For us

When I finished Letnia the other night, Dave asked me who it was for.

It's for us, of course! It think it's absolutely beautiful!

I think it's new home will be on the hutch in the dining room, but I may change my mind. ;-)

My tatting buddies were here today, and we had so much fun! Peyton learned how to join two rings.

Dylan was working on a motif.

Grace chose new threads and spent time winding them.

Janie worked on chains.

Shelby worked on her ring and chain edging.

Kennedy practiced Fancy Pants. I didn't get pictures of Allison and Elizabeth tatting. Allison was warming up under a blanket, and when Elizabeth arrived I forgot to get the camera out again! It was a chilly morning, and we all wore sweatshirts!

Now that I've finished another large doily, I really felt the need for a little instant gratification. I planned to tat snowflakes, but I didn't feel like looking for the doodads, beads, and patterns. So instead, I picked up my copy of Tatting by Myra Piper. I love this little book! I tatted the first motif yesterday afternoon.

I tatted the second motif when the kids were here today. Somehow, I interpreted the pattern differently this time.

The motif on the right shows the way it's supposed to look. I can see what I did. I joined the first ring in the pattern repeat to the last ring of the previous repeat, which is not what Myra intended. I don't think it looks bad. It's just not right!

Should I try again, or should I move on? I guess I'll have to decide that once I have my shuttle loaded again!

Pinned!

I finished Renulek's Letnia last night, so first thing this morning I pinned it to my new blocking board. I've put off buying a blocking board for a long time. I have a small one that Mom made for me several years ago, and it's great for small pieces. However, it's way too small for larger doilies I've been tatting. Letnia blocked out to 16".

I'm still having fun weaving fabric for bags. Today I tried attaching the straps differently, and I really like the way it worked.

I've also been experimenting with mixing the chenille yarn from Mom with the small bits I have left from past projects. I always think I know how the bags will turn out, but they're usually much prettier than what I anticipated!

One thing I've learned is that it's best to wind off enough yarn for the straps before weaving the bag.

I love adding bits from other bags to dress up the chenille!

Now I just need to learn to photograph the bags so that the colors and shape show up properly!

The final round!

I am so pleased to be tatting the final round of Renulek's Letnia! I actually started on Friday, and I'm already about one third of the way around. While I've thoroughly enjoyed tatting this doily, I'm starting to feel the urge to tat snowflakes!

I've really been enjoying weaving. I'm sure there are many tatters who are in the same situation I am. Tatting is my first love, but I just can't tat for extended periods of time as I used to. I do enjoy knitting and crocheting, but they do not give me the rest that I need to keep on tatting.

I have several looms... Beka, Kromsky Harp, Cricket, Inkle, Inklette, ZoomLoom, Weavette... but I never really took to weaving until Mom gave me a Saori loom for my birthday. The difference? ...prewound warps!

Mom sent me a 10 lb cone of chenille yarn. Yes, it is huge! Mom calls it a foot stool. :-)

I had great dreams of quickly using up my yarn stash. Hah! Yarn goes a lot further when woven!

I've been asked what I will do with all these little bags. For the first time in years, I'm planning on attending a craft fair, the Oktoberfest in our little village. Will there be interest? Who knows? It doesn't matter. I'm having fun, and I can always start a gift closet!

I've also been asked if my bags are for sale. Of course! If you're interested in one, just email me and I'll give you the details of the bag you're interested in. Most of the bags will sell for $25. They're large enough to hold a cell phone, keys, and a small wallet. They're meant to be cross-body bags, and if the straps are too long, a simple overhand knot will shorten the strap to the length you prefer.

I've also been asked if these can be used as tatting bags. Yes, they are large enough to hold tatting essentials. However, the bags are not lined, so shuttles with pick tips or crochet hooks could get caught in the fabric.

Now, back to my doily! The end is in sight, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how my version will look when completed!

Being productive

There's nothing like being productive to make you feel good, and we've been very productive around here! We've been working on the yard and the house. We've had family over to visit, and I've even managed to find some time for myself!

I spent Monday decorating shuttles for the kids. I only managed to bling ten shuttles, but...

I did both sides! ;-)

I tried a different bag construction yesterday. I think it looks very nice, but I'm not sure the time it took made it any better. I tried using my spool knitter for the strap. It kind of reminds me of gummy worms!

Today I experimented with texture. The three beige stripes are chenille yarn. The rest is a multi-colored bulky. Weaving with the two different yarns resulted in an uneven selvage. I'm not sure if there's a way to fix that or not, so I'll do a little more experimenting.

I'm really enjoying seeing how the different yarns in my stash look when woven!

I now have 18 bags finished! I'm beginning to feel like a real weaver!

Ten girls showed up for tatting on the porch today. These three girls are measuring their tatting to see how much they've completed. It was a chilly day. I think the high was 72. The girls changed where they were sitting several times so that they could be warmed by the sun. I even put on a sweater!

I was able to tat quite a bit while the kids were here. I only have eight pattern repeats to go on round 8. I'm looking forward to starting the next round!

Lovin' the weather

I love the weather. My sinuses do not!

Yesterday, while I was laid low with a sinus headache, Dave worked on restoring our pond, which hasn't been in working order for a couple of years. Somehow, the time to work on it always gets away from us.

