Color Illusion & Inspiration!

I decided to tat something I could show, thinking I could get it done quickly.

HA! What was I thinking of?

It took me THREE days to get this done! That's because I didn't get home until after 8:30 p.m. two nights and I'm also tatting something else. So here is Jon's snowflake aka bookmark again. It has two sides, you know. Most people only show one side. (including me last time)
Here is the flip side. I don't know why my scanner came up with a white background this time. I must have accidently changed the setting. It wouldn't matter except it also washed out the dusty lavender color and makes it look pinkish.
So I tried scanning it on this dark blue and the lavender is easier to see but the variegated sort of fades into the blue.

These are the threads I used - Signature thread that I got from my Secret Santa (Purple Haze) and DMC perle cotton size 12. I love the sheen of size 12 perle cotton by DMC. It makes the prettiest bookmarks.


Since I was scanning, I got the 3 novelty ricracs I bought at Hobby Lobby last night. They were on sale, normally $1.99 each but only $1 each last night. Remember that ricrac tatting I was doing last July? I can't wait to try it on these!

Hobby Lobby also had these sew-on crystals on clearance. I tried to make them big enough for you to see the channels underneath where the needle goes through. I suspect I can also get a size 14 or 16 crochet hook through there to make joins. I'll let you know.

Photo by alicepopkorn

One Heart, One World!

A number of the blogs I've become familiar with in the past year are participants in this event. I already have more than enough going on and don't feel I can participate this year, other than maybe entering drawings, but I encourage you to give it a try! Here are some blogs to visit who are participating:

The Lavender Loft
Just Be Connected
Groggy Froggy
Tatting Chic
Art & Ramblings
Rhonda Willis
Mother Henna

A complete listing is available at One World, One Heart I'm told it's a great way to meet people!

I know from delivery confirmation that Trina got her package and I hope she's actually had time to open it as I don't really want to spoil the surprise, but I have no other tatting to show for now!

Here's the tatting included in Trina's package: This heart is from Butterflies Migrating offered by Palmetto's Tatting Guild. This is "Beautiful in Blue" on page 8. It's one of my favorites. Of course you can see that this one isn't blue! It's tatted in Olympus size 40. I also frayed the ends of the antennae for an added touch.


Using the same thread, I tatted this heart pattern by Helen Bailey. I didn't use the beads called for in the design, but I thought it turned out very pretty in this thread. The following triangle did not go to Trina and I had hoped to have a corrected triangle tatted before I showed it but I haven't YET.

The original instructions I had printed out showed a triangle made from the same pattern by repeating the same all around instead of dipping in for the heart center. No instructions were given- just the photo and a suggestion so I was trying to figure it out as I went and I used 2 colors of threads in the hopes of making the center stand out more. Each corner needed a longer chain, like the bottom center of the heart, which I remembered at first, but forgot as I got near the end. I was so frazzled at that point that I decided to wait for another day before trying it again. Tatted properly, it is an eyecatcher.


Trina got a little pouch too. Each one is unique and I just love making these! I forget what all I put in there now but it did have some chocolate!

January Blog Anniversary Winner!

Queen Anne's Lace by John Frisch

The winner of the January drawing for the 5 year blog anniversary of Threads of a Tatting Goddess is Diane Cademartori of Illinois!

Congratulations to Diane!!!!!


Whew! One more after this!

If you enjoyed yesterday's sampling of the butterfly round robins I was in, please go to the modern day version at http://tattingroundrobin.blogspot.com/ to see what is going on there. This one is organized by Sharon Briggs and there are instructions on the blog to get in touch with her if you are interested in participating in a RR yourself. I've got too many pots going to join in but I'll be watching it.

I got Trina's package sent off yesterday and last night started some test tatting for someone. I also need to put together the crochet classes I'm teaching my lace guild and to crochet more samples.

And then there is my roof...still waiting to be fixed. People have looked at it and my insurance company is sending me a check but it remains to be seen what the actual numbers are and when/what will be done. Fortunately it's not cold in the house.

Between 2000 and 2002, I took part in several round robins that were hosted by Maus, a lovely woman in Colorado who is now focused on knitting. Back then, however, She created a website and organized ongoing round robins, first for doilies, and then specific themed motifs (Collectors) were included. I took part in two butterfly RR's, two angel RR's, a Christmas RR, and signed up for a few that never came to fruitation. It was wildly successful for quite some time but finally, participants who did not complete their committment and who sometimes dropped out with everyone else's hard work made the round robins a painful subject. I never got my 2nd angel RR back. Even so, I learned my best tatting during that time.

