Tollway Tatters

We had a great Tollway Tatters meeting this morning! We shared our projects, talked about tatting terminology, and even talked about other crafts. 

After lunch, I finished Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It's funny, but I never knew of these books when I was a child. I wasn't even aware of them while studying to be a teacher and librarian. My first exposure was with the television series starring Michael Landon.

Recently, Dave and I watched the first season of the new Little House series on Netflix. Yes, I've been inspired to read the books. It will be interesting to see if the television series stays true to the books.

Today's tatting is "Thérèse" from Four Dozen Tatted Bookmarks by Robin Perfetti. The thread is size 20 Hakelgarn, hand-dyed "Harvest Moon" from LadyShuttleMaker. I didn't think I had enough thread for another pattern repeat, so it's a bit shorter than I'd like. As it turns out, I really think I could have made it a little longer. Oh, well. Someone will like it!

Not as planned

Yesterday did not go as I had planned it. I did not touch my sewing machine, so my quilt block did not get made. It probably won't get made today, either. It's a good thing I'm not on a deadline!

I did finally finish my bookmark this morning. The pattern is Braid: Three Rings on page 28 of Four Dozen Tatted Bookmarks by Robin Perfetti.

The thread is size 20 Hakelgarn "Patriotic", hand-dyed by LadyShuttleMaker. I have a 50 yd. skein of this thread, so I know I will be able to tat at least four bookmarks, possibly 5, from this color way.

Today will be a busy one. Mom has a doctor appointment this morning. I have a retired teachers' lunch at noon, a graduation party from 5-9 p.m., and a jewelry party from 5-9. Depending on how my day goes, I may have to opt out of one or both of the parties. Life seems to get very busy once school is out for the summer!

Curds & Whey

 

Ever since I figured out how to tat Mary Konior's Curds & Whey from Tatting with Visual Patterns, it has been a favorite for using up thread on a shuttle. 

This was all I had left of my hand-dyed Peach Pandorea from LadyShuttleMaker. It's a little shorter than I like my bookmarks, but it will be perfect for someone!

Back to tatting

It's been more than a week since I've tatted or blogged. Honestly, it felt good to take a break!

I did get back to tatting today, and it just had to be Doodle Ice Drops. I really like this pattern, because it is quick and easy. I don't have to think too much!

These are in Lizbeth #684, Leaf Green Medium. I do like this shade of green! The shuttle is one of my favorites from LadyShuttleMaker, Sherry Pence.

Ceramic shuttles do need a little extra care. I've broken off the tips of a couple of them when I dropped them on the floor. Luckily, I was able to fix the two that I broke! One of the things I like about my ceramic shuttles is that they make a little "tink" sound when the thread passes through the tips. I like the weight of the shuttles, and I love that I'm working with little works of art!

This weekend was pretty typical for us... housework, yard work, laundry, grocery shopping. We kept the t.v. turned off for most of the weekend, and found that it was possible to go on with our lives as usual. Dave and I are not social people, so the restrictions that have been put in place really haven't changed the way we do things.

Tatting was still part of my daily routine! This Doodle Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #138, Leafy Green. This has been one of my go-to threads ever since it was introduced. It goes well with so many projects! The ceramic shuttle is by Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker).

Handy Hands recently introduced Elisa thread in size 10 and size 5. I ordered some for band weaving, but I wanted to see how it worked up in tatting. As you can see, size 10 fits five rings around the glass gem rather than 6. I prefer the look of six rings, but it's nice to see how the thread works for tatting. I'm very pleased with this thread. It's smooth, soft, and the colors are beautiful, although the colors are limited. The ceramic shuttle is another beauty by Sherry Pence.

I'll be going in to school to run off copies for teachers this morning, and then schools will be closed for the next two weeks. During the two weeks off, I plan to get my house cleaned, stay calm, and keep tatting!

Another lazy Saturday

I really meant to get some spring cleaning done, but I didn't. Instead, I watched a couple of movies and did some tatting. I even snuck in a nap!

I can't believe I'm still finding colors in my stash that I haven't used before! This one is size 20 Lizbeth #145, Pink Parade. I love this ceramic shuttle by Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker).

My second Ice Drop of the day is in size 20 Lizbeth #177, Elderberry Jam. I love elderberries, so it makes sense that I love this color. This is one of my most special shuttles. It's the "Diane" shuttle from Sherry Pence. Cobalt blue, tatted lace, pic tip... designed just for me!

Lime Green

Well, the high school play has been postponed because of the corona virus scare. Illinois K-12 schools will be closed from March 17 to March 30 by order of the governor. School will be open on Monday to give teachers a chance to prepare students for at-home learning. This will be a new experience for both teachers and students, and I hope it goes well.

