Wow! Easter snuck up on me!

Here's a bunny edging I designed a few years ago.



Bunnies in a Row

Wind 2 shuttles CTM (continuous thread method). You might only want a couple yards on each shuttle until you try it out.

I use a paper clip or safety pin to anchor that first chain stitch. I’ll remove it when I join there.

VSP – very small picot. Used for joining only, no decorative value.
BP – big picot. Used for bunny feet in this case – I make them ½ - ¾ inch in length.
VBP – very big picot. Used for bunny ears – I make them 1 – 1 ¼ inch in length.
RW – reverse work

Ch 2ds, vsp, 10 ds. rw

R 11 ds, j to place where safety pin or paper clip was in the first ch (in subsequent bunnies, this will be a vsp join), 2 ds, BP, 2 ds, BP, 2 ds, VSP, 11 ds, clr, rw

Using ch shuttle for the ring, R 7 ds, VBP, 3 ds, VBP, 7 ds, clr, do NOT rw.

Still using ch shuttle but as the ball thread now, Ch 10ds, vsp, 2 ds, j to p on last r

At this point, you are ready to start a 2nd bunny. If not, just cut, tie & hide ends. Turn up the p for the bunny feet so they are pointing loop up, like the ears.

If you are going on, leave a space of about ¼ inch and make a lock stitch. Repeat from beginning, but at the very first vsp in the ch, j to last bunny ch instead.

I'm still too busy to tat. I hope to get a few more hat linings in tonight. I started threading beads for a bigger hat a few nights ago. I won't have time tonight to do more but Friday night will be free. (started 2 days ago...it's Friday now)



Wednesday night Sally & I went to Bette's and worked a teneriffe motif. I finished it up during lunch today. I don't think my knots are right so now I feel driven to make another one so I can do them right. I also screwed up on the interlacing near the end. Bette pointed out where I skipped over a thread pair this morning.








It's that time of year! Tanya sent me this at Christmas .......will I get around to tatting something with it? I'm sure gonna try! And then I'll have to make a basket to go with it...and a bunny....and all those Easterly things. Oh wait! I have a lavander bunny - they will go together perfectly!






When I got home tonight, I had the County Fair booklet in the mail. I have a few things in mind to make to enter. It helps me to see the categories.










Here are the hats I'm making for Hector. I might not need any of them, in which case they will probably go on Ebay - with tatted trims, of course.







And what's this? Well....give me one minute of free time and I start a new project....like I have time to finish it in the next few days.

My Lace group met today. I got up early to make it on time and I was still 15 minutes late. For those who think I'm like the Energizer Bunny - I'm not.



I ended up taking a nap when I came home and I'm still not too perky. It's been a grueling week in many ways and I'm getting ready to travel so I feel pressured to get a lot of things done.

After the meeting and lunch, I went to Ding-A-Ling to use the gift certificate I won with my fair entry. There's a nice little sale going on there and I'm going to send the notice by email to my fellow guild members. I bought some shuttle shaped wood pieces. I'm not at all sure what I'm going to do with them but I might even go back and get more - at $.20 each! I'm thinking there has to be a way to use them for Lace Day. Lace Day will be May 7, 2005. For some reason, it seems really really close.

I bought some paintng books there too. There's really not a lot of thread there. Not for someone who likes color and variety as much as I do. Not that I need any. I was cleaning out a wicker basket that I tend to throw a lot of my tatting and other craft things into when I'm "cleaning" the living room, and I found lots of thread and beads..........from way long ago. The threads I was using in the fans I made for our last Lace Day...almost 2 years ago now. Patterns. The I.O.L.I. Membership book from 2002-2003. The Fire Mountain Gem catalog from 2003. My Dorset Bag from Palmettos was in there too, including the shuttles I was wondering about just last week.

I love a bargain!



I was in a few different Dollar Stores last night looking for a specific photo frame, which I didn't find, but I did find this pair of kissing dolls for $10! They are so precious. They even had their own doll stands. You usually have to pay at least $10 for just one doll this size and typically, it's more like $20. They are not heirloom quality, but they are nice and I like the way they look.

I was also in Hobby Lobby last night and they had all their beads 1/2 off. I know I said I didn't need any more but I did get some that are usually more expensive than what I'm willing to pay for. I really need to stop collecting and start "doing".