There were usually a minimum of 6 participants in each RR. There were US only groups and there were international groups. Each person sent their first tatting off to the person after them. That person would add their own motif and send it on to the person after them. There were deadlines to help keep the RR flowing smoothly. At the end of the RR, you got your own motif back along with one from each of the other participants. That later changed to where each person simply sent a motif to each of the others directly. That meant you didn't get to see everyone else's and took a lot of the fun out of it.

This was the Butterfly RR #1
Carol in FL, USA
Waleska in GA, USA
Becky in MI, USA, groupleader
Maus in CO, USA
Adelheid in Blomberg-Reelkirchen, germany
Emma in WA, USA
Shanon in MN, USA
Regina (me) in IN, USA

And this was Butterfly RR #4, the last of the butterfly ones.
Beverlee in NM, USA
Marla in FL, USA
Martha in NC, USA
Virginia (Ginny) in NY, USA
Gail in Ohio, USA, groupleader
Regina (me) in IN, USA
Apphia in IL, USA
Amy in MN, USA
Pam in MN, USA

You can still sneak a peek at how it was done here. Many of the photos are now red x's and I couldn't access any of the patterns, but you can imagine how cool it wss to go there and watch the squares fill in and to ooh and ahhh over each new interpretation.

This was my first butterfly for the 1st RR. I made another like it but with different thread for the 1st person I got. Back then, I didn't have a scanner. I would take the motif to my sister's house and scan it there, save it to a disk, and them email the scan to Maus who put it on the webpage. This pattern came from a workbasket and was part of a doily. I only made the butterfly. It's quite large, 7" x 4", larger than most that were tatted.



This was the flutter for my 2nd RR. I adapted a motif from an old Needlecraft or maybe it was Home Needlecraft, and turned it into a butterfly. The link to this pattern is in my sidebar. It's about as big as the first one. I don't know why I thought they had to be big as a doily.

I wasn't able to find every single butterfly. We used the small photo albums to send them around in but I have lost some flutters since they came home. I was glad to see the original site so that I had an idea of what was missing. When you hover your cursor over a photo, it tells who and what pattern and the thread. Or is supposed to. It's deteriorating so you can't find everything but at one time it mostly worked. These round robins spawned a lot of designing too. When you saw how someone had interpreted a pattern, you started getting ideas yourself. It was a really exciting journey for me. If you go to the RR link from above, you'll see one from Wally to someone else with a happy face bead. I thought that was so whimsical and I chuckled every time I saw it. It also inspired me to use the same happy face bead for her. I adapted another Workbasket pattern so that it was more of a side view and then I put alphabet beads in the body too to spell out W-A-L-L-Y.

This was about the time Palmetto was getting going and they were collecting patterns for their book, Migrating Butterflies. The one I adored the most was not even in there, but I got it somehow. I hope I can find it again. It's the beaded butterflies in profile.

Then Hope Green designed her hairpin lace butterflies and I proofed the pattern (along with others) for her. That inspired me to make hairpin lace fans with tatting.

I loved making the bright yellow flutter for Maus (intimidated too because she is such an exquisite tatter) but it is from a book no longer in print. I borrowed the book (actually a stapled together xerox of patterns, that's how old it is) from I.O.L.I. and tatted that one and a few others from the book.

Some people tatted the same pattern in different threads for each person in their group. Most tatted a different pattern for each person though. It was a challenge to continue to find something you wanted to tat that you also felt was somehow an expression of that person or how you perceived them. I used the opportunity to learn new techniques and use beads, as well as to stretch myself in designing. I still have some butterfly ideas to try out.

Well...now....don't you wish you were there?

Adventures in Sampling (or Buyer Beware)

I entered and won a giveaway hosted by the author of Blog Giveaways before Christmas but due to the holidays and people traveling, etc., I just got the handmade sampler bag a few days ago. Because of the delay, Maria also sent me the bar of Savor soap. At the moment, it's residing in my recently crocheted bag because I needed something to put in there and that was handy! Thank you Maria!