He's almost finished. Today he finished putting the rocks around and got the fountain going. We need to plant some grass seed in the bare section that used to be a gravel path. I'm not sure that will happen tomorrow as we're supposed to get thunderstorms for the next few days. I hope that doesn't mean more sinus pressure!

I finished up two bags that I wove earlier in the week. I love adding bits of yarn from other projects to give a different dimension. It's also surprising that unusual colors seem to work well together.

I've also been experimenting with different weights of yarn, with very pleasing results. I put my iPhone in the pictures so that you can get an idea of the size of the bags. They are so much fun to make!

On the tatting front...

I'm almost halfway finished with round 8 of Renulek's Letnia. I am enjoying this doily.

I also worked some more on my hanky edging in Lizbeth Twirlz. I like the pattern. I like the thread. I'm just not sure I like the two together. However, since I'm this close to finishing there's no sense in giving up on it.

Chores are done for the day, so I think I'll take some time to tat!

Very slow progress

I wish I could say I've been tatting up a storm since school let out for the summer, but I haven't. As you can see, I'm making very slow progress on Renulek's "Letnia."

How did summer get so busy? Dave and I were home alone for the 4th of July. We putzed around doing mundane things like laundry, gardening, cleaning the house... all very restful, really. However, neither one of us really spent time being creative, unless you call weeding and cutting down a storm damaged tree creative!

We went to daughter Alison's house yesterday to help replace her backyard deck. The wood had rotted in places, and Alison was concerned that someone was going to stick their foot through the wood. Alison and family tore up most of the old deck on Thursday and Friday. We arrived about 7:30 yesterday morning. Dave set to work right away pulling out the rest of the old, rotted wood. The right tools make all the difference!

While Dave was preparing the ground for the new lumber, Alison and I unloaded the new lumber. We then made a quick trip to Menards for the correct length screws.

By lunch time, Dave had the new deck framed. After lunch Alison and I went shopping for deck stain, while Dan and the kids loaded the rotten wood in to the truck. Dave started on the decking, and once he was on a roll, Dan and the kids helped screw the boards in place. It truly was a group project, and as Dave predicted, the deck was built in one day!

By 5 p.m. we were all ready to be finished for the day. Yes, there's still some work to be done. There are spots that need to be sanded. The cloth under the deck needs to be trimmed, and the stain needs to be applied, but now my daughter and her family have a safe deck in their back yard. What a feeling of satisfaction!

Today... daughter Carol's bathroom!

Yes!

I finally finished Round 8 of Renulek's Letnia.

I even managed to start Round 9!

One of the things I really like about Renulek's patterns is the way she breaks the elements down into sections. I also like her encouraging words! At the end of Round 8, I had some serious buckling issues. I'm not concerned, though. On Renulek's blog she states that Round 9 will straighten everything out, and I believe her!

The bag making continues. Lily chose this green silk, which is so much prettier in person.

Lily also chose this beautiful variegated blue, my favorite.

Eva chose the soft blue. The one in the middle is hers. I need to buy some more of this yarn to make the straps for the other two, add the button closure, and then they'll be ready for sale. They make great little bags for carrying cell phones and keys.

I finished weaving this piece last night. It will be a bag for me!

The summer fun with grandchildren has slowed down. I have dozens of pictures of their water balloon fight. I stayed safely on the porch!

So, what have you been up to?

Not much, at least not much tatting!

As you can see, I've made very little progress on my doily, but at least I'm more than half way around!

Why the slow progress? Well...

Tuesday was the last day of school, and The Soup Club member celebrated Judy's and my birthdays (June 6 for Judy, June 16 for me).

Edna decorated her car, and

despite torrential rain showers, we mad it to a new Japanese steak house and had a wonderful meal. I'd never been to a Japanese steak house before. It was great fun, and I hope to go again!

Wednesday, I spent nine hours working on my sewing room. Yes, I made progress, but it's still not picture-worthy. I promise, when it's all put together, I'll show it off.

Thursday, was spent taking a friend to the doctor and shopping for blinging supplies. The kids have asked for more blinged shuttles, and I'm determined to give them what they want!

Friday was laundry and cleaning day. Does it ever stop?

Saturday, daughter Joanne and granddaughter Sophia flew in from Minnesota... no time for tatting with a 14-month-old occupying my time!

Sunday, Mom arrived... party time! My sister Janet brought Mom down, and we had a wonderful time visiting and eating pizza. Hmmm... somehow, there was no tatting time.

Monday... Mom gave me personalized instruction on my new Saori loom. It's a good thing. You wouldn't believe the number of mistakes I was making. With my new-found knowledge, I managed to weave fabric and sew a little bag for Sophia.

I love the way it turned out! Joanne chose the buttons. The warp is black cotton, and the weft is Hint of Silk from Hobby Lobby. I love the feel of the fabric, and...

I think Sophia really likes her new bag!

Did I mention that today is my 62nd birthday? Mom took us all out to dinner. It was delicious! Now I have to get back on the straight and narrow... I've gained five pounds since school got out... yikes!

Oh, and in case you didn't know, this is my seven year blogaversary! It's true... I started this blog on my 55th birthday, and it was one of the best things I've ever done! I've made new tatting friends around the world. I've been inspired to learn new tatting techniques and try new patterns. I've also been enabled by a few tatters, who shall remain nameless (you know who you are!), in my efforts to collect more shuttles, thread, and patterns than any individual could possibly use in a lifetime.

It's been a great seven years? What do you think... should I go for seven more? ;-)