Category: 4th of July

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

Birthday Table Runner

I mentioned in my last blog post about making a table runner for my daughter’s birthday. I didn’t get it done in time for the 4th of July or her birthday, but I thought I would have it done by now. But, no, I don’t. It is taking longer than expected, but not because I didn’t have the edgings done. It got a lot more complicated.

Colors and material for edging on wandasknottythoughts
Colors and material for edging

I found this cute patriotic material at JoAnn’s in June. My daughter usually decorates for the different holidays and I thought she’d like it. Then I had to see if I had thread that would work with it. Christmas-y red wouldn’t work, and I didn’t think that white would work well, either. I had these colors on hand, and think they will work as an edging. They won’t be laying on top of the material, just hanging off the edge.

Birthday runner edging maybe on wandasknottythoughts
Birthday runner edging start

I started with the red, Lizbeth 673 Terra Cotta in size 10. The first two rows came out more open than I expected, so I added the blue, Lizbeth 656 Wedgewood Dark in size 20. That was interesting, adding it to the middle of the two completed rows. It came out okay. Then a row of Lizbeth 602 Natural in size 10. I thought I was done.

Then I looked at the length of the material I planned on using, a full two yards, 72 inches. With a half inch hem on each end it would have a finished length of 71 inches. Maybe the edging was a little short? So I added a row, which didn’t add a lot of length but gave a more finished look (?) to it.

Birthday runner edging finished on wandasknottythoughts
Birthday runner edging finished

Yay! Ready to sew up the material and add the edging.

Then I confirmed the length of her table. 70 inches. Hmm. I’m not liking how the finished runner would end up laying on the table.

My daughter and I are discussing what we want to do now. Options would be: 1) cut the material short and make a shorter runner with all of it on the table, or 2) make an insert to lengthen it so the ends hang off the edges of the table. We’ve come up with an idea, now to play with it and see where we end.

Now that more tatting is in the forecast, I needed to order more threads. I’m almost out of the Terra Cotta and I don’t have the Wedgewood in size 10, which I’m thinking I’ll need. I had a bit of a panic when I went to order these at Handy Hands and found out the Terra Cotta in size 10 was out of stock. Luckily, Tatting Corner still had some. Yay!

At the rate I’m going, my daughter will be getting it for Christmas!

“Energy spent now preparing for tomorrow is sure to bear tasty fruit.” Fortune cookie

Independence Day earrings

I hope that all Americans out there had a safe and fun Independence Day yesterday. I did. We had two family get-togethers, one for lunch and one for supper and fireworks. It was great to celebrate such a wonderful holiday with family.

The day started out with us attending church as usual but dressed in holiday colors. Shortly before leaving, I realized I didn’t have any appropriately colored earrings. With only a little time to work, I corrected that problem and tatted myself a pair of earrings.

Independence Day earrings 2021 on wandasknottythoughts
Independence Day earrings 2021

They are only blue and white because my blouse was red. By putting the white on the outside the earrings were more easily visible. I was afraid if I did it the other way, or all blue like I thought about, they would be harder to see. They came out very well and worked great with my attire.

I have been working on the edging for a table runner for my daughter’s birthday. I only found the material which inspired me a couple of weeks ago on a quick visit to JoAnn’s. Unfortunately, it wasn’t time enough to get the runner done by this weekend when I’d see her. I’m still going to finish it and give it to her in a couple of weeks, whenever I get it done. It is in patriotic colors, but there are other days to celebrate our country than just July 4th. Hopefully, I’ll have it ready to share here by next week.

“To survive in peace and harmony, united and strong, we must have one people, one nation, one flag.” Pauline Hanson

Patriotic Earrings

Patriotic earrings on wandasknottythoughts
Red, white, and blue earrings made for Independence Day 2020

One of the things I enjoy about tatting is making something on the spur of the moment and it comes out just as I envisioned it. Or maybe even better! Once in a while it all just comes together and, bingo!, there it is.

These earrings are like that. For the 4th of July, we were going to our daughter’s to enjoy family, food, and fireworks in the evening. In the morning I finished a little piece in red, white, and blue, something I try to do every year when I noticed how much of those threads I still had on my shuttles. I wanted to free those shuttles up, but what to make? Earrings for the evening sounded like a great idea.

Patriotic earrings for the 4th on wandasknottythoughts
Patriotic earrings for the 4th

For all that they came out well, they still had their moments. Hiding the ends and finishing off all three colors on such small pieces was interesting. And why I decided to use a picot that had to be joined with a twist (the second side of the ring to a facing ring) I’m not sure. I mostly try to avoid those if possible. And adding the jewelry findings, for me, is problematic. Sometimes everything goes smoothly, sometimes not so much. These went relatively smoothly.

Every time I tat with red, white, and blue thread together I notice how hard it is to find a good background to take pictures. Most of my background choices wash out one color or the other. I tried eight or nine backgrounds to get a decent picture or two of these earrings. So even if the picture doesn’t come out as well as I hope, I am happy with the subject of it.

I happily wore my new patriotic earrings that evening. We had a wonderful time! And now I have a cute pair of earrings to wear, to be patriotic whenever I want to be.

“Alfred Hitchcock once told me, when I was analyzing a lot of things about his pictures, ‘Clint, you must remember, it’s only a movie.'” Clint Eastwood

Patriotic tatting

Independence Day has come and gone and I finally am posting a bit of patriotic tatting.