I have lots of rayon floss that I bought in anticipation of the fan I tatted and also the elephant. ......ummm....I do mean lots. Lots I did not even take out of the package. I didn't know how far a skein of embroidery floss would go in the tatting and I didn't want to get part way through and have to buy a skein that didn't match. Besides, I bought them at Hobby Lobby during a great sale, so it wasn't very expensive. But now, I have all this floss and it's unlikely I will tat or embroider THAT much!

Wouldn't you know it? I'm in the mood to organize my craft room but I need to get organized for my trip. I'm really looking forward to Camp Wannatat. This may be my only opportunity to go. I have no idea who else will be there but all tatters are wonderful so it doesn't really matter. I don't know what to take. I always take too too much and since I'm flying and then driving, I really don't want to haul around too much. I'm going to Portland for a day or so afterwards. Then - when I get back, the following weekend is Tatting Day with Heirloom Corner's Kaye Judt and Jennifer Titus at Zig-Zag Quilt Shop. I hear Georgia will be there, so that will be fun. The first online tatting class is tomorrow night too. I tested the link today - now, if I can just remember to tune in at the right time!

Well, back to trip organizing.

I'm in the process of tatting the cat bookmark from Dianna Steven's book, A Tatted Zoo.
Amazon says it is out of print so look for it from the individual vendors.

I'm making this for my great-grandson and will probably make a bunny one too. They're so cute. He has not forgotten. My sister stopped there the next day and we look enough alike that he gets confused about who is who. He asked her if she brought her sewing and she was completely lost on what to answer. I should have it done already but I got sidetracked on some needle lace I'm learning. I'm tatting it in some size 40 thread I got from Tatskool. I call it Tequila Sunrise but it's actually called Flame Lantana, after a flower. I'd forgotten it was size 40 so the bookmark is smaller than others I've made.

A few days ago I decided to upgrade to IE9 since it was offered along with some MS updates. Oh my....it did not play well with Blogger at all! It took me the better part of the morning to get the information that it actually was IE and not something I wasn't understanding. So I uploaded Google Chrome as suggested by someone and I was able to publish my blog - my lace blog. Hadn't written here yet. Unfortunately, not all browsers are the same. Fortunately for some people, from their POV, but for me, it's a pain. Chrome is fine but I can't tell you how many times I closed everything I had open by accident! It also wouldn't show my work email with the folders which I need to refer to sometimes so I was using IE for that email and Chrome for all the rest. Today I tested blogger on IE to see if it would publish now and it did so apparently that glitch is gone. I'm still getting used to IE9 but at least I'm only using one browser now. Another thing I couldn't do with Chrome is create a shortcut to my computer from the site. It did have some features I did like, so not all was lost and I still have it when I need it.

I got more cleaning and sorting done in the basement yesterday, emptying 3 more storage cubes. Yay! I'm going through the remainder this afternoon so maybe I'll have everything back in place by next weekend, including moving what is upstairs down to the basement. I found a needlepoint kit that I had never finished. It was a Christmas ornament, booties, personalized with your child's name and the year. I had done the center on both booties, with my youngest son's name, Jesse Smith, and the year, 1982, his 2nd Christmas. I made myself pitch it. I probably un-pitched it 3 times but in the end, it's in the bin. Now the bag isn't in the garbage can yet, but no worry, I won't pull it out. Sometimes you have to be strong! He's 29 years old now. HE DOESN'T CARE! LOL! And there are plenty of other things that I did complete. He is not deprived and I didn't enjoy that kit anyway. That's why it never got finished! It was one of several kits I bought at an after-Christmas clearance CHEAP. Ooooohhh....I hear you groaning.....you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!

BTW, speaking of clearance,at one time, Walmart was trying to sell these magazine holders for $7 each. In Designer colors along with other desk accessories.

Well, apparently they were overstocked because they were on sale a few weeks ago for half price and I just happened to be in the store. I bought six of them. See how nicely my tatting books look on the shelf now?

When they were still regular price, I did find some black plastic holders for less and bought three, no four, of those. They are wider than the white ones but the back is narrower than the front so they don't sit as nicely on the shelf. They're okay but I was glad to see the white ones on sale. I still don't have all my books here though. I plan to get rid of my collection of How-to books in the near future so that should open up an inch or two.

