Back to tatting!

It feels good to get back to tatting! All three of these are the basic Ice Drop pattern. The only thing I've changed with each is the number of picots. Isn't it great that they can look so different with just minor changes? These are tatted with size 20 Lizbeth #602, Snow White... my favorite Disney character!

Warming up

Yes, it is warming up. We are now up to 7 degrees Fahrenheit, truly tropical compared to yesterday! It looks like we'll be back at school tomorrow. This is the longest Christmas break I've ever had, and I've enjoyed every moment of it!

Today I finished putting the tatting pouches together for my third graders. I'm really looking forward to passing them out tomorrow!

I also finished Snowflake 3 from Snowflake Roses by Denise Munoz. This was a fun tat, and I really like the way it turned out!

The big snow

We've been hearing for days about the big snow headed our way. I tend to ignore predictions of monumental snowfalls, because I love snow and I am sorely disappointed when it passes us by. However, this time the weather man seems to be right!

I woke up at 3:30 this morning, and I just had to take some pictures.

Dave's been out running the snowblower for over two hours, and the snow is still falling. Still, it's not the falling snow that's causing concern, but the expected high winds and frigid temperatures. We're all set for being snowed in. We just hope the power stays on!

Yesterday I decided to use up thread on the shuttles to tat Ruth Perry's Tatted Christmas Tree 2013, a delightful pattern that doesn't take much time or much thread.

This morning I finished Snowflake 2 from Snowflake Roses by Denise Munoz. I think it's beautiful!

Much better!

I am happy to report that I successfully tatted Snowflake #1 from Snowflake Roses by Denise Munoz!

There are no extra picots, no extra bits of chain, just a pretty snowflake! I even finished the ends the way I like this time, incorporating a jump ring and a pretty little S hook from Wirestorm Creations.

Dave jokingly told me that he could tell the difference, but I know that he could look at the two for hours and not see anything awry. Still, I took the time to please myself!

Dealing with imperfection

Christmas may be over, but I'm not finished with snowflakes yet. I may have to tat snowflakes all year long! However, I need to get back into the tatting groove. I took a much needed week off from tatting. My wrists and elbows were really bothering me from working so hard on finishing my sister-in-law's doily. I think I must have tensed up with the deadline looming, because I really didn't tat for long periods of time each day. 

The day after Christmas, we headed off for Alabama to visit Mom. It was 50 degrees warmer in Alabama, and it was nice to have some down time. We drove down to the Gulf so that Carol could dip her toes in the water. Then we drove to Pensacola to visit Dad's gravesite. We had a wonderful lunch at Molly McGuire's, inspiring me to buy a cookbook so that I can make Senate Bean Soup, bread pudding, and maybe even boxty! We visited some of our favorite shops and even purchased a few things... surprise! Isn't retail therapy grand?

Anyway, back to snowflakes...

I was tempted to tat some more doodad snowflakes with different beads, but there were so many beautiful snowflakes tatted before Christmas, that I decided I should open up some of my snowflake pattern books and try something different!

This is Snowflake #1 from Snowflake Roses by Denise Munoz. I made multiple mistakes while tatting this snowflake, so I didn't finish it in one day as I had anticipated. Then, when I went to give it a shot of steam this morning, I noticed that two of my small rings have an extra picot and three ds. I guess I'll just have to tat this one again.

Still, it looks pretty on the tree!

My last snowflake...

of 2013!

This is just another doodle. I am pleased that I was able to tat so many snowflakes before Christmas, and I do thank Margaret for challenging me to do so!

I meant to post a picture of my little snowflake tree as my Christmas greeting, but the day was so busy with everyone here, I just never got around to it. Then we left the day after Christmas to visit Mom in Alabama, and we just arrived home late last night.

So, better late than never...

Merry Christmas, dear readers!

Let it snow! Day 23

I tatted another quick doodle tonight... no pattern... just mindless tatting. You see, my brain is mush...

after finally finishing Doily 4 from Tatted Fashion by Teiko Fujito. Here you see it just tossed onto my footstool. I'll block it tomorrow. Why is my brain mush? Well, with seven pattern repeats to go, I realized I'd left out a ring and a chain necessary to the design. So, I had some retro-tatting to do. After dinner tonight, I finished the last pattern repeat, only to discover that I had one pattern repeat too many! So, snip snip, re-tat, and ta-da!

