we managed to secure a place inside the busy cottage that had just seated a busload and expected a wedding party later. We were lucky to get in. We had a wonderful meal there. My Uncle Ray is on the left, me, Aunt Mary, Rich & Linda. Ray's salad had flower buds in it and our dessert had edible flowers garnishing it too. The host was exceptionally pleasant considering how frazzled he was with all the unexpected business. He also kindly took our picture for us!



They also have a beautiful butterfly garden there. It was raining so they said the flutters weren't flying. We went in anyway and found some activity. Here are 2 beautiful ones!


I tatted a small doily for Aunt Mary while I was there, but didn't take a photo of it before I gave it to her. It's been so hectic catching up since I got home that I haven't done much else. This evening I finished up this motif that is part of an Irish Crochet bag. I will crochet the other side and then put them together. I'm looking forward to seeing how it ends up. It has a fring on the bottom and a floral strip along the top.

And it looks like it's bedtime already. The days seem to get shorter and shorter!

Pig Poop
Very clever advertising!

Oh, this is fun! Go to The Pink of Perfection and click on the video to watch how to reupholster a 50's style vinyl chair. Not that I want one....at least not a RED one! LOL! But they make it look so easy!

Scroll on down on their site to see more crafty videos. I might have to add them as a link!

I started this entry several days ago - life got busy and I got sidetracked. As I've mentioned elsewhere in this blog, my lace group demonstrates at the annual Feast of the Hunter's Moon, which was last weekend, and a good deal of my free time was spent in relation to that or working around it getting other things done. Just the normal stuff - and trying to make arrangements (cats, mail) before I leave for Kerrville, TX on Thursday for a long weekend visit with an aunt and uncle. I got a stupid Crafter's Choice package that I had to return today. They would save a whole lot of money if they'd only send a selection if you requested it. That reminded me to go online and decline my current choices before they send me yet another package. The post office has told me time and again that it's a scam and they get umpteen packages to return - as long as you don't open it, it's CC's cost to return. I do like to browse through their selections and I might even be more inclined to order from them if they didn't operate the way they do. I can usually find the books cheaper elsewhere.

Okay...now to the good stuff! It was largely last minute all the way around. I found out Pam M. from Cork, Ireland (a fellow tatter) was going to be in Chicago with her husband at a symposium last weekend but I only found out a few days before she was to leave so there was a flurry of last minute emails about how we might get in touch. I didn't know my Feast hours at the time and she wasn't sure where she would be when so it was hard to preplan anything. Then I got so busy that I kept forgetting to try to call her. Turns out my calling card would not process calls to their cell phone. And there was a problem using their wireless laptop so until they got access to the hotel public computer, we weren't in touch. I found out Sunday night that they were coming Monday. On Monday, they had lots of mix-ups about the rental car they hired...but eventually arrived here at 4:45 p.m.! Pam's blog shows the beautiful tatting and beading she did for her daughter's wedding and you can get an idea of her talent. I got to see 2 different pairs of earrings she has tatted from Nina Libin's patterns and the beginning of a bookmark she is tatting from Mark's pattern that resembles bobbinlace. Beautiful work! We went to Von's Beads in Chauncey Village and Bette, a lace group member, fellow tatter, AND employee of PU joined us there. Afterwards, after drooling over beads and feeling utter overwhelment over what to buy, we went to a Greek Restaurant, The Parthenon, nearby and had dinner and talked the rest of the evening away. We learned all sorts of stuff about geckos from Alan, Pam's husband, who is also a delight. I was so tired from the weekend and a poor night's sleep that I started flagging earlier than usual but I held out as long as possible. Pam gave me a booklet which highlights an award winning exhibit put together by her lace guild! I wanted to visit a lace museum in Cork during my last visit in 2002 but had to abandon it as we ran out of time. Obviously, I have to go back! And now that I know a tatter there, you better believe I will.

I am so pleased and honored that Pam and Alan went out of their way to come visit me. If I weren't leaving for TX on Thursday and already crunched for time, I would've tried taking a day off and showing them around more. I hope they enjoy the rest of their visit. Pam took lots of photos - or rather, Alan did - so look for them to show up eventually, either on her blog or here. (You were going to send me one, weren't you Pam?)