I went to the Handmade Sampler site which is where Maria got the bag ( a lovely recycled paperish kind of bag) to pass on. I'm not clear on how it works, but I think you subscribe and pay a fee to get the sampler on a monthly basis. It's a sample of handmade items from various sellers. I think I counted 15 items plus several business cards. There isn't any tatting in this post so feel free to move on if it doesn't interest you.

The Savor soap is called Sweet Carrot but doesn't smell like a carrot. LOL! It has a nice subtle scent. It reminds me that I have a bunch of soapmaking supplies in a box down in the basement. Time to use or lose!

This is an Artist's Trading Card (ATC) which I gather is actually a business card. When I went to her Etsy store, I found she used vintage art in various ways. I guess I thought ATC's were something else. I saw them as a way to trade examples of your work, and well, it is - a sample of her work along with her contact information. I didn't know they used them to advertise. My sister does scrapbooking so maybe I'll pass it on to her. It's not strictly scrapbooking stuff as I saw a couple of vintage crochet doilies but nothing else that I'll use myself.

Most of the items in this bag are targeted for a very young audience - like, under 30 and maybe even under 20. LOL! There were three links and an email addy on the back of the baggie for these. I chose to go to the blog which focuses on vintage clothing and accessories. When you've lived vintage, it's not nearly as fascinating, so I went to her etsy shop, which I enjoyed much more. Some lovely jewelry there. I'll probably give the button thingies to my granddaughter. Oh wait, the ring finding already came off of the button back and the hot glue is solid so can't use the button for much else.

This was a cutout for the last quarter of 2008 to make. Oh, this is bad. It was for 2008 so....
I made it and then pitched it, and that means I don't know where it is from. Oops!


I have absolutely no use for these and it's a good thing since when I went to the website, it said no products found. Okay, I'll just save the baggie on that one.

I told myself I would be tactful and gentle with these samples. These are beads on a clear plastic ring. It caught my attention - like, what is it? I may never know. The red print on the olive green background is impossible, nearly, to read. It says: Floating Jewelry Design by....can't read the name; it's too small of print on very little contrast. There is this: mintd.com/stores/show/1858 Okay, I'm going to try www.mintd.com which turns out to be a multiple store site and when I add the remaining stores/show/1858, I get this person's site but there is nothing there or if there is, I don't know how to get to it.

This one is one of two favorites. It's just a decoupaged clothespin. No hand painting or anything special, but it's cute and functional. HOWEVER, going to the website (bigcartel.com), I again get the message that no product is found. This person does have an email, but I'm not going to pursue it.

This was my other favorite and it is from the supplier of the handmadesampler bag, which I've already said I'm not real clear on. (not the host of the giveaway! the host simply passed on the sampler bag she got) I do like the fairy charm. I believe this is to put on a cell phone or ipod but I'll use it for something else.

This is a novel way of advertising. It's a little notepad with the business card on top. Once again, however, I'm not finding a way to navigate this mintd.com store.

This one is a small gift tag, handmade, and the maker's etsy shop was handwritten on the back. Unfortunately, when I went there, nothing was available for sale. Good feedback but it appears she is not an active seller.

I don't have anyone to give this to. It looks like a tooth monster. LOL! Again, the print on the dark green background make it very hard to read. But after shedding glasses and squinting up close, I got http://happymonsters1.deviantart.com/ which is a real place! Nothing there, but maybe after recovering from the holidays they will put something up.

I have to admit I was not impressed by the paper bookmark if it was meant to be a sample of their work. At least use an enticing photo! When I went to the Etsy shop, it was empty but there was a link to another shop which has a different line and that site has a link to yet another site, as well as one back to this one. I have nothing else to say on this one.

This is a photo postcard printed on photo paper, which makes it too flimsy to use as an actual postcard. There is an email on the back but no link to other information.


Recipe cards from an empty Etsy site. You know...this is an item that you can make yourself from so many free online templates that it wouldn't be worth the postage to buy from someone.

This arrived broken. I thought there was a card for it but I can't find it now.

I did like this as an ad. It's a pen and ink drawing on watercolor with some watercolor added. On the back is handwritten the artist's deviantart address. Oh, this is an ATC also. Ah, yes, these are actual samples of the artist's work along with their contact info. So, if I made one, I'd have a little tatted something to show. Hmmm...that's what we do for our lace guild's giveaways at demonstrations. There was nothing in this person's gallery.

