Unplugged

Do you ever feel the need to unplug? Don't get me wrong. I've learned so much from reading blogs and having the instant access to information that the Internet provides, but there are days when I look at my devices and long for a simpler time.

Since last Tuesday, I just haven't had the desire to spend much time on my computer. I'm sure I've missed out on a lot, but I also found time to recharge my personal batteries! I spent time tatting, weaving, reading, visiting family, and taking naps... good old summer time fun!

I'm continuing with motifs from Tatting by Myra Piper. This is motif No. 11. I really should switch to a solid color for these motifs, but this green thread is so pretty, I just keep tatting with it!

As you probably guessed I would, I've started a Spinning Wheel glass mat from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior. I'm curious to see how much this ball of green thread will yield!

My bag production has slowed down, probably a result of so much time spent reading and napping! I love using this chenille yarn that Mom sent to me. The fabric is soft, and I can make each bag unique by including snippets from other projects.

This bag did not yield the contrast I was hoping for. I used a bulky acrylic and a very soft bamboo yarn. Both had the same color scheme, but the textures are very different. You can fell the difference when you touch the bag, but you can't see the clasped weft results very well.

My summer tatting kids had a great time last Wednesday. There were 12 kids... 10 girls and 2 boys. We really have had wonderful weather for outdoor tatting this summer! The rest of this post is pictures of the kids and their tatting. Enjoy!

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!

Lucky number 5

I have always liked the number 5. It is, without a doubt, my favorite number. Maybe that's because when I was a little girl, I discovered that each of my names had 5 letters... Diane Carol Green. I always felt that my parents planned it that way, but I could be wrong! ;-)

Yesterday, when my student tatters were here, I managed to finish my 5th motif on Round 9 of Renulek's Letnia. See... lucky number 5!

There were 8 students yesterday, and we had so much fun tatting and chatting, I forgot to take pictures! We didn't get a whole lot accomplished, but Kennedy, who just finished 1st grade learned the flip! She was quite pleased with herself. Older sister Dylan has been encouraging her to learn.

Janie returned  Tatting Collage and with her big, brown eyes opened wide, she told me the book was wonderful! John was too busy to watch the tatting video, and Paige was home sick, so I don't know what she thinks of the book she borrowed.

Celtic Tatting by Rozella Linden and Tatted Doilies by Iris Niebach were checked out yesterday. It will be interesting to see the kids' reactions to the intricate designs in these two books!