My house is such a wreck! I plan to spend a lot of time cleaning when I return from vacation. I haven't tatted hardly at all...not sure how much to take with me to TX. Oh...I was going to see how far away the Texas Bluebonnets were.

So..chances are....there won't be any entries til I return. Oh but hey - want to see my group at the Feast? A new member, Kelli, took some wonderful photos! Thank you Kelli! And yes, she caught me being a wanton woman by not wearing my head covering - I put it on afterwards. LOL!

I'm working on TAT 2 again. I'm doing the hanky edgings. One is tatted on and the other 2 are sewn on. I still have a curds & whey edging to tat for this and then attach and label the motif and I'll be done with this particular project.


My lace guild has invited members (and neighboring lace guilds who may attend our Lace Day on April 14, 2007) to a mask challenge. A mask that somehow fits on the face must be embellished however the maker wants and must include hand-made lace. I'm playing with several ideas and this one is mostly an example that can be used for the upcoming program on how to decorate a mask - what kind of materials work and what doesn't. I've used nail polish to paint this mask. The eye motif is Vida Sunderman's crystal teardrop ornament in Tatting for Tomorrow. I may make changes to it but for now, I'm pleased that it fits so nicely around the eyehole. I will need to bridge across the nose somehow when I make the second eyepiece. There will be lots of other embellishments too but I wanted to see how the tatting would fit.




I sewed these pillows while I was on vacation - they are upholstery remnants I bought at JoAnn Fabrics on clearance 2/$1. The colors fit so perfectly. I wouldn't mind drapes from the floral fabric...but it's discontinued so that's not going to happen.


I can think of better things to crochet than these bodysuits. I understand it's an artist's statement, but it's not one I would make.

It's been a busy week or two at work. This weekend is Feast of the Hunter's Moon plus I'm attending an auction at my 1st husband's mother's house. Next week I will be in TX from Thursday til Sunday so I've got a lot to get done between Monday and Wednesday.

Wally has a cool slide show of motifs on her tat-a-long blog. I really want to know how to do that! I know how to make a slideshow with powerpoint but not how to post it and have it automatically start. AND...the next motif in the tat-a-long is there. Guess I'm a little late! I noted Wally used those sew on gems I bought some of...but haven't played with yet. They are in the center of some of the motifs!

I spent some time this evening looking at 25 Motif Challenge blogs. I was intrigued by Arizona tatter Jan who watercolored her mini-tat motifs. That gives me an idea - I've been wanting to tat motifs to frame in my living and had started - with a lovely thread in greens and purples - but ran out of thread after only 3 motifs. Maybe I should just tat them all in white and then paint them in the shades I want to use?

Then I visited our Irish friend Pam from Cork and saw the beautiful beaded fuschia earrings for her daughter's wedding. Pam's daughter also had a white fuschia necklace and earrings - click on the photo and you'll see them better - isn't she gorgeous? And don't forget to look at Pam's feathered tatted beaded headpiece! Or all the beautiful tatting she did for the wedding.

Looks like I wasn't the only one to find a vintage treasur this week! See the doily on Gail's blog.

I was so excited posting about the undies and goddess amulet I find last night that I forgot about the corner bookmarks we tatted in guild yesterday. Kay expects to have her star book out in November. Here's hoping!

I actually sewed last night. Made a throw pillow for my sofa. I had to go get more filling today and finish the opening up but it's so pretty. I have another one to do........maybe later! I mowed this afternoon. It was sunny and comfortable when I got home from errands but by the time I got back outside and on the mower, it was overcast and the wind kept getting cooler and cooler. I did get done. Not really that much growth but we just had several days of rain and it will be really cold by the time I can mow again. I'll probably be mowing leaves when I do it again!

The doily is done! I really am not a doily person. This one measures 7" and it's the largest I've made so far. If I were keeping it, it would be framed. I do like the design in this one but I've always liked hen & chicks in tatting. I started it on Sunday and finished Wednesday for roughly 14-15 hours of work including the blocking.


I also tatted these crosses for the Feast. The ecru one is from Mary Konior's book and the white one is from Cathy Bryant's book. Each one took 2 hours or a little less. I may put a tassel on the white one - haven't decided yet.

I spent Friday with my sister, mostly at an antique store and Half-Price Books in Indy. I got 19 books at Half-price! Four of them will go to other people. Some of the others are on sewing, quilting, vintage linens, painting, and a cookbook.




