Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I’m a bit late to the party, but I made it! The day isn’t over yet. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Clover earrings on wandasknottythoughts
Clover earrings

I wanted a pair of green earrings for several events this week. I waited until the last minute to make any, so they couldn’t be too fancy, but I wanted something a bit more than thread. I’ve had these little keys for years, never knowing what to do with them. They looked good for these earrings. They did end up being a bit longer than what I usually wear, but I like them.

I am a member of the lady’s bible group at my church. I decided this year that I would gift each of the members a bit of tatting for their birthdays, in their birthday month. There were none in February, four in March. I was planning on making crosses for them but ran out of time. They were not disappointed with these heart paperclips, even if they weren’t crosses.

March birthday gifts on wandasknottythoughts
March birthday gifts

Of course, I forgot to take a picture before giving any away. I did remember before I gave them all away. Too bad it’s a bit out of focus.

The weather here is mostly warm, trees and flowers are starting to bloom. Now we are expecting a hard frost… My poor apple tree.

“I don’t want to brag or make anybody jealous, but…I can still fit into the earrings I wore in high school.” author unknown

February Tatting

You know how life keeps happening? You go about your normal business and other things sidetrack you. Recently a young relative went through a sad event and I’m planning a sympathy package to send them as we are too far away to visit. We’ve also been invited to a wedding of some friends, which means a gift is needed. Emotional opposite ends of the happiness spectrum, right? It’s amazing how tatting can fit into both gifts.

I usually make cross bookmarks for sympathy gifts. My “Graduation Cross Bookmark” is simple and quick but still looks good. I started with that, then had an idea.

Green Graduation cross with edging on wandasknottythoughts
Green Graduation cross with edging

Lime Green (Lizbeth #679) isn’t usually a color I think of for a sympathy gift, but it was on my shuttles from a different project. Though the green was size 20 I didn’t have any size 20 handy that looked even close to good with it, so I used a size 10 in Ocean Teal Dark (Lizbeth #65). I played around with stitch counts and developed this edging around the cross. I liked it, so I made one in the colors I had wanted to make it in.

Blue Graduation cross with edging on wandasknottythoughts
Blue Graduation cross with edging

The center of this cross is Country Turquoise Lt (Lizbeth #660) (I think! – I lost the label) in size 20, and the outside is River Blue Dark (Lizbeth #709) in size 10. I finished the edging, cut and hid the ends, and THEN noticed I goofed on the last chain. I’m pretty confident I can fix it without much trouble, but, we’ll see. I think it looks good otherwise.

I had to think a bit to come up with a wedding gift. Then I remembered that a while ago the bride and I were looking at tatting online when she saw one of the doves from Frivolite con sabor and loved it, so I purchased the “Dove of Peace” pattern. I have completed one dove and plan to make another, then frame them to give as a wedding gift.

'Dove of Peace' by Frivolite con sabor on wandasknottythoughts
‘Dove of Peace’ by Frivolite con sabor

This is a lovely pattern, and not hard to do, I just had to pay attention! This will be a lovely gift! The pattern is on Frivolite con sabor’s Etsy shop.

At the beginning of February, it occurred to me that Valentine’s Day was coming up. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for Valentine’s Day, but I wanted to do something, so I started making several of my “January Heart”. I added them to a can for a touch of room decor, but what else to do? I thought it would be fun to have a pin to wear.

"January Heart" pin on wandasknottythoughts
“January Heart” pin

These hearts were tatted and then joined together with a bit of thread. You can see how fancy this pin ended up with that bare safety pin. LOL! It goes on and off of my shirt or jacket easily! I might make it a bit fancier for next year, but it worked for now.

Besides all this tatting, I’m staying on task writing out several patterns. I’m working on how to diagram a particular tatting technique. It’s quite challenging but also rewarding. I’m almost done with one, yay! 😊

“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” David Viscott

Shuttles From My Husband

Over the years I have mentioned that I have a wonderful husband. He recently surprised me again with a couple of new shuttles he made. Not for any special occasion, just because he knows how much I like shuttles!

Oak shuttle front on wandasknottythoughts
Oak shuttle front

This is made of oak. We have several pieces of oak handrails which were removed from a local hospital when they made improvements. He randomly will make something from the wood when he’s feeling inspired. That day, he made a shuttle for me.

