A tatting observer

This year on our vacation we stayed at the same cabin we did two years ago, beside Lake Granby, Colorado. The colors were changing, showing us a lot of fall colors in the trees and brush. We did have to detour both coming and going due to the forest fires around the state, but we were never in danger from them. The air was smoky causing the mountain views to look hazy most of the time. This did not stop us from enjoying our stay.

View from the porch on wandasknottythougths
View from the porch

The view from the porch was still mostly green, but very inviting. We drove around to see the colors but spent a lot of our time at the cabin or fishing in Lake Monarch. I had a bit more time to tat and watch the wildlife. Do you see the two Stellar’s jays in the tree?

Some of the wild life was more friendly than others. The jays and the nuthatch liked checking us out to see if we left anything for them, but the ground squirrels and chipmunks were braver.

Curious ground squirrel checking out my tatting on wandasknottythoughts
Curious ground squirrel checking out my tatting

This ground squirrel wasn’t sure just what I was doing while I was tatting, so came to check out the situation.

Curious ground squirrel What are you doing? on wandasknottythoughts
“Do you have something for me?”

I kept telling him I didn’t have any food, but he didn’t believe me.

Curious ground squirrel 3 on wandasknottythoughts
He kept on getting closer to see what I was doing

Do you see those cheeks of his? He would get seeds and stuff himself, but was so greedy he kept coming back to see if I had anything.

Curious ground squirrel 4 on wandasknottythoughts
He really wanted to know if I had something for him

I know he was looking for food but he really, really wanted to see what I was doing. I love sharing tatting and showing others how it’s done, but I’m pretty sure the squirrel wasn’t getting it.

This guy and several other ground squirrels and a handful of chipmunks kept us entertained the entire week with their antics and curiosity. These little guys were friendly from the time we got there. One of our friends fed them with critter food (nuts and seeds) so they became more and more friendly as the week went on.

Two years ago we saw a lot of moose and a fox at the cabin, this year we saw neither. We were sad that we didn’t see the fox this time, though it didn’t look young then. There were also a lot more people at the lake this year. A lot more. With the dry weather and wind, we also dealt with a lot more dust. This doesn’t mean we didn’t enjoy our stay – we did!

I always look forward to our getting away for vacation, and seeing the wildlife is a bonus. And even more so when they are up close and personal!

“I have great instincts, like the instincts of a squirrel. You know, like when you’re driving and a squirrel stops in the middle of the road.” Simon Helberg

What to tat while on vacation

Every year before vacation I start thinking about what I will take to tat while we are away. What thread, what patterns, what findings if necessary, and how many shuttles. And every year, when it’s actually time to leave, my mind goes blank. Maybe because there are so many other things to think about, but whatever the cause, it happens. This year I had thought I would be working on my china hutch edgings. Surprisingly, I had them all done before we left. The unfortunate part is that now I had to think of something else to take with me.

I checked what threads I had on shuttles, to see if any would inspire me to finish off those threads. It would be a handy way to empty them, right? I looked through my thread collection to see if any of them would spark an idea to create a new project. I tried to think back on my wish list of patterns I wanted to try (I wish I wrote them down!). I really didn’t want to take half of my thread or shuttle stash with me this time.

I finally settled on the green I had used for my recent ice drop, as both shuttles still had thread on them; a ball of Lizbeth 129, Purple Splender, because it looked fun; and a few others that tickled my fancy at the time. I also brought a small selection of findings in case I wanted to make earrings.

Vacation purple doodle on wandasknottythoughts
Vacation purple doodle

Just to get the juices flowing, I started with a little doodle in Purple Splender. The finding in the center I had recently picked up at JoAnn’s thinking they would be good for earrings. Not a bad doodle, but I only made one. So I put it on my billfold.

vac purple doodle on billfold on wandasknottythoughts
Vacation purple doodle on my billfold

Then I doodled a bit more. I’m thinking I might try and put this on my billfold as well.