Here are the business cards included that were not related to any products in the bag:
Custom Dog Bandanas
Fine Art Photography
http://wrenwillow.com/ Wearable Art for Babies & Kids
Twilight Knits Hand dyed and handpainted yarn
tu2cute tutus and accessories for every little princess

Okay, I just spent a lot of time giving away a huge bunch of publicity that the majority will never benefit from because their contact information is invalid, incomplete, or they simply quit doing what they were doing. The last five links which were business cards only, no samples. are all good ones. Out of 15 samples, only a handful have something to follow up on.

If you're thinking of selling online, I hope you don't make these mistakes. If you are providing a sample, keep in mind that it is representative of everything you offer. If you can't provide an inexpensive sample, then don't - just have a really jazzy business card. Make sure your information is complete. Make sure that whatever your website location is, it's easy to navigate. If you go out of business, gather up your advertising materials so they aren't out there disappointing potential customers.

hmmm...I originally ended this on a negative note and then felt that was disrespectful to Maria who provided me with this lovely gift! Actually, it WAS fun and eye-opening to me too, to look all these up. I could have just taken the few things I liked and left it at that because I am really so appreciative of Maria's generosity in sending me the bag. I think I was just very surprised by what I found and felt it was a good opportunity to help out anyone who is planning on selling online. I also wanted to say that I really liked that blue bag. I like the "handmade" logo on it. Now if I could just put handmade "tatted" sampler on it, it would be perfect!

Lafayette Lacers met this morning and we all brought some ideas for our "theme" for lace day which is things to put things in....something along that line. I had some of the usual bags, but I've also been working on this hanging pouch since night before last. This is the second version. I actually got the idea from the Lazy Girl Blog. She sells the pattern on her store at the same site but I have to admit I just made up my own. This fabric is too stiff and I don't like it anyway so it was a good one to "waste". I tatted the trim at the meeting but am still not sure I want to go ahead and complete it. Maybe someone somewhere will like this print.

And look who that someone is! errr....okay, a rather forced liking, as you'll find out if you go here but he's still smiling! I'm not sure that is a good sign.

I'm off to hear a symphony in about 15 minutes so the butterfly post and the handmade sampler bag post will have to wait!

My house feels naked!

I finally put 3 storage tubs away that I've had out for the better part of a year to sort through. Actually, I did sort most of it and even reduced the number of full storage tubs but I had not put them away because I wanted to go through them one more time and see if I couldn't declutter even more.

Well, the insurance adjuster is coming today and I couldn't stand the embarrassment anymore. I don't know what came over me but I went through things last night like I was leaving the continent today. LOL! I was wide awake at 1:00 a.m.!!! I had to make myself go to bed. This morning I tackled the kitchen. Was done, vacuumed and mopped (floors) and showered (me) before noon.

I still have boxes and tubs and clutter. I have a box going for charity. I have a box of paint supplies that I do not want to put in the closet until I clean the closet out. I have a box of magazines to go through. I have a box of 2008 receipts to go through. I have one tub of "kits" to take to the basement and one tub of fabric that I haven't figured out where to put since I want to be using it. I have one box of books and magazines to go to the Half-Price bookstore when I go again.

The delicious thing is that I can see my floors and my countertops and my table again!!!!! Now the guest room and my computer/craft room....well, that's another cleaning marathon on another day.

I've purposely tatted something to put on my blog! This string of hearts is from Gina Butler's website. The instructions are for a single shuttle split ring and she directs you to Bina Maddens' site for Matthew Takeda's technique instructions.

Now everyone has some technique in tatting that they don't like. I have never tried the single shuttle split ring because it never appealed to me. I like tatting split rings but if I don't have a second shuttle handy, I'll ball up the thread and use my hand as the second shuttle. I'm sure it's a handy technique to know if you don't have a second shuttle, but it just doesn't interest me. So I used regular split rings on this. LOL! However, if you want to learn the technique, this would be a sweet practice piece. What a pretty garland for a little tree too.

Back in 1997 when I started tatting, I didn't have any "tatting" books. I had tons of Workbaskets and McCalls Needlework & Crafts and Good Housekeeping Needlework and Crafts (or whatever its title was) and a motley assortment of knitting and crochet publications. When I made my first quilt in 1972, there were maybe 4 books in the library about quilting. I am almost certain there was nothing about tatting in the 70's. I didn't know about Rebecca Jones' book on tatting until I joined the online community and that was one my library had by that time.

