I finished the “thank you” doily for my aunt.
Aunt Irene’s thank you doily
There are many beautiful tatted doily patterns out there – I have books full of them. The Internet has a lot, also. Do I make one of those? Of course not, that would be too easy. I designed another one.
A few years ago I made a snowflake/medallion with a finding in the center. I used that medallion as the center but made a ring of rings in place of the finding. That was the easy part. Some of the rounds went very smooth, the others took more thought. And several tries. The end result is a bit ruffle-y until it’s blocked, but still looks nice. This needs more blocking – it’s amazing how a picture will show things that ‘in person’ isn’t so obvious.
This doily is seven inches across made in Lizbeth #603 Ecru size 20 thread. I’m not sure of my aunt’s tastes in colors and decorating so chose a ‘traditional’ color. I noticed I put spokes in this doily like several of my other doilies. I need to try something else next time. Doing a little more planning in the beginning would probably help, don’t you think?
I had planned to mail it today but will block it a bit better first. I want it to look good when she gets it.
“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. ” Gloria Steinem brainyquote.com
I received a unexpected gift in the mail a couple of months ago: a padded envelope with no return address. Wrapped in several layers of padding was an old metal shuttle.
Pretty tatting shuttle from my aunt
A sweet aunt of mine found it in her sewing box. She’s not sure how long she had it. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t tat, either, but she knows I do and sent it to me.
It is a post shuttle with etchings on both sides but no company markings. There are gaps at both tips. Size 10 and 20 thread do not come unwound when the shuttle is hung to untwist the thread if done with care. I’m surprised but happy at this, the gaps look big. One end has a sharp point that looks bent, which I can’t decide if this is original or the last tatter bent it this way. It works great as a pick. The other end has been flattened a bit; I’m guessing this is not the original look. The shuttle has no rust or any other blemishes.
I don’t know how old this is. Who knows how long my aunt had it or if it was new when she got it? It doesn’t really matter, it is a wonderful gift, which I appreciate very much.
I’m working on a small doily to send her as a thank you. It’s the least I can do, don’t you think?
“The best gifts are those we not only cherish but put to use.” Les Brown www.brainyquote.com
I didn’t make snowflakes to go in Christmas cards this year. Instead I was inspired by LaceLovinLibraian Diane to tat Ice Drops. The only draw back is that I had to hand deliver them. I ended up not making as many for Christmas as I would have if they were flat and could be mailed.
These were a lot of fun to make. They also don’t take very long.
Diane inspired a lot of people to make these. I’ve seen them in different colors, too, with beads and sequins. I may eventually tat some in colors other than white, but for Christmas these worked out great.
I am now making a list of UTPs (Unfinished Tatting Projects). The goal is to finish those first before getting in to other projects.
Now to remember where I put all those UTPs.
“I recently took up ice sculpting. Last night I made an ice cube. This morning I made 12, I was prolific.” Mitch Hedberg
I still haven’t finished the dragon. The thread is dark enough that I need a well-lit area to work on it. I’m doing the head streamers and am having a bit of difficulty. Trying to hurry, maybe? When I have time to work on it I don’t have good lighting; when I have good lighting I don’t have time to work on it. It will get done – eventually.
Other than a couple of other small things that aren’t ready to be shared yet I haven’t done any tatting. Getting lazy, I guess.
We’ve been having problems with our Internet. We had trouble a week ago Saturday, called the provider and thought we had it fixed. Then we had trouble again. Again we called the provider, did a few more things and thought we had it fixed. The next day we lost the Internet and haven’t gotten it back yet. It is aggravating. We thought we might have it by today, but we didn’t.
As I don’t have any pictures of tatting ready I thought I’d share a couple of pictures of a visitor we had this week.
Pheasant
Saw this handsome fellow strutting through our yard. I snapped this picture through the window.
Pheasant flying away
He left in a hurry as soon as we opened the door. It surprised me when I found I’d caught him in this picture. We’ve been hearing a lot of pheasant calls around so we know they are out there. This one just decided to brave the yard. We were lucky we caught sight of him.
I’m hoping to get my tatting enthusiasm back. Or back in gear, anyway. I’ve got lots of things I want to make.
“It’s not easy taking my problems one at a time when they refuse to get in line.” Ashleigh Brilliant
While at Tat Days in September I picked up ‘Flights of Fancy’ by Martha Ess. For my first project out of it I chose the Chinese Dragon. I had thought to use a lighter color than the Lizbeth 674 Garnet Dark but decided a dark color fits my vision of a Chinese dragon – at least today. I like it in this color until I have to take out stitches when a mistake it made.
Note to self: DON’T make mistakes!
I was working on this in a waiting room when the two ladies at the desk asked what I was doing. I explained a bit and one of the ladies immediately Googled it. She was quite impressed by all the tatting she found on-line.
About a week later I was tatting in another quite large waiting room that has plants strategically placed all around and in the middle. A lady on the other side of the room leans around a large plant and asks if I’m tatting. When I admit I am she comes over to see how it’s done. I show her a bit and answer a few questions. Then a gentleman comes over to see what I’m doing. When they leave the ladies at the desk also want to know what I’m doing, so I show them. I actually enjoyed my wait that day 🙂
Unfortunately, I still haven’t finished my dragon. I’ve been working a lot of hours and even when I have a few minutes I’m so tired I don’t feel like tatting. Even so, I’m hoping to finish it soon. I’m at the ears, then the easy part going down the back.