At the antique store, which I love for its vintage linens especially, I found this wonderful culotte undie with tatting! There are a few spots in the tatting that have broken and there is a hole in the front of the skirt part that needs to be mended, but I absolutely adore it! There were no stains although it appears there are stains in this photo - but really, there weren't.



Here you can see the bodice - there are tiny snaps at the top and buttons along the side. The stitching is machine stitching but the buttonholes are handmade. I'm not sure about the embroidery in the front and back. Someone in my tatting guild today also noticed tiny pintucks at the top of the bodice and I see they are at the waist too.

Here you can see the waist better - a simple insertion...and such a tiny tiny waist! There is a simple ring edging at each leg hem. I am just so pleased to find this! What will I do with it? I have no idea. I may eventually donate it to my lace guild. We also saw a little bag of some pieces that I recognized at Irish crochet. Fine work - but it was yellowed and very high priced. They were pieces for clothing and it wasn't clear exactly what kind of clothing so I passed on that one.




I could hardly believe my eyes when my sister & I found this mini-goddess at a New Age bookstore! I've emailed the company to find out where I can get them. What a delightful surprise! Gotta say....it was a GREAT DAY!!!!

Daniela Cadamosti from Italy left a nice comment about something I tatted months ago from "Chiacchierino" magazine. Unfortunately, the comment feature doesn't give a reply email, so thanks to Dani - and if you email me at ginab6 at yahoo.com, I can respond to you!

Bette sent me this link showing some tape lace being made. She was wondering about Dickel Lace but after looking at the photo and googling, I think Dickel Lace is the name of the pattern company, not the type of lace. There are 2 types of tape being used by the maker in this pattern which I find interesting. This is from Patra's Place, an Aussie with tons of beautiful embroidered linens! She also has a blog devoted to embroidered peacocks. You can find the link from her original site.

Here's half the eyemask I tatted from Helen Bailey's pattern - just to see how it would go. It tats up easily. I used size 20 thread so it comes out a bit smaller than Helen's motif, but I wanted to see how it would work up in that size thread. To actually use it as a mask, I would have to modify something around the eyehole - it's a bit small to actually see out of, but I loved working with those faceted beads for this. I will probably be playing with various mask projects over the next several months.


I continue to work on the edging for the baby bonnet. I keep getting interupted and I wonder if the hanky I've chosen is too small. I guess I will need to take the hanky to the baby and measure the wee one's head! Or maybe I should just make a little dress for her and add the lace to it......mmmmm...no, not at the rate I'm going. She'll outgrow it before I get it done. Better to just pick a bigger hanky. But the last one I made was on the large side which turned out well because she wore it for a christening and was nearly a year old by that time. Okay...I'll stick with the smaller one.


I went to see my favorite motivational speaker yesterday. I did take along my TAT phase 2 project but ...gee, I started this rings only doily for my lace guild on Sunday and wanted to finish it, so I worked on it during the workshop and last night and hope to finish it by tomorrow so I can get back to other stuff! I was looking for a small rings only doily to put in our sale items at the Feast in a few weeks. People ask about doilies but to price them for what they are worth - we don't generally offer them. I thought I could find something small and not so time consuming to tat...seem to have misplaced Mark's book which has several ring only projects (rings only because of the time era - mid to late 1700's). I don't think tatted doilies were common either but we're fudging just a bit. I'd also like to make a few motifs that could be sewn on clothing or pincusions. This doily is from Cathy Bryant's Tatting. A dear friend gifted me with an extra copy of the book. So far it measures about 5 1/2 inches. It's supposed to be 7 1/2 inches completed but I think it will be over 8 inches. Larger than what I intended to work on, but that's okay.

I'm off all week.

I’ve been reading the September issue of Threads. I don’t buy it very often, though it always has good stuff in it, because it’s kind of expensive for no more than I actually use it. It inspired a few ideas so I bought it.

The Ribbon Jar was started by Amber Lee after searching for ribbon she saw in magazines and not being able to find it anywhere by the yard. Frustrated she decided to take matters into her own hands, and began The Ribbon Jar. Check out “ideas” in the Navigation menu on the left.

Looking for something to attach your tatting to? Perhaps some fine linens or infant apparel? Embroider This has some lovely “blanks”. It’s for embroidery but I think you could put a tatted appliqué on there just as easily.