And these are my binders of printouts. There is a second row as full as this one and several that are not on the bookshelf at all. Not all the printouts are tatting, but the majority are. Some are sewing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, "other" crafts. I hope to get a second bookshelf.

I don't know if I can get rid of any tatting books. I think some of the vintage stuff is reprinted in other formats so if I would just take the time to sort it out, I might open up some space that way too. Really...I feel blessed. Once upon a time all I had for tatting was Workbaskets and the patterns in the How-To book. A little over a decade later, I'm overflowing. May you also be so blessed.

March Winner!!!!

My friend Paula was more than happy to help me with the monthly drawing for the Tatting Goddess Blog Anniversary Celebration! I decided to use one of my tea-for-ones that I have in the office to hold the names, a bunny in a cabbage patch that seemed very appropriate for the season of Spring and Easter.

The names were actually in the cup part and Paula closed her eyes and pinched one out! The winner is...DRUMROLL!!!!...

Jolande Donders of the Netherlands!

As soon as I get Jolande's mailing address and few more details about her likes and dislikes, I'll send her something special and I'll post it here AFTER she gets it. By the way....any of Jolande's friends are welcome to email me some clues about her so I can make sure it is something she will like.

I was pleased to see the latest Tatting Times had arrived when I picked up my mail today. There's a bunny and a cat and a snowman, plus a vase of flowers and some earrings, a heart, an anchor, a cactus flower and probably more that I haven't mentioned. Contact Karey Solomon at P.O. Box 9, Hector, NY 14841 if you would like to subscribe to her quarterly tatting newsletter.


Here's the hardanger I worked on from our last lace guild meeting....and clipped in the wrong place, so it is essentially "redesigned". LOL! I think I'm going to stay in my own house overnight and try to do the sewing part and finish it, as well as the pincushion for my pincushion exchange. My partner, Mary, has already sent hers but it wasn't in the mail so it will be later in the week before I pick up my mail again. I can't wait to see what she made!

I tatted some odds and ends last night but didn't bring them with me today. Guess I'll scan later!

While I was away, I tatted Mark Myers' bunny. This is located in the online class projects hosted by Georgia Seitz.

Anyway, I'm tatting it for an exchange - for someone who loves the floppy-eared bunnies. I've pulled the ear down in this card but I'm wondering about making another and lengthening the ear so that it really is obvious it's a floppy rather than just a suggestion of one. I had taken some very pretty vintage lavender thread with me that kept breaking as I tried to wind it on a second shuttle. So I took it off the shuttle and pitched it. LOL! I have no idea how old it was, but clearly, it wasn't going to work out. Fortunately, I also brought some Flora size 50 in the purple. I think she really prefers lavender though so it's probably as good of an excuse to make another as any. I used the layered picots for the fluffy tail but I think I would like to change that a bit too...longer picots maybe. Perhaps a smaller ring.

Here's the short form and the original pattern for the January mystery motif. Mark Myers created a visual and he did it a little differently from me, as far as where he started off. He's really busy right now and I have been too, so I haven't had a chance to ask him about posting his diagram. Maybe later.


Thread of choice
2 shuttles, CTM
- or p picot
SR split ring
R ring
Ch chain
ds double stitch
+ or j join
rw reverse work
prev previous
clr close ring

1. R 12 ds, 1" long picot(this is important), 12 ds, clr, rw
2. *Ch 5 ds – 5 ds, rw
3. R 12 ds, + lp, 12 ds, clr, rw
4. Repeat from * until you have 8 rings and j last 5-5 ch to base of 1st ring (if you do not do split rings, you will need to cut and tie and hide ends here )

5. Climb out of first round with SR (split ring) 12/12, clr (or if you don’t do split rings, with new thread, R 12 ds, + to base of any ring, 12 ds, clr
The next ring will join to the base of the next ring on the previous round, so you will need to switch shuttles accordingly if you used a SR to climb out. If you did not use a SR, do not do anything.
6. **R 12 ds, + to base of next ring on prev round, 12 ds, clr, rw
7. Ch 5 ds – 5 ds – 10 ds, j to same place as last ring
8. Ch 10 ds, + to last p on prev ch, 5 ds – 5 ds, rw
9. R 12 ds, + to same place as last ch and last R (there are now 3 joins in the same place), 12 ds, clr, rw
10. Repeat from ** around, joining last ring into same place as first ring and ending with ch 5 ds – 5 ds – 10 ds, j to same place as 1st & last ring, 10 ds, j to last p of last ch, ch 5 ds – 5 ds, + to base of first R, cut and tie and hide ends.