Oak shuttle post on wandasknottythoughts
Oak shuttle post

I love the look and feel of this shuttle! It tats beautifully!

Cherry shuttle back on wandasknottythoughts
Cherry shuttle back

My husband found a pretty piece of wood in the scrap pile. He’s not sure what it is but believes it may be cherry.

Cherry shuttle front on wandasknottythoughts
Cherry shuttle front

We may not know the type of wood it is, but it makes a gorgeous shuttle! It also tats very nice. I love working with it.

As he was in the mood to work with shuttles, I brought him the shuttle he made me way back in 2009. I love that he made me this shuttle, but it was so thick I didn’t really care to use it much. I asked if he could thin it down a bit.

2009 Oak shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
2009 Oak shuttle

He did a great job! Unfortunately, thinning it down removed the carving of the date from one side and my initials from the other. I’m thinking of ways the dates can be added back to this shuttle and the others as well.

Back of 2009 oak shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Back of 2009 oak shuttle

He made the tips on this shuttle a bit different from the others, with one blade shorter than the other. I do like how this loads thread better, but not enough to complain about the others! All of them feel good in my hands. I’ve found my favorite shuttles!

While he was in the woodworking mood he made another piece out of oak. This was done on our CNC machine.

Oak sun on wandasknottythoughts
Oak sun

May the sun shine on you to aid in your tatting adventures!

New Shuttles

Over the last few months, I have acquired several new shuttles. Four of them are from Middy Clark, of The Knotted Vine. If you haven’t seen her work, please check them out! They are beautiful!

Tatting Corner Cruise 2023 cruise shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Tatting Corner Cruise 2023 cruise shuttle
Knotical Adentures 2023 shuttle, back on wandasknottythoughts
Knotical Adventures 2023 shuttle, back

This is the one that Maddy made for the Tatting Corner cruise this summer. Isn’t it beautiful? It tats beautifully, as well.

Celtic Silver Plate Brass Shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Celtic Silver Plate Brass Shuttle

This Celtic shuttle is one that I bought from Middy on the cruise. She had brought shuttles with her to sell specifically to those of us cruisers. I haven’t tatted with it yet, but it feels wonderful.

Holiday brass shuttle on wandasknottythougths
Holiday brass shut

Middly also had several blades for unfinished shuttles. She was offering them to fellow cruisers, to be sent to us after the cruise. I found a couple that spoke to me 🙂 I like this seasonal shuttle. It has the same pattern on the other side as well.

Dragon shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Dragon shuttle

This dragon shuttle is fantastic, isn’t it? I don’t know how Middly does this, but it’s great. If my daughter tatted, she’d be jealous of this one. This one tats as nice as the Ship one. The back of this one does not have the dragon on it.

The Knotted Vine shuttles on wandasknottythoughts
The Knotted Vine shuttles

I do not get any compensation for mentioning of The Knotted Vine.

I’m still working on patterns for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days this summer. They are about ready to go to the test tatters. Every once in a while, I have to take a break from this or my eyes will cross. I tatted The Tatting Lace Crown by 1001 Nós Frivolité.

Tatting Lace Crown on wandasknottythoughts
Tatting Lace Crown by 1001 Lós Frivolité

I made this with size 10 Lizbeth thread that was left on the shuttle. This worked up quick and easy. It’s very cute. She posted this pattern on Facebook if you’d like to give it a try.

As I tat, both getting ready for Tat Days, and little side projects, I have several beautiful shuttles to choose from. Such hard choices!

“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” Jim Elliot

Jubilee Square and Mat

Believe it or not, I finished the pattern! But I had to finish tatting the mat before I published it.

Jubilee mat tatting the edging on wandasknottythoughts
Jubilee mat tatting the edging

This is in Lizbeth thread HH20-601 white in size 20 and measures 5 1/2 inches across. I must have measured it wrong when I did it in 2018 because I got the same dimensions this time!

Jubilee mat 2024 on wandasknottythoughts
Jubilee mat 2018
Jubilee mat 2024 with clover on wandasknottythoughts
Jubilee mat 2024 with clover

The square mat that I did in 2018 measured 5 1/2 inches across (with the edging). The 2024 mat measures just over 5 1/2 inches. They are made with different thread brands, the 2018 in DMC size 30. You can see there is a bit of a size difference.