Maybe I should find somewhere else I need to sit in a waiting room to finish it. Even if that meant I might get interrupted by questions about what I’m making.
I could handle that.
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” Joyce Meyer brainyquote.com
Last month I spent a weekend with my daughter’s family. One day my grandson had a fundraiser he had to work and wanted me to go, too. I tagged along but forgot to bring a chair to sit on. We did happen to bring a cooler, so I was able to sit down somewhat comfortably. I did not have a particular tatting project to work on but I did have several shuttles I was going to empty making small butterflies and such.
Ashley, the mother of one of the other boys, came over to see what I was doing. I demonstrated a bit using two shuttles to show the flip better. As we were both going to be there a while, and she showed interest, I let her try. She picked it up fast! In a little over an hour she was able to chain and even do a couple of rings.
New tatter Ashley
I was impressed with Ashley, she did such a great job! What I thought would be a long two hours went by in a flash. We both enjoyed ourselves sitting on the sidewalk outside of a Wal-mart. Best fundraiser I ever went to.
Between the wonderful time I spent with my daughter’s family and the time I spent with Ashley, it was a great weekend.
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”
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
I was finally able to finish it the week following Tat Days.
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
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 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 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
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
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
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!
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!
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
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.
It’s that time of year, time for the Kansas State Fair. I’ve been very busy this year with things other than tatting but I wanted to enter something in the fair. It’s my attempt to keep them from dropping the category. Last year there were only a few entries, which has me worried about the category disappearing. I’m not all that confident in my entries, but they will be out there, showing the general public that tatting is not “a lost art.”
I took my doily with “Harper” edging that I had entered in the county fair. It was already made, might as well take it, right?
Only one item per person can be entered in the only tatting category they have so I always look for other types of category/classes that will work for tatting. There are several holiday classes that don’t specify media type that fit the bill. I entered a Christmas decoration and a holiday, non-Christmas decoration.
Tatted Christmas decoration State Fair angel 1
I had several ideas for the Christmas decoration. First thought was covering a satin ball. I have several balls, and even downloaded a few patterns. And changed my mind. Then I was going to do a 3-D bell. And changed my mind. It ended up being a 3-D angel instead.
Tatted Christmas decoration State Fair angel
The main body developed with only a few changes, other than it started as a bell and ended up the angel body. The wings came out great the first try. As I hadn’t planned on it being an angel I didn’t plan how to attach the wings while tatting. They were sewn on after both body and wings were complete. The hard part was the halo. Yes, the halo. I made something like six different ones before I was happy with the result. These pictures do not show the halo that finished off the angel right before taking it to the fair. I forgot to take a picture.
The third item was the non-Christmas decoration. I had a terrible time even coming up with an idea of what to take. I’ve done Halloween and Thanksgiving in the past, maybe I should choose another holiday? Nope, it came down to Halloween again. It was down to the wire on whether it would even make it to the fair or not. I started multiple ideas and messed up all of them. The final touches were added just before leaving the house.
Tatted Halloween State Fair entry
I downloaded the ‘Pearl Tatted Skeleton’ by Martha Ess to start with. It did not turn out well, so I tried a couple of other things, which ended badly as well. Then I perused Lindsay Rogers’ book ‘Tatting Collage’, hoping for inspiration. The outcome was a combination of things, using parts of the skeleton and a few ideas from the book. I don’t feel this is quite done, but I ran out of time. It’s not my best work, and I have no idea what the judges will think, but I took it to the fair anyway.
Whew! I’m glad I have the fair items taken care of. Becky, one of the Tuesday Tatters, took me with her to drop things off yesterday. She entered a beautiful quilt and a quilt block but no tatting (we talked about that 🙂 ). She is going to the fair on Friday, opening day, and will text me the results. I hope to make it on Monday.
Now that is done I can make sure I’m all ready for Palmetto Tat Days. It’s this week!! I’m so excited! This is my first time going. It’s gonna be great! Hope to see a few of you there!
I’ve been doing a lot of practice on different techniques lately. Some of it is for Tat Days in September and some is just because. I haven’t gotten all of them right yet, but I’ve had fun working on them.
Tatted bits of practice
The Clunies on the right I’m working on because there are a couple of classes I’m taking that call for them. After a lot of practice they are getting easier. I’m looking forward to learning hints and tricks about making them while at Tat Days.
Those funny looking flowers in the center? I was trying my hand at Daisy Picots and Dandelion Picots. Jane Eborall has instructions on her tips and techniques page. Of course I rushed into making them before I looked them up. My flowers came out okay and I had fun making them, but they aren’t made per Jane’s instructions.
I also played around a bit with pearl tatting – to remind myself how it’s done – and with using fancy embroidery floss. I’m not too happy with the results with the floss. If I really needed to use it for a project I’d work with it more and do better.
Tatted butterflies for Tat Days
Part of my getting ready for Tat Days is emptying the thread from a bunch of shuttles. I’m going to be needing them for new projects! What better way than to make butterflies and donate them at Tat Days? They give them away at their State Fair – isn’t that a great idea? I’m sure I’ll have a few more for them before I get there.
I’ll be taking my entries in to our State Fair next week. They are not what I would like them to be but I’m taking them anyway. Over the last several years there have been fewer and fewer entries at the fair and I don’t want the category to disappear. I’ll be taking pictures of them soon (I hope) and sharing them later.
I’m getting ready for the Kansas State Fair and Tat Days. What are you getting ready for?
“Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.” Henry Ford