April 1921 Needlecraft, page 10

No. 4

No. 8 sewing-cotton was used for the model, but No. 30 crochet-thread may be substituted if preferred.
1. Commencing at center of medallion, make a ring of 12 double knots, picot (this picot should have at least an inch of thread, since it forms the ring at center, and the remaining 7 rings are attached to it). 12 double knots, close; with two threads make a chain of 5 double knots, picot (of usual size), 5 double knots, a ring like 1st, joining to the long picot; repeat until you have 8 rings and the same number of chains, joining last chain at base of 1st ring.
2. A chain of 10 double knots, *(picot, 5 double knots) twice; a ring of 12 double knots, join at base of ring of last row, where the chain started, 12 double knots, close; another ring, like 1st, joining at base of next ring of last row; a chain of (5 double knots, picot) twice; 10 double knots, join in same place; a chain of 10 double knots, join to last picot made, and repeat from *, joining last chain by last picot to 1st picot of 1st chain started.
This completes one medallion.

Feel free to contact me with questions.

My nine days are almost up and I return to work tomorrow. I could use days and days of vacation, but couldn't we all?

I was doing a lot of blog surfing earlier today. One of the tatting blogs is in Italian and most of the time I just look at the photos and try to figure out the gist of it, but today I used the translator and looked through all the pages, a luxury, indeed!

The translated name of the blog is Grandmother's Tatting. I bet you didn't know that. I knew the word "tatting" was in the title but that's all. I came across a two-colored rose motif, which I believe is the owner's design. She usually states where she got the pattern from so I'm assuming this is hers. I was intrigued by the use of two colors to begin with, although they were ecru and white. The use of split rings set up a pattern of color, which I didn't really even recognize until I tatted it myself. Can you see what I discovered after I tatted it?

See those pink bows all around the center? LOL! I'm sure that wasn't the intention and even when I tatted it, I was thinking how the green would bloom into a pink flower but the ribbons stood out instead!

This is my second one. I made lots of mistakes with the first one. I didn't put enough green on the 2nd shuttle. I made the center ring and then hid my ends, adding in the two colors after and hiding the ends of the joined threads. Then I had to add more of the green and that meant more ends to hide. THEN, as I got to the very end, I realized I was short ONE split ring! POOH! And other expletives I can't put in print. So for the second one, I just joined the two colors together, left a short space before starting the center ring, long enough to be the same as the other picots since when I closed the ring, I would have to make a mock picot and I didn't want the mock picot in two colors. Didn't know if it would work, had never tried it before, but it did!

She (I think her name is Carla) called it a bicolor rose but I'm inclined to name it Ribbons & Bows. It would make a nice Christmas motif too in Christmas green with Christmas Red bows and maybe a few sparkly beads like lights on a wreath.

Now see.....another name for this motif could be "Inspiration Motif" because it's already fired off two ideas. Here are a few other ideas that came up as I was tatting it:

This shape made me think of a cat. You could make double picots in place of the regular ones at the top and block them so they are pointy. Add a tail and you're done.

This one made me think of a bunny. Add a couple of beads in the center ring at the top, make the ears longer and more pointy - and add whatever else tickles your fancy.

When I added the 3rd arm of the outer segment, I saw a face with a hat in the middle. With the 4th one, I began to see a person. I made myself stop scanning and continued to tat. This was tatted in Venus size 40 for both parts. I'm not sure of the colors.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Part of my surfing today led me to an older site, the Bead Prayer Project. It was completed in 2004 but I thought it was a nice idea. Sometimes you just want to make a little something for someone,offering a little bit of help or encouragement, and you might call it Beaded Prayers or Blessings or Inspiration. You put the written thought in the container you make and embellish it. Beads were the focal embellishment of this project, but I think a bit of lace would be welcomed too. Just an idea.

Hope your weekend has been as beautiful outside as mine has!

Done, done and done!