Today's tatting is in size 20 Lizbeth #679, Lime Green. The ceramic shuttle is from Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker).

Since I won't be working for the next two weeks, I could finish an awful lot of craft projects. My other option is to do some spring cleaning. I'm guessing that spring cleaning would be a better choice so that we can stay healthy!

Pineapple Parfait

Although I'm not normally a fan of yellow, I do like Pineapple Parfait, Lizbeth #170. I think it goes nicely with this ceramic shuttle from Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker)

My collection of flower motifs for Vicki Clarke is growing. I'm planning on mailing them off at the end of the month. In the meantime, I'm having fun using up threads on shuttles!

Feeling my age

I'm feeling my age today. Daughter Carol texted me this morning and asked if I could run copies of the play programs for this weekend, something I've helped out with for years. It's amazing how tired one can get from standing in front of a copy machine. By the end of the day, I was really feeling worn out!

I was feeling restless before I headed into school, and I had a hard time settling on what I wanted to work on today. I finally decided to just continue with another Doodle Ice Drop, and I'm glad I did! This one is in size 20 Lizbeth #156, Juicy Watermelon. I have loved this color ever since it was first introduced. The shuttle is another beauty from Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker).

Since I was so tired after school, I decided the best thing I could do was sit and tat. I think it's a very logical choice! This time I used size 20 Lizbeth #683, Leaf Green Light. The shuttle is a Dreamlit from Handy Hands that I decorated with nail decals. I love working with pretty shuttles!

Experimenting

Since I was forgetful over the past two days, I decided to try adding to my post as I complete things throughout the day. I'm not sure if it's worth the effort, but I'll give it a try!

I didn't mean to spend the first four hours of my day tatting, but that's how long it took for these three pieces. No, I did not spend the entire time tatting. I took out time to talk with Mom and daughter Joanne!

The thread is size 20 Lizbeth #698, Fudge Med. Yes, I do have a craving for chocolate right now! If you enlarge the picture, you can see that I put a gold bead in the center of the top flower motif. It's a much better size than the pearl beads I've been using. I do have some pearl beads that I think would be perfect, but I'll have to find out where I stashed them!

I love all of Sherry Pence's shuttles, but the ones in cobalt blue are my absolute favorites!

Before heading off to school, I managed to tat another Ice Drop. This one is in size 20 Lizbeth #184, Rainbow Splash. Sherry Pence's artistic ability really shows through in this gorgeous shuttle!

After school, I tatted a Doodle Ice Drop in size 20 Lizbeth #620, Azalea Med. I also finished two six petal flowers for Vicki Clarke's and Cynthia Stevenson's fund raiser project, A Celebration of a Classic. I think I have 14 of these little flower motifs tatted. I'm excited to see what these ladies are able to create!

Do you see the fish in the shuttle? I do!

I'll be doing some test tatting tonight for my friend Shelley Perreault. No, I won't be showing my work. It's a surprise!

Sunday, Monday

I just didn't feel like blogging yesterday, and I don't have a lot to say today. However, I do have some pictures!

I'm still tatting Doodle Ice Drops, and I'm still using size 20 Lizbeth. However, I forgot to write down color numbers and names, and I'm too lazy to go looking! As promised, I'm still showcasing my ceramic shuttles from Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker).

I was able to tat two Ice Drops yesterday. I'm getting near the end of my collection of crackled gems. I'm amazed at how long I've been working from the same jar!

Today I worked in this lovely Baby Pink. I do remember the name of this one, if not the number!

My cousin Trish suggested pearls in the center of the little six petal flower motif. These pearls are a little too large, so six rings weren't quite enough to go around. I don't like the look of seven petals, so I'll either have to play with stitch counts or look for smaller pearls!

Takin' it easy

I felt like taking it easy today, but I still accomplished a lot!

Before breakfast, I tatted some flowers for Vicki Clarke's and Cynthia Stevenson's project. They take very little time and very little thread, and they're fun to tat!

It took me most of the day to tat this Doodle Ice Drop and matching flower. The thread is size 20 Lizbeth #172, Pink Marble. The ceramic shuttle is another beauty by Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker). I do love my ceramic shuttles!

I only had two rows left to finish Clue 3 of the Sanditon MKAL, which I was able to do between laundry loads. Tomorrow I'll start Clue 4.

Tonight, I think I'll relax and read a book!

Can you help?

That's the title of Victats' post today, and my answer is a definite yes!

Vicki Clarke and Cynthia Stevenson are asking for these simple flowers so that they can create a wall hanging as a fund raiser for Palmetto Tat Days. I asked Vicki how many they're hoping for, and she told me they need 49 as the absolute minimum, and they're looking to gather as many as they can. Follow the link to Vicki's blog for further details.