I’ve had fun working on this, in between doing a few other patterns. Two patterns are for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days this summer. You’ll have to come to see them – or wait until Tat Days are over. The pattern for Jubilee Square and Mat is up on My Patterns page. Thank you, Kristina Fry, for test-tatting it for me!

Enjoy the pattern!

“Procrastination gives you time to consider divergent ideas, to think in nonlinear ways, to make unexpected leaps.” Adam Grant

2024, A New Year

2024 is here, and it has been cold! And snowy! We’ve had more snow this winter than we’ve had in the entire two previous winters. Now, like most of the country, it is very cold! The thermometer reads 1º F but the windchill is currently -22º F. I think I’ll stay inside. I am glad that my dog doesn’t mind the cold.

Bonnie in the snow on wandasknottythoughts
Bonnie in the snow

Bonnie is a Corgi/Border Collie mix. She’s a bit taller than a Pembroke Corgi but still has pretty short legs. Getting around in the snow has been a bit of a challenge. She likes it, though.

While staying in the house, I’ve gotten quite a bit of tatting done. I’m working on a couple of patterns I submitted to Lisa Adams at Tatting Corner for her Tat Days in July. They are coming along nicely.

I’ve also been working on writing out the pattern for a square I did back in 2018. It’s been test-tatted but I haven’t quite finished the corrections yet.

Jubilee Square on wandasknottythoughts
Jubilee Square

The previously unnamed square is now Jubilee Square. When joined to other squares it makes a lovely mat. That will also be on the published pattern.

There are several January birthdays that I wanted to recognize with a gift, so made them cross bookmarks. The pattern for the Graduation Bookmark is on ‘My Patterns’ page.

Three Graduation Bookmarks on wandasknottythoughs
Three Graduation Bookmarks

I’ve also been working on improving my tatting. I recently purchased a Clover Picot Comb so I can make even picots, especially long ones. I’m enjoying this gauge better than I have any other gauge I’ve tried. It’s actually kind of fun. Not that I’ll use it all the time, but when a gauge is needed, this will be my choice.

Using a picot comb on wandasknottythoughts
Using a picot comb

I’ve also been playing with different tatting techniques. Natalie Rogers, on her Tat Your Own Adventures FaceBook page, has put out a tatting-related Bingo game with a PICOT card (instead of BINGO). There are several techniques on it that I have done before but could stand to review and practice. There are also a few that I’ve not done, including the Vapour (or vapor) stitch. I am so glad there are YouTube videos!

Vapour stitch practice on wandasknottythoughts
Vapour stitch practice

Trying new stitches opens up possibilities for pattern ideas. Thanks, Natalie, for the game!

(There are no links in this post, I receive nothing for mentioning products or services.)

I would have had this post done yesterday but I was way-laid by a book I started. I have to limit the books I read as I have a hard time putting them down until they are finished. Maybe it would be different if they were studious type books, of history, or of learning, but I mostly read stories that entertain me. Which isn’t bad, unless I don’t put them down. The worst of it is that reading a book keeps me from tatting. I do have audiobooks, but there is nothing quite like words on a page.

Do you have tatting plans for the new year? Any books you want to read?

“When you lose yourself in a book the hours grow wings and fly.”— Chloe Thurlow

An Ornament for Christmas

Did you all have a merry Christmas? We have had a wonderful Christmas season. We’ve seen a lot of family and friends and created wonderful memories. We even had a bit of snow!

I was able to make as many of my Christmas ornaments for this year as I needed and in plenty of time. Amazing! I didn’t even feel rushed this year. In fact, I got through most of December without feeling pressured, which is pretty amazing. I almost always leave things to the last minute and then feel stressed and anxious. This year I got the gifts purchased early and had the house in good shape for company before the day of the get-togethers. What a wonderful feeling!

My Christmas ornament for 2023 involved beads again. Some were even the same ones! I am very happy with these.

2023 Christmas ornament snowman on wandasknottythoughts
Christmas ornament 2023 with Snowman

These snowman beads were used in the original attempt for ornaments this year. This time the tatting was a bit quicker and the ornaments did not use the bangle bracelets or anything else under the tatting. This made them easier to tat on the go, which I did quite a bit.

I have a variety of beads that I used for these. I made ornaments specific to several family member’s likes. Cats, dogs, penguins, and owls.