I was tempted to replace my cutting/craft table when I saw all the drawers on these sewing tables, but the price seemed ridiculously high. I’ll stick with my current table, thank you. It did get me to thinking though….and measuring. I’ve got 12” on each side of my table about 27” high that is wasted space. I am pretty sure I could find some storage towers at Walmart or another store that would fit in there quite nicely. AND – I believe I could attach a slide-out drawer in the middle. This table was a garage-sale find a few years ago. I love it. I also have it completely covered with a sewing machine and serger and patterns and books and ….stuff. I just recently (TODAY) decided I will be painting this room the colors I was going to paint the bathroom but haven’t gotten around to doing yet and my mind is going bananas with ideas! I have fabric for the curtains…plus I’ve been wanting to make one of those curtains with pockets to keep some things handy. I’m excited now.

Plus….now I can paint the bathroom a different color to go with my new pretty shower curtain!

Yessiree….lots of painting in my future.

OH, Threads has a nice article about “Fitting to Flatter the Midsection”. “Whatever your size, a full-abdomen body type is a special fitting challenge. Here’s how to do it right.” That’s me all right. Even at my skinniest, my weight was in my belly. I’ve always had a thick waist, even at 101 pounds. It’s my build. So I’ve learned to compensate in the style of dress I wear – no tightly-cinched waists for me. I’ll have to read this article. I don’t make my clothes any more, but this might be incentive to start again.

For those who are into folkwear or authentic clothing, try Birch Street Folkwear patterns. There’s the Caravan/Ethnic Collection, the Asian/Oriental Collection, the Prairie/Frontier Collection, the Old Europe Collectionm, the Vintage/Romantic Colleciton, the Americas Collection, the Retro/Glamour Collection, and the Children’s Collection of much of the above.



Aren’t these lovely and lavish tea bags? Tea Forte I bought 2 tins, one of ginger and one of citrus mint, each with 2 bags in it, from Interior Objects at the weekend. They are quite expensive ($4.95 each tin) so I will save it for an OCCASION.


I've been tatting this edging for the fairy baby. I think I will put it on a hanky bonnet. I'm not overly fond of pink thread so I try not to buy a lot of it. This size 60 vintage thread was only ten cents when it was purchased! I tested it's strength and it seems fine. I used to have a soft pink size 30 thread, but apparently I used it all. Everything else I have is too big or a not-baby pink. I think I get to see her Wednesday. Guess I better tat faster!

I'm finally done tracing the bolero pattern on muslin. It will take approximately 34 yards of cord in size 10. I'd prefer size 20 but that means I'll do the fillig stitches in size 20. I think it will be awhile before I have that much cord crocheted up. I might change my mind about the design in the meantime. Maybe I will do a small segment for practice.


I bought this Coats & Clark machine embroidery thread at JoAnn Fabrics over the weekend. I tatted a small segment of curds & whey to see how it tatted. I tried to remember to tat loose but wasn't always successful. The thread is fairly strong but I'm pretty sure it would break at some point if I weren't careful. Such a pretty color!










Today I was in Michael's and bought these sew-on Swarovski crystals with my 40% off coupon. It's hard to tell but there are 2 holes on opposite sides of the outer circle. There were also some with holes in the inner circle, like buttons. Lots of ideas dancing around in my head about this.




All of these links are from CQ Mag Online:

Crazy Quilting with tatting
CQ with buttons
With tatting & buttons
Red, white & blue CQ

Crocheted thimble pouch

Brazilian embroidery

Day 3 - "talking about what you want and why you want it is at the purest form of your vibration"....it's not permitted to talk about why you think you can't have it. In other words, you can't say, " I want to win the lottery, but fat chance that will ever happen, The odds are 1 in millions" because then your focus is saying it won't happen. Yes means yes and no means yes to the Universe. If you focus on negativity, that's what you get, somehow. Anyway, one of the things I want is to follow through more with my tatting. And other crafts. Why? Because I love the way it feels to complete something beautiful. Usefulness is besides the point. Some things are simply nice to look at and they will always serve a function in some way. I can use it for our lace displays to show a technique. I can frame some things for home decor and I can give away others as gifts. Lots of the little bits and pieces will end up on a crazy quilt that has been in my head since I was 22 years old. oh...I digress....