My son got home Saturday night so before he left on Sunday to meet up with friends, he moved some heavy stuff so I could get to the last few storage bins in the basement. I got through all those yesterday, boxed up several containers for Goodwill, and am ready to tackle what is upstairs a second time before it's all put away. I have 3 or 4 more empty storage units now and hope to increase that by a few more. Unfortunately, I had to come back to work today so I hope the "roll" picks back up when I'm off again!

I got the kitty cat done and also a snail. I decided to do the snail instead of a bunny since I hadn't done it before. The grass trail behind the snail is tricky and I didn't really have colors handy when I got to that part so I just did a few tufts and then switched to split rings and a tassel to end it off. The snail is a Lizbeth thread but I forget the name of the color.

Well...off to a work appointment!

I came across this site after finding a pop-top crochet flower tutorial. There are still books available on Amazon about this 70's popular craft. I never made any of the items on this site, but I do remember seeing them in the media. I also remember cans before pop tops and pull tabs. You used a "church key", a pointed metal device that was leveraged on the side of the can and pulled up which then pushed a triangular piece of metal down, thus opening the can enough to drink its contents or pour them out. You had to punch a triangle on opposite sides to allow the contents to flow freely. Otherwise you just got a tiny trickle.

LOL! I'll betcha some of you reading this have NO IDEA what I'm talking about. You just always figured cans had something to pull or push, right? Or came with screw on lids?

I worked a lot in the basement over the weekend. We (son & I) hauled everything out and I scrubbed the walls down. Sunday I painted. It's only two walls because the other two walls need some special preparation and will have to wait. This area is where the storage will go ....or went. Later we moved all my storage tubs and boxes over to the newly painted side. I have so many bins to go through! There is just no sane reason for a person to have so much....stuff!


I finished up the bunny face from Sharon's book today. I buggered up the top where the ears are because I ran out of thread and tried to fudge a bit - ended up adding new thread but it dips where it should not because I switched threads. I also tatted rings opposite each other for the nose and just tatted one chain down to the jawline. I made it the way the instructions said the first time but mine looked BAD. I almost gave up on him but I'm glad I didn't. I had so many threads to hide that I just cut them long and then sewed the motif on a piece of felt. I'm literally too tired to piddle with hiding ends today.

I skipped the turtle and choker which are the next two projects and moved on to the tatting wrist bag. I've barely started it. I'm really not a turtle person nor am I a choker person so to keep my momentum going, I just skipped over them. I may feel more patient and willing to tat them later.

I washed two loads of canning jars in the dishwasher today. They were filthy from sitting in the basement. I will be giving the bulk of them away. Other than the occasional batch of apple butter or some kind of jar bread/cake, I don't can these days. As I took the first batch out and put them in a box, I accidently clanked two together and broke both of them. I thought I got all the glass picked up but later in the evening, I managed to find a bit of glass with my big toe.

Hope it cools off during the night!

My newest granddaughter will be one year old next month. Unbelievable!

I was on Ravelry.com a few months ago and saw this adorable bunny hat so I printed the pattern out and thought I might make it for Ellie as Easter neared. A few weeks ago, I realized I better get on it if I was going to make it this year. I was sort of in the middle of other projects so it got strung out a bit and once it was all crocheted, it sat still longer until I had time to put it together.

Somehow I couldn't make it without adding a big floppy flower so I crocheted that as soon as I put the ears on. This is a doll - an adorable doll, but it's almost creepy the way it resembles a real baby. The body is stuffed and has enough weight that it even feels like you are carrying a real baby around. I think she is a bit smaller than Ellie right now but she's the best model I've got for now. I turned the edge of the hat up but I don't think Ellie will need to do that.

This view shows you the flower better. I'm thinking you could pretend these are puppy dog ears too.

I know some people tat with yarn, but crocheting is so fast in comparison that I think for projects like this, I'll stick to crochet.

Multimedia today

I've been playing in a lot of other areas this week besides tatting so I didn't post about them. Mostly bobbinlace. A friend and I are meeting to work on our skills which I think I might have mentioned. Anyway, sometimes I'm like a dog with a bone when I'm trying to learn something. I had one teensy issue with this lace that I think I finally figured out today. You can see what I've been working on there on my other lace blog.

I've tatted a little more on this. I'm going to use it on a rock and I'm getting to the place where I may need to shape it. I started another square at lace guild today but didn't have the rock with me to ponder with. (PONDER, not pound with!) Maybe later this evening.

