Miscellaneous Tatting and Update on Luther’s Rose Pattern

I’ve done it again, haven’t I? It’s been several weeks since I last posted. It’s not that I don’t have things to post about, it’s just getting time and pictures to do it.

I’ll start with the Luther’s Rose pattern I promised. Do you know how much harder it is to diagram and write out a pattern than it is to just tat it? I’ve been working on it and it seems to keep getting longer and longer. I even took my computer with me on a trip just so I could work on this pattern. And it still isn’t done! It didn’t help that I had a bad attack of allergies while we were gone, making it hard to concentrate. Now that we are home again I’ve made a lot of progress but still have a bit to go. And I have not reviewed it to find mistakes! I have the cross, the heart, and the white rose parts diagrammed and, I think, tat-able. If anyone would like to get started on it to have it done by Reformation, and don’t mind taking a chance on the pattern, email me. (wandasknottythoughts (at) gmail.com)

We’ve been traveling quite a bit lately. My last post was right after we got back from Branson, Missouri. A week after we got home from there we went to Colorado to visit our daughter and take her dog back. They moved at the start of September and it was easier for us to keep her dog until they got into their house. After a month we took the dog to their new home and stayed a week with them. This is where I had the allergy attack. I am allergic to their male cat. I don’t have much trouble unless I pet him and then don’t wash my hands right away. The good news is that I had time to tat in the car on the drive, which is about nine hours each way, as well as the trip to and from Branson.

Bookmarks on wandasknottythoughts
Bookmarks

My other daughter, who still lives close by, requested more bookmarks. These paperclip bookmarks are easy to do while riding in the car. I don’t have to try and keep track of where I am in a pattern, which is great. My daughter still wants more, but this was a great start.

I also started on snowflakes for Christmas while we were traveling. I’m not fond of tatting with white while not at home due to the chances of it getting dirty, but I did it anyway. I have plans for small snowflakes this year and need quite a few. I wasn’t following any patterns, just making easy ones.

On a more serious note, have you read Jane Eborall’s post of October 14, 2024, on her ‘Tatting and Not a Lot Else’ blog? She found several “tatting” books that are awful. I’ve been hearing about a lot of fakes out there that are possibly made with AI or people stealing other’s work. I highly recommend that you use caution when buying any new craft books of any kind.

Besides hoping to get the pattern finished, I hope to have pictures of some of the other tatting that I’ve been doing ready soon. And to post faster!

“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” George Santayana

Last-Minute Gift – Again

I didn’t plan on it being a last-minute anything, but I just didn’t get on it fast enough – again. I had the ideas and I still didn’t get to it in time. But I did get it done on time.

Once a month, other than a couple of months in the summer, there is a Bingo game put on by the American Legion Auxiliary which my sister is a member of. The entry is a white elephant gift, usually a bit nicer than I think of as a white elephant gift. I decided to take a bottle decorated with tatting. I had a month to do it and I did it on the day of.

Kitty on a bottle gift on wandaskottythoughts
Kitty on a bottle gift

I used my Button Kitty pattern for this, with a few modifications; beads for the eyes and nose, and a couple of extra rings. I used Lizbeth #HH10696 Autumn Orange Med with a 3/4″ (7/8th”?) 4-hole button, the beads are 8/0. The kitty looked a little lonely there by itself, but a few flowers made it look less lonely.

Kitty on a Bottle side on wandasknottythoughts
Kitty on a Bottle side

On one side I added this flower, made in Lizbeth HH20695 Bright Orange on a 1/2″ 4-hole button. It’s a simple ring and chain pattern. A doodled leaf in Lizbeth HH20684 Leaf Green Med helped sell it as a flower.

Kitty on a bottle other side on wandasknottythoughts
Kitty on a bottle other side

The flower on the other side of the kitty is made of HH20695 and HH20696 on a 1/2″ 4-hole button, also with a simple ring and chain pattern. I added two leaves on this side, the same pattern as the other.

I liked how this came out on the burlap wrapped around a Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce bottle. Looking at the picture – after it was given away – I should have put several rounds of jute around the top of the burlap. I think it would have given it a more finished look.

I finished the gift with a bunch of fake sunflowers to make it a vase. When the gift was won and opened there was quite a conversation about tatting among the attendees. That is always a win.

I haven’t finished the Luther’s Rose pattern yet. We took a little vacation, which put me behind on the pattern. My plan at the moment is to work hard on it this week. Maybe I can finish it by the weekend? I’ll try!

