Our neighbor asked me a few months ago if I would make a pair of earrings for his granddaughter. She likes horses and the color turquoise. Oh, and a halter on the horse would be nice.
I immediately thought of Debbie Arnold‘s Seahorse pattern. I’ve made it before as a horse head bookmark and thought it would work well for the earrings as well. I also wanted to make it in a small thread, as they are for a little girl. Oh, and get the right color turquoise!
Horsehead earrings in size 80
I tat front-side/back-side, so I also had to make sure that I made them facing opposite directions. Between this and the small thread, I had some troubles making these. And then making the harnesses! I spent a lot of time dreaming of how I was going to do this.
My neighbor likes these, but the reins not so much. (I thought this was an excellent way to not have to hide ends of the black thread!) I’m thinking to knot the thread at the ring on the bottom with maybe a touch of glue.
The color was acceptable but I put the ball away and can’t find it to say what it is. I know that it’s Lizbeth size 80.
I’m happy with these earrings, even if I have to get rid of the reins. Maybe I’ll make me a pair…
“What if the blue I see is not the color blue you see?” Neo Shamon
There are a lot of tatting projects that I need to get done now that I’m back from Palmettos Tat Days. I knew about them before I went to Georgia but didn’t have time to do them, so it was rush, rush, rush when I got back. I did get two of my projects done, two more to go before the end of October.
Tatted Butterfly Edged Doily
One project I finished was an edged doily. Our church participates in an auction to raise money for a local retirement home, which is supposed to be a ‘basket’ of items that we donate. This year, it’s not a basket at all, but several items of a theme that we’ll bundle together. I try to include something tatted every year, and this year I planned a doily with a tatted edging.
Tatted Butterfly Edging looks like Mary Konior’s pattern
Our theme this year is butterflies, so I envisioned a doily with a tatted edging of butterflies. I had an idea of what I wanted and got started without a pattern. While on Craftree I found an edging that was exactly what I wanted: Mary Konior’s Butterflies from her book “A Pattern Book of Tatting.” I don’t have the book and I don’t know the stitch count of her pattern as I made it before I saw a picture of it. As it is so close to her pattern if you want to make it, check out her book.
I loved the butterflies but thought the edging needed to be a bit wider, so I added another row. The result is more suitable to what I planned for the doily.
Tatted Butterfly Edging with a second row
At this point, I didn’t have a center for the doily, I made the edging first 🙂 I had time to tat but not the time to cut and sew the doily center. With the edging done I had to figure out a way to get the center the size needed and found a paper plate worked out nicely. I miscalculated a bit by not making the seam a tad bit wider (making the doily diameter smaller), but it still came out okay. Finished size with edging is about nine and a half inches across.
Tatted Butterfly Edging sewn on
These are the items we put together for our auction ‘basket.’ We had members of our congregation add the butterflies to the grapevine cross.
Auction items
This is one project down out of four that I want to have done before the end of October. I have one other completed that I’ll post about later. Now on to the next!
“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” Rabindranath Tagore https://brainyquote.com
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
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
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
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
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
These are the same cuffs with one cuff turned around.
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
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!
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 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 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
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
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
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
When we travel I try to document myself tatting at different locations. I admit I didn’t tat much on our Wyoming vacation, but I did think to pull it out at a few places. My husband surprised me by taking a video this time. We are at Norris Geyser Basin pretty early in the morning. The museum located on the site is not even open yet. It is also chilly, which makes it hard to see the pools and geysers. The steam is much thicker than normal but you can still hear the heated water. Because of the cloud cover, the fog, and the steam, you can’t tell which pool we are standing by – I think it is Emerald Pool. I hope this comes out.
Advice from a Hot Spring “Let your talents spring forth, Keep new ideas bubbling, Be warm and welcoming, Have deep reservoirs, Let off a little steam!” YourTrueNature.com
Wow! I hadn’t realized just how long it has been since I last posted! July has been extremely busy. Things just worked out to take place in July, one thing right after another. Obviously the long weekend of the 4th of July, then a family vacation to St. Louis, Missouri, then a concert, then a vacation with my husband to Wyoming. It has been fun but has taken up much of my time and energy.
There are no affiliate links in this post. I have received no compensation by mentioning or linking to any place or item.
Every year we try to take a vacation with our daughters and their families. This year we went to St. Louis, Missouri, and had a few extras as well – our niece and one of our daughter’s mother-in-law and sister-in-law. All good! Everyone got along and had a great time. All 13 of us.
One of the first things we did was visit the Gateway Arch. I’d been to it before but never went to the top. This time we all went up.
Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.
There is construction going on around it and under it. Believe it or not, the Museum of Western Expansion is underground, right below the Arch. Right now much of the museum is off limits due to the construction, though there are some exhibits in the old courthouse close by. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the courthouse this trip.
View from the top of the Gateway Arch.
This is what we saw from one side of the viewing area at the top of the arch, which is 630 feet, or 192 meters, high. From the other side of the Arch, you see the Mississippi River. You go up in little enclosures that sit five people each and it takes several minutes. You don’t want to have a problem with tight or high places!
Items found in Gateway Arch gift store.
