Tollway Tatters

Tollway Tatters met today via Zoom. We had a really nice visit, and it was great to see what everyone was working on. Unfortunately, we may never meet on the tollway again. There was a recent news article reporting that our Hinsdale Oasis will be demolished in September. I'm not sure how long we've been meeting, but we sure have had fun over the years!

I managed to tat three button ornaments during our meeting today. I usually don't accomplish this much! Marilee was able to identify my hand-dyed thread as her Lake Effect. I'm glad to know the name!

A beautiful blue shuttle arrived in the mail today. This one is by Alexy Romanov in Russia.

Alexy included some amber beads. I love amber! I'll have to do something special with these beautiful little beads!

Another pendant?

I finished another Doodle Ice Drop variation in Marilee Rockley's hand-dyed thread, Lake Effect. I love the frosted glass gem, and I think this might be pendant-worthy!

The beautiful shuttle is from Emiko Suenaga of PaintatPlus on Etsy. I do love my shuttles!

Rolling in Clover

I do love my Clover shuttles! They're the style I learned with, and any time I use one I feel like I've reconnected with a long lost friend.

I'm still trying to decide on a square pattern for the doily I'd like to make. This is Patchwork from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior. I think I'm going to tat this one again with two shuttles. I think it will look nicer, and I need to pay closer attention to my rings so that the center doesn't look wonky.

I'm still tatting with Marilee Rockley's Lake Effect hand-dyed thread. I didn't put a ribbon on this Doodle Ice Drop variation, because I'm thinking of turning it into a pendant. I really like the way this one turned out!

This is the Anniversary Motif from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior. I don't think this one will be suitable for the doily I have in mind. The center is too open. I'm not sure if it's my tatting or my blocking, but my center opening is more square, and the one pictured in the book is round. I'm not going to worry about it, because I really don't think this is a contender for my doily. However, I do think it would make a nice picture frame!

Yesterday

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous! The sun was shining. The temperature was perfect. There was a gentle breeze. Dave worked outside planting vegetables, mowing grass, taking care of chicks and ducks, while I sat in the shade watching him. It was just what the doctor ordered!

I enjoyed a little knitting, browsing through books, and tatting. I just love this beautiful hand-dyed thread, Lake Effect, from Marilee Rockley. Certain color combinations make me unbelievable happy, and this is one of them! The shuttle is another beauty from Veronica of TattingShuttles on Etsy. Etsy is a very dangerous place for me to visit. Too often I find something I must have!

I'm in the mood to tat a square mat. I love a little square mat. So, I'm going through my Mary Konior patterns and tatting some up so that I can decide which pattern I want to use. I'm tempted to do one in hand-dyed thread, but I also have a strong desire to tat one in a dark blue. This pattern is Masquerade from Tatting with Visual Patterns.

Practicing the patterns in light pink is easier on my eyes, with the added bonus of using up what's left on a ball of thread. I don't think I have enough of this pink left to tat all of the patterns I plan on trying, but time will tell!

Takin' it easy

I've been a bit under the weather the past two days, so I've been taking it easy.

I finished a second Ice Drop out of Marilee Rockley's beautiful hand-dyed thread, Lake Effect. The shuttle is from Middy Clark of The Knotted Vine. I love working with beautiful threads and shuttles!

When Alison and the kids were visiting a couple of weeks ago, we watched Mister Roberts, a movie from the 60s that I loved. For the first time, In noticed in the credits that it was based on the novel of the same name. Just imagine, it took me more than 50 years to realize there was a book! Luckily, it was available on Amazon. Although the movie and the book are quite different, I thoroughly enjoyed them both!

Yesterday daughter Joanne sent me a picture of Kara. She's pretending she's typing on her computer just like Mommy!

Dave called me out to see the roses in bloom. They were just buds the other day when I last looked at the bush.

I accomplished two things today. I finished the second lace section of my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake, a free download on Ravelry.

I also finished reading Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen. I knew that Audrey Hepburn had been in the Netherlands during the German occupation, but I really had no idea what she and her family had been through. I will now pass this on to daughter Carol, who loves European history. We are a family of readers!

Ooh! Ahh!

I knew I liked this new hand-dyed thread from Marilee Rockley! "Lake Effect" looks great with this deep blue glass gem. I think I may try and see how many Doodle Ice Drops I can tat out of one skein of hand-dyed thread. With different colored centers, each will be unique!

I've finished the second garter stitch section of my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake. The pattern is so easy to follow, making it a very relaxing knitting project. I'm even dreaming about what I'll knit next!

Changing threads

I've grown weary of tatting with pink. I'm still carrying what's left of my ball of thread in my little roly-poly pouch in case I get inspired to tat with it again, but I'm definitely ready for a change!

Recently, my friend Marilee Rockley listed a new colorway called Lake Effect. I fell in love instantly! You know I couldn't stop with just one new thread! I'm guessing I wasn't the only one who fell in love with it, because I don't see it listed in her shop.

Yesterday I pulled out my little tabletop swift and wound the thread onto a Starlit shuttle. I love my little swift. It's perfect for my hand-dyed threads.

I like using the Starlit shuttle for hand-dyed threads, because it will all fit on one shuttle. I can then wind off what I need on to a smaller shuttle. The Starlit serves as my ball thread, and if I find I need a second shuttle, it's already attached!

Yesterday was low key for us. The weather was beautiful, with all the midwest storms passing to the north and south of our little farm. Dave spent most of the day outside improving the living quarters for the ducks and chickens, as well as cutting grass. My day was pretty mundane... grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up. I did read quite a bit, finishing up The Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters.

I also worked on my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake. I've finished the first lace section, and I'm ready to move on to the second garter stitch section!