Vacation doodle 2 wandaknottythougthts
The second vacation doodle

Then I picked up the shuttles with the green thread from the ice drop. And then I added just a little more thread because it got bigger. And then I added just a little bit more thread again because I thought I was almost done. Then I wasn’t, so added thread one more time.

Vacation snowflake 2020 on wandasknottythoughts
Vacation snowflake 2020

This snowflake is the end result. I noticed that it has some kind of stain in the center after I had gone on to the second round. Not sure what it is, but it doesn’t want to come out. As this was tatted by a lake and while on a pontoon boat day trip, I didn’t get it cleaned and didn’t worry about it. I have no pictures of the individual rounds as I did them, just this one is as finished. Not bad for doodling.

I enjoyed some beautiful scenery while on vacation this year. We like to go in September to see the Aspens while they change into their fall colors and we were not disappointed this year.

Colorado River from Lake Granby on wandasknottythoughts
View from a pontoon

Though the water levels of Lake Granby and the Colorado River were down a long way, it was still fun to mosey up the river while the guys fished and relax in the quiet and beauty of a pontoon trip.

Tatting at Lake Monarch on wandasknottythoughts
Tatting at Lake Monarch

This is the view I enjoyed while tatting beside Monarch Lake.

Hiking trail by Monarch Lake on wandasknottythoughts
Hiking trail by Monarch Lake

I did not take my tatting along when I hiked a little ways up this trail. The colors were so splendid and changed a little bit every day I could have gone back daily while we were there.

I have a lot more vacation photos I’d love to share, and I will share a few next week. Including one of an interested observer of my tatting.

“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.” Wallace Stevens

Thread ends

When a project is finished I have three choices for thread left on a shuttle: 1. Figure out something to tat with it until it’s gone; 2. Leave it on the shuttle and use another shuttle for the next project; or 3. Unwind it, putting the thread on a card or bobbin.

Of these choices, I like to do #1 the most, #2 if I’m lazy and have other shuttles available, and #3 only if I have to. With the left-over thread from the goat, I chose to do #1.

thread ends on wandasknottythoughts
Thread ends from the thank-you goat

The doodles I did in Lizbeth River Blue Dark in size 10 to finish off the thread from the shuttles.

Normally, any doodles I do from thread ends are put in a jar. When I want to add a little something to a letter or note I can usually find something in this jar that works. This time, I added a couple of these doodles to the goat before I mailed it off.

Thank-you goat for the Pushy Goat on wandasknottythoughts
Thank-you goat for the Pushy Goat with a couple of doodles

I like how this turned out. I hope my message therapist likes it, too.

This post was supposed to go up last week, but I didn’t do something quite right. We were on vacation last week and I didn’t check to make sure if it posted or not. The good news is I have pictures to share next week!

“A close family member once offered his opinion that I exhibit the phone manners of a goat, then promptly withdrew the charge – out of fairness to goats.“

Jeffrey Kluger

A Thank-you Goat

For Mother’s Day one of my daughters gave me a gift certificate for a massage at a place called ‘The Pushy Goat’. We were going to plan a day for us to go together, making a day of it, with lunch and shopping. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we didn’t have a chance to use it until August.

When we did get my massage set up we ran into all kinds of setbacks, one thing after another. Amazingly, things worked out well, we got our day out and had a wonderful time.

I wore a pair of tatted earrings to my appointment, which started a conversation about tatting with my therapist and her boss. After getting home I started thinking about sending my therapist a thank-you note with a bit of tatting in it. And what better example of tatting than a goat to a business named ‘The Pushy Goat’?

A goat for a thank-you note on wandasknottythoughts
A Thank-you goat

The pattern is Jane Eborall’s goat pattern, made in Lizbeth River Blue Dark in size 10. I’ve made this pattern before, back when Jane did it as a Tat It And See. This came out well, but I didn’t make the chin picots long enough. In fact, my granddaughter thought it was a dog. I added some thread to the chin and combed it out, making it more recognizable as a goat.

I finished the goat then had to come up with the card to put it on. I want it to be easy to mail but of a size that, if she wants, my therapist could frame it. I cut the paper to fit in a 5×7 frame. I’m going to put the thank-you message in the upper left corner and glue the goat down about where it’s at. I’m pleased with how it turned out.

