Author: wandasknottythoughts@gmail.com

Branson Vacation

Yes, I was traveling again, this time to Branson, Missouri with my sister. My husband doesn’t have as many days of vacation as I do so he had to stay home, making this a girls only trip. We had so much fun! My sister had ordered tickets for several things ahead of time, which meant that on the Showboat we had front row seats and for the Scenic Railway we were some of the very first to board. The days we went to Silver Dollar City were very nice temperature wise – we went Friday and Saturday mornings, the next day was hot and muggy by 8:00 AM. We didn’t have time to do nearly everything we would have liked to do, but we did do almost all the things we talked of doing. The one thing we didn’t do was get a tin type photo. The one evening we had the best opportunity we were hot and sweaty and I didn’t feel like it at all. But we are talking of doing it again in a year or two, maybe making it a family trip with all the kids and grandkids, so maybe we’ll get our pictures then.

I made sure I did some tipping (tatting-in-public) while we were there – okay, I wanted some pictures, too: ) This picture is while we were on the Branson Scenic Railroad, taken while we waited for the train to load. I actually did quite a bit of tatting on the train on the way back to the station. I had some very interested people watching me, none of them having seen shuttle tatting done before. I was quite happy to talk to them about one of my most favorite subjects.

We also found a quiet spot to take this picture at Silver Dollar City, which is an attraction just outside of Branson. Though there are a lot of amusement rides there, my sister and I went for the handcraft demonstrations and items there. We were a bit disappointed how few artisans we actually found on-site. After talking to some of the shop people there we found that the only time there are a lot more crafters is during their National Harvest Festival. We’d like to try to go back for that, but it won’t be this year.
As I mentioned, I did get some tatting done. It’s about a six-hour drive from where I live to Branson, Mo. – that’s not counting any stops you might make. As we weren’t in a hurry we made a few stops at places that interested us, so it took us closer to seven hours. I started on a bookmark on the way down – I made it long enough to make a bracelet but I had taken out all the findings from my tatting bag – and finished shortly after we got home. I ran out of thread right at the end and couldn’t make both ends the same without adding some to the shuttles, which I didn’t want to do. So I played around with it, finally settling on a tail/tassel using macramé.

We had a great time the entire trip. There is a lot I’ll be sharing with you in the coming weeks. Today I downloaded all the pictures from my camera while sipping my iced tea, which was just green tea with little Mango Peach MIO. Sipping my tea and finishing my bookmark is the only tatting I’ll be getting done today for Tatting Tea Tuesday. I have a few more ideas that I would like to do, and maybe some of it will be done for next week.

“If you come home as happy as you leave, you have had a good vacation”

A Wonderful 4th of July

Did everyone have a happy 4th of July? We celebrated with fireworks both Sunday night (the 3rd) and Monday night. We were visiting our daughter’s family and went with them on Sunday night to a neighbor’s to share the fun. There were several children my grandson’s age that had a blast watching the show. As the other adults there were mostly parents, the fireworks consisted of light shows – fountains, small ground lights and the type that explodes into lots of lights in the sky – and very few that made only noise – you know, firecrackers. I don’t particularly like the noisy ones myself, and my grandson runs and hides from the loud ones because they hurt his ears.

The evening of the 4th we only set off a few ourselves, but there were a lot going off all over town that we could see and enjoy. It was quite a show!

Monday during the day we went to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. It was a nice day for a zoo visit, a little hot but not bad, and not very crowded. My grandson had a lot of fun looking at the animals.

Here he’s looking at the rhinoceros sleeping. A little later we went by the on the train that goes around the zoo and saw then standing up. He thought they were pretty cool either way!

We finished off our visit with a walk through the rain forest exhibit, which is quite an experience. Our grandson really enjoyed having Papa show him some of the wildlife in there. He didn’t really enjoy the ‘caves’ and dark places, though.


I didn’t get much tatting done over the last week, first getting ready to go, and then being there – just too much to do! What little I got done was in the car while we were on our way there.

I’m wanting to add some tatting to a handbag I have and found some metal pieces that I thought had a nice potential for adding tatting to them. I had wanted to try using some beads with this, but I don’t do beads well when traveling. I’ve actually started on another piece with the same center but it’s not looking as good as I’d like, so it may have to be started over. I’m calling this #21 of my second 25 Motif Challenge.