2023 Christmas ornament with penguin on wandasknottythoughts
Christmas ornament 2023 with penguin

I went through several versions before I settled on my final ornament style. They all were given away – the people receiving them didn’t know I changed my mind! I even did a few that weren’t white.

2023 Christmas ornaments with owls on wandasknottythoughts
Christmas ornament 2023 with owls

I made all of the ornaments in size 10 thread so they were big enough and sturdy enough for the beads. I also used Balanced Double Stitches (BDS) for the chains. I had learned this stitch a long time ago but never incorporated it in my tatting before. Then I did a few patterns from Mike Lyon, the Shuttle Commander, and now I seem to use them a lot! Thanks, Mike, for showing me how well they can work in a pattern.

Speaking of patterns, I have finished the pattern for this year’s ornament. For any of you who are interested in trying it, I have added it to My Patterns page (Christmas Ornament 2023).

In a few more days we will say goodbye to the year 2023 and hello to 2024. Are you ready?

“The light of the Christmas star to you. The warmth of home and hearth to you. The cheer and goodwill of friends to you.” Sherryl Woods, An O’Brien Family Christmas

A Little Tatting for Christmas

Christmas is only days away! Are you done with all your Christmas tatting? I have one more ornament to finish. The good news, it doesn’t take long. I’ve not only been doing tatting for friends and family, I’ve been doing a bit for me, too.

Snowflake 2010 on wandasknottythoughts
Snowflake 2010

This is my Snowflake 2010. I only tatted this to get the thread off the shuttles. I needed shuttles to tat with size 10 white and this is size 20 white. Yes, I have other shuttles, but these shuttles were right there, I might as well use them, right? You can never have too many snowflakes.

Christmas tree earrings on wandasknottythoughts
Christmas tree earrings

I have a Christmas shirt that is not a traditional Christmas color and I needed a pair of earrings to go with it. I used Lizbeth thread LizMetallic 323, Christmas Green, to make me a quick pair. These trees don’t take long to make and they are shiny and festive. They worked well with my shirt.

Both of these patterns can be found on My Patterns page here.

I’m finishing up my tatting for Christmas, what about you?

Wishing all of you a wonderful and merry Christmas.

“Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.” – Deborah Whipp

It’s Christmas Time

It’s hard to believe Christmas is less than two weeks away. It seems like Thanksgiving was just the other day! I have been busy tatting, but time seems so short! Will I get everything done in time?

Every year I try to make a special ornament for family and close friends. I don’t usually think what they will be until I pick up the shuttles to start. This year I had a vague idea several months ago. I had found some cute beads at JoAnn’s that I just knew would look good in a Christmas ornament, I just didn’t quite know how. I tried a few things.

2023 Christmas ornament 1 on wandasknottythoughts
2023 Christmas ornament 1 try

This ornament is on a bangle bracelet. It is made with size 10 white thread and size 6/0 clear beads. The snowman almost looks like it’s in a snow globe, don’t you think? I like the look, but it took longer to make than I was happy with. I gave it away in a gift exchange with our women’s group at church.

I tried again using a bangle bracelet. It is also made with size 10 white thread and 6/0 clear beads. Without the ribbons, I wasn’t that excited about it, with the ribbons I was much happier. I gave this one to my mom.

Bangle Christmas ornament for Mom on wandasknottythoughts
Bangle Christmas ornament for Mom

Neither of these has become this season’s ornament. I’ve been working on what I have decided to be the ornament of the year but I’m not sharing that until I have given them out. And I still have a few to go.

The other day before I went to the party for the ladies at church, I realized I didn’t have a pair of earrings that I wanted to wear. I decided to make a simple pair.

Christmas earrings on wandasknottythouoghts
Christmas earrings

They are not elaborate but still festive and went with the clothes I was wearing. I just love that a few minutes with a shuttle, thread, and a few beads left me with a cute pair of earrings. These are made with size 20 white and little red beads, 10/0 (?). A lovely little gift I gave myself.

I am leaving a gift for you, too. The pattern for the Compass Rose has been added to the My Patterns page.

Will I get everything done in time? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m going to enjoy the doing and not worry about the time. It’s a self-imposed goal anyway. I think I’ll relish the season instead of stressing about it.

What are you tatting for Christmas?

“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things, not the great occasions, give off the greatest glow of happiness.” — Bob Hope