Granddaughter Ella helped fill the final shuttle with thread...

and she was very pleased with the way "the big snowflake" turned out!

Let it snow! Day 22

I just tatted a doodle today... must concentrate on the doily... five and a half rounds to go!

Let it snow! Day 21

This is Doodad Snowflake #6. It's the same clover pattern as Doodad Snowflake #5 with the chains facing the opposite direction. The chains look a little wonky on this one. I was trying to use up thread on my shuttles, and I wound up having to join thread three times. That's something I'll keep in mind for future snowflakes!

I didn't really have much time to tat today. I spent the morning wrapping Christmas presents. Friends came for lunch. Daughter Joanne and family arrived from Minnesota late afternoon. Although we've been very busy, I am completely enjoying this holiday season!

Let it snow! Day 20

Here's Doodad Snowflake #5 with beads. I know... big surprise! ;-)

Let it snow! Day 19

This is one of my favorite quick snowflakes, Doodad Snowflake #5. I love clovers, and I suppose that's what makes this one so much fun for me. It does take a little more time to tat, but it's still pretty quick!

Let it snow! Day 18

This is the way yesterday's snowflake was supposed to look! This is Doodad Snowflake #4, minus the doodad, with a single bead replacing each picot.

Someday I'm going to take the time to figure out how to take a good picture. The beads really look pretty, but they don't show up well in the picture. Now that I've taken the picture, I can see that one of the rings is distorted. I wonder how that happened?

Let it snow! Day 17

Well, I goofed. Once again, I failed to follow my own directions.

Instead of tatting a variation of Doodad Snowflake #4, I managed to tat a variation of Doodad Snowflake #2. This one only has five beads replacing picots instead of the seven shown in #2. At least I didn't tat a snowflake that's identical to another. Whew! ;-)

See the difference? My chains are going the wrong way. Maybe I'll give it another try tomorrow.

Ooh! Ooh! I just noticed... this is post #1111! Pretty cool, huh?

Let it snow! Day 16

Here's another version of Doodad Snowflake #4. The difference between yesterday's and today's is the number of beads replacing the picots. Yesterday, I used three beads. Today, I only used one bead. The pink doesn't show up as well, but it still looks pretty!

Let it snow! Day 15

This time I tatted Doodad Snowflake #4 with 3 beads in place of each of the picots. It's much prettier in person than it shows in the picture!

Let it snow! Day 14

Today I tatted Doodad Snowflake #4. I do like my little snowflake patterns. That may sound a bit egotistical, but I like them because they're so quick to tat, leaving me time for my doily!

We had a beautiful 4" snow overnight, which really helped put me in the Christmas spirit. I love nutcrackers, and this year they're standing at attention at my living room window.

My grandchildren love choosing a nutcracker to take home with them. These are the ones they can choose from this year. My grandson plays soccer, so I'm hoping he chooses the soccer nutcracker. It's certainly not a run-of-the-mill nutcracker!

Let it snow! Day 13

I think this will be my last adaptation of Doodad Snowflake #3. I put the doodad back in the middle, and I used one bead in place of each Josephine ring. I miss my picots and my Josephine rings, so it's time to move on!

Let it snow! Day 12

Here's another variation of Doodad Snowflake #3. The inside rings have two beads in place of the picot. I'm not sure I like the two beads. Three looks so much better to me. The Josephine rings have been replaced by a single bead.

This one looks okay, but I really miss the Josephine rings. I think they really make the snowflake.

Let it snow! Day 11

Here's another version of Doodad Snowflake #3, only this one has no doodad! I like the look of this one, but I still prefer having the doodad in the center. The snowflake seems to hold its shape better, and I like that little bit of added weight.

Let it snow! Day 10

This adaptation of Doodad Snowflake #3 has beads on the outer rings instead of picots. I kind of like it!