I’m not sure how much tatting I’ll get done this next week, either, as I’ll be doing some traveling again. Probably something without beads again, if anything ; )

I missed Tatting Tea Tuesday this week due to a lack of Internet access, though I tatted and had tea 🙂 I guess today I’ll just have to join Cindy at A Happy Bluebird for Wine Wednesday. I’ll have a glass when I get home from work, though instead of tatting I’ll be cleaning out my tatting bag so it’s a little lighter – somehow it keeps aquiring things!

“There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens can not cure.” Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President

Tipping On Tuesday

This morning I started Tatting Tea Tuesday with a glass of iced Refresh tea then headed into town for a few errands and a doctor appointment. I happened to arrive a little early so pulled out a shuttle, starting a butterfly to empty it. A lady sitting in the waiting room started asking some questions about what I was doing. I was very happy☺to talk to her about tatting. She asked what the end result was so I showed her my Heart’s Honor bookmark that I had just finished. She was quite impressed with it. She also asked about how you knew how to make something, if there were patterns. So I showed her the pattern of the Flag Pin. That’s where she saw the name of my blog, which really tickled her. Then her mother came out from her appointment and the daughter wanted me to show her what I was doing. For a few minutes there I had two very interested people to share tatting with. It was a very good morning.

This is what I worked on this week, at least when I could tat. I worked on this for over a week as there was so many other things to do. Including working on the pattern for it. The pattern is coming along pretty well, but every time I start on it I see something else I should probably do with it, to make it better. But it is much closer to being done.

If I can remember how to do it I’ll be posting the pattern for the Flag Pin I shared on this post, so keep an eye on the patterns over on the right. This was designed in a hurry but I haven’t had time to re-visit it to make it easier. But as Independence Day is approaching I thought I would share what I have in case someone else would like to make it for the holiday.

“All who would win joy, must share it; happiness was born a twin” Lord Byron

Tipping = tatting in public

TIme out for a party

I don’t think I got any tatting done at all this week. We were go-hosts and planners for a 60th wedding anniversary, which took up a lot of time. My oldest daughter was such a huge help! She was great, putting together the flower arrangements and the slide show of 70+ years of the couples’ lives, before and after they were together (there weren’t many before years!) My sister-in-law planned the dinner and arranged for the cake. Then there were different family members that jumped in and helped where needed, from serving the cake and punch to changing the tables for the reception after the meal. It was a great day, full of lots of wonderful friends and family, and the most important part was the anniversary couple were happy about everything!

Then on Sunday, for Father’s Day, we were invited to our daughter’s house, where our son-in-law grilled dinner for us, our other daughter’s family, his folks and his brother’s family. It was hot but a lot of fun. And the food was delicious! We got to watch the grandsons play in the blowup pool and run around being boys. It was another great day.

By the time we got home Sunday night we were tired out! Then there was more running around on Monday. I gotta say, today I’m doing very little. The housework that got ignored for two weeks can just be ignored another day (or two).

Bookmarks made for my husband
With no tatting done I was commenting to my husband that I didn’t have anything for pictures today. Being the sweetie that he is, he got together several bookmarks I’ve made him and took pictures for me. He didn’t want me to stress or worry it, and likes to make me happy. I think he’s a keeper, don’t you?

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I’m drinking iced green tea again, but this time with a squirt of MIO Strawberry Watermelon. I was a little leery about trying this combination but it tastes pretty good! The actual tatting will come a little later, but there will be tatting!

“My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.”

Tatting Tea Tuesday on Flag Day

Are your flags flying today? It’s Flag Day today here in the United States. My family observed Flag Day when I was young, and still do today. I’ve done so, some years with more awareness than others. And I’m sure I learned all about it in grade school but I had to look it up to refresh my memory. If you are interested in a short history of Flag Day you might try this site.

© Wanda Salmans
In the midst of all the things that are going on in my life right now I hadn’t really noticed that it was going to be Flag Day today until yesterday. I thought it would be nice to have a little something to wear to celebrate the day. And I needed a little break from my Heart’s Honor bookmark diagramming. I grabbed red, white and blue thread on my way out to work yesterday and started this little pin. I finished it this morning while I ignored a few other things I should have been doing. I’m going to wear it to work today. If my count is correct this will be #20 of my second 25 Motif Challenge. I’ve done a few more things that could have been counted but I keep forgetting to until I’ve already posted!