“Each day provides its own gifts.” Marcus Aurelius

Luther’s Rose 2024

In October of 2017 I shared my version of Martin Luther’s Rose. Martin Luther designed the seal on or about 1530 to represent his theology. It is commonly used to represent the Lutheran church.

Luther Rose 2017 on wandasknottythoughts
Luther Rose 2017

I was on a short timeline when I made this. I speak about my motivation in my post “Luther’s Rose” from 2017. I mentioned I would like to make it again but with a few changes. I started thinking about it again a few weeks ago. I started writing out the pattern as I had made it then, but decided now would be a great time to make a few of the changes I had thought about back then.

The cross is the same as I made it seven years ago – but I am thinking about modifying it slightly. Maybe. It is done in Lizbeth black HH20604. This is an easy cross to make and writing out and diagramming the pattern didn’t take long.

The heart is almost the same as it was originally, just with a different stitch count to make it slightly bigger. I haven’t finished diagramming it yet, but it shouldn’t take long. There are several heart patterns out there that are similar, but I don’t think they are quite the same. I made it in the same color as last time, in Lizbeth Christmas Red HH20671.

The white rose part is where I started to make changes. I thought before that the petals were not defined enough. They are this time! I used Lizbeth Snow White HH20601.

After changing so much of the rose I needed to make changes to the leaves. I used Lizbeth Kelly Green HH20713. This is a brighter green than what I used last time. And they look a lot more like leaves.

Making such changes to the center, the blue rounds definitely needed to be updated. It took some time to figure out how to fill in the open spaces around the petals and the leaves and leave it smooth enough to have the gold rounds look round. By the time I reached the blue rounds I was so excited with how it was working out that I spent too much of my time on it instead of things around the house that needed doing. I should have posted Monday, but I was too intent on this! The blue is Lizbeth HH20707 Sky Blue Dark, and I think it’s the same as I used before.

When I reached the outside gold rounds I was on a roll! These rounds are easy, as they are chains only, but being the outside, they seemed to take forever! I almost stopped at two rounds of gold, but the third round gave it a much more finished look. I used Lizbeth Harvest Gold HH20699. (The picture of it on the Handy Hands site looks greenish – it is not! Maybe it’s my computer?)

Luther's Rose 2024 on wandasknottythoughts
Luther’s Rose 2024

Now I need to diagram it and get it ready to publish. I had hoped to have it done by the beginning of September, but obviously that didn’t happen. If I do it right, it should have a lot of copy and paste. Easy, right? That remains to be seen.

What do you think? Is this an upgrade or not?

Jack has been back in the shop making more shuttles, walnut this time. They are sooooo pretty! He just keeps getting better and better! I’ll share them next time.

“Symbols are powerful because they are the visible signs of invisible realities.” Saint Augustine

More Shuttles by Jack

My husband, Jack, is back in the work shop. He’s back to making more beautiful shuttles.

Jack found a cow horn in the garage that belonged to his dad. How long his dad had it or where he got it is unknown, but it’s been in our garage for awhile now. About a month ago Jack decided to make a horn shuttle out of it.

Horn shuttle bottom view on wandasknottythoughts
Horn shuttle bottom view

Jack watched several videos on YouTube to see how to work with horn as it’s a bit different than wood. The imperfections in the horn react differently than those in wood.

Top view of large horn shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Top view of large horn shuttle

This shuttle is 3.24 inches long and 1 inch wide. He buffed this out to give it a sheen and make it smooth. I have decided that I will only use this while I’m sitting comfortably at home and use it only on projects done at home. No taking this baby somewhere I might drop it on a hard service!

Side view of large horn shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Side view of large horn shuttle

You can see that the wood post is pretty short, but it will hold a nice amount of thread. He got the points just right to hold the thread in without unwinding when the shuttle is dropped to unwind a twist, but easy to wind the thread on.

There was plenty of horn left to make a second shuttle. Jack was experimenting with the material and things didn’t go quite as expected. The next shuttle blade he made was much smaller than he planned. I said give it a try anyway, see what you can do with it even if it’s a small shuttle.

Bottom view of small horn shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Bottom view of small horn shuttle

Jack used the small piece for the bottom of the next shuttle. It’s interesting that the little divit in the small blade is in the right spot to give the thumb just a little bit of grip. This piece is 2 inches long and .75 inches wide.

Top view of small horn shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Top view of small horn shuttle

The top blade of the shuttle is 2.5 inches long and .875 inches wide. The shuttle looks better in person and feels wonderful!

Side view of small horn shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Side view of small horn shuttle

The wood post in this one is taller than the post of the larger shuttle. It’s placed in the location that best fits the curve of the two blades. I thought it might not tat well with the ‘overbite’ of the top blade, but it tats soooo nice.

