Category: Tat Days

Tatting Corner’s 2022 Tat Days, part 1

Lisa, at Tatting Corner, hosted her 2022 Tat Days July 7-9 in Chesterfield, Indiana. This is the first time I was able to go, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! My husband took several days of vacation so he could go with me. We left on the 5th and took a leisurely drive to Chesterfield. I attended classes Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and he took it easy.

Every day of Tat Days could start in the shop. Anyone interested in beginner needle tatting or shuttle tatting could go early to the shop (Tatting Corner) and get lessons, or just join the tat-n-chat.

Needle tatting lessons at Tat Days 2022 on wandasknottythoughts
Needle tatting lessons at Tat Days 2022
A bit of chatting at Tatting Corner on wandasknottythoughts
A bit of chatting at Tatting Corner

I was so busy tatting and chatting in the classes that I didn’t take many pictures. Here’s one picture of the large room we had all the classes in. We had our meals here as well.

Tat Days classes 2022 on wandasknottythoughts
Tat Days classes 2022

On the evening of the 7th Mike Lyon, the Shuttle Commander himself gave a seminar on encasing tatting in resin. My husband got a picture of his back when he took a picture of me. Mike is in the background on the left. He taught several different classes during tat days. I took the one on making Dorset buttons.

Seminar on encasing tatting in resin on wandasknottythoughts
Seminar on encasing tatting in resin

Doing the resin pendants was fun. The longest part, besides the drying time, was making sure you eliminated all the bubbles before the resin hardened. Nan discovered that a light on them helped us to find those pesky bubbles.

Tatting pendants from Tat Days 2022 on wandasknottythoughts
My tatting pendants

My husband joined this seminar though I furnished the tatting. He was the designated stirrer of the resin and did a fine job. My tatting was very simple because I kept putting off making them. They still make pretty pendants. Most other tatters had tatted a bit more complex pieces. I might have to do something a bit more fancy next time.

I only finished one of my class projects while there. Well, except for hiding the ends, which I did at home. I completed two more projects on the way home, and am currently finishing the outside of the Dorset button. The hardest, most complicated one, Pearl, I’ll do after that. So far she’s looking pretty good, but I was very glad I was at the class with it, I needed the teacher’s help! I’ll be sharing that another day.

I am so happy I was able to go this year. I was able to see several people I had met at Palmetto’s Tat Days years ago and met new friends. The hardest part was remembering everyone’s names! Overall, it was a wonderful experience! Looking forward to next year. I’ll be sharing more about our trip in the next several posts. Hopefully, soon!

“The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply.” Denis Waitley

All Dressed Up

This year at Palmetto Tat Days they had a costume contest during the Friday evening banquet. Once I knew I was going to Tat Days the contest sounded like fun. But what to dress up as? A lot of thoughts later – and a lot of time later – an idea came to mind that I thought I could handle.  My sister agreed to help me with the major sewing parts which would get done a lot faster than I could do it. If I did it I might, maybe, have been ready in a year or two. Then the tatted parts had to be designed and placement figured out.

I didn’t know I was going until about June, not much time to get a costume together. With vacations and normal life in the way, I was tatting every chance I got. My sister ran into sewing machine issues and her time was taken up by things beyond our control so the costume was a lot different than originally envisioned. My Tat Day roommate, Diane, helped me put it all together for the first time when I dressed for the banquet.

Tatterlady and Princess Peach at Palmetto Tat Days 2017 on wandasknottythoughts
Tatterlady and Princess Peach at Palmetto Tat Days

Neither Princess Peach, aka Kayleigh Osborn, nor I won the contest, (isn’t her outfit amazing?? She sewed it herself!) but we all had a lot of fun.

I know it doesn’t look like I have all that much tatting on my outfit, but I kept changing my mind! There were quite a few motifs of different colors tatted that I did not use. There were also a few things tatted that just didn’t work out.

Tatterlady's tatted jewelry on wandasknottythoughts
Tatterlady’s tatted jewelry

Most of the medallions/motifs that I ended up using were in Lizbeth #657 Ocean Turquoise Dark in size 10. The earrings were in #657 as well but in size 20. The other colors were #641 Lilac Dark and #638 Christmas Green.