Last night I demonstrated tatting at Global Fest. I managed to get this much curds and whey done while I was there. I came early enough to get a bite to eat and look around a little bit at the other displays. I found a poncho that I loved - circles of leather had been cut into quarters and then the quarters were crocheted together and then the circles crocheted together. It had a turtleneck and fringe in a gorgeous brown/taupe thread. She wanted $78 for it, which really was a steal but beyond my budget. It's easy to think "I could do that", but the reality is that I probably will not take the time to do it.

When I got to my place at the tables, Cathy had outdone herself setting up a beautiful display of our laces and my shuttle collection and her bobbin collection. One woman sat down long enough for me to show her how to finger tat. One young woman was from Romania and said her mother taught her "that" (meaning the tatting I was doing) when she was a child, but as we talked, she said that was different (the shuttle) and pointed to the tiny crochet hook attached to my dress front and said that was what she used and then went on to describe Romanian Point lace. LOL! So I took her over to the table and showed her my meager examples. She recognized it then and pointed to a tatted doily and said they made RPL like that all the time, meaning in the size of the doily. She said her mother had started a tablecloth when she was born but was only able to get it finished for her 21st birthday. It's nice to know that good intentions like that happens all over the world!


I've been tracing the template for this RPL bolero in the August 1990 issue of Anna for what seems forever. I finally got a paper copy done. I was going to do 2 of them, one for me and one for Bette, but I decided to give Bette the paper copy. The idea of making another paper copy and then transferring it to muslin was daunting, so I decided to transfer to the muslin directly. Oddly enough, it's going much faster. It's only half the pattern, - you flip it and transfer the other side for the muslin, and I've already got one half done and I'm well into the other half. It's for a 34 1/2" bust. I'll have a better idea if it will fit after it's all transfered and I seam the shoulders together.

(OH, here's a item for Day 3: I want to lose weight because I want to wear that fabulous RPL vest I'm going to be putting a lot of time and effort into!) LOL! I'm not concerned about the front - it's a bolero - but it does need to be comfortable across the back.

Today I'm off to paint my colleague's office. It's actually a multi-use room and I'm one of the users and I want it to look nice so I volunteered to paint it.

Tomorrow is free!!!!!

Another 30 Day Program

I start another 30 day program September 1 - this one is based on a favorite motivational speaker. There are over 60 of us participating and part of the draw on this is the communal energy. I know group energy works tremendously well. I have another list on an entirely different subject from tatting. We've been meeting on Friday nights for the last 3 months to do online meditations. In that group, we are focused on developing our inner senses. Developing the inner senses helps me become more aware of my creative potential, among other things. The process I'm starting tomorrow will help me follow through with those creative ideas.

TAT update - I started the first edging but made my picots too large. Most are joined, but not all. It's hard to keep track of which are the joining picots and the directions do not mention a preferred size or even that there are decorative and joining picots both - it's not the object of that project, so I've decided to make them all on the small side. The second attempt is looking better.

I taught another tatter! Yay! Yesterday I met up with a woman who works in my son-in-law's department. He had let me know she was interested in tatting. She said she had needled tatted some and she also does micro-macrame. I saw her work yesterday - lovely! We met for lunch and after eating, I pulled out my red and blue cords and we did a little finger tatting with them. BINGO! The only thing she had not been able to understand from the books was the flip, like most of us, and once she saw that - she was ready to take off on her own. She's planning on joining my lace guild too so I was glad I had taken the time to get in touch with her and then meet.

I was at my daughter's until after 9 last night so I didn't get any tatting done. I've been digging here and there to get stuff for display at Global Fest on Saturday. Today I discovered my butterfly necklace in another container....I've really got to get more organized here. I have shuttles all over the place.

I printed out the pattern from Annie's Attic today - I already have yarn that will go perfectly in my living room (if I can find it) and my new sofa needs an afghan in the worst way. ....oh....errr......after I get T.A.T. done, of course...and my son's quilt.

Whelp...there's my button sampler, version 2. I had something upside down the first time but it worked out easily the second time. Now I'm getting into edgings and attaching them to fabric.



I visited an antique store over the weekend and found this casket box. It's about 15" long, 9" high and 7" across. Wooden handles on each side and fabric hinges.


Here you see it closed....and it was only $6.00!!! I haven't decided what I will keep in it yet. Maybe I'll just fill it up with linens for a pretty show.