I got my Eborall Family shuttle! This is the holly wood one. It's not just the decal on it, it's real holly wood. (Not Hollywood though they're stars in my book) It reminds me of ivory. I love it!

The ends are nice and tight so don't be fooled by my fat fingers covering that one edge. The post is high so it will hold a ton of thread! Many thanks to the clever and creative bunch across the pond who are making these lovely shuttles! I think I read from Sally or Jane that a few more will be listed soon.

Today my lace guild had Spinning on the agenda and I've wanted to learn for ages and ages. I was so tired I could barely pull myself out of bed this morning but I could hear that spindle calling my name. Kelli, Knitter Bunny, and Dagmar, our German member, gave us lots of good information and showed us how its done. Lots of good experience between the two. I was starting to get the hang of it but noticed my shoulder was starting to hurt (from too much bobbinlacing originally) so once I felt somewhat comfortable and thought I'd probably not forget at least that much of what I'd done, I put it away. I can see where it could be addictive.

I also remembered that I had not shown my finished cowl here.

It went to my granddaughter so don't have it any more but I do intend to make something similar for myself. Eventually.

And now for a friendly rant:

I was checking out bobbin lace on Etsy, just to see what was there and really was looking more for bobbins than anything. Misidentification of lace is just as rampant on Etsy as it is on Ebay. (yeah...I can hear the groans) I contacted several to tell them their "bobbinlace" was actually needlelace, filet crochet, or something else.

I didn't bother to contact this seller. It's listed as bobbinlace but it's actually machine made embroidery to look like tatting. And it's not even identified as tatting! LOL! You might not be able to tell it on this photo but at the store, you can clearly see the threads from machine embroidery.

Now a friend of mine recently showed me some machine embroidered "tatting" that she had done and it was exquisite. Yeah, I know it was machine embroidery but the thread spacing was perfect, no overlapping or loose threads and it was made into an ornament. Extremely well finished. This lace is not even that.

I also saw some well-made bobbinlace bookmarks being sold for $5.00. Last night I made a "bookmark" sample and it took me 4 hours. How can anyone sell something even better for so little? I don't get it. Why would you put hours into making something and basically sell it at garage sale prices? If you're doing that, STOP IT!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I got the picot project done in TAT. I can't show you the instructions but you can see the finished work. Now I'm ready to do Jane's celtic motif. I can see a challenge there....not the celtic part though. It's the part where you make a join and don't show or minimize the color change.

Tonight I'm knitting again, working on the froggie cap and socks. Same designer but different techniques so I'm challenged again! I'm learning lots about purling this time.




When I was shopping the other night, I found lots more clearance bargains - this time in Hobby Lobby. BTW, HL had those Linea kits on clearance for $4-$6 and they only had a few left. They are completely gone at Michael's. Back to new bargains....I got 2 of the knifty knitter looms, except it was a different company (Attic), a package of 2, for $4.24 instead of the listed $25. Even the 3 pack by KK is almost $12. I also got this fun fur on clearance. I've been looking at those miniature crocheted bears. I found a pattern online by Edith Molina, which I'm currently crocheting in size 10 Cebelia. Gotta find some way to use up that "rope" from the TAT program! Once I've made it, if I'm happy with it, I'll try using this fun fur. I also have a bunny pattern from somewhere....not sure it's on the printout and I don't have it with me at the moment.

So....what's that? Three projects? And 2 potentials? .....and there's that gold RPL angel in process of being couched down............sigh.......

My sister and I had a leisurely drive to Hector. We started off early afternoon on Thursday and stopped at an Amish restaurant in Ohio where we proceeded to waste a couple of hours between eating and exploring their two floors of fantastic gift items. As I drove by the Xenia, OH exit, I wished we could stop by and pick up Gail. We stopped somewhere in Medina County that night and drove the remainder the next day, arriving mid afternoon. That night we went to the firehouse, bringing a few goodies from the Amish resturant as well as a cheese/meat tray from Walmart. Familiar faces slowly trickled in and my sister and I spent some time discussing the ins and outs of dying hair purple with someone I thought my sister said was named Amy but I do not find an Amy in the booklet we got so apparently that is wrong! The tie-dyed goody bag came with registration in the morning.