I did not get any compensation from The Pushy Goat for this post. I just had a good experience there.

“Don’t approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back, or a fool from any side”

PROVERBS

Read more: https://www.wiseoldsayings.com/goat-quotes/#ixzz6Y59HCAPw

Ice Drop Done

A few weeks ago I started an ice drop to verify the pattern, to see what, and where I did something wrong in my Larissa pattern. In the course of tatting it, I miscalculated the size of the gem center. But I found another that would work.

Two sizes of ice drop gems on wandasknottythoughts
I found a smaller gem

The gem is smaller but black instead of green. I like the green better, but using the black let me keep going on the ice drop instead of starting over. (Do you see my reflection in the gems?)

Black gem for Larissa center on wandasknottythoughts
The black gem fits the center better

Yep, it worked. It has been a while since I made an ice drop and I felt a bit awkward trying to put the gem in the center. And I’m not used to that much weight hanging around while tatting the rest.

Larissa Ice Drop 20200908 on wandasknottythoughts
Larissa Ice Drop with a black gem

Ta-da! It is finished! Made with, I think, a DMC size 20 thread, of which the label has been lost for years.

I did make a mistake with one of the chains. I forgot it! I was fortunate that 1) I caught it, and 2) it wasn’t too hard to fix. I’m not telling where the problem child is, because if you weren’t looking for it, (and you don’t know much about tatting) you wouldn’t see it. This one was only made for me, anyway, and I’m happy with it.

I did find that I have some work to do on the pattern. I know I went through it before I published it, but man, did I find a few mistakes. But now I have to take the time to fix it!

This post was almost finished yesterday, and then, Poof! it was gone! Not sure what happened. At least I have time to do it again today.

“There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” Bob Ross

Third China Hutch Edging Done!

It’s done! I can hardly believe that I finished the edgings I wanted for my china hutch.

3rd china hutch edging done on wandasknottythoughts
The 3rd china hutch done and on the shelf

I started making these edgings on May 30, 2020. It only took 93 days from starting to mounting the third edging on the last shelf. I’m delighted with how they came out.

3rd shelf china hutch edging with doors shut on wandasknottythoughts
All three edgings on with the china hutch doors closed

I’m pleased with the look of the china hutch with the doors closed. Though trying to get a good picture of it with the glass reflecting everything is not easy. This was the best I could do this time around.

This project is one I’ve thought about for a long time but was never motivated enough to start until this year. This china hutch belonged to my grandfather and was given to him by his parents. He was a bare-bones guy, never one for frills. Once I got it I always thought edgings would be a nice finishing touch. Thirty years later I finally added the tatting, and I was right.

“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.” Earl Nightingale

Miscalculations

I have finished tatting the third china hutch edging! I’ve even finished blocking it, but I haven’t got it in the cabinet yet.

I noticed on the first two shelf edgings that they might be just a bit shorter than I planned. So I made the 3rd edging a bit longer. Maybe too long. I’ll find out soon.

China hutch edging edges on wandasknottythoughts
The edges of the first two edgings might not really be long enough

For a bit of a change and to answer a question I was asked about making one, I decided to make an Ice Drop, specifically Diane Cademartori’s Basic Ice Drop. (You can check out all of her adventures on her blog Lace-Lovin’ Librarian.) I’ve made it before, but this time I goofed.

Ice Drop mistake on wandasknottythoughts
The center isn’t quite right

This gem is the same size I’ve used before, but this time I didn’t do something quite right. Maybe the joining picots are too short. Or maybe the gem is just bigger than the one I used before, even though they came out of the same package. Whatever I did, or didn’t do, I’ll have to find a different center if I want to finish this ice drop.

I can’t say that either of these miscalculations are mistakes. With the china hutch doors closed, which they are most of the time, you can’t see either end of the edgings, so I’m not unhappy with them. The Ice Drop can be saved, I just have to find a different center. Let’s just call them learning experiences.

“Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else’s.” Billy Wilder

Gifted Crosses

In between working on the china hutch edgings I’ve made several cross bookmarks as gifts

This one is April’s Cross that I gifted as a wedding gift. The bride sent me a picture of it as I did not remember to take one of the finished bookmark before I gave it away. It came out nicely.

April's Cross wedding gift on wandasknottytoughts
The finished wedding bookmark April’s Cross

I also made one to celebrate a baptism. Well, I made two, as I wasn’t happy with the first one. The pattern is my take on a traditional cross.

Traditional cross bookmarks as gifts on wandasknottythoughts
Two cross bookmarks in my version of a traditional pattern

Both of these are made in size 20 Lizbeth thread #605, Silver. I wasn’t thrilled about the length of the long arm of the top one, it didn’t look proportionally correct with the other arms. So I’ll keep the first one for me.

Both recipients were pleased with their gifts, which also makes me happy.

Now I need to stay on task and finish the third edging for the china hutch.

“The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Second Edging Complete!

Yes, it’s true. I’ve completed the second china hutch edging AND put it on the shelf!

Second china hutch edging on wandasknottythoughts
China hutch 2 shelves done

The top one is the first one, the bottom one is the second. It looks like I should have made one more repeat for the length, but I’m not going back. It doesn’t have as many repeats as the first one due to picot length. The second one is a bit more consistent with the length of the joining picot in the first row. I might be able to adjust the way it lays on the shelf to fit the width a bit better.

Second china hutch edging w/doors on wandasknottythoughts
Two edgings are done on the china hutch

With the doors closed, the way they are most of the time, you can’t see that the edging does’t quite reach the sides. The first edging needs to be straightened just a bit, LOL! I’ll get to that later.

I am still working on the third shelf edging.

Third china hutch edging not quite done on wandasknottythoughts
Still working on the third edging

I’m on the second row of it, too. I just keep running into things that need to be done that are more time sensitive than the edging, both tatting related and otherwise.

In the otherwise category, I’ve taken care of a couple of the grandchildren several times that I hadn’t planned on. Whether at their house or our house there are other things to do than tat. My granddaughter likes watching videos that show how to make Barbie accessories, so we’ve made a few of those. Good thing I have a bunch of crafty things handy!

“You don’t have to get things done all the time to be productive.” David Harsanyi

Split rings and beads

One of my daughters had a birthday recently. We took her and her family as well as our other daughter and her family out to lunch to celebrate. The day before her birthday I thought about tatting her something (I always leave it to the last minute.) Earrings can be quick and easy – relatively speaking – so I decided to make her a pair.

Split ring and bead earrings on wandasknottythoughts
Split ring dragonfly earrings

The dragonfly wing beads I bought last year from JoAnn’s, the same time I bought the beads for these earrings. I used Lizbeth metallic thread #311 for the finished earrings, but, I didn’t start with that thread. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to make them so I practiced with cotton thread first.

Three tries for dragonflies on wandasknottythoughts
Trial and error for the dragonfly earrings

My first try was with cotton thread and single shuttle split rings. I was not happy with them at all. They might be good after a bit more refresher practice, but there was a time limit for getting them made. I like the look of the split rings in the middle one, but they looked a bit too big. So I made the split rings a bit smaller, which resulted in a happy tatter and a pretty set of earrings.

I used a few other beads bought at the same time for my Christmas gift ornaments this last year. They were made almost the same way as the earrings but with different stitch counts.

Beaded split ring Christmas ornaments on wandasknottythoughts
Beaded split ring Christmas ornaments

The biggest issue I had with these ornaments was I couldn’t put them in my Christmas cards to send them! Which in a way was good, as I didn’t have enough beads to make as many ornaments as I usually do. But those that received them were thrilled with them.

I don’t tat with beads often, usually because I make messes with them. I tat a lot in the car, so beads end up on the floor, between the seats, or lost. Okay, I’m also impatient with how much slower I tat with beads than tatting without. But once in a while beads are fun to work with, and usually turn out pretty good.

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” Denis Waitley