I hope that you are all enjoying the day. Here in Kansas, it is an absolutely wonderful day! The temperature is a bit warm at 86º F, but the breeze is light and mild, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing!
Afternoon tatting
I have been sitting outside, enjoying the day, and tatting. It is way too nice to be inside!
A couple of days ago, while looking through a drawer of miscellaneous bits and pieces of tatting, I came across my “Milan” cross. I had thread on a couple of shuttles, so what else should I do but do it again? As I have never completed writing out and diagramming the pattern, and because it’s a different day, I did it differently than I had originally. I like it better, but now I have to adjust the pattern. It’s a nice day outside to figure it out.
Have you taken your tatting outside with you lately?
“The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.” Bernard Williams
I have heard of Camp Wanna Tat for years, but due to working full time, I never had the opportunity to even think about going. It is currently held at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp close to Kalispell, Montana, which is a long way north for me. This year I got to go!
My wonderful husband thought a trip to Montana would be fun. I asked my sister, Elaine, if she would like to go, and she said yes. So we packed the car and took off for a two-week vacation that included Camp Wanna Tat.
We had a marvelous time at Camp! The facility was wonderful, and the company was amazing. It had an easy-going atmosphere where learning and sharing tatting was entertaining and educational.
The dining hall at FLBC
The views from the camp are spectacular!
View of the lake
We had the camp almost all to ourselves for a while. The other camp visitors for the first couple of days were pretty quiet and kept to themselves.
Quiet neighbors
All of the attendees of CWT had the same class at the same time, all in one room. There were four classes, one each morning and one each afternoon. I loved them! The second class was Mad Zar Jwl’s Mini Pine Cone, taught by Deb Johnson, with permission of the author. It is challenging, but fun.
Mini Pine Cone by Mad Zar Jwl
I actually finished my pine cone during the class. On the way back to my cabin I picked up a real pine cone of similar size to compare.
Mini Pine Cone with a real coneMini Pine Cone with a Clover shuttle
This is the only project I finished while in class. I’m looking forward to finishing the other three.
We had a fantastic vacation. I’m sure I’ll share a few pictures later on.
I’m in the process of making a few changes to the blog. When I started the Word Press blog I was working, and didn’t have a problem paying for it. Now that I’m retired, I don’t have that disposable income, and the blog does not bring in any money. I have to do something different. Time will tell what that may be. I’ll keep you posted.
“You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and descriptions in the world.” William Hazlitt
Easter is less than a week away! Amazing! What is more amazing is me having an Easter pattern ready! LOL!
Tat Days Medallion EggI
I made this pattern for Easter in 2022, and posted pictures again in 2023, but never wrote it out. I’ve finally finished writing the pattern. It’s available the My Patterns page.
I’ve also made progress on the Iris Cross pattern. Not quite done, but not far off. I thought I was closer, but after testing the pattern, I compared it to the original. Oops! Not quite the same! So I did it again. Correctly, I hope!
Iris Cross bookmarks
I’ve been having trouble with my computer. I’ve had it worked on, and I’ve deleted programs I’m not using. It is somewhat better, but still gives me grief by freezing up, showing white screens, and other issues. It has slowed down my attempts to work on patterns. I wonder if it is time to get another computer?
I’ve also finished another cross bookmark made especially for a young lady’s wedding shower. I wanted to include her wedding colors, which are navy blue, dusky rose, and sage. It came out well! I’ll share later.
The weather here is spring-y, going from cool to hot, and back again. I’m tatting spring-y things, as well as Easter things. Do you have anything for Easter on your shuttles?
“When you procrastinate, you’re more likely to let your mind wander. That gives you a better chance of stumbling onto the unusual and spotting unexpected patterns.” Adam Grant
It’s spring, the season of flowers, blooming trees, and Easter. And Easter bunnies?
This time of year, a lot of us are looking for patterns of Easter eggs, bunnies, and crosses. Last year, for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days, I taught patterns for the Hare and Tortoise of race fame. It’s technically not a bunny, but it might work.
Yellow hare
This pattern looks simple, but there is a lot of turning and switching shuttles. It doesn’t take long for the pattern to go quick, like a bunny. I enjoy making them enough that I have a whole fluffle!
Fluffle of bunnies – um, husk of hares
I’ve been working on crosses and eggs, too. Hopefully, I’ll have something ready on them soon!
If you are interested in the Hare pattern, it is on My Patterns page.
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck
April 1, the day many tatters around the world tat (maybe even in public!), eat chocolate, and enjoy a beverage of choice. Though we may not be close physically, we are close in spirit, sharing our joy in tatting by doing it intentionally today, together, on International Tatting Day.
Tatting at the Y with my sister Elaine
Today, my sister, Elaine, and I tatted in the front area of the local YMCA after finishing our water exercise class. We enjoyed a few M&Ms and a beverage – she had water, and I had coffee – and tatted Muskaan’s E28 Heart, a derivative of Pattern #28 from Eleonore Endrucks’ “Die Schiffen-Spitszen’ (1920). I had seen Muskaan’s suggestion on Facebook that we should all try to tat a pattern from the Endrucks Project, #28. My sister and I had already agreed to tat there but it was to work on our current projects.
Checking the pattern
I chose two threads in size 10 and wound them on shuttles before leaving to exercise and surprised her with the idea. I brought the pattern and the shuttles, she brought the chocolate.
Happy tatting on ITD 2025
I think the spontaneity of working on this quick and fun pattern made the time spent together tatting so enjoyable. She’s only been tatting about a year, but she’s come a long way. Both of us finished our hearts within an hour.