We had plenty of time to kill before starting. Mark's plane had been late and Sherry picked him and Erin Holloway up from the same airport. I didn't know Erin was coming until I saw my roster of students and Erin was on there. Talk about confusion! LOL! I thought surely there was a mistake since Erin never peeped a whisper about coming, but arrive she did and with these wonderfully painted bobbins to boot! That girl is always full of surprises!



While waiting for the last to arrive, I talked....and shopped. The 2 Easter Eggs were freebies given to us to hold our thread. The bunny holds a good size ball of thread.




I bought the Hector Hat shuttle from Georgia and the handpainted shuttle from the Lacemaker. I got some threads there too but they were bland colors, purposely bought to help bridge other threads together.





I still don't have everything sorted and put away. Here are 2 of the 3 threads I bought from Rita Cochrane as well as a spool of neon thread from Walmart. Also got these sew on glitters from Walmart - I'd been meaning to check them out for a long time. You can see I did get my hook through the holes to attach my thread. A fun thing to tat later on when I ....HA! have time. The black bag is emery dust I got from Georgia Seitz in case I ever get to make a strawberry for a pincushion!





My first class with Mark hasn't gotten too far off the ground yet. I kept making mistakes and decided to wait for another day. The next day wasn't the day, though I did give it a try. LOL! Sunday I had Sherry with her 3D dragon....I got the 1st motif done...hope I remember everything she told us to keep in mind as we finished the other parts. After lunch, I had Mark again, this time with hairpin lace as a base for a motif and I've done hairpin lace before so that went a little easier, except I had my pins too far apart. I can still do something with it but I wanted the smaller ones so I made another one. Later that night I finished the first motif. This is repeated 3 times along with a center and all are joined together to go over a fabric bag. Mark's was very pretty. I re-tatted my center a bit differently. The 1st one looked ratty and I cut it out. The new one is joined somewhat differently. Mark's has a lot of free loops but I joined all of mine.

Photos of people will have to wait. They were on my other camera because the digital one didn't work when I first got it out. I took the other film in to be processed today.

Wanna See What I Bought?

I wanted to show 2 of my tea-for-ones but my digital camera is not cooperatng. It's only gotten contrary since I got home. Fortunately. Maybe it will work before the evening is over. I actually took 2 pics but it didn't transfer and now it won't work...says "system error," whatever that means. Maybe it means "go buy a new camera." LOL! I really wanted to buy one of those small webcams that would also take still photos but I couldn't justify it. My camera is fine - just already outmoded. I bought it right before I went to Hopie's two years ago. I've never been completely happy with it...but I'm gonna be pissed if it dies now when it could have died before I went to Oz and I woulda had my justification to buy a new one! Actually, now that I think about it - it didn't work right while I was there. There were several photos taken at the Lone Pine Sanctuary that did not show up in the download. I had a wonderful one of Garryck petting kangaroos and I know he snapped one of me doing the same. There were several of the emus....not one was downloaded...so evidently, the camera was malfunctioning. It's hard to tell when it clicks in broad daylight, but I could have sworn I checked the one of Garryck petting the kangaroo and I commented on how good it was so I was VERY disappointed when it wasn't there.

It's working now...so I guess it just needs to rest periodically. LOL!


First I'll show you some of my new tea infusers that I bought at the The Tea Centre. I first noticed a duck on someone's blog and I emailed and asked where she got it. So when I found out it was in Brisbane, I was sure I would go there. I managed to get the duck from another source by mailorder but I couldn't remember, once I got there, if I had actually bought it, so I bought another one. I also got the lovely butterfly and sweet bunny and a teapot shaped that I didn't already have....and one that I did have. The tea-for-one that I bought there is at work and I didn't get a photo of it yet - but it has the same shape as these, but with a Bird scene on it. There were so many there - including some collector's items way above my budget - and I had trouble picking! The two shown here were purchased elsewhere. This particular shape/style seems to be popular there. I got the bigger one at The Lace Place in the Queen Street Mall. I noticed The Lace Place was at the Fair too (now that I look at the brochure closer) and that's WHY some gifts I bought at the fair were also in this shop. LOL! I got the little tea-for-one at a fabulous shop while I was with Maureen just a few days before I left. I'll probably cover that more later but in the meantime, for Aussies....this is Shirley Hagens' Classy Crafts and she has 2 locations, Sandgate Arcade on 2nd Avenue and at 37 Hall Street, Chermside. That's where I got my orange Coates thread too. She had several of these miniature tea-for-ones...and my luggage was already stuffed to the gills...but I couldn't resist. I didn't have any quite this small.