On top of that, there was a cigar box in the back room where I got this but it had no price on it. When I took it to the counter, she said she'd take $1 for it. Yeehaw! Mine now!

I still haven't started tatting for the fairy baby. I walked the treadmill tonight - trying to get back into that habit. Then I scrubbed the tub and loaded the dishwasher and cleaned out the kitchen sink. There are not enough hours in the day. I had to wait until late afternoon yesterday to mow because the grass was so wet. I still have some trim work to do but I guess it will wait. I've got too many irons in the fire!

My Phoenix shuttle arrived yesterday! It's so highly polished that it reflected the light from the scanner back at the tips. I tried using a different background but it didn't make any difference. I have a particular fondness for phoenix birds. One of the earliest books I read by myself was David and the Phoenix. I finally tracked down a copy a few years ago after my childhood copy turned up missing. Now I see it's being reprinted!

Last night I was frustrated with the button sampler from T.A.T. Apparently I'm dyslexic. I got the 1st button attached nicely in spite of the awkward placement and I moved on to the next part, the chain curving nicely, the blossoms forming perfectly and I secured the second button......took a look at the picture in the instructions and realized it was upside down. When it said DNRW, I did not reverse work! What happened? ....sigh.....anyway, I cut it off and decided to tat the thread off the shuttle. I grabbed Elivia Nicholls book and sort of opened it at random, finding an edging for a hanky. Now...I don't do hankies, but the edging looked sweet in the drawing and I do tat towel edgings so I decided to test it.
I have to admit I do not like it. It's not nearly as impressive tatted up. I wondered if a smaller thread would look better? I was using size 20. It will probably be a nice touch for someone's crazy quilt so it won't go to waste.

We're having an interesting discussion on the list groups. Someone asked the question, "How do you count joins?" It seems most people, or the ones who responded anyway, count the join as the 1st half of the ds and then follow the join with the 2nd half of the ds and it is also the 1st stitch of the next sequence of ds's. I do not count a join as anything. To me, it corresponds with the picot it joins to. Riet suggested a pattern for me to test it with: R 12-2-2-2-2, clr. Ch 10, R 2+2+2+2+12, clr. Try it with and without counting the join as the 1st half stitch.

So this is my sample. The one on the left is without counting the join and the one on the right counts the join as a half stitch and is followed by the 2nd half. For me, I see no difference. If anything, the 2nd ring on the 2nd sample is slightly smaller BUT.....that could be explained by tension. I tat the 2nd and all subsequent rings larger than the first, almost without fail and much to my dismay. I'm sure it's because I relax once I get that 1st ring out of the way. So I took special pains to make sure I snugged all of these up equally.....Truly, I can't see any significant difference. I can tell where one picot was a bit too large in comparison to the others but the ring itself doesn't impress me as being different.

When I folded the rings over each other, the second sample seemed definitely smaller in the 2nd ring to me...but again...not enough to matter. I could ease the ring to fit the first easily.

So...as far as I'm concerned, however you tat it is A-OKAY with me! I'll continue to count in the way that works for me and remain blissfully ignorant. LOL!

When I teach, I do try to remember to tell students about alternative methods and encourage them to try them for themselves, depending on how far along they are and how they're getting along. Sometimes an alternative method works for them better.

I'm making up for lost tatting time! The shuttle bag is a variation of Judi Banashek's mignonette shuttle bag. The original is in Advanced Tatting Patterns by Judi but you'll have to take the T.A.T. proficiency course to get the variation. I tatted the bag while in Australia - yes, I had one or two afternoons or evenings to play. I used the AIDA thread I purchased from Crochet Australia. One is a soft sage green and the other is a muted dusty rose. I really love the way that thread works up - I wish it came in size 30 or 40!

I realized yesterday that I still hadn't sent my heart in to The Fringe Element Tatters, a Canadian based tatting group. When you check out the link, you'll see another link to their Tat Day, Fall Into Tatting! I wanted to make a pretty but simple heart and pulled out this Coates Upholstery thread that I bought on clearance sometime in the distant past and this Kreinik Metallic braid, also a former clearance item. I was quite pleased with the result. Scans don't show the sparkle but this looks like spun sugar. The braid is rather thick so it tatted up larger - almost like size 10. I used the upholstery thread to give it stability though I probably did not need to. The pattern is from Gloria's Tatting, her hearts and flowers edging. The booklet has long been out of print but you can sometimes find it in a clearance rack or on ebay or ...a garage sale. I just might have to make another one for myself!