While at Hobby Lobby in Wichita this week I happened to notice a yarn shop I hadn’t seen before called Odd Balls Yarn Shop. I hadn’t noticed it before because it just opened in March (I don’t get to Hobby Lobby as much as I’d like to). I had a whole list of things to do but I decided to take a few minutes and check it out – maybe it carried tatting thread. It’s a nice, large shop with an area for open stitch (chatting area) and a lot of yarn for knitting and crocheting but I didn’t see anything for tatting. But I did see some finished tatting that was for sale. I got to meet the tatter-in-house and we spoke a little of tatting and threads and such. She said that the buyer was currently at a (thread? fiber?) show and was planning on bringing home some shuttles and threads, brands as yet unknown. So this is definitely a shop to keep in mind if you are in Wichita and need a place to sit and stitch and would like to talk to other fiber artists. And maybe purchase some thread or shuttles 🙂

The Heart’s Honor pattern is currently being test tatted – or the top, heart part is. So far it has few issues, but I have gotten some great feedback from the test tatters. Thanks to all of you who are helping me out. I’m having some difficulties with the second part, mostly trying to get the perspective correct. I should have more time to get into it after this weekend so I’ll get serious then.

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I had iced green tea with a squirt of MIO liquid Mango Peach. It was delicious! And I was tatting my flag pin while I sipped it – totally into the communi-tea today.

Pledge of Allegiance
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”

Francis Bellamy

And the name is..

Thank you to all who offered name suggestions for my bookmark. I had some great suggestions. I heard from a few people that there was some trouble leaving a comment. Thank you, Shannon, for emailing your suggestion when you had trouble.
I pondered quite a bit over the name, wrote them out to see how they looked, then pondered some more. I showed the bookmark to my daughter, who immediately thought of an award like a purple heart even though it wasn’t purple. Her idea kept percolating in my mind and the name I’ve finally decided on is “Heart’s Honor”. So I guess she’s the winner.

©Wanda Salmans 2011

I’m still working on the pattern for it, getting all the stitch counts and joins correct. I’m getting to do all kinds of things with the diagram that was talked about in the Design-Tat class. I know there are some things that could be done better but I’m leaving the drawing the way it is this time. After you get so far, going back and correcting can sometimes mean going back to, or almost to, the beginning. (I promise I’ll do better on the next pattern!) Between the written out pattern and the diagram I think it will be pretty clear. I don’t know that it will be ready to post next week but I’m hoping it will be ready by the following week.

A few months ago I introduced Ryan, a Flying Minor Norwegian Dragon. Since then we’ve been trying to find the perfect home for her, and she’s been very picky. She couldn’t make up her mind about colors or design or anything. But finally, finally, she found something she likes, and would now like to show off her new home. Her landlord is very happy with her as well (I hope they get along). She was also working on her flame, trying for just the right color. We both thought this copper looked perfect.

I had no tea today and I miss that. I was in such a hurry to get out and do some errands I didn’t take the time to make even one cup of tea for Tatting Tea Tuesday. And I didn’t even realize it until I got to work and it dawned on me it was Tuesday. So today I’ll take time to tat during breaks and dream of tea – okay, probably not dream of tea, but I plan on drinking tea tomorrow.

“Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves” Carol Lynn Pearson

No booties this time

This last week we went up to see our daughter when they had the new baby baptized. Our granddaughter wore the same baptismal gown that her brother had worn but not the booties he did. Her brother was several months old when he was baptized so I had to make the booties to fit him. I also didn’t think to make her a pair – where was my mind for the last 6 months?? – so I decided to do something a little less complicated. I decorated some socks.

Even this simple little motif gave me fits. First, I used size 80 thread, DMC # 604, which I rarely even try to tat with. Second, I was tatting these in the car then trying to finish them off in the hotel room. They ended up taking more time than I want to admit. They also don’t quite have the same stitch count – I finished one kind of late and made the second one kind of early the next morning. After I’d almost finished I realized I had changed it up a bit. And, you know what? I just left them that way. My husband and daughter looked at them and couldn’t tell the difference. Besides, with the baby wearing her long baptismal gown you couldn’t see the socks anyway. So someday, if the socks survive very long, someone will look at them and maybe notice that Grandma didn’t know how to count – and I’m okay with that 🙂

I then proceeded to decorate a second pair of socks (the socks came on a card containing two pair) almost but not quite the same. I didn’t add any decorative picots to these. I figure these might be worn a couple of times and picots don’t always look so good after washing without a little help. These actually came out looking pretty good – and they do have the same stitch count – though I made them while distracted by the new born and a two-year-old. And I have never claimed to be good with a sewing needle: they are attached in a manner that they shouldn’t come off even if it’s not pretty 😛 I used DMC size 80 again in #107.