Tatterlady's fascinator on wandasknottythoughts
Tatterlady’s fascinator

It was a blast coming up with a fascinator. All three colors of the medallions were originally going to be used in the entire outfit. Due to unforeseen problems with the costume, this was the only place I used all three colors in medallions. The scissors are not real but an accent piece I found at JoAnn’s (I think). The shuttle is one side of a Susan Bates shuttle that came apart. An elastic headband did an excellent job holding it in place.

Tatterlady's cuffs optical illusion
Tatterlady’s cuffs

I thought the cuffs came out great! The hardest part (other than the sewing!) was positioning the frogs in the right places. Notice the optical illusion?

Tatterlady's cuffs turned around on wandasknottythoughts
Tatterlady’s cuffs turned around

These are the same cuffs with one cuff turned around.

Tatterlady's spats on wandasknottythoughts
Tatterlady’s spats

I made spats* instead of wearing boots. They are more like leg warmers, but spats sounds better 🙂

One day, soon I hope, Palmettos will have their pictures up from this year’s Tat Days. I didn’t get many pictures of others in costume but I’m sure they have some. I saw some of them before the end of the weekend, there were some marvelous ones.

It was awesome to be able to go this year but it went by so fast! I only finished one project while there and haven’t had time to finish anything here at home yet. I plan on getting them done before Tat Days next year!

“Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends.” Kate Spade  
brainyquotes.com

*from dictionary.com “a short gaiter** worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”

**from dictionary.com
“1.a cloth or leather covering for the leg or ankle buttoned on one side and usually strapped under the foot
2.Also called spat. a similar covering extending from the ankle to the instep
3.a waterproof covering for the ankle worn by climbers and walkers to prevent snow, mud, or gravel entering over the top of the boot”

Home from Palmetto Tat Days

It’s hard to believe that Tat Days have come and gone so fast! I was bustling about to get things ready for the trip for more than a month, then hustling to get to my plane to get there, rushing around to see everyone and do everything when I got there, then dashing around to get back to the airport when it was over.

I’m exhausted! Well, I was Monday anyway. But I had a fantastic time! It was fun to see so many people from last year and to meet new people. To encounter so many people in such a short amount of time makes it interesting to see if I can put the correct names to the faces 🙂

As always, the volunteers for the Palmetto Tatting Guild put together wonderful goodie bags. These are just a few of them. I love the emergency tatting kit with a couple of shuttles from Tim Kaylor. And check out that wonderful zipper pull! Well, everything is pretty awesome!

2017 tat days goodies on wandasknottythoughts
A few of the 2017 Tat Days goodies

The first class was for everyone in the gathering room Thursday night. The spaceship by Tonya Smith was cute and not hard but I didn’t get it finished. I was having too much fun talking and laughing with everyone.

My unfinished tatted spaceship on wandasknottythoughts
My unfinished spaceship

I roomed with Diane again this year. We have so much fun together and keep each other up late talking about anything and everything. Here you can see her concentrating on her spaceship.

Diane and I working on our tatted spaceships on wandasknottythoughts
Diane and I working on our spaceship

Surprisingly I didn’t take very many pictures this year but I have a few. I’ll be sharing them here or on Facebook soon.

“There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.” William Butler Yeats
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williambut383082.html?src=t_friendship

Where have all my shuttles gone?

I’m excited that I am going to Palmetto Tat Days in September! I’ve got my classes chosen and my entrance fee paid, I’ve got my plane tickets and my car rented, and I’ve got my roommate chosen and confirmed (hey, Diane!). I do not have my bags packed – it is three weeks away yet – but I am planning what clothes I will be taking. Now I’m working on getting ready for my classes, which includes finding threads and enough shuttles for all my projects.

I know I have enough shuttles for them all, but where are they?

I’ve gone through drawers, bags, and boxes trying to find them. What I found are multiple projects that I haven’t completed still attached to the shuttles I was working with at the time. Some projects I left alone, others I unwound the thread from the shuttles and wrapped it on bread ties. Quite a few shuttles had thread on them but no work attached. If there was only a small amount of thread I tatted flowers and butterflies to empty them; if there was a significant amount I wound it off onto bread ties. Several projects were in dreadful shape, tangle with other threads. How did they get that way?

Shuttles found in time for Palmetto Tat Days on wandasknottythoughts
Shuttles found

During my quest, I found this cute little box with compartments.  I think it is part of a tackle box that was never used. Yet. Seems perfect for three Clover shuttles and one Aerlit shuttle with spare bobbins.

