Sick days

I've basically slept away the past week. I've had a low grade fever and persistent cough. It seemed the best thing to do was sleep, so that's what I did. I did call the doctor's office, and they ordered medicine for a sinus infection. However, I was told that I had to have a COVID test, so I did. It came back positive, which seemed odd since I haven't been in contact with anyone other than Mom and Dave, and I had finished my vaccine two weeks before. I'm in quarantine until Friday. If I truly have COVID, it's a very mild case. Still, I will follow the protocols.

I'm on a hand-dyed thread kick again, and I had recently ordered some beautiful new threads from my friend Pamela aka Tatskool. I've been collecting hand-dyed threads for years, and I've decided it's time to do more than just collect. I need to enjoy this wonderful threads!

Yesterday was the first day I had energy to do anything in a week, so I tatted around four different donuts. I think the top left one is my favorite. The thread is Pamela's Serendipity, size 20. I do love tatting with hand-dyed threads!

Cornelia!

I finished "Cornelia" from Tatted Doilies by Iris Niebach last night. I stayed up past my bedtime to block it, and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. I found two twisted rings, and when I took it outside to photograph it I realized that I didn't block very carefully. I was so eager to blog about it, I didn't take the time to block it properly, but as my mom would say... a blind man on a galloping horse will never know the difference! I'm sure my tatting friends will forgive my slightly messy display! It's so much fun to finish something and then show it off!

The doily measures about 11" across. It's tatted in size 20 hand-dyed thread from Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttleMaker. The rings are in Citrus Limon and the chains are in Guacamole. I have to send extra special thanks to Sherry for dyeing another batch of Citrus Limon for me. I needed enough for just under 2 pattern repeats. So, if you're thinking of using HDT for this one, you'll need to make sure you have three 50 yard skeins, one for the chains and two for the rings.

I've already started my next Iris Niebach doily... "Eleonora" in size 20 Apple Blossom from Pamela Myers. I'm really enjoying the challenge of Iris's designs, and I'm learning a lot about tatting!

School's off to a great start! I can tell I'm getting older... I really need a beginning of the year checklist... I'm finding something each day that I forgot to set up! Luckily, I'm pretty good at adjusting my lesson plans on the fly... it must be that I've been doing this for so long. I can't believe that this is my 24th year of teaching, 23 of which have been in the library/computer program!

Oh, happy day!

I've received wonderful, inspirational mail yesterday and today! Clockwise, starting at the top... beautiful hand-dyed thread from Pamela Myers and a post card of her university; from Dave and Jo Stanbrough at Grizzly Mountain Arts a beautiful little button basket, necklace, and celluloid tatting shuttle (which I have been longing for... blue is my favorite color); a lovely ceramic shuttle from Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttleMaker (I can see that this one will hold tons of thread); and lusciously bright colors from Marilee Rockley aka Yarnplayer. I think it's time to stop spending and start tatting!