Friday, October 31, 2008

Great stuff!

This is not my week for working with computers! My scanner died at the beginning of the week. I haven't been able to connect from the Internet at home for the past three days. And to top it all off, I've been trying to upload these pictures to Blogger for over an hour!

Enough complaining already! With Dave's help I finished this pretty little box for a birthday present. I love little boxes! I found this one at Michael's (I know they don't use an apostrophe, but the English teacher in me just won't let me leave it out) thanks to Tattycat... I was looking for her wonderful thread winders! Dave sanded and stained the box for me. It's just the right size for Lyn Morton's Judith in size 20 HDT. This one's Tie Dye Blue from LadyShuttleMaker. I told Dave that I'd like to give little treasure boxes like these to our grandchildren for Christmas, and he liked the idea. Now all I have to do is find the time to get to Michael's and do the tatting... somehow my Christmas list keeps growing!


Dave Stanbrough at Grizzly Mountain Arts had a beautiful nostepinde listed in his Etsy shop. I e-mailed him and asked if he could make a smaller version for thread, and he did! It's perfect for winding my HDT into little balls!


For me, the big advantage to having balls of thread is that I can pull the thread either from the center or the outside... much easier when using a ball and shuttle pattern!


I found this ball holder a few years ago (I can't remember where). It's perfect for holding my little balls of thread... I don't have to worry about them getting lost in the dust bunnies!

9 comments:

  1. That little box is beautiful. The thread you used to tat with is also beautiful and so is your actual tatting. I suppose I could've just said "wow what a great box", but I felt that each detail deserved comment.

    What a cool way to wind and use your HDT!

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  2. What a wonderful keepsake box! That will be so meaningful for your grandchildren since both of you worked on it.

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  3. That is a nice box. I wonder if it is big enough to hold some shuttles. I need something to store mine in. Your tatting looks great in it as well. The thread winder and thread holder look really handy.

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  4. Diane,I love the box and the motif, of course. And then there's that thread! Oooh, love it. About an hour ago, I went on a shopping spree in Sherry's Etsy shop. Hopelessly addicted, that I am.

    I'm intrigued by how you wind your thread into balls. Is that difficult to do? I'd prefer to do that with mine instead of wind it onto bobbins.

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  5. AHHHHHH! Ha ha! Whoo hoo! I just posted about this!

    Happy Dance oooh Happy Dance!!!!!

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  6. What a great little box. What are its dimensions, if I may ask? It was a very nice gift for Marilee! Good for you to have a sharing heart!
    That would be a great gift idea for my girls (daughters and grands). They all love little boxes for trinkets.
    I am really intrigued by your ball-winder. I, too, would like to know how you do that bit..
    hugs, Ridgetatter

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  7. The interior of the box measures 5 1/2" X 4" X 2"deep. It is a great size for shuttles and thread.
    Thank you again Diane...and a big hug to Dave too!
    I am all smiles!

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  8. The box is lovely. You and Dave both did a great job! I've never heard of a nostepinde, but now I have to have one!

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  9. You know, I just keep picking up those boxes because I love boxes to begin with and everytime I see one, I get inspired to do something else with them...and they are currently all languishing in bags and boxes around the house! I was just thinking this weekend that I need to get them out and make use of some of those ideas for Christmas!

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