Box just right for shuttles and bobbins on wandasknottythoughts
Box just right for shuttles and bobbins

I expect I’ve found enough shuttles for my trip now. 🙂

As I was searching for my shuttles I kept humming a tune without really noticing what it was. When I stopped and thought about it I realized it was “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” I couldn’t resist re-writing it a bit. It doesn’t have the emotional feelings of the original, or circle ’round to the beginning again as the original does, but this did keep circling around in my head.

Where Have All My Shuttles Gone?

Where have all my shuttles gone?
Long time passing
Where have all my shuttles gone?
Long time ago
Where have all my shuttles gone?
Gone for projects every one
When will I ever learn?
When will I ever learn?
 
Where have all my projects gone?
Long time passing
Where have all my projects gone?
Long time ago
Where have all my projects gone?
Hidden in boxes every one
When will I ever learn?
When will I ever learn?

Original song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” by Pete Seeger


	


	
	






	
	

		
Projects from Tat Days
	


	

		
I took Jane Eborall’s ‘New Moon’ class at Tat Days.  I always enjoy her patterns.  I put grey Lizbeth thread my shuttles and used size 11 clear seed beads.  For all that the class was a level one I enjoyed it.  The nose of the moon is the one tricky spot in the pattern.  I got just past that point when the class ended.


Jane Eborall's Quarter Moon Class on wandasknottythoughts.com
Jane Eborall’s Quarter Moon Class


I was finally able to finish it the week following Tat Days.


Jane Eborall's tatted New Moon
Jane Eborall’s tatted New Moon


I also took Mimi Dillman’s Cluny Improvement Motif.  I had never done clunies except as practice, and only in the previous few weeks.  I am so glad that I took the class.  Mimi showed a different way to hold your hand for the loom which made it soooo much easier than what I had been doing.


Mimi demonstrating clunies to some of her class on wandasknottythoughts
Mimi demonstrating clunies to some of her class


The improvement motif definitely made me work on improving clunies.  But Mimi was right – I think my best cluny was the first one, not the last.


Completed tatted Cluny Improvement Motif on wandasknottythoughts
Completed Cluny Improvement Motif


After I got home I started another cluny motif, not because I had finished the first but because I didn’t have it with me when I wanted to tat.  The second motif was made in two colors – the ones that were already on the shuttles. Both of them are now finished


Two color tatted Cluny Improvement Motif on wandasknottythoughts
Two color Cluny Improvement Motif


I have some work to do on making those color changes look better – and the clunies themselves.  But at least now I like making clunies.   Don’t be surprised if they end up in some of my future patterns.


I haven’t yet finished my other two Tat Days projects.  Both will need my full attention to get them right.   I’m hoping to have time – and energy – to finish them soon.


“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.” Friedrich Nietzsche                         brainy quote.com

	


	
	






	
	

		
Tat Days!
	


	

		
My first Palmetto Tat Days are over.  I’m home and back to work.  But, man, did I have fun! It was great!


I had decided to rent a car to get from Atlanta to Taccoa, which is about two hours away.  As I would have plenty of room – and would appreciate a navigator! – I volunteered to give a ride to anyone that was arriving at about the same time.  That’s how I met Linda Barnes.  Her plane came in a little before mine.  We didn’t know each other, so I sent her a picture from the plane.  We connected with no problems.


Meeting Linda Barnes at the Atlanta airport on wandasknottythoughts.com
Meeting Linda Barnes at the Atlanta airport


Another tatter that needed a ride was Linda Patron.  Her plane came in a short while after mine.  I sent her a picture of Linda B. and me and we still had a little trouble finding her. We were at baggage claim one and so was she – we were at the north baggage claim and she was at the south.  Once we figured that out we found each other easily.  Once in the car we visited together the whole way to the conference center.


Meeting Linda Patron at the airport on wandasknottythoughts.com
Meeting Linda Patron


This was my first Tat Days but I knew one person that was there.  Karen, aka IsDihara, and I had met several years ago. I was so excited to see her!  I had heard that she wasn’t going to be able to go, but she made it!


Karen, aka IsDahara, was able to come to Tat Days on wandasknottythoughts.com
Karen, aka IsDahara, was able to come to Tat Days!


I didn’t know who my room mate was going to be.  I found out when I went to the room for bed about 10:00 p.m.  I opened the door and look who I found!


Diane, Lace-Lovin'-Librarian is my room mate! on wandasknottythoughts.com
Diane, Lace-Lovin’-Librarian is my room mate!