My next project in T.A.T. is a button sampler. I'm really not fond of tatting with buttons so this will probably be another TWO sample session.

I had to start moderating new members on my list several months ago. Spammers manage to jump in when you least expect it. The other morning I woke up to a notice that a new member had joined and posted and I had to approve the post. The new member was bikerboy6390 and he was looking for a ride partner - and inviting us to check out his bike. ROTFL! I resisted the temptation but this one sure gave me a laugh.

OH! Just found this wonderful blog while following a link from someone else! ART TEA LIFE . I didn't see tatting but there is chocolate, tea, lace, literature, art, embroidery....need I say more? Exceptionally well written too, btw.

Yay! I finished the retat of my T.A.T. picot project! Now I can get on with the fun stuff!


Here's my first version of Jane's celtic motif. I was patting myself on the back, feeling I had done well with the color joins and even did front side tatting when I didn't have to....but the thread size required was size 20. The orange was Coates size 20 and the other two were Altin Basak size 50 which tats up between 20 and 30. When I got to looking at the motif, I decided the 20 really did look larger than the Altin Basak...so then on to attempt #2!





I didn't have as much color choice in size 20. I have a lot of variegated, which isn't permitted for these projects, or white or ecru or dark colors. So pastel it became! It went a little faster since I'd already done it once. Here is Jane's Celtic Motif. You get lots of practice with SCMR - self closing mock rings.




Here's the motif I made last weekend and lost. It's the first motif in Wally's Tat Along You can also access the same material en Español aquí. I found it on the living room carpet - it must have traveled on a paper or something that I carried in there.

Well! Moving along on T.A.T......my next project is a mignonette shuttle bag which I actually tatted while I was in Australia last October. I had a problem with the trim and got that information straightened out with my mentor - but I've only taken the trim off - haven't put it back on yet! I made another shuttle bag even before I tackled that one and I can't say I'm enthused about making another yet. I'll probably wait until the weekend to focus on it. Seems I have to do everything twice!

There's a 25 Motif Challenge going on. Check the guidelines here! One fun thing about the challenge is that participants must create a blog to show their work on so watch for even more tatting blogs to show up. I love it! Just in time too, because I'm going to be overly busy for a few weeks now and won't have much time to tat, let alone post in here.

I'm challenged to return to the T.A.T. project myself so I'm not taking on anything new for now. Then I am finishing my son's quilt. Plus working on several things in relation to my lace guild. Our Lace Day is April 14, 2007. Theme: Lacers Unmasked

Bette and I have been having way too much fun finding lace masks and just plain masks on the web. I don't think I'll be able to just make ONE!

I finished knitting the froggie socks and cap. I believe I'll give these to my great-grandson, although the cap looks really small. I still have to put the eyes and mouth on.

The fairy baby arrived! She is a girl so now I get to tat something frilly for her! Doesn't she have the most beautiful head of hair?

oooohhhhhhh....the list of tatting blogs grows....I just added 2 more - Gail Owens and Pam Myers have new blogs!

I tatted Wally's tat-along motif, but can't find it now. And oh! Gotta add Wally's tat-along blog too.

Later...I have to get ready for work right now.

Some days are just too weird! Blogger wouldn't let me load the scans in the small size but it would allow the medium.

I wanted to cry when I turned my knitting over. How, oh HOW, did I do this? I had to skip a whole needle. Why would it lay so smooth that I didn't even know it? Do I really have to take everything out and redo it? YUP! Well. at least back to the ribbing so it's only 4 rows but that's a lotta rows when they're divvied up like this. sigh....the shower is next Friday so I have time. The froggie socks are done.


Now, would you look at this? I thought I bought yet another pretty spool of quilting thread....but when I scanned it to put here, it looked suspiciously familiar. I can't find the other spool though I suspect it is in the box of everything I took off the end tables when I moved things around my new sofa and chair but I did find the shuttle that still had some thread in it that I was test tatting with. Sure looks the same to me. I might have to give this new one away now. What kind of challenge can I terrorize everyone with? hehehehehehehehe..........


And here are some teensy buttons that will work perfectly for the teensy thread bear that is waiting on me to return to.....along with half a dozen other projects!

Including TAT 2!