Red, White, and Blue for the 4th 2019

We traveled to western Kansas for some 4th of July family time this year. It was about a 2 1/2 hour drive each way, plenty of time to get a bit of tatting done. At least on the way out; I had to drive for a while on the way back. We had a wonderful time visiting with family we only see every couple of years.

I have trouble sometimes tatting with red, white, and blue threads. I want to get all three colors in without getting too busy with it. This time I used a button for the white and alternated with red and blue thread. It was a challenge to tat this in the car; I kept getting the four shuttles tangled as the car swayed and bumped down the road. I am pleased with how it turned out, though it might work better next time with a smooth button. I used Lizbeth threads #671 and #707 Sky Blue Dark in size 20. I’m working on writing up the pattern.

I have tatted quite a bit recently even if you haven’t seen me post. I’ve been having trouble with my picture program. It acts like it’s opening and then doesn’t. I finally paid more attention as it started and noticed that it shows the wrong version trying to open. I plan on calling the help desk about it when I have an uninterrupted few minutes, though I’m not sure when that will be. Until then I am using an older program which works okay, it just doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the other. And then when I tried to add the picture to this post it put it in sideways, even though it didn’t show as sideways. The third time it finally showed up correct.

Looking forward to having my picture program start working! Maybe I’ll post sooner!

“The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults. Alexis de Tocqueville www.brainyquote.com

Three Color Edging

I try to tat something special every year for our Independence Day on July 4. This year I didn’t even think about it until the very end of June. I debated about making an ice drop of some sort, but only for a short time. Then I thought about using beads. I rounded up blue beads and loaded my shuttles, one with red thread, the other with white.

That design lasted for two rings, then I decided it was a bad idea. I unloaded all the beads I had put on the shuttles and re-wound them with the red and white threads. I was ready to try something else.

Concepts kept percolating in my head but nothing solidified. Then I woke up July 4th with a notion that I was confident would work, though it would require another shuttle with a ball.

Start of the 3 color edging on wandasknottythoughts
Start of the 3 color edging

The idea came together nicely.  Elements I had to refine were the lengths of the chains and getting them to work together. Then keeping all the threads untangled!

The purpose of the edging was to go around a glass yogurt jar I had. These jars are much too nice to put in the recycle bin when emptied of their yummy-ness. I had decorated one a short time ago using a similar edging, but it was done with only two shuttles. This would be a bit different.

Yogurt jar waiting for tatting on wandasknottythoughts
Yogurt jar waiting for tatting

I was using the same count in the clover as I had last time but adding another ring in-between clovers. As this made the edging longer, instead of being at the top of the jar it fits at the bottom of the jar.

3 color edging on a jar on wandasknottythoughts
3 color edging on a jar

My decision to decorate this jar was not done solely to put it on my blog. We were invited to spend the evening at our daughter’s house to enjoy the holiday with her family and I wanted to take a hostess gift. Something in-line with the celebration but nothing too big.

3 color edging on a candy jar on wandasknottythoughts
3 color edging on a candy jar

Adding soft peppermint candies to the jar finished off the gift. The edging is tight enough on the jar to stay on but loose enough to take off if the jar needs washing.  I am very pleased with how it turned out.

I am working on the pattern for this. Look for it soon on my Patterns page.

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Mark Twain                              brainyquote.com

Disclaimer: The jars are from Yoplait French Style Yogurt “oui”. I have not received any type of compensation for mentioning it.

Happy Independence Day!

Today, July 4, we celebrate our Indepence Day here in America. Fireworks have been heard for several days already. Tonight there will many fireworks displays, both professional and amateur. We’re planning on celebrating at our daughter’s with her family.  Let the kids and neighbors do all the work, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show.

I had mentioned on Flag Day that I might make a set of red-white-and-blue earrings to wear on the 4th but might change my mind.

I changed my mind. I made butterflies instead.

Tatted Red, White, and Blue Button Butterflies on wandasknottythoughts
Red, White, and Blue Butterflies

This is the butterfly I talked about a week ago with a few adjustments. The head is the most notable change.  It’s easier to tat and looks better.

Tatted Butterfly ready to fly on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted Butterfly ready to fly

While handling one it I discovered these butterflies don’t just have to lie flat, they can hold up their wings.

Tatted button butterfly ready to fly on wandasknottythoughts
Ready to fly!

No glue or starch was used to hold the wings like this.  I left them overnight like this and the wings never drooped.

Tatted button butterfly in blue and red ready to fly away on wandasknottythoughts
Ready to fly away!

They were hard to photograph, though.  They look much better in person!

I had hoped to have the pattern ready to share today, but, alas! I don’t. I do have the pattern written down, just not typed up or diagramed out.  Maybe next week.

Wishing you all a happy and safe Independence Day!

4th Of July Tatted button butterflies on wandasknottythoughts
Happy 4th of July!

 

Happy Independence Day!

4th of July Bracelet made with Jane Eborall's Beaded LockChain pattern on wandasknottythoughts
4th of July Bracelet

A little 4th of July tatting using Jane Eborall’s Beaded Lock Chain pattern in Lizbeth #652 blue and #671 Red in size 20.   I wanted to make it out of size 10 but I didn’t have red and blue in it.  The beads would have worked better with size 10 as well, but it was fun to make.

Today is pretty soggy due to heavy rains last night and light rain off and on today, but it is supposed to clear up by tomorrow night.  At least all the rain makes shooting off fireworks very safe this year 🙂

Wishing all of you in the States a happy and safe Independence Day!

The Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

By Francis Scott Key 1814

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