People & Vendors

Today is People and Vendors. More tomorrow.

Maureen was selling the tickets for the drawing. I have photos of the drawing items but I think I'll forfeit showing them. The photos weren't that specific but it was lots of good stuff, publications and tools - none of which I was lucky enough to win! The fellow is Stephen Bowman, Blue Tatting Man, who lives in Southern Indiana and took over my yahoo Teacher's group when I was ready to leave. Stephen is very active in his part of Indiana demonstrating tatting and bobbinlace and other needlearts. He also teaches. He had a different sort of bobbinlace pillow with him and I didn't get a photo of it. My battery died and I did remember to bring the charger but by the time the battery was recharged, I was running down.

I'm sure many of you will recognize our Lace-Lovin' Librarian Diane. And yes, I got another blinged shuttle which I will show tomorrow. One of many interesting happenings - one of the vendors was talking with some people who were Asian and asked to anyone within earshot if anyone was currently tatting. As it turned out, Diane had her handkerchief edging in process with luscious watermelon thread and gave an impromptu demonstration to this very interested group. Sadly, I didn't pick up my shuttle once all day.

Many of you probably recognize Carol Amich on the right. She brought her bats and the ghostbuster display which I'll also show tomorrow. The happy lady on the left is Diane's friend Denise, whom she mentions from time to time as the Blinged Shuttle Enabler (my title, not hers!).

I wish I'd gotten photos of all the tatters who came. Mary Harris from Avon, MaryAnna, I think from OH along with a few others. I remember seeing Dorcas Newkirk though I don't think I had a chance to talk with her and she usually comes with a few of her group's members. Laura Bobay and several members of her Columbia City, IN group. The locals, of course. Someone from the L.A.C.E. group in Downer's Grove, IL whose name escapes me. Millie from up around Ft. Wayne.

Vendors! Vendors are one of the biggest attractions of any lace day event. It's an opportunity to see and touch and really investigate what you're thinking of buying. We had five vendors this year.

Kathy Kirchner with her husband. I believe she is teaching a class today but I have other plans and couldn't go to any of the classes. I bought a set of 12 square bobbins that I like to work with, the only thread I bought (two balls) and a book on Torchon amulet bags. Most bobbin lace books are far beyond my range, both financially and in terms of skill. I looked but didn't find anything except the one I bought. I bought one ball of Venus in size 40 in a green I don't think I have, and a ball of Valdani in a rich brown/gold variegated that I think is around size 40 too. I couldn't find the size on it. You can tell by the length of the space involved that they brought lots of goodies.

The Tatting Corner brought their little corner to us. I think they carry more Lizbeth thread than anyone else I've seen except for maybe Handy Hands. They also have DMC in many many sizes, Omega, Coats and some others that I don't remember seeing yesterday but I know are in the store. I already have almost every tatting book there is so I didn't buy any but I looked, just to make sure. They are also teaching a class today.

This was a new vendor, Fredworks-the Fredericksons from IL, selling mostly bobbin lace pillows that looked beautiful, but again, out of my price range. The fellow there was spinning most of the time but I didn't take the opportunity to talk to him.

Debbie Beever of Lace & Such, from Oklahoma, was also vending and I bought some vintage Home Needle Arts from her. I love looking in those books. I also got a new pricker that I think will be sturdier than my current one and a video by Sylvia M. about Romanian Point Lace. It was used, VHS, and marked down so the price was good and I know it will come in handy in teaching. I was asked by someone again about crocheting the cord - it's hard for people to pick up, even when they see it done. Like anything else, you have to keep doing it to remember how. Debbie is also teaching a class today.

John Aebi and his wife were also there, selling bobbins and bobbinlace tools. He made the commemorative bobbins for our event and I'll show mine tomorrow too. He has beautiful fansticks, if anyone is interested in making lace for a fan. The story came out about how he got started turning bobbins. A LL member, many years ago, took one of her bobbins to him and asked if he could make one. I guess the first one was a bit rough, but they kept encouraging him and now...30 years later....he is a major supplier. If you have any of his work, you know it is exquisite.

No beads! I didn't take part in the organizing this year but I remember last time that we thought about asking Von's if they would be interested in vending some beads for this one or maybe even the lampworked beads from Inspired Fire but I think that idea got lost in the intervening years. Maybe next time.

Tomorrow I'll show what I bought, the few things I managed to photograph that people are working on, and some of the display table.

In the meantime, I've started another foldover-Konior triad-butterfly bookmark. My sister came with her granddaughter. Laina, who is 8, saw my bookmark and made it very clear that she wanted one and the colors she preferred. I also have a birthday cookout to attend for my youngest grandson today and will attempt to make the basement presentable for the plumber's visit tomorrow.

Last night I had the incredible pleasure of attending a comedy show in Wabash, Indiana featuring Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood at the Honeywell Center. I laughed so hard and for so long that I almost couldn't get my breath for the next round of laughter. My sister & brother-in-law took me as well as another friend of hers as a gift. What a delight! Dinner beforehand too and we also went into a fabulous gift shop earlier where I ended up buying a tea-for-one. You'll have to wait until Tuesday to see that one!

Earlier in the day my lace guild held their December meeting which was also a carry-in and lace-related gift exchange. You never know which gift you'll end up with or who it's from until it's done and you open it.

We had three rounds of pick and take, sometimes taking a gift that appeals to you more than the one you initially picked, especially if you were last on the first round and didn't really have a choice. It's all fun. I ended up with a medium sized box with Christmas paper pulled up around it and tied at the top. When I opened it, I was told to go to the next package inside. So I did. There I was told to go to the next one. It lied. It said I was almost there, but I actually had THREE more openings to make before I got to clear round plastic container that held something flat inside some red tissue paper. Ah! Must be a bit of lace!

You'd think, huh? It was a note telling me to go back to the first box and check out the bottom of it! Sure enough, there was the envelope that really did hold the above tatted pieces! They were tatted by Carolyn Regnier. If you have some older tatting pattern books, you might have one by her, called Suncatchers & Snowflakes, I think. She pointed out to me that this is the same pattern done in multiples of 3, 4 and 5. They're already stiffened so will have to go my little tree. She really does exquisite tatting and I love having a sample of her work. She was one of the founders of our lace guild back in the 70's.

On another note regarding Lafayette Lacers, we donated a handmade lace trimmed tree to a local group for their fundraising auction. I don't have a photo yet but the tree brought in $300 and someone said it was the highest bidded item. I really don't know since I saw some other really nice donations when I checked it out, but even so, it's nice to know that handmade lace is appreciated.

This is a busy weekend. My dryer is on the fritz and I haven't had time to repair or replace it so today I'm washing all my laundry and hauling it to the laundromat to dry. Once I'm there, it will only take about an hour and a half. I think I'm going to have my son do the sweeping and vacuuming today. I just can't get everything done myself. I still need to finish up my SS gift and that's my tatting goal today. The tatting is done....just need to package it all!