Jack has also been making more wood shuttles. He finished another one out of redbud that is gorgeous!

Top view of redbud shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Top view of redbud shuttle

Who knew that redbud wood was so beautiful? All of the shuttles he’s made with it have been amazing. This one is his best one yet. It is 2.75 inches long and .75 inches wide. He made this one with an ‘overbite’ on purpose.

Side view of redbud shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Side view of redbud shuttle

Jack was able to center the post better on this one. This shuttle feels so smooth and light! I just like to hold it and feel it.

Bottom view of redbud shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Bottom view of redbud shuttle

Isn’t it pretty?

Jack has two walnut shuttles almost done in the shop. I am looking forward to trying them.

There was a bit of a delay on finishing the Luther’s Rose pattern. My youngest daughter is moving for her work this weekend. We all thought it was going to be the end of September, not the beginning. My older daughter wanted to give her and the family a going away party, which had to be this weekend instead of in three weeks like we were thinking. I’m the closest to the party location, I don’t have any kids in school, and I’m retired, so I’m the one that did a lot of the planning and decoration making. With a short timeline other things got pushed back. I’ll have more time for the pattern again now.

I’ve also been tatting a few small snowflakes. They are easy and small, a little seed to get me in the mood for tatting for the Christmas season. I can’t believe how little time there is left to make everything I want to do! So now I’m busy again.

“The workshop to me always means great atmosphere, working, smell of wood, dust and, at the end of the day, you’ve created something.” David Linley

Goodies from Tat Days 2024

My husband is an enabler. During the auction at Tat Days he would buy me anything I showed an interest in if I let him. I pretty much have to put a leaseh on him to stop him. This year I looked over the auction items before it started and told him what I would like to bid on. And I still came home with more than I expected.

Tatting Shuttles book on wandasknottythoughts
Tatting Shuttles book

I love collecting shuttles and seeing what is out there that I don’t have, and in some cases, maybe I have. There are some lovely shuttles in here, and a lot of information about them. I am very happy that we won the bid on this one!

Tatting Treats Three on wandasknottythoughts
Tatting Treats Three

Here’s another of Pam Palmer’s books, this time with patterns not shuttles. I’ve thought about buying this book several times over the years, but never did. I didn’t want to pass up the oportunity to get it now. The way these patterns are shown in blue on a white background reminds me of china patterns which I find beautiful. The patterns here look good, too!

Ring of Tatters newsletter on wandasknottythoughts
Ring of Tatters newsletter

There were two Ring of Tatters newsletters that I wanted, both with a tree on the cover. This tree is fall/autumn, the other was spring. The other one had articles in it that made it very sought after. I think Gina Brummett’s obituary is in it, and a picture of several people that were currently attending Tat Days. I was happy to let someone else purchase that one and I get this one.

Piecework magazine on wandasknottythoughts
Piecework magazine

I love the pincushion on this one! One day I may even make it!

Flower up Your Life on wandasknottythoughts
Flower up Your Life

This book is quite rare. Lisa sent it to M. Leigh Martin from Something Under The Bed to find out what she could about it. If you haven’t visited Leigh’s page, I highly recommend it. Good stuff! I have not yet taken the wrapper off to look throught it. I want to have plenty of time and a clean space on my table before I do.

Georgia Seitz small quilt on wandasknottythoughts
Georgia Seitz small quilt

I didn’t really want this, but no-one was bidding on it I believe this is a small quilt done to raise money for the Palmetto scholarship a few years ago, organized by Georgia Seitz (??) I have it hanging over a spot on the wall that needs repair. This covers it nicely.

We spent most of our money at the auction, but not all. I was looking at several of the shuttles that Middy Clark had brought. I liked one and Jack liked another. So I bought both.

Garden copper shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Garden copper shuttle

This is the one that enticed me. The flowers and colors drew my eye immediately.

Frog copper shuttle on wandasknottythoughts
Frog copper shuttle

This cute frog shuttle is the one that Jack liked. He thought I would want it because it had a long tip.

Frog shuttle tip on wandasknottythoughts
Frog shuttle tip

He knows I like the longer tip. So I am now the proud owner of two more of her beautiful shuttles.

I have been tatting – a lot – but nothing to show today. I was asked about the Luther’s Rose I did a few years ago and if the pattern was available. I have not worked on it since I made it. But Reformation Day is coming up the end of October so I thought it was a good time to return to it. I have the cross and the heart figured out and written but not yet diagrammed. The rose itself has a ways to go, due to making a few changes that I thought about after I had done it originally. I’m excited about it and am hoping to have the pattern done at least by the end of September.