I'm getting ahead of myself a bit though. In the early days, the only tatting patterns I had were from mostly crochet publications and my first exchange was a butterfly exchange. I loved butterflies and I think that's why I jumped right in. I was on the quiet side and easily intimidated by the online group conversations. After all, these were expert tatters - what did I know? Seriously...what did I know? Next to nothing. Self-taught. No one to let me know if what I interpreted was right or not. I sort of pooh-poohed the adamant statements about using "good" thread. All I had available was crochet cotton. It had been good enough for everything else I did, so why not tatting too? I do not remember where or how I got my first "good" thread but my oh my....never again will I say plain old discount store crochet cotton is good enough. It will do the same thing - yes, but it never looks as good. The stitches don't slide as easily; they don't shine; they don't lay nicely. I think it was one of these early exchanges where I saw the results of beautiful thread that led me to try a better thread.

And I have digressed badly. What I was going to say was that when I first started tatting, one thing I wanted to tat was all the beautiful butterflies I saw. That was my favorite motif to tat. I was in two round robin butterfly exchanges. Apparently those were before I started my blog as I don't see a single one on here. So over the next few posts, in the midst of winter, I'm going to "snow" butterflies on you, the butterflies I got from other lovely tatters.

So...the butterfly here was tatted this afternoon. It's "Teresa" from Adelheid Dangela's book, Tatted Butterflies. There are 19 butterflies in this book if anyone wants it for the 25 Motif Challenge. It's diagram only with a short description of the order or any special details at the beginning of each one. I was nearly done with my exchanges when I got this book but I've still managed to tat most of them. This one is only 1 3/4" wide and slightly over 1" high in Altin Basak size 50, color 3054. The pattern actually has long twisted picots where the beads are but I wanted to try to use these long rice beads instead. I know I've made this flutter before but didn't find it on my blog. It's small and simple compared to some of them. And one last comment...initially I was going to follow my statement about how much I loved tatting butterflies with one saying I nearly burnt myself out on them. I tat one every now and then but suddenly, I'm wanting to tat a flurry of them, so watch for more!

This is getting very long. If you're still with me.....this is a sticker I got from Mother Henna. You can request some for yourself free. Just follow the link at the top of her blog. They come in black and white and YOU get to be the creative one and turn it into whatever you like. I also won a giveaway at Blog Giveaways, a Handmade Sampler goodie bag. It arrived today - but since this has already gotten so long, I'll save it for next post!


"I treat myself as priceless, down to the smallest detail." Victoria Moran ~

Sharon, over at Pin Tangle, (formerly from In A Minute Ago) has issued a Blogger's Challenge - why do you blog???

About six years ago, I made a friend who wrote a blog which has now evolved into a website with all the same stuff. He was on a yahoo group I was on and always had his url in the sig line. That's the first I ever heard of blogs. I used to follow his links to more interesting blogs and Ooooh...what an easy way to waste a lot of time! LOL! I looked for tatting blogs - surely there were some out there. I don't even remember if google was a search engine then but whatever I used only brought up one and it wasn't really focused on tatting - it just had some tatting on it.

Well, I like to write. I always have, in one form or another. I wrote the local Singles Newsletter for three years before I got bored with it. I wrote personal journals, dream journals, wish lists, plans, strategies, fiction, family history, letters, articles for various work publications, and a chapter here and there that I hope someday will grow into a book. I'd kept a few small journals as I tried to document my tatting but I just couldn't make myself sit down with every piece and write it all out. I had ideas too, that didn't fit in with the "documentation".

My first blog was just a place to write randomly. Within days, I knew I wanted to record my thoughts about tatting separately from the other blog. The other blog eventually turned into a rant blog. It embarassed me to read it later on and I deleted it. I created another blog for my more esoteric side, as a way to sort out the questions I had and the personal discoveries I made. But the one I wrote the most in was my tatting blog. I couldn't wait to figure out how to put photos on there. I spent the money that made it possible for me to upload photos and then spent many frustrating weeks learning how to do that. My previously-mentioned blog friend and I helped each other figure it out online. Up til then, the majority of blogs were text-only as the process was so complicated if you didn't have your own server or host. Then google ended up with blogger and things changed a lot after that.

