Flower Heart

Isn't this the sweetest little heart? I love it! It's about 1 1/4", and it's a very quick tat.

Flower Heart is from Kelly at Tatfully Yours. I used some more of my Raspberry Sorbet from Tatskool. I may have enough left for one more. I'm sure going to try!

Thank you for this adorable pattern, Kelly!

Small Tatted Heart

When I saw this adorable little heart on Allison's blog, I just knew I had to make it! The pattern is by Betsy Evans, and it is a very easy tat. I used some of the Raspberry Sorbet from Tatskool. I have very little left of this pretty thread. I sure have enjoyed working with it!

Baby buggy?

I just finished the Day 9 installment of Jane's TIAS, and it sure is looking like a baby buggy!

I managed to finish my Raspberry Sorbet Spinning Wheel before I left for school this morning. I'm not normally a pink person, but this sure turned out pretty!

So, what do I do with all my Spinning Wheel glass mats? Most of them have become gifts, although I have selfishly kept my favorites for myself. Some line the drawers of one of my shuttle display cases. Some are used as doilies around the house, and I have a few in a little round tin just waiting for a home. It's nice to have something I really love to give as a special gift when an occasion arises!

Almost...

Yes, I almost finished my latest Spinning Wheel glass mat last night. With less than 10 minutes left of the Super Bowl, I just couldn't keep my eyes open any more.

If only I hadn't spent an hour cleaning in the kitchen yesterday afternoon...

If only I hadn't talked on the phone with family and friends...

If only I hadn't spent hours searching the Internet for new light fixtures...

If only I hadn't waited until Sunday to grade 4th and 5th grade essays...

...I might have finished my Spinning Wheel! ;-)

I guess life is full of choices!

Spinning Wheel glass mat from Tatting With Visual Patterns by Mary Konior
size 20 HDT, Raspberry Sorbet from Tatskool
Tatsy shuttle decoupaged with Origami paper (holds a whole skein of HDT)

In the pink!

I read Frivole's post about her newly named Victorian Trellis Doily, and I really had the urge to try tatting it... especially after watching her new video! However, after looking at the instructions, I have decided that I don't have enough brain power left at the end of a school day to concentrate on that beauty. I think it will have to wait until school is out for the summer, or until someone diagrams the pattern so that I don't have to think so much!

I really wanted to work on something pretty, so I returned to my favorite tatting author, Mary Konior.

This is Hen and Chick edging in size 70 Coats & Clark. It's so pretty and delicate! It may become a hanky edging, or it may be just a length of lace saved for a future project. Time will tell!

Last night I worked some more on my Spinning Wheel in Tatskool's Raspberry Sorbet... yum!

TIAS Day 4

I learned a new tatting technique today... make that two techniques... the Catherine Wheel join and undoing the Catherine Wheel join. I was quite pleased to complete the bottom row, until I realized that I'd put my very small picot in the wrong place. So, I retro-tatted the row and reworked it. I'm not thinking flower pot any more, I'm thinking coffee cup!

Since we had no school today, I spent my time between doctor visits (just routine, nothing wrong) tatting simple pieces. Yes, that's another braided doodad on the left in Lizbeth 166 Pink Cocoa, which makes me crave a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream! I played with layered flowers again. This one has three layers, which I'm not sure I like.

What's that in pink? Could it be another Spinning Wheel glass mat? Yes, indeed! I'm using thread that I've been saving for something special, and what could be more special for me than a Spinning Wheel? The thread is size 20 Coats HDT from Tatskool. The color is Raspberry Sorbet... yum!

Saving Beatrice

Poor Beatrice! She's been on hold since November 9, when I ran out of thread! Luckily, Tatskool had some of her luscious Raspberry Sorbet left, so I quickly ordered the last two skeins. For some reason, the mail system took F-O-R-E-V-E-R! ...a whole month to be exact! By the time the thread arrived, Dave had begun decorating for Christmas... he goes way overboard, and I have to put tons of my favorite stuff away. Naturally, I put Beatrice in a very safe place... too safe! When the thread arrived, I couldn't find my precious little doily anywhere! I dutifully wound the thread onto my dragonfly thread winder, knowing that Beatrice would show her pretty little face at some point.

When we were putting the Christmas decorations away, I found my beloved Beatrice! However, I had put the new thread in a very safe place, and couldn't find it anywhere! So, I put Beatrice in a very safe place, knowing that the dragonfly would flit my way sometime in the future.

Saturday, I decided to do a little organizing in my sewing room. Guess what I found... my dragonfly filled with beautiful thread! But where had I put Beatrice? I just couldn't find her. I won't tell you my sewing room is now organized... that would be a complete lie! However, I did find myself drawn back to the cluttered mess several times on Saturday and Sunday. Late Sunday afternoon, I decided to give up on tatting for a little bit and work on my lace scarf (in the works for two years now). When I opened my knitting basket, guess what I saw smiling up at me... Beatrice! Luckily, I had placed the dragonfly next to my chair so that I could work on Beatrice as soon as I found her!

End of the story, right? Wrong! I happily tatted along, and when I thought I was finished, I realized I had one pattern repeat too many! So, I carefully un-tatted my precious HDT to the necessary point and prepared to finish my lovely little doily. Now are we at the end? No! I discovered that I made a mistake at the very beginning of the doily! I joined the second cluster of rings to the wrong picot on the first cluster of rings. I almost cried! But, I didn't... instead I carefully looked at the doily to see what I needed to do. I cut out the first ring, and carefully unpicked the second ring. I finished Beatrice about 9 last night, and now you can see her in all her glory!

Poor girl... she's been through a lot! I hope to carefully wrap her up and send her off to a friend this week. What!? I'm not keeping her for myself? No, she was started with a particular friend in mind, and that friend will receive her... better late that never! Luckily, I have enough Raspberry Sorbet to make a second one for me!

By the way, Beatrice, designed by Iris Niebach, is about 8 1/2" across in size 20 Raspberry Sorbet from Tatskool. Have I ever mentioned how much I love HDT? Oh, and even with retro-tatting, I finished this little beauty in 10 days... woo hoo!