“Map out your future – but do it in pencil. The road ahead is as long as you make it. Make it worth the trip.” Jon Bon Jovi

Back From Tatting Corner’s Tat Days pt. 2

It’s always so fun to go to tatting gatherings, to see old friends, make new friends, and share experiences and stories with other tatters. And then it’s over, and everyone returns home. When I get home it’s going through the many pictures I take, weeding out the bad ones (is that the floor?), trying to remember why I took that one, and remembering the moment another was taken.

A few memories from Tat Days this year:

Jack and Chuck at Tat Days on wandasknottythoughts
Jack and Chuck at Tat Days

My husband Jack and Lisa’s husband Chuck had a chance to sit and talk about shuttles and shuttle making.

Peggy Rogan, me ,and Kristina Fry on wandasknottythoughts
Peggy Rogan, me, and Kristina Fry

Kristina caught me visiting instead of tatting during Donna’s class.

Donna Denny teaching us her frog on wandasknottythoughts
Donna Pagano Denny

Donna teaching us how to make her frog.

Joy Buck on wandasknottythoughts
Joy Buck

Joy was a great teacher on her checkers-themed pattern. Many of us surprised her by taking what she saw as a beginner’s class but we saw it as a fun pattern.

Peggy Rogan with her Hare on wandasknottythoughts
Peggy Rogan with her Hare
Kay Pettyjohn with her Hare on wandasknottythoughts
Kay Pettyjohn with her Hare

Peggy and Kay finished their Hares during class.

One of my classes working on the tortoise on wandasknottythoughts
One of my classes working on the tortoise

Janet Crow, Susanne Kern, Lora McClintock, and Joy Buck during one of my tortoise classes. Lora was helping Susanne, a very new needle tatter. Thanks, Lora!

After three wonderful days of tatting and friendship, it was time to go home For me, the trip home is a time to think about new patterns and put ideas to paper so I can remember them. Sometimes I even work on, and maybe finish, projects that were started at Tat Days. This year on the way home I didn’t work on any projects started at Tat Days, I was too busy thinking of another pattern. It still has a lot of work to do, but I’m excited about how it’s going.

It is also time to start thinking about and working on Christmas things. I have a lot of ideas floating around inside my head that I hope I can bring to fruition. Maybe even by this Christmas, lol!

And, of course, what is the theme for the next Tat Days? And who all will be there?


“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” Khalil Gibran

Back From Tatting Corner’s Tat Days pt 1

We made it back from Tat Days 2024! Yes, several weeks ago. It’s amazing how busy I was even after we got back. And how lazy I got about posting!

Tat Days was fun this year, as always. I taught classes on the cruise this last fall, but this is my first time at Tat Days. The classes went well and kept me very busy. I met up with friends from other Tat Days and the cruise and made a few new ones. I was excited to see my name on the back of the shirt!

Back of T-shirt for Tat Days on wandasknottythoughts
Back of T-shirt for Tat Days

Lisa had an auction to raise money for the Animal Protection League again this year. $2323 was raised for it! This year the auction was two-fold, the APL and the new tatting scholarship fund. They were done simultaneously with the items marked for where the money would go. $1043 was raised for the scholarship fund.

Lora McClintock, Lynda Brown, and Lisa Adams on wandasknottythoughts
Lora McClintock, Lynda Brown, and Lisa Adams

Lisa was the auctioneer, with Lora and Lynda being her ‘gofers’. Lora and Lynda would take the items into the crowd so we could get a closer look before bidding on them.

Auction crown 1 on wandasknottythoughts
Auction crown (1)
Auction crowd (2) on wandasknottythoughts
Auction crowd (2)

Unfortunately, I didn’t remember to pick up my camera as Lora showed off the shawl, I was laughing too hard. I’m sure she appreciates that I didn’t pick it up! If you were there, you know what I’m referring to. If you weren’t there, you should have been! We are all looking forward to another wonderful show next year, Lora!

Several people finished the patterns I taught before the weekend was over, which is exciting to me. I’m sharing a few here, but I have more!

KayLynn Thygerson finished the tortoise on wandasknottythoughts
KayLynn Thygerson finished the tortoise

KayLynn finished her tortoise before Tat Days were over. It came out so well!

Janet Niederloh with her Hare on wandasknottythoughts
Janet Niederloh with her Hare

Janet not only finished her Hare, but it was during the class! I thought she used a smaller thread but I have been told it was size 20. She did a great job!