Oh, now this is interesting....a flyer in my bag from Shirley's advertises a Christmas Craft Fair sponsored by the Hendra Nundah Ladies Bowls Club at the Club's Function Room at 25 Lethern St, Hendra. It's THIS weekend folks, November 13, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and includes over 20 craft stalls ( I bet Shirley is one of them) AND it says it includes a Devonshire Tea AND "a clairvoyant will be available for readings during the day."

I'm not having any luck electronically today. When I tried using the auto download on this, where it allows text to roll around the photos...it won't work. So I have to do the manual html thing again.

Well, I won't show EVERYTHING I bought today, but I am showing the stuff I got at the Fair in addition to the tea-for-ones. I also bought a tea book and a tea spoon at the Tea Centre and I was going to go back and get some tea...but I didn't make it there again.

Here are the beads I bought at the fair. The bugle beads came from somewhere else.
And the thread from the fair. I'll show the AIDA later. The pincushion is for me. I would have liked it in different colors but this was the only one there.

Okay, that's it about Australia for tonight. More later. I have photos to edit...so I'm doing them as I go and the next batch will be numerous. I won't show them all here, of course. In the past few days, I've been working on a project sponsored by Karey Solomon in her latest Tatting Times Publication, which was waiting for me when I got home. This is the Heirloom Replacement Project/Katrina Ornament. Karey gave us the instruction for a one round beaded ornament which will be distributed by another group to those who lost all of their possessions - including holiday decorations. This cute and informative tatting booklet comes out quarterly and is only $14.00 per year. This was the last one for the quarter. If you would like to get next years', send subscription mail info and payment to: Tatting Times, P.O. Box 9, Hector, NY, 14841. I would love to do this myself, but I don't think I could come up with enough ideas even for one quarterly issue. I suppose I could do a representation of this blog on a quarterly basis - the best of the blog. LOL!

Dibs and Dabs

If you knit or crochet or use yarn in crafts, you'll enjoy this site with tons of free patterns.

I was originally drawn to it by a link showing chenille yarn wrapped around a template to create a plush picture frame and in pursuing the links on that page, found this pattern for Crocheted "Heavy Metal" Collar, Belt and Gauntlets. For some reason I find this hilarious.

I also found a headband to knit from the "eyelash yarn". It's the 1st eyelash yarn thing that has really appealed to me to make. Think I can do it in time for my granddaughter's upcoming birthday? I think so - it's quick and easy and I've got a few weeks yet.

Giggle for the day: Dustbunny Facts

Dustbunny Social Life

Dust Bunnies are very prolific. There is no such thing as ONE Dust Bunny. Left to their own vices, dustbunnies will reproduce at alarming rates.

Dustbunnies like to use stereo-systems as their own personal Singles Clubs. Dancing usually takes place on the older models with a LP turntable, as the laser show of the CD drives have been linked to Fur Cancer in studies conducted at DBU.

Believe it or not DISCO is still their favorite music. If you find any dancing on the head of you needle, please remove gently and place off to the side so they can catch their breath.

The page also includes: Where to Find Them, Dustbunny Care, Dustbunny Defenses, and Making Your Home Dustbunny Friendly.

I started writing this yesterday but had to abandon it. Today I found some tatting on a crazy quilt tea cozy.

My work desk is a little more organized - though I have 4 slim piles to find a place for yet. I may need to reorganize my hanging file drawer - a chore for tomorrow.

I started my button project last night. Nothing like waiting until almost the last minute....but it took me awhile to decide for certain what I wanted to make that fit the personality of the receiver. I've actually done one version and am on the next one now. Unfortunately, I will be somewhere tonight and tomorrow night too, so I may end up tatting in the wee hours of the morning to get it out by Friday! Actually, I can take it with me tomorrow night - scrapbooking at my sister's. I still don't have my pictures sorted so I can't start scrapping.


Sheridan, from Sydney, Australia, has tatted this lovely Garden Path edging by Pam Palmer as trim for a lampshade. Isn't that clever?

And Nell pointed out this link to a "bobbinlace" fence! Now where can I put up a fence and who can make it for me????