Check out what I found in the Arch gift shop! They have toys, books, and other items that relate to the western expansion of North America. I guess they consider tatting an old craft practiced during the western movement. How cool is it to find tatting like this in the gift shop?
There is a lot available to do in St. Louis so we had to narrow down what we wanted to do. Prior to our trip, we had a lot of people tell us what a great place the City Museum is, so we chose to go there after the Arch. We all totally agree this is a great place! No, it’s a totally awesome place! You can be there all day and not see or experience the whole thing. I recommend it to anyone going to St. Louis. If you go, take along head lights (flash lights that you can wear around your head) and knee pads. This place is loaded with things to experience – slides, caves, climbs, and other things too many to mention.
City Museum in St. Louis from the parking lot.
It was hot the day we visited, but it was a Saturday so it was open until midnight. We spent most of the afternoon there, then went out for supper and (most of us) went back until closing. You get wrist bands as your entry tickets which allow you to go in and out all day.
The roof of the City Museum in St. Louis.
This is a small portion of the roof of the museum. My husband is the highest person in that wire structure. It doesn’t go anywhere, it’s just a place to climb. The grandkids had a blast here! The parents had to stick with their kids. There are a lot of slides in the building, some spiraling through the dark, and it’s hard to know where or even which floor they end on. The caves are dark and may be scary to younger children but have amazing things hidden in them. There are trees and other things to climb all over the place. If you go, plan to spend a lot of time!
My goodies from our St. Louis vacation
I did pick up a few things from the Arch gift shop (yes, the tatting book, I didn’t have it yet) and the City Museum gift shop. I didn’t get much tatting done, but I didn’t expect to. The two buttons were all done on the drive there or back. Yes, there was time on the long drive there and back to have done more, but it didn’t happen.
This was a wonderful vacation. I am exceedingly pleased that it worked out so well and that everyone got along as well as they did. Well enough that we are already talking about where and what we want to do next year.
“Take vacations. Go as many places as you can. You can always make money. You can’t always make memories.” positivelifetips.com
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.
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
While handling one it I discovered these butterflies don’t just have to lie flat, they can hold up their wings.
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.
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!
I recently heard about a new Clover shuttle: the Clover bobbin shuttle. I saw a demonstration of it on YouTube (Georgia Seitz Online Advanced Class). This piqued my interest! My normal shuttle is a Clover as I like the size, feel, and shape of them. To have the same thing but with a bobbin? I was intrigued.
Goodies from Tatting Corner
I bought one of the shuttles and some thread from The Tatting Corner. This was my first purchase from there, which I was very happy with. You can see that I was so excited about the shuttle that I didn’t get a picture of my order before I had opened the shuttle package.
Using the new shuttle surpassed my expectations. Though it is slightly taller than a regular Clover it still feels good in my hand. It didn’t take long for me to get used to using it. The bobbin is different than those used with Aero shuttles and the two types are not interchangeable. Other than forgetting that it does not have a post using the bobbin is nice. The length of the Clover bobbin shuttle is just a little longer than the regular Clovers. This has not caused any trouble for me.
I have several Aero shuttles that I use, but I’ve never gotten comfortable enough with them to enjoy tatting with them all the time. I’m sure enough about the new Clovers that I’m ready to order more.
Notice the threads in my order are all size 80. I have a small (LOL) project that I’m doing in size 80 but wasn’t sure of the shade so had to buy several colors. Such a horrible problem to have!
If you hadn’t already heard, Craft Corner, home of Tatting Corner, is having its grand opening July 1. If you’re in the area stop in. I wish I could! They have a Facebook page to see what’s going on with them, too. (This is not an affiliate link, I get nothing in return for mentioning them. I was just happy with my experience with them.)
“A fool and his money…will soon find his house taken over by his wife’s ever-growing thread stash.” quote found on Craftree
The other day while tatting aroundbuttonsagain (surprise!) I tried something different that didn’t work. I looked at this button from several angles trying to determine if I should cut off the tatting or if there was something else I could try. Turning it up and down, over and sideways, another idea presented itself.
Blue accidental button butterfly
The button is about 1/2 inch across with two holes. It’s always interesting to tat onto a two hole button; the joins have to be thought out a bit so there isn’t too much thread going through each hole. I hadn’t thought far enough ahead to not over crowd the first hole when the idea of a butterfly popped up.
Hmm, not too bad. The head didn’t come out too great and attaching it to the two holes was not quite right, but it did look like a butterfly. A little more thought and another try.
White tatted button butterfly
This one came out a bit better. I think the head needs a little work yet, but the joins to the button look much better.
Two tatted button butterflies
The button on the white butterfly is just a touch bigger than the button for the blue butterfly. That must be why the blue looks narrower than the white. I like the shape of the blue better. Other than the head – which still needs work – I’m pretty happy with this butterfly.
These butterflies are small but complicated, using two shuttles with a lot of switching back and forth between them. The blue is 2 1/4 inch across by 1 1/8 inch high. The white is 2 1/4 inch across by 1 1/4 inch high.
I wonder what this would look like in two colors?
“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” Nathaniel Hawthorne www.brainyquote.com