E28 Heart by Muskaan, derived from #28 Eleonore Endrucks’ “Die Schiffen-Spitszen” 1920
I don’t always plan for ITD very far in advance. This year, I made paperclip bookmarks to give away if anyone showed interest. No one stopped by while we were tatting, so none were given away. I only had five left, anyway. I’ve been giving them away when people have talked to me about tatting for the last two weeks. At one point, I had 15. I didn’t even get a picture of all of them!
Blessings to you today! It’s a beautiful day (though a bit windy!).
My computer has been fighting with me all day as I try to make this post *sigh* So I will make this short…
I hope you had a wonderful day! And wore a bit o’ green if you were so inclined.
Shamrock earrings for St. Patrick’s Day
I made these earrings to wear for the day. They are much longer than most of my earrings, but they are fun to wear! The pattern for these Simple Shamrocks is on My Patterns page. March isn’t over yet!
Wishing you a rainbow, For sunlight after showers, And miles and miles of Irish smiles, For golden happy hours. To shamrocks at your doorway, for luck and laughter too. And a host of friends that never end, Each day your whole life through.
I have finished the pattern for ‘Hollow Heart’, the heart I shared last week. I know it’s a little late for Valentine’s Day, but it’s still February, so maybe not way too late?
Hollow Heart finished
I am happy with this heart. The pattern came together easily needing only a few tweaks to get it right. Now is the pattern written right? I hope so.
This is a small, easy pattern compared to the Iris bookmark. I’ve found if I save frequently while working on the pattern and stop if I start to have weird reactions – like not able to change something – to quit while I’m ahead. By saving frequently I don’t lose much and can start again later. The issue is probably with my computer, which I will have looked at as soon as possible. But I basically have to start the pattern over completely. This does not make me happy, but at least I think I can write it out without learning a new program. At least at the moment.
If you are interested in tatting this heart it is on My Patterns page as Hollow Heart.
Today it is crazy cold here with snow and wind. It’s hard to tell how much snow we actually got because it is blowing so bad, but we must have between five and seven inches. I am so blessed that we didn’t have to go anywhere today! The snow is over but the extreme cold will be here tomorrow yet. Today’s high was 2° with a wind chill of -14°, tomorrow morning is going to be much colder. My insulated coveralls are by the door, ready when I need them!
Are you suffering from the cold where you are? Or dealing with flooding? This is quite the winter we are having. Praying you all keep safe!
“The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.” Margaret Atwood
It’s that time of year, when we look for hearts in candy, jewelry, and patterns. If you are still looking for any, I have several heart patterns on My Patterns page: Joy’s Heart, January Heart, and Luther’s Rose Heart. I’ve made several other hearts as well, but I have not finished the patterns for all of them. I’ve always liked the tatting part more than the writing out part.
And – I’ve done another one.
Hollow Heart
I’m not quite done with this one, the stitch count is not quite right yet. And the pattern isn’t done yet, either.
When I find the correct buttons there is another heart I want to try, Karey Solomon’s Friendship heart with baby buttons. It is in the “Tatting Times” from February 2018.
Tatting Times #27
Karey was at Tatting Corner’s Tat Days in July 2024. She graciously gave me several of her Tatting Times books. I haven’t taken the time to make any of the patterns yet, but they are on my radar. The heart is calling my name. Now, where did I put those baby buttons? I know I have some!
On a sad note, I’m having trouble with the Iris Cross Bookmark. I almost had it done and my software lost part of it. My computer was giving me grief, so I ran several diagnostics on it, thinking that would fix some of the problems. I re-created the parts of the pattern that was lost, and the program lost more of it. I don’t know if I can repair the software or whether I’ll need to get a new program and learn how to use it. Until I figure that out, new or in-progress patterns are on hold.
Are you doing any hearts for Valentine’s Day?
“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.” Vincent Van Gogh
I am back to tatting, though mostly bookmarks. I have had several requests for bookmarks, not anything particular, which means I get to make whatever I want.
Simple split ring bookmark
I made this simple split-ring bookmark on request from a friend as a gift to one of her friends. Both were happy with the result. I’m glad, because I almost forgot, and this was simple enough that it didn’t take me long. I did get the color right!
January 2025 bookmark
I was contemplating what I should do for another bookmark, so I started doodling. I’m not too sure about this one, though I’ve started another similar one. I’ve changed the stitch counts and the ring counts but using a top very close to this one. I’ll see if I like it any better.
I recently realized how far behind I am in writing some of my patterns. I was asked for the pattern for the Iris Cross Bookmark. I had previously been asked about this pattern but I never finished it. So, I am back at it. My apologies for those who have been waiting.
Iris Cross Bookmark 2025
I had been debating what stitch counts I would use for it back in 2023, and I’m still debating. I guess if I’m having trouble deciding what I should make next this is as good as anything.
I was also asked about the Wine Cork Angel Wings, such as thread size, wire size, bead size. I updated the pattern on My Patterns page.
Now, back to the patterns.
“You usually have to wait for that which is worth waiting for.” Craig Bruce
A question was recently posted on my Facebook page about whether the pattern was available for buttons I had made in 2016. I had to do a bit of review on which buttons and if there was a pattern for them. The post was about tatting for International Tatting Day and the decorated buttons I had made to give away. There are actually several posts about them, but I never posted about the patterns.
Buttons from 2016
Most of the buttons from that time were variations of the same pattern. Looking through my patterns I see that I had never posted these buttons. I had written a pattern, which I found after I remade it. As someone asked about these, I have added the pattern on My Patterns page as Buttons From 2016.
I seem to be falling behind on writing out my patterns. There are also at least two patterns that I started writing out that I can’t find where I put them (what file they are in). While looking through older patterns I see where some could be improved. I’ve also got a few that I’ve written out but not shared.
Hmm, I need to get busy! How about you?
“The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.” Jonas Salk