Me and Kristina Fry with her Hare on wandasknottythoughts
Me and Kristina Fry with her Hare

Kristina finished a Hare and a half. She pointed out a problem with my pattern and helped me correct it. Thanks so much, Kristina!

I’ve mentioned several times that my husband has been making shuttles lately. He’s been getting better and decided to take some with us to Tat Days.

Shuttles by Jack 20240711 on wandasknottythoughts
Shuttles by Jack 20240711

He donated one for the auction and sold most of the rest. He brought 12 and left with two. I think he’ll be making more!

This was another fun and exciting Tat Days. I will be sharing more pictures from it in the next several weeks. Hopefully in less than four weeks! Things have slowed down a bit here at home, but I’m working on another pattern, plus Christmas is only five months away! I’ve got a lot of tatting to do before then.

“You have the ability to choose which way you want to go. You have to believe great things are going to happen in your life. Do everything you can – prepare, pray and achieve – to make it happen.” Ben Carson

Off to Tat Days!

On Tuesday we will set out for Anderson, Indiana, for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days 2024. We’re stopping for a bit of sightseeing on the way as the classes don’t start until Thursday. This year I will be teaching two new patterns of mine. The theme is “Games Tatters Play” and my patterns are of the Great Race of the Hare and the Tortoise.

The Tortoise and the Hare on wandasknottythoughts
The Tortoise and the Hare

The tortoise is a stuffed 3D pattern. It is similar to the Sea Turtle I taught on the cruise in November, with a lot of changes. For one, Sea Turtles have fins, the Tortoise has legs and toes!

His opponent in the Race is the Hare. This hare is 2D instead of 3D, and plans on winning! It looks simple, but jumps around a lot, with a lot of reverse work and switching shuttles.

Tat Days are July 11, 12, & 13. I’m looking forward to seeing old friends, and meeting new ones!

The Hare and Tortoise patterns will be available after Tat Days.

Who will win? The fast, or the the slow and steady?

Aesop Fable “The Hare and the Tortoise”

Happy Independence Day!

Independence Day is tomorrow, July 4, but we spent yesterday evening celebrating early with our church family. We had an enjoyable evening with a potluck and fireworks. It was a lot of fun. We watched other people set off fireworks while we sat and watched.

Most years I come up with a little something done in patriotic colors. Instead, this year I’m sharing a pattern I made a few years ago. In July 2019 I decorated a white button for the 4th of July with red and blue threads. A few days ago I was asked for the pattern and realized I hadn’t written it out yet. I finally did.

Patriotic button on wandasknottythoughts
Patriotic button

It’s funny, I’m not sure what I did with the original button, but I made a new one and started a second one. One suggestion about making it: don’t do it while talking to people in a doctor’s office. This pattern uses four shuttles at a time, which can tangle if you’re not paying attention!

Patriotic Button using four shuttles on wandasknottythoughts
Patriotic Button using four shuttles

I was talking about tatting to several interested people in the office waiting area and tangled the threads several times. I should have chosen something a bit simpler to take with me.

If anyone is interested in the Patriotic Button pattern it is on My Patterns page.

I wish you all a safe 4th of July!

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” – William Faulkner

New Shuttles by Jack

My wonderful husband, Jack, has enabled my shuttle addiction over the years. He has bought me shuttles, gone hunting for shuttles at flea markets, ordered them for me online, and made them for me. He’s at it again, making more shuttles.

Shuttles by Jack on wandasknottythoughts
Shuttles by Jack June 2024

The three shuttles on the left are made from a branch that fell out of our Red Bud tree a few months ago. The branch was already dead, it was blown out of the tree before we cut it out. I told Jack I thought it would be cool to have a shuttle from it, and he did, too. I didn’t know the wood would be so pretty! The shuttle on the right is cherry wood.

Jack has one of my plastic Clover shuttles that he uses as a pattern for size and general shape. He cuts out the shape with a band saw and then uses a sander to finish the rest of it. Then he glues a post in the middle. Each one is slightly different in shape and height, making them one-of-a-kind. He is getting better and better, each one surpassing the previous one. When he’s done, he brings them to me to verify they work as expected, keeping the thread from unwinding when dropped to unwind the twist in the thread, and being smooth to wind and unwind. He’s having fun while improving the process.

He currently has three in process in the garage, and plans on making more. For all that I like them all, he is taking some with him to Tatting Corner’s Tat Days in July, to see what other tatters think of them. If you see him there, ask about them. He’d love to show them to you.

“I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning… Every day I find something creative to do with my life.” Miles Davis