Babies are a grandparents’ best reward

We bring them home and spoil them

Then return them to their parents

And leave them to their mayhem

Wanda

This weekend I drank a lot of iced tea, though today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I returned to hot tea. There’s just something about having a hot cuppa first thing in the morning that I like better than having a cold glass. Of course, it’s not summer yet!

For those here in the USA, I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Weekend. We flew our tattered American flag in wind that almost tore it off the pole but didn’t make it to the cemeteries. That had been on my agenda, but with the visit to the grandchildren we didn’t make it. We drove by a few cemeteries decorated with flags and flowers, very beautiful, and in church we recognized those that had been in the military, giving us a chance to say “Thank you for your service”
Though I’m a day late, I’d like to say “thank you” to all of you out there for your service to your country, and to me and my family. Your are greatly appreciated. Though this was written several years ago I wanted to share this poem with you.
Memorial Day 2007

What’s in a name?

I finished the test tat of my diagram of the heart bookmark. I found out that I had forgotten several chains in the diagram, but added them in where they should have been. I made several other changes, too, like joining several picots together where the diagram indicated to join to only one. I just thought it looked much better that way. There are a couple of not-so-pretty spots where I made a mistake and you can tell it’s a correction, but as this is a trial anyway I went on anyway. There are also a few things about the heart at the end I want to change to make it look more like the rest. Over-all I am very happy with this bookmark, and found that, barring my missing chains, it tatted up pretty much like I expected. For this attempt I used Lizbeth Ocean Turquoise Dark, #657, in size 20.

Design © 2011 Wanda Salmans

The main problem I have now is I’d like to have a name for it, to put on the pattern when it’s done. I’ve never been great at naming my patterns, they’ve always been things like “Fall bookmark” and “December 20xx snowflake”. So I thought I’d have a little naming contest. As I just thought of this I have no idea what the prize will be, but if you would like to make a name suggestion on this post I’ll choose the one I like best and send a little something as a thank you. As the next week is going to be pretty busy I’ll announce the winner in two weeks, so you have that long to make a suggestion.

The tea for today’s Tatting Tea Tuesday is a cup of Tazo Refresh tea with a little bit of honey. I haven’t had mint tea with honey in it since I was a little girl visiting my grandmother. Somehow sugar has become the sweetener of choice, leaving honey on the shelf. It makes for a nice change.

For all that I got some tatting done this last week was busy as well. Last week one of my daughters had a daughter herself, so I’m a grandma again! The tatting for today will be in pink.

“No one likes change except babies in diapers.”

Something forgotten

I went to visit my daughter this week and even took my laptop so I when I had a few minutes I could work on the cross bookmark pattern. And guess what? I had saved the pattern to an external hard drive at home but not on the laptop. So no cross bookmark pattern. Oops.
Not that I had all that much time to work on it anyway. You know how it is when you get around family and two-year-olds, right? I did get a little time after his bedtime to tat a little, but not much, though I did finally get my bookmark for the Tatting Forum’s bookmark exchange mailed off.

Instead of working on the cross bookmark I got some work done on the heart bookmark. Okay, very little, but some 🙂 I’m trying the second design out, finding out if the drawing can be tatted the way it is or if changes have to be made. It’s interesting figuring out the best way to tat what was drawn, can it even be done, and in one pass or do you have to cut and start in a different place?

My first attempt at the second version. I see a few changes are in order.

I didn’t have tea this morning for Tatting Tea Tuesday but a cup of coffee instead, flavored with French Vanilla La Crème, which I tried for the first time at my daughter’s house. Mmmm, very good. I also tried the Cinnamon Vanilla La Crème, which is scrumptious, too. They have been added permanately to my grocery list ♥

“Funny, I don’t remember being absent minded.”