Surprise!

I was thrilled to find out that I was one of the winners in Marilee Rockley's drawing last week! The surprise was the amount of thread that was included. Yes, I saw the picture. Still, it looked like so much more when I opened the package. To say I am thrilled is an understatement!

 Following Jane's lead, I focused on completing five pattern repeats today. It worked!

Finishing projects

Dave and I spent time with friends yesterday, but I still managed some tatting time!

Tatting friend Jeanne sent me some ribbon to experiment with, and I was pleased to tat an Ice Drop. The ribbon is thicker than size 20 Lizbeth, so this is a five pointed pattern instead of six. I really enjoyed tatting with ribbon. It's very slippery, so I had to pay close attention to make sure my rings were closed and that I didn't have any spaces between my double stitches.

I can't remember who, but someone on Facebook commented that ribbon was nice for brooches because of the stiffness of the stitches. I do think ribbon would make a beautiful tatted brooch.

I was putting away my Tollway Tatters supplies and came across a hanky I had started over a year ago. I don't know why I stopped, but now it's finished and I really like the way it turned out. The hanky blank is from Handy Hands, and the thread is hand-dyed Beach Cafe from Marilee Rockley aka Yarnplayer.

It's a little late for a summer hanky. Do I dare start one in fall colors, or should I move right on to winter? Hmmm... I guess you'll have to wait and see!

The next set of bookmarks for Madelyn will be in black and yellow. The black looks so elegant! I think it would make a beautiful choker.

Little Miss Muffet

I may have to give myself a new name if I keep tatting Curds & Whey bookmarks! Now that I understand the pattern, I have a new design that I really love. What took me so long?

If you haven't tried tatting with hand-dyed thread, I highly recommend it. This one is Lantana Citrus dyed by my friend Marilee Rockley aka Yarnplayer. It does make a lovely bookmark!

Finished!

I am thrilled with my finished Eightsome Reel mat! The pattern is by Mary Konior, and the thread is the gorgeous Lantana Citrus from my dear friend Marilee Rockley aka Yarnplayer.

This is exactly the size I wanted to sit under my yarn bowl!

Silence is golden

...or so I've heard! I've been too caught up in tatting and household projects to blog for the past few days. It's all about priorities, you know.

 
I have become totally engrossed in a new tatting pattern, Lagniappe by Mike Lyon. The pattern is available on Mike's Facebook page. It's done in size 40 Lizbeth and will be about 38" when completed. I did fine with rounds 1 and 4, but I ended up working on rounds 2 and 3 three times each. On round 2 I skipped a joining picot both times. It was easier to snip and start the round over than to try and retro-tat. On round 3 I managed to join to the wrong picot in round 2 two times. I figured out that if I turned the diagram upside down, it was easier to see where I was supposed to join.

So far, the pattern is very easy to follow. I can see that I need to work on keeping my chains a consistent length. They look a little wonky right now. I'm hoping that when I finish the next round my chains will look a little better.

I'm falling behind on my Ice Drop count, but I really don't mind. I tat them because I enjoy them, not because I have a deadline.

My Eightsome Reel mat is coming along nicely. I'm glad I ordered some more Lantana Citrus from Marilee Rockley, because I don't have enough to finish the current motif, let alone the last one.

It looks like today is going to be busy. Dave has already been out cutting wood from the storm damage two weeks ago. I'm pretty sure he'd appreciate my help in hauling branches to the burn pile. It's a slow going job, but it's one that needs to be done. Luckily, Dave knows how to pace himself so that neither one of us collapses!

Marigold motif

I've been thinking about tatting some pieces from New Tatting by Tomato Morimoto for a while now, and this morning I decided it was time to get started! This is Marigold motif. I suppose I should have used a nice bright yellow, but this beautiful blue was a great match for my new Dreamlit shuttle.

I didn't really look at the directions. I just got to work on the center motif. It didn't take me long to realize that I should have looked at the directions and started with the outer round first. Designers have their reasons for doing what they do!

This was my first time using a Dreamlit shuttle. It was a breeze to wind the thread, and since I already like Moonlit shuttles, the transition was easy. The only thing I don't like about the Dreamlit is that the bobbin doesn't have a hole to run the thread through and knot it. I'll have to remember to wind extra thread so that I don't run into the problem of having the thread slip when I get close to the end of the bobbin.

I stuck with my Doodle Ice Drop pattern and Karey Solomon's hand-dyed thread for my travel project today. The center is a glow-in-the-dark gem from Hobby Lobby.

I was determined to finish another motif for my Eightsome Reel doily. I do love this Mary Konior pattern, and I think it looks great in Marilee Rockley's Lantana Citrus!

Fumble fingers

Daughter Joanne and family had planned to return home on Saturday or Sunday, but they decided to stay for another week. Yay! I really enjoy having them around. I wish I could have all four of my daughters and all seven grandchildren here all summer long. Imagine the fun we could have!