Yep, Diane, Lace-Lovin’-Librarian was my room mate!  I recognized her right away.  It was so cool!  We got along right from the start.  I couldn’t have asked for a better room mate.


Thursday night arrivals at Tat Days 2016 on wandasknottythoughts.com
Thursday night arrivals at Tat Days 2016


This is the general room on the lower floor of the conference center.  There seemed to always be people here.


I didn’t take nearly as many pictures as I usually do when I’m someplace special – I was too busy meeting people and experiencing everything that is Tat Days.  I also did a little tatting 🙂  I didn’t get any of my projects done while there, but I learned a lot and had a great experience.  I hope to make it back next year.


Palmetto Tat Days, September 8-9, 2017 in Toccoa, Georgia.  The theme is “Tat a Con – All Things Tatted”


I will be sharing more of the pictures I took in the next few weeks – be warned!


“What we learn with pleasure we never forget” Alfred Mercier


p.s. I’ve been trying to post this since Tuesday but life keeps getting in the way. With any luck things will get back to normal soon and so will my posting.

	


	
	






	
	

		
Lanyard 2016
	


	

		
I’ve had several people ask how I made the Lanyard from last week.


Tat Days Lanyard
Tat Days Lanyard


I hadn’t planned on writing it out but changed my mind.  This is my version of a simple idea that tats up quickly.


Lanyard, Wanda's version
Lanyard, Wanda’s version


I’ve added the drawing with text to my Patterns page.


It has been a busy week.  We’ve had a lot going on around the house as well as putting in a lot of overtime at work.  The only tatting I’ve done is not worth sharing; it’s not pretty.  I’ve been practicing cluny tatting.  One of the classes I’m taking at Tat Days in September is a cluny pattern.  Yes, I’ve made them before but only enough to say I know how to do them.  Now I would like them to look good as well.  I can’t say they look good yet but it doesn’t take me as long now to make them.


I have a lot of ideas of things I would like to tat.  Now I’m trying to make the time to do them.  Hopefully when I have the energy to do them and not just think about them.


“A woman’s mind is cleaner than a man’s: She changes it more often.”


Oliver Herford


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Color of the day is Lavender
	


	

		
I decided to make myself a lanyard for Tat Days.  It should be in a color that looks good with shirts I may be taking with me.  It’s amazing how that one requirement limits color choices for me.  I have a lot of thread, most of which are colors that I like – who wants to tat with colors they don’t like?? – but inevitably a lot of my clothes are those colors, too.  But not always the same shade.


With much comparing and mind changing I finally settled on DMC Cebelia Lavender.  For some reason I’ve had a ball of this in size 10 for quite some time.  A lanyard made of size 10 would tat up fast and be quite durable.   So far, so good.


In the beginning, I planned to make Patti Duff’s Beaded Lanyard (you can find it on Craftree).  I got a bit ahead of myself while trying to find beads that would work with the thread. I started playing without having Patti’s pattern printed.


Tatted hatband instead of lanyard in DMC Cebelia size 10 on wandasknottythoughts
Hatband instead of lanyard


I went for a while before admitting I didn’t like the looks of my efforts for the lanyard.  Not one to throw tatting out just because it didn’t turn out as expected, I put it on my hat as a hatband.  I like it better as a hatband than as a lanyard.


I started again, and again I was impatient.  This time I didn’t want to string the beads.  The black beads weren’t the right size anyway.  With no pattern but an idea, I started once more, this time without beads as well.   I know I’ve seen something akin to this out there on the Internet but I made it without referring to a pattern.


Tatted lanyard in DMC Cebelia size 10 Lavender on wandasknottythoughts
Lanyard in DMC Cebelia size 10 Lavender


I like it this version much better.  It went fast and was easy to do while a passenger in the car.  I did get a bit carried away – it’s a bit long.  Oh, well!  Better than too short.  I added a couple of clips to the ends that can be clipped together or to a name tag or some such.  Done!


Tatted hatband and lanyard in DMC Cebelia Lavender size 10 on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted hatband and lanyard in DMC Cebelia Lavender size 10


I’m ecstatic about going to Tat Days.  I’m counting down the days!  I keep checking the Palmetto Tatters Guild page for updates.   I’m planning what clothes to pack and what to wear.  I’ve traveled before but not anywhere like this, not with tatting as the destination.  **happy dance**  Anyone else getting excited about going?


“Over prepare, then go with the flow” – found in a fortune cookie