Where does the time go?

Is it just me, or does time seem to be flying by? I think that with the warmer weather finally here, I'm easily distracted by all sorts of activities... watching the birds build nests, rabbits bounding around the yard, mowing grass. Yet, I still manage to find time for tatting!

It's time for another Tollway Tatters meeting. Sue Anna and I decided on Saturday, May 24. If you can make it and need details, please email me. We always have loads of fun!

I wish my tatting buddies from school could come along. They're so much fun!

Last week, they surprised me by showing me that it is possible for two friends to tat together!

This is the ultimate in sharing! I didn't ask, but I'm guessing that some of the kids left their tatting supplies at home and felt the urge to tat. They say necessity is the mother of invention!

One of my fifth graders finished her first length of chain, and of course I can't remember who it was, but she did a beautiful job! I'm blaming the number of tatters I have rather than my poor memory for forgetting who tats what!

I'm making progress on Renulek's Letnia. I find the colors in Arctic Waters very soothing!

My very talented mother has been weaving up a storm with her new love... Saoria weaving!

She sent me this beautiful bag for my iPad mini.

This one is for my Kindle.

This one is just big enough for my cell phone, keys, and wallet.

And to top it all off, Mom made this beautiful silk table scarf! I haven't decided where I want this yet. For now, it's sitting by my side so that I can fondle its luscious texture!

37!

 It has been an unbelievably busy and exciting week... too much to blog about... but one of the most wonderful parts of this past week was the after-school tatting class today. Why? There were 37 students in attendance! We met for about an hour and had more fun than should be allowed. I meant to take a picture, but the time flew by and kids were headed for softball practice or home before I had time to remember my camera.

I did get pictures of tatting throughout the week, though.

Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants

Alternating threads for Fancy Pants using two shuttles

A tatted bracelet

A tatted ring - alternating threads using two shuttles

Shelby's first motif, earning her one of Marty's shuttles

Tatted ring and bracelet

Long chain with picots

A long, long chain!

A tatted ring and bracelet

A tatted ring and bracelet

Owen's Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants

Grace's bracelet

Fancy Pants

Picots!

 As you can see, the kids have been very busy tatting!

And what have I been up to?

I finally finished round 2 of Marilee Rockley's "Arches" doily tonight! I looks like it needs a little blocking, but I'm too tired for that tonight. I think I'll take the Scarlett O'Hara attitude and think about it tomorrow... "After all tomorrow is another day!"

Good night, all!

Calling all Tollway Tatters!

After several days with no Internet access at home, I'm finally reconnected... yeah! I managed to connect with Sue Anna pretty quickly, and we decided that it's time for another Tollway Tatters meeting. It's been quite a while since we've met, mostly because of all the cold and snow this winter. so, if you're interested in joining us, we're planning to meet on Friday, April 18. Sue Anna and I both have Good Friday off, so we thought it would be a good time to meet. If you'd like to join us, send me an email and I'll give you the details.

Yes, there has been lots of tatting going on. The kids know that I haven't had Internet access, and I've already warned them that I've probably forgotten whose tatting is whose, but here goes!

Rings and chains,

and Fancy Pants have earned these two tatters some very pretty motifs! I think these two might be 5th graders.

Over the weekend, I finished the next round of my Russian doily.

Paige tatted a large ring, earning another shuttle. This one was blinged by Marty.

A bookmark was earned,

and one of the boys... maybe it was Ken... chose this pretty pink motif. I think it's for his mom!

A first attempt at picots earned this eager tatter a beautiful little swan. I think this might be Karl.

Grace has been wanting this little tatted fairy for a long time!

I'm pretty sure that this is Owen's tatting. He started to learn rings today.

The kids and I did celebrate International Tatting Day with chocolate and tatting. One girl even brought her own big chocolate bar! I provided Hershey's Kisses for everyone... yum!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that spring storms don't mess with my Internet again. Now I have some catching up to do reading blogs!

Motifs!

Paige has finished her first two motifs! They're simple rings and chains, but she's very proud of her accomplishment, as she should be! As her prize, she chose one of LaCossette's beautiful shuttles. You should have seen the kids trying to help her choose the perfect shuttle!

I knew I'd forget, but I know the kids will remind me of who tatted this beautiful length of chain, and chose a bookmark as her prize.

Third and fifth graders swarmed the library after lunch today. It's so much fun to see them helping each other out, and it's amazing to me that they spend their precious 10 minutes of recess time practicing tatting!

Karl finished another length of chain and chose this tatted lion as his prize.

Madison is also enjoying tatting lengths of chain. She chose a tatted necklace as her prize.

My next project is from this book. I don't speak or read Russian, but it doesn't matter. This book has wonderful diagrams!

This is the first round of the doily found on page 53. The thread is Lizbeth Victorian Red, #670, size 20. The color doesn't show up well in this photo, but it is a beautiful deep red.

Tomorrow will be another fun day... more shuttles arrived from Handy Hands!

Back to work

I shouldn't call it work. I truly believe I have the best job in the school district, and it's so much fun!

I don't have lots of pictures today, because I was once again caught up in the frenzy of tatting that has overtaken our third, fourth, and fifth grad students!

I ordered more Sunlit shuttles, because the kids were so excited about the variety of colors. Unfortunately, I goofed and ordered Moonlit shuttles. Not to worry... the kids were so excited to see slightly larger shuttles with a built-in crochet hook!

Grace told me that when she and her mom went to work on blankets for the needy, the ladies of the group gave her a box of 30 balls of thread, all because they knew she was learning how to tat!

I only managed to take pictures of two fifth graders today.

Jaden has been working on chains. Her next step is to perfect her stitches. I was very pleased that she chose a motif that I tatted! She asked what the card was that I included. Aha! I explained that it had my blog address... another opportunity  to introduce blogging tatters to my students!

Karl told me that he loves tatting. His sister is in third grade, and she was one of the first to join my "little" group! Karl chose a bookworm tatted by my friend Denise.

Third graders are starting a new project in library today. They will be writing books that they will share with first graders. I wonder if any of them will write about tatting? ;-)