Tag: classes

Back From Tatting Corner’s Tat Days pt 1

We made it back from Tat Days 2024! Yes, several weeks ago. It’s amazing how busy I was even after we got back. And how lazy I got about posting!

Tat Days was fun this year, as always. I taught classes on the cruise this last fall, but this is my first time at Tat Days. The classes went well and kept me very busy. I met up with friends from other Tat Days and the cruise and made a few new ones. I was excited to see my name on the back of the shirt!

Back of T-shirt for Tat Days on wandasknottythoughts
Back of T-shirt for Tat Days

Lisa had an auction to raise money for the Animal Protection League again this year. $2323 was raised for it! This year the auction was two-fold, the APL and the new tatting scholarship fund. They were done simultaneously with the items marked for where the money would go. $1043 was raised for the scholarship fund.

Lora McClintock, Lynda Brown, and Lisa Adams on wandasknottythoughts
Lora McClintock, Lynda Brown, and Lisa Adams

Lisa was the auctioneer, with Lora and Lynda being her ‘gofers’. Lora and Lynda would take the items into the crowd so we could get a closer look before bidding on them.

Auction crown 1 on wandasknottythoughts
Auction crown (1)
Auction crowd (2) on wandasknottythoughts
Auction crowd (2)

Unfortunately, I didn’t remember to pick up my camera as Lora showed off the shawl, I was laughing too hard. I’m sure she appreciates that I didn’t pick it up! If you were there, you know what I’m referring to. If you weren’t there, you should have been! We are all looking forward to another wonderful show next year, Lora!

Several people finished the patterns I taught before the weekend was over, which is exciting to me. I’m sharing a few here, but I have more!

KayLynn Thygerson finished the tortoise on wandasknottythoughts
KayLynn Thygerson finished the tortoise

KayLynn finished her tortoise before Tat Days were over. It came out so well!

Janet Niederloh with her Hare on wandasknottythoughts
Janet Niederloh with her Hare

Janet not only finished her Hare, but it was during the class! I thought she used a smaller thread but I have been told it was size 20. She did a great job!

Me and Kristina Fry with her Hare on wandasknottythoughts
Me and Kristina Fry with her Hare

Kristina finished a Hare and a half. She pointed out a problem with my pattern and helped me correct it. Thanks so much, Kristina!

I’ve mentioned several times that my husband has been making shuttles lately. He’s been getting better and decided to take some with us to Tat Days.

Shuttles by Jack 20240711 on wandasknottythoughts
Shuttles by Jack 20240711

He donated one for the auction and sold most of the rest. He brought 12 and left with two. I think he’ll be making more!

This was another fun and exciting Tat Days. I will be sharing more pictures from it in the next several weeks. Hopefully in less than four weeks! Things have slowed down a bit here at home, but I’m working on another pattern, plus Christmas is only five months away! I’ve got a lot of tatting to do before then.

“You have the ability to choose which way you want to go. You have to believe great things are going to happen in your life. Do everything you can – prepare, pray and achieve – to make it happen.” Ben Carson

Cats, Hats, and Bats (and a few other things)

Tatting Corner Tat Days is officially over. It was a wonderful three days for me, meeting new people, and seeing friends from last year. Lisa did a great job of organizing all of the tatting classes, and making sure everyone had food that met special dietary requirements. Thanks, Lisa!

A few Tat Days 2023 projects on wandasknottythoughts
A few Tat Days 2023 projects

These are a few of the projects offered this year under the theme “Ghosties, Goblins, and Tatting – Oh MY!!”. The Baby Bat by Rozella Linden is the only project I finished while there. Mary Anna Robinson taught the class from the book “Things That Go ‘Tat’ in The Night”. Those that took the class also received the book, yay! Ria and I discussed several techniques while making it.

Ria and me working on the Baby Bat on wandasknottythoughts
Ria and me working on the Baby Bat

The “Halloween Cats on a Clip” class was by Mike Lyon, aka Shuttle Commander on Facebook. I did the orange on the clip with no problem and started the first cat with the size 40 black thread but had a few issues. I tat so tight I kept breaking the thread when pulling the SCMR closed. Finally, I went to a size 20 thread I had with me – and broke that thread, too. I gave up during the class but worked on it again that night and was successful with the size 20! I just have to learn to not tat so tight with these! I see lots of possibilities with these kitties! Looking forward to making more.

Working on the Sorting Hat on the way home on wandasknottythoughts
Working on the Sorting Hat on the way home

The Sorting Hat was the brainchild of Donna Pagano Denny. This was fun! I chose a bright color for it so I could see the stitches and finished it on the way home. As you can see in the picture at the top I don’t have it shaped yet. But I will!

Kristina and me working on our Sorting Hats on wandasknottythoughts
Kristina and me working on our Sorting Hats

Kristina was in the class, sitting across from me making the hat. She was so fun to talk to! I found out she is already a follower of my blog! Hi, Kristina! Looking forward to seeing you next time! She sent me a picture of her Hymnal Angel that she made for Christmas last year. She did a wonderful job!

Hymnal Angel tatted by Kristina Fry on wandasknottythoghts
Hymnal Angel tatted by Kristina Fry

Another class I took where I didn’t finish the project was “What Am I?” or “Tatted Pocket Toddler” by Carolyn Craig. This is done entirely of Split Rings with a couple of very short chains thrown in. I am enjoying this immensely! I’m looking forward to dressing my toddler when I’m finished tatting the body. FYI, if you haven’t seen Craig’s Mermaids and all the toddlers she’s done, you are missing out! They are fantastic! She’s on Facebook and a member of the Friends of Tatting Corner group.

Tatted Pocket Toddler not quite done on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted Pocket Toddler not quite done

I made a bit of a mistake on this, but it won’t make any difference, especially once she’s dressed and has hair.

The last class I took was Kaye B. Judt’s “Mini Witch”. This is so cool! Kaye (also a Friends of Tatting Corner group member) took the time to take us through the construction phase, which is the last thing to do, and which few got to (that I’m aware of). She had a table full of little dolls made like the witch in different colors and sizes and outfits. So cute! I think the only thing besides putting it together I need to do is to tat the second arm.

Mini Witch in pieces on wandasknottythoughts
Mini Witch in pieces

Yes, there are several pieces – including the one tatted arm – that are missing. Like the head, a wooden bead. I have all those pieces, ready to go when it’s time to put them together.

Tat Days was so fun! I was sad to see it end, though my hands were glad of the break. My husband and I are already talking about going next year. Of course, before then there is the cruise in November, where I’ll get to see some of my tatting friends again. And I’ll be teaching a class then!

“Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world.” John Evelyn

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