As time went by and I looked back at what I had written, I was amazed sometimes at how much I tatted and then forgot I tatted. Most pieces go away, either to a new home or a black hole here that gives up the goods only sporadically. I found the blog a great way to keep track of little changes I made at the time in a pattern or my thoughts in the way certain threads behaved. The blog is probably my only record of the shuttles I've purchased over the years. It tells me who I met and where. When did I learn the split ring and the split chain? Where did I get that one thread? Which class and which teacher? What did I put in the fair and how did it place? Who gave me what in which exchange? - something I thought I would never forget...but I do sometimes. Where did my inspiration come from? And links....when I can't find the link in my favorites or remember what I named it, I do a search on my blog and find it that way.

I blog for all of those reasons but I also have to say it has become especially meaningful to me as more and more other people blog about tatting too. It connects us in ways that we never imagined. Tatters have always been generous, in my experience, but I have especially noticed it now that I've seen knitting blogs and crochet blogs and other craft blogs. Few other crafts share as much as tatters. Oh, they share a little...but it's mostly to entice you to buy something else. LOL! Nothing wrong with that, but I did notice the difference. Other crafts tend to have more tutorials though. Tatting blogs are relatively new, compared to say, knitting. I think there are thousands of knitting blogs so there are bound to be more tutorials.

But maybe, with the help of blogging, someday there will be as many tatters in the world as there are knitters!

* * * * *

Still no tatting to show. I've been crash-cleaning tonight since the insurance adjuster is coming tomorrow. I'll tackle the kitchen in the morning. Part of my cleaning involved going through some books and magazines in a box that I had stored over by the sofa. There were a lot of old Stitch & Sew and they have Myrtle Hamilton's patterns in there. I wanted to jump up and scan a few photos to show here, but I was good....I kept at task!

hmmm...wait I'll go scan one photo of something else and see if it inspires anyone.


I'm intrigued by the shape of this crocheted collar. I keep visualizing it tatted - not in the all-chains that it appears it would be with this same design, but with this shape where it comes to a point in the center. I like the contrast of dense and open spaces. Beaded? I see it fastening at the back with a button or large bead or even necklace findings.

What do YOU think??


One of my mantras this month is "See it differently, Feel it differently" and I think that was part of what led me to look at this collar in a different way.

Kathryn Ivy has a great idea for a DIY journal. Hers is focused on knitting but can be used for crochet also. She has several pdf files that you can download for the pages in the journal - which is a way to track your projects and plan ahead for them. I think it will work for tatting also with some alteration to the individual pages. Pages for threads, for beads, for planned projects, for projects in progress, for completed projects with notes about changes, pages for shuttles.

Can you tell I'm looking for ways to get more organized????

I was watching a video about a "pretty purse" that is featured in the Dec/Jan issue of Quilting Arts Magazine and was attracted to these rhinestone zippers! Whether you make these "pretty purses" or some other kind of bag, you can always embellish it with tatting and these sparkly zippers would certainly add some extra bling. They're a little pricey ranging from $6.95 to $23 each, depending on the size and type of the crystal (the more expensive ones are Swarovski) and type of zipper, but tatting already makes it pretty special, don't you think? I'm thinking the white rhinestone zipper on a tatted white bridal bag would be a definite heirloom. Look at the "riri" zippers too while you are there. (disclaimer - I have no knowledge of their ability to fulfill orders - it just looks like something fun)

It's been a very productive evening. I finished the bag which now measures about 7" x 5". I haven't lined it yet but its only purpose at the moment is to be a sample of crochet. It will probably end up as a gift bag and I'll line it then. Or not. It will hold a large scented soap very nicely.

I also tatted tonight. One item was done and just needed blocking. I won't be showing it, however, until I have its partner in crime to contrast it with. I told myself I would go to bed early, at 10:00 p.m. Well...at 10:00 p.m. I decided to tat one more thing, which was done and blocking at 11:00 p.m. Can't show that either as it is going to Trina. Trina's package should be ready to go in a few days. I just have one more thing to finish up.