My friend Margaret asked me to test tat her Taj Mahal Ice Drop pattern. I was eager to get started, and I did fine until the 4th round. I've done SCMRs before, and I've done split chains without any problem... until yesterday and today. I've lost count of how many times I've retro-tatted this segment. It took me at least five tries to get the SCMR right, and now I can't do a split chain for anything. It's not the directions; it's just me. My fingers and brain just aren't working together.

I decided that a change of pace must be in order. After all, a familiar pattern can be so relaxing. I decided to tat Eightsome Reel by Mary Koniorin Marilee Rockley's Lantana Citrus hand-dyed thread. You would think I had never read a pattern before. Honest to goodness, this little section took me a good hour to tat. I'm blaming the humidity!

My knitting is also moving along slowly. I am making progress with Blue Jean Saturday, but I've had to frog quite a few rows because of mistakes. Maybe I'm having trouble because we're in the dog days of summer. That seems to be as good an excuse as any!

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!

Ice Drop fun

I do enjoy playing with the basic Ice Drop to see how I can vary the look without a full blown design change. This is the basic pattern with five graduated picots. The shuttle is from Pekalo Designs on Etsy. The little took is for adjusting the tips, and it works very well!

This is the basic pattern done in one pass, which eliminates the chains next to the glass gem. Most of the time, I prefer the basic pattern, but I do understand the appeal of showing more of the glass gem. The shuttle is from Grizzly Mountain Arts. I love Dave's new rose design!

Mandy Kerwell-Bez designed "Hope." She's a needle tatter from France, and her designer are marvelous! I love my little owl shuttle from Grizzly Mountain Arts!

Today was an organizing day. I worked on my desk, which I had neglected for way too long. I pulled everything out and put it in a box, then worked my way through all the clutter. I probably threw away half of what was in there. It's not finished, but it's much better than it was!

I managed to tat two Ice Drops today. This is the basic pattern with three picots. I do love this shuttle from Rita Richmond of Shuttle by Design!

The second one is the basic pattern done in one pass. I like both, but the top one is my favorite. This shuttle is from Middy Clark of The Knotted Vine. I love the weight of this shuttle, and I like that it can be plain or have the background in one of six colors. You know I just had to have blue!
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Not much to show... again!

Today was jam packed with fun! Becky and Kami came over for a sewing lesson this morning. The girls are making kimonos for themselves. They didn't finish, but they did get quite a bit done! It was the last lesson before school starts next week. From now on, lessons will be after school. Where has the summer gone?

I went to daughter Carol's house for lunch, and then we did a little shopping. We found a shoe sale, and we each bought two pairs. I felt like I was being quite extravagant, but I haven't bought a new pair of shoes in over two years. Mine were looking a bit shabby! We also found a clothing sale, and Carol was able to find a few things to freshen up her back-to-school wardrobe.

I did start a hanky edging in Marilee Rockley's "Beach Cafe," a very cheerful color! The pattern is from page 42 of The Craft of Tatting by Bessie M. Attenborough. I know size 20 thread isn't ideal for hanky edgings, but it was what I was in the mood to work with. So there!

I was checking Facebook this morning and I saw a post from Madhur Dadlani from a few years ago showing how she uses up bits of thread on her shuttles. I decided to give it a try. It looks pretty good so far, but I'm not sure how long I'll stick with it.

Not much progress was made with spool pin doilies today. I'll try to finish the second one before I head off to bed tonight.

When I saw that Rita Richmond of Shuttle by Design was selling Madeira thread, I ordered some right away! It's much finer than the Liz Metallic. So far, so good!

Chicken fun

I was sitting in my chair enjoying the afternoon yesterday, when Dave called to me. I looked out the window, and there he was with a chicken on his back!

I quickly ran outside to take a closer look.

Meet Henrietta. She loves Dave! She follows him around the yard, hoping he will feed her mealworms. Do you see the chickens at the end of the porch? Dave was at the bottom of the steps, watching the chickens (they are NOT allowed on the porch) when Henrietta flew on to his shoulder. She stayed on his back until I shooed her away. Sometimes I wonder if Henrietta is really a silly goose! ;-)

How was I enjoying the afternoon? Why I was crocheting spool pin doilies for Mom!

I worked on more today. I now have 35 finished... only 15 to go!

No, I haven't given up on tatting. I just want to make sure I finish the spool pin doilies and get them off to Mom. I have a bad habit of setting things aside and forgetting them!

This afternoon I wound these adorable wooden spools with hand-dyed thread from Marilee Rockley (Beach Cafe and Garden Afternoon). I love using my little swift for holding the skeins of thread as I wind them. I found the spools on Etsy, and I think they're great!