Help!

I"m stuck with my Cubs Spinning Wheel. I know that I need to do something different with the center rings in order to make everything work correctly, but I just can't figure out what that something is. Anyone have any ideas?

Did you notice my new shuttle? I'm testing it for Rita Richmond of Shuttle by Design. This little beauty is decorated with French glass paint. I have no idea what that means, but I sure do like it!

In the meantime, I've been working on more Ice Drops. I tried using a Josephine chain as a hanger, but I don't like the way it looks. I think I'll replace it with a ribbon.

I really like the way the ribbon looks as a hanger.

I've worked my time down to 45 minutes. Who knows... maybe I'll get faster!

I've also started another Spinning Wheel, this time in size 80 Lizbeth #669, Poppy Red. As you can see, I'm using another of Rita Richmond's shuttles. I love the fairies!

Ice Drop

The last few days have been incredibly busy. This weekend has been filled with middle school drama club performances of Into the Woods, a musical I had never heard of until daughter Carol decided to produce it!

Yesterday I had a couple of hours of down time, so I decided to play with one of my newest patterns, How to make a bezel setting in tatting by Edda Guastalla. I've been reading many posts about encasing pennies and cabochons in tatting, and I decided it was time I learned how.

It's really very simple. This is the front view.

This is the back view.

This is the side view. Although this has six rings, it really didn't remind me of a snowflake, although I'm sure I could figure out how to extend the pattern to make a snowflake. So, I decided that I liked calling it an Ice Drop!

I have quite a supply of these little glass discs, so I think I might make some as Christmas presents.

The Chicago Cubs are not doing well in the World Series, but I'm still celebrating their participation for the first time since 1945. It looks like I'm going to need to make some adjustments, but I'm hoping  to having a piece of tatting worthy of commemorating my favorite baseball team!

Debbie made me do it!

My friend Debbie saw my post on Facebook about my Sky Blue Dark Spinning Wheel, and she told me it needed a red C in the center. I think she was right. Now I think I will need to figure out a Cubs doily... just in case they win the World Series!

Brrr!

It was a cold and dreary day here. Rainy days just seem to set a chill in my bones that won't go away. I can hardly wait to go to bed and snuggle under my wool blanket!

I finished off a mini-ball of brown wool today, and started on some multi-colored yarn from Hobby Lobby. I'm amazed at the number of squares I'm getting from left-over yarns. I'm still trying to decide what to do with them, but for now, I'm just weaving away when the mood strikes!

I finished up my Sky Blue Dark Spinning Wheel while watching the World Series tonight. The game's been going on for three hours now, and they're only in the 7th inning. I guess I'll have time to wind my shuttle for another Spinning Wheel!

I did it again!

I forgot to take pictures, and my sewing students made the cutest pillows today. Bella made a pillow for her grandmother with blue roses on the front and a black print with pink roses on the back. Nadia made a pillow for her bedroom, green with colorful circle designs on the front and solid purple on the back. Riley had a zebra print for the front of her pillow and a raspberry leopard print for the back. They all turned out so cute, and the girls' smiles were from ear to ear!

A few weeks ago, Dave and I visited our friends Gus and Irene. Irene's mother, Maria, was visiting as well. While Dave and Gus worked on digging a sandpoint well, Maria and I sat and talked about crocheting, tatting, yarns, and threads. I put together some samples of Lizbeth thread and yarn from Hobby Lobby and passed them on to Maria. As a thank you, Maria sent some of her beautiful work home with Dave today.

Maria is one of those very talented people who can look at a crocheted piece and recreate it. I admired Irene's table runner, and Maria crocheted one for me!

Maria also knit this beautiful hat for me. I'm all set for winter!

I've been tatting while watching the Cubs play in the World Series. I'm not a big sports fan, but I've always enjoyed watching the Cubs. I can't remember players' names. I don't understand stats. I just like watching baseball. I think that's because I used to watch the Philadelphia Phillies with my Great-grandma Morris when I was a little girl. I think it's kind of cool that the color I chose is Cubby blue! It was purely accidental. I just grabbed a ball of thread from my apothecary jar, and this is the color that came out. I wonder if that's a sign? ;-)

Fabulous mail!

I took on a last minute sub job today, so I didn't accomplish everything I thought I would. That's okay. I had a great time with the kids, and everyone at school makes me feel like a rock star!