I can't believe it's so late already! hmmm...I was up around 5:00 a.m. and then went back to bed about 6:30 and slept til 10:00 a.m. The only bad thing about having several days off in a row is that I naturally revert to my normal body rhythm. I'm a nightowl. I'd be up until 2 or 3:00 a.m. every night if I didn't have to get up for my day job. LOL! That's also when I do my most creative work. Ah, well...today I did tat but I think that piece is going to Trina so I can't show it yet. I also finished up the 2nd filet crochet piece for the bag. This is going to be an example for the crochet lace class next spring and it will also probably be involved in our Lace Day. (March 28th!) This pattern is for a glasses case but I used a bigger thread, size 10, so that the stitches can be seen more easily so it's really too big for glasses unless you happen to have big oversized movie-star specs. I'm going to alter the way it's put together a little bit. I'll crochet a shell edging around all three sides, crocheting the two pieces together at the same time and continuing around the top. The pieces are supposed to be sewn together and then a fabric lining made and the uppermost row of crochet turned in and stitched to the fabric. I'll make a fabric lining but it will be removable. It will be a good exercise in following a graph.


I mentioned recently that I'd been going through my old Anna magazines. The one thing that struck me as I checked out all the tatting projects is how they use tatting with linens. We do a lot of motifs and use a hellatious number of techniques in the process but I don't think we (meaning Americans) work with tatting design and fabric very much. It's a shame really. The photo above is one from a scan someone sent me several years ago. It and the one below were in one of those "compressed" files that I have trouble opening but today as I was looking for something else, I found a couple of those files, opened them and saved them in a different format. I believe these are both from older Anna magazines from overseas. The language was not English but didn't appear to be German either.

It's hard to see the tatting clearly in this table cover but you can see there are four square pieces - think of a 12"-14" square doily - which is alternated with fabric (probably linen) squares and the blocks are joined by strips of tatting. You can see the tatting is an open and simple design for both the blocks and the strips. I can't tell if the linen has a simple tatted insertion or if that is drawn thread work. I suspect it is drawn thread work.

I think of all the people who are in the process of making a tablecloth or even a runner made up of only tatted motifs. No wonder they get discouraged and put off finishing it!

I'm thinking it would be reasonable to assume you could tat a square doily in a month's time. The four squares could be done easily within a year. The more time consuming (and tedious) part would probably be the connecting strips. Wouldn't that be an elegant table cover though????


I was equally entranced by this pillow. It looks like 3 large motifs and half a dozen medium motifs. I think the smaller segments with the holes are embroidered, not tatted. I also can't tell if the tree itself is embroidered or padded, as in trupunto.

Why aren't we decorating more of our linens and clothing with tatting? I was telling someone recently that I need to make a curtain for my kitchen window and I wanted to make white panels with tatted inserts and an edging. And then I laughed. Such grand dreams, it seems sometimes....and yet....how hard would that be?

I'll let you know.

The mittens are done! At least the ones for my granddaughter are. I will start a pair for my grandson after I'm finished with the blog anniversary winner for December, Trina.

The reason the kids want these is because they flip open when you need to use your fingers. Katie's hands are bigger than mine so these are a bit large for me. The second one turned out much better than the first one. I think I will go back to the original pattern I used for my younger grandson last year though. I can't find a photo of them! I see a plain brown mitten but I don't remember making 2 of them or where they might have gone to.

I have not had time today to really give much consideration to how the coming year will be but I've been thinking about it a lot over the past few weeks. I've been missing working on other laces and plan to do a lot more of that in the coming months. I'm working on a thread crochet series for my local lace guild. I want to do more Romanian Point lace. I want to do a little lace knitting and I want to try a little more bobbin lace. I also want to work on some different forms of needlelace, whitework, drawn thread work, and hardanger, in addition to RPL. I'll continue to offer updated versions of vintage tatting patterns as I have time.

(again) I want to complete my T.A.T. program. I want to finish my son's quilt. I'm also seriously in the process of decluttering.

As much as I would like to travel and teach this coming year, I probably won't, only because of money. With some luck however, I may be able to gather a big enough nest egg to do so in 2010. I'm hoping to travel overseas in 2010 too so it is going to take some effort this year to get in that position.

Do you know this is my 976th post? I'm creeping up to 1,000 faster than I expected. I want to change my blog layout and appearance - perhaps even moving to a new one. We'll see what I have time for. A lot is changing for me this year and I'm going to do my best to make it fun and easy.


Keep in mind through the month of January that all manner of wondrous things are possible, and that you are open to all possibilities. - Jan. 1, Younger by the Day, Victoria Moran