I was called to sub for second grade this morning. Apparently the flu bug hasn't finished with our school district yet. I'm glad I was able to help out, and I still found time to tat! I was avoiding using gray threads, because I thought they'd look too dull. However, I decided to give this pretty Charcoal Med a try, and I'm glad I did. I think the color looks very elegant! Yes, that is another ceramic shuttle from Sherry Pence (LadyShutleMaker). You can expect to see her shuttles showcased for at least another week!

Shuttle love

I'm really glad that I chose to showcase my shuttle collection while tatting Ice Drops. I'm taking out favorites that I haven't used in a while, and I'm loving every tatting minute!

Today's Doodle Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #186, Pastel Petals. The shuttle is another ceramic beauty from Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker). Are you lucky enough to have a ceramic shuttle in your collection?

My Sanditon shawl is growing! I knit four more rows today, which seems like a great accomplishment as the stitch count grows. I think it looks dull in the picture, but in person, this yarn is gorgeous!

Thinking of Spring

Today's Doodle Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #615, Yellow Lt. I love a nice, soft yellow! This is another favorite ceramic shuttle from Sherry Pence (LadyShuttleMaker). I love the mossy green in this shuttle. The combination of thread color and shuttle have me thinking of Spring!

Things are going pretty smoothly with my Sanditon shawl. I think they key has been knitting slowly and counting stitches frequently!

Puzzle mania

Today was fun filled, with very little crafting.

I did manage to tat one Doodle Ice Drop in size 20 Lizbeth #703 Sky Blue Light, using another beautiful ceramic shuttle from Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttleMaker.

Why was there so little time for tatting?

The high school play is a week and a half away, and the set is painted like a giant Rubik's Cube. I decided it would be fun to bring puzzle cubes and other shapes to school to pump up kids for the play.

Students were able to try their skills during lunchtime and study hall. We had lots of fun!

March comes in like a lion?

It didn't come in like a lion here in our part of Illinois. It was mild and breezy yesterday and today. I'm not complaining!

I did start the month of right with an Ice Drop. I just wasn't in the mood to work on the computer yesterday. This Doodle Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #714, Seacrest Green. The ceramic shuttle is by Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttleMaker.

I spent many hours working on my second Sanditon shawl yesterday. I'm still struggling with eyelet rows. Luckily, I have been able to find and resolve my mistakes much more quickly than I did with the last shawl!

Today's Doodle Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #153, Rainbow Taffy. The ceramic shuttle is one of my favorites from Sherry Pence.

The high school production of Back to the 80s: the Totally Awesome Musical is in less than two weeks, and with it has come a renewed interest among the high school students with Rubik's cubes. I did some searching and found quite a few variations of puzzle cubes. I purchased some and took them to school today. It was kind of fun to see the kids focusing on puzzles instead of smart phones!

End of the week

Another week has flown by! I focused on laundry today, so there wasn't much time for crafting. Still, I did finish another Doodle Ice Drop in size 20 Lizbeth #713, Kelly Green. The copper shuttle is from  Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttleMaker.

I love Kelly Green! When I was in high school, my mom knit an Aran sweater in Kelly Green for me.  I must have worn it until it fell apart. Our school colors were green and white, and I know I wore it to many football and basketball games. Maybe I should try knitting an Aran sweater so that I have Kelly Green in my wardrobe once again!

Scrubby time

Im still having fun knitting scrubbies! This one is the Swedish Block Pattern from  A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker. It's a little larger than the other scrubbies I've made, but I think it's really too small to show off the pattern well.

I was subbing today, and since I was supervising students taking online classes, I chose to knit very simple garter stitch scrubbies. I can't believe I managed to finish four of them!

Today's Doodle Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #711, Bright Blue Dark. The shuttle is one of my favorite ceramic shuttles from Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttleMaker. It's fun having a variety of shuttles from so many talented shuttle makers!

Yesterday

Yesterday was such a lovely day! Dave and I went on a wine tasting tour in southwest Michigan, something we haven't done for several years. The weather was perfect!

I didn't take any tatting in the car with me. It was what Dave called a "you and me" day, and it didn't seem appropriate to ignore him for tatting. I did start an Ice Drop before we left, and I finished it in the evening.

I knew I didn't have enough of Tie Dye Blue from Sherry Pence to tat a Doodle Ice Drop. I didn't even have enough to tat my basic pattern. So, I opted to tat the one pass method, which eliminates the chains that snug up to the glass gem. I prefer the look with the extra chains, but I didn't have any other options. I had less than a yard of thread left. Talk about cutting it close!