After school, daughter Carol needed help finishing up two more costumes. I was glad to help, but by the time I got home and fixed dinner, I was ready to sit down and do nothing!

However, I first needed to open my mail.

The first package I opened was from Marie McCurry of West Pine Creations. Look at all the goodies... a shuttle case, a black walnut tatting shuttle, and a gorgeous pendant. I am one happy girl!

I also received this fabulous art work from Sherry Pence, who is trying to raise money for hearing aids. The last I checked, she was more than halfway to her goal. I'm glad that I was able to help in a small way.

I arrived at school early this morning (old habits die hard), so I had time to get some tatting in while waiting for students. I also had some time to tat at lunch, so I was able to get pretty far today!

Inside drawer #2

I almost didn't post a picture today, because this drawer contains shuttles that have not been assigned a place in my collection yet. It's not that I don't love these shuttles, I do! In fact, over half of them have thread still on them from projects I finished long ago. It's just that I find myself arranging and rearranging shuttles as I go. In fact, I'm already considering shuffling where everything goes, but I'm going to try and force myself to wait until I've found all my shuttles. ;-)

I really need to start taking pictures during the daytime. There are too many shadows at night. Are there any here that you recognize?

We went up to help daughter Alison with her house again today... cleaning leaves out of gutters, patching holes in walls, moving furniture around. My tatting time today took place in the car. We have an hour and a half drive each way. I managed to tat quite a bit, but I did not tat the whole time. Believe it or not, I have a difficult time moving my mouth and my shuttle at the same time. So, every time Dave said something that required a response from me, my hands stopped working. Do any of you have the same problem?

Top drawer

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may remember that Dave bought this cabinet for me as a Christmas present. We had been window shopping at Hobby Lobby, and I said it would be great for shuttle storage, never dreaming that the dear man would buy it for me!

As you can see, there are quite a few drawers, and I'm still organizing them. To add to the fun, I've decided I will only show one drawer at a time. So, the shuttle count continues!

Here are some of my Aerlit shuttles. As you can see, I have one in a package and one out of a package except for the Mint Chocolate. That one is attached to a project somewhere really safe!

Today was the first dress rehearsal for Into the Woods. I took my sewing machine along, and it's a good thing I did. There were some more costumes to be hemmed, and two needed repairs. It was a long day, so I'm ready to kick up my feet and tat.

I loaded my beautiful butterfly shuttle from Shuttle by Design before leaving for play practice this morning. The thread is size 80 Lizbeth #707, Sky Blue Dark. This combo makes me smile!

Hemming

I took on the job of hemming seven pair of pants for the son of a friend of mine. It took much longer than I expected, but the job is done and I have a great feeling of accomplishment!

Daughter Carol came over after parent/teacher conferences today, and I helped her create a wolf costume for the play. Time was short, so I didn't get to take a picture. I'll try to remember to take one at the play next weekend.

After all that activity, I sat down to relax with my tatting. I love this Ocean Teal Med!

Whew!

After a run to Hobby Lobby and JoAnn Fabrics this morning, I was able to finish the last of the costume alterations. I am so happy to have that done.

After a little clean-up around the house, I was able to spend a little time tatting. I think Michelle is right... I will manage to finish another Spinning Wheel this week!

Costume day

Most of today was spent altering costumes. I would have been able to finish if I had purchased the correct ribbon for one of the dresses. I second guessed myself because of price, and I should have gone with my first choice. Since I didn't, I'll be heading back to Kankakee tomorrow to get what I need. The good news is, eight of the nine costumes are good to go!

Another mini-ball of leftover yarn found a new life today! I'm pretty sure this is wool sock yarn. Keeping my little pin looms close at hand is proving to be a good way to de-stash my mini-balls!

This is the beautiful jar Denise found at a garage sale. Yesterday it was filled with spools of sewing ahead. I should have taken a picture of it filled, but I forgot. Denise is the sock-knitting queen, and I think this beautiful jar would be a great place for her to store her mini-balls. Denise knits up her left-overs into hexipuffs. Wouldn't they look adorable in there?

I'm making progress with my newest Spinning Wheel. I do like this color, Ocean Teal Med.

Tuesday already?

I can't believe it's Tuesday, and I can't believe I forgot to post yesterday. I didn't really have anything to blog about. It was laundry day, and instead of tatting between loads, I worked on my sewing room. I'm really hoping to have it whipped in to shape before Thanksgiving. You wouldn't believe all the stuff I'm finding!

In an effort to use some of my supplies, I finished these squares on my 2" and 4" looms. Now I have to decide what to do with the squares. Anyone have any ideas?

My sewing students came today, and their first task was to choose threads. My friend Denise found a wonderful jar filled with sewing thread and thought of my girls. Wasn't that sweet of her? The girls took turns choosing spools of thread. I'm sure they'll make good use of them.

The girls finished up their fabric baskets and then learned to make pillow covers. I found some 8" pillow forms while cleaning out my sewing closet, giving the girls a fun sewing project. This is Nadia's pillow and fabric basket. Her proud mom is sitting next to her.

Bella loaded up her basket with her sewing notions.

Riley loved her pillow and basket! The pillows are plain right now. It's up to the girls to embellish them, and they had great fun coming up with ideas for decorating them.

As for my tatting, I have managed to start another Spinning Wheel glass mat. Again, I'm using size 80 Lizbeth. This is #664, Ocean Teal Med. The shuttle is a Sunlit shuttle from Handy Hands that I blinged a while back.

Tatting may have to go to the back burner for the rest of the week. I'm taking on alterations for nine costumes for the middle school production of Into the Woods. The first full dress rehearsal is Saturday, so I need to put in some serious sewing time!

Inexpensive shuttle storage

While cleaning my sewing room today, I found this gourd tatting shuttle that I thought I had lost. It was safely tucked away in a box of thread.

I love the artwork, something I have no talent for!

I also found my Zoom Loom! The Zoom Loom makes 4" squares, and it has a couple of features that I really like. First the wide plastic base makes it easy to hold. Second, there is a slit in the plastic to hold the yarn when beginning the warping process. I like having the slit, because I don't have to take out a slip knot when I finish weaving. It makes it much easier to hide the ends.

Last year I purchased this box on Amazon. It's meant to hold art chalk. I removed the dividers and the  spongy liner, and then I lined the drawers with blue felt.

The drawers are very shallow, so the shuttles tend to catch a little if I don't pull the drawers out slowly, keeping them level.

I could store many more shuttles in these drawers if I removed the shuttles from the packaging.

However, I wanted to keep them in the packages in case the shuttles become collectible! ;-)

In case you didn't count the Emsy Jane shuttles, there were 21. Yes, there are more shuttles to come!

Kelly Green Med

Although blue is my favorite color, I've always loved Kelly Green! My latest Spinning Wheel glass mat (from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior) is in size 80 Lizbeth #712, Kelly Green Med. The finished size is 3 1/2", perfect for my curio cabinet!

I'm a long-time fan of Dave and Jo Stanbrough at Grizzly Mountain Arts. A few years back, I was on a binge of collecting their baskets. This one has a special use.

It holds my collection of Emsy Jane tatting shuttles and crochet hooks.

I love these little shuttles! I haven't seen any shuttles from Emsy Jane in quite a while, probably four years. Maybe she'll start decorating again. I know I would purchase more!

I didn't post yesterday, so my shuttle count from the day before was 82. Yes, there are more to come!

Lighted display case

Dave made this lighted display case to hold my blinged tatting shuttles for my Christmas present in 2010.

See the empty hooks? The missing shuttles are attached to works in progress. I guess I should get to work!

Yesterday's shuttle count... 143!

My second shuttle case

About two and a half years after Dad built my shuttle display case, my sister Janet decided I needed more shuttle storage. We found this little chest at a nearby antique mall. It was in very good condition and just needed a little furniture polish and some felt in the drawers.

Jan Stawasz and Shuttle Brothers shuttles fill this drawer.

Here are some English and German Aero shuttles, Silent Tatters, miscellaneous bobbin shuttles and a couple of eBay finds.

I have more Chris Hinton shuttles than will fit in one drawer. I may find a few more as I continue organizing around the house!

What would life be without ceramic shuttles from LadyShuttleMaker Sherry Pence?

Some of them make little musical sound as the thread passes through the tips.

More LadyShuttleMaker shuttles and Chris Hinton shuttles fill this drawer. I love my Diane shuttles (the cobalt blue ones), and I absolutely adore my giant shuttle!

I don't remember if these are all Peter Cua shuttles, but they are all special!

At the top are there Diana Andra shuttles. I wish I had more of them!

So, that's display case number 2. Yes, there are more!

Yesterday's shuttle count... 116! Any guesses on how many are in today's post?