Keepin' busy

We had a very busy weekend! On Saturday Mom and I went shopping for Christmas fabric with daughter Carol. While we were out having fun, Dave took advantage of the warm weather and started putting up outdoor Christmas decorations. The lights won't go on until after Thanksgiving, but it's nice to get a head start before the weather turns cold!

My brother came to visit on Sunday morning. After he left, Mom and I got busy knitting. My second border is coming along nicely. Mom is almost finished with her third panel. Mom was right... the second time around is much easier!

I now have another cross bookmark ready for Christmas gift giving. This is "Camilla" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. This one was a challenge for me. I think it's beautiful!

This is it!

More than 50 years ago, I was given a cross bookmark as a thank you gift. That's when my interest in tatting began. I had never seen tatting before, and I was fascinated! The girl who gave me the bookmark moved shortly after giving it to me, so I was never able to learn to tat from her. It took me 20 years to learn how to tat.

The Internet gave me the ability to search for the pattern, which turned out to be from Workbasket. I was sorting through some files on my computer last night and found the pattern. Naturally, I had to tat it!

The thread is size 40 Lizbeth # 40-9100, Arctic Evening, one of the new Limited Series threads. I like the thread, but I'm not sure I like it for this pattern. I think this cross is prettier in a solid color, or perhaps something with more subtle color variations.

I also tatted "Christina" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. The color variations seem to work better with this pattern. However, I think I still prefer solid colors fro cross bookmarks.

I haven't worked tassels for these two yet, and I'm not sure I will. I adore tassels, but I find they sometimes get caught and get pulled out of the book, something I find very frustrating!

How do you feel about tassels on bookmarks?

Elderberry Jam

Yesterday I tatted a Doodle Ice Drop and most of a cross in size 80. When I got home from school, I found a mistake, so I snipped off the thread and started over. A couple of hours later, I looked at the discarded piece and realized I hadn't made a mistake after all. Too late! Next time I think something needs to be snipped, I'm going to set it aside for a couple of hours just to be sure!

I really wasn't discouraged about working with the size 80 thread, so today I re-tatted Maria from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. I'm so happy I did! I think it looks wonderful in Elderberry Jam, and it matches my personalized shuttle!

Another white day

 

I was in the mood to tat a cross today, and I chose "Maria" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Line Bjorn. It's been a while since I've tatted this one, and I forgot how large it is in size 20. I'm thinking of doing another in size 80 for a comparison. 

They were predicting snow flurries this weekend. That didn't happen, but thinking of snow flurries did put me in the mood to start tatting snowflakes! This is Snowflake #1 from Robin Perfetti's new book Four Dozen Tatted Snowflakes, available in her Etsy shop. I'm not sue if I'll get all four dozen tatted by Christmas, but I'm sure going to try!

What would the day be without an Ice Drop? 

Full day of tatting

Today was almost a normal day! Mom and I went to get our hair cut this morning, and it sure feels good to look neat and tidy again.

Mom and I have been watching Endeavor on Amazon Prime and while we watched today, I tatted. It seems like forever since I've finished a tatting project!

This is one of my favorite tatted cross patterns, Christina from Tatted Bookmarks: cross-shaped  by Lene Bjorn. I didn't go looking for my King Tut thread today. Instead, I used the ball of size 40 Lizbeth sitting on the table by my chair. The color is #677, Lime Green Med. The shuttle is from Veronica of TattingShuttles on Etsy, and the crochet hook is one of my go-to tools from Dave Stanbrough of Grizzly Mountain Arts.

It sure felt good to be alert enough to follow a tatting pattern today!

Friday fun

I finished my chores early today, so I had plenty of time to play!

I finished "Camilla" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn, and I still have plenty of size 20 Lizbeth Green Coral Sea.

Next on my list was to finish Alenalea's mystery doily. I'm really glad I chose to tat it in blue and white, one of my favorite color combinations.

I had plenty of blue and white thread left on my shuttles to tat my latest Ice Drop. Sometimes two color tatting is really effective!

The best laid plans...

I really did have a great day of tatting and crafting planned out, but once again I let myself become distracted.

I must have spent three hours flitting from one page to another on the Internet. It all started because I wanted inspiration for my next band. I never did find what I was looking for, and to top it off, I didn't get my loom warped... not good!

I needed to move around some, so I worked in my sewing room until lunch time. I didn't accomplish much... I spent too much time looking at the books I was trying to organize. I did manage to gather up two bags of trash. That's progress, right?

After lunch, I sat down with my tatting. I finished "Maria" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. I had started this cross yesterday, but I made several mistakes. Why does it take so much more time to fix a mistake?

Once again, the left-over thread on the shuttles was used for an Ice Drop. I really like the way this one turned out!

Green Coral Sea

The last time I was in Hobby Lobby, I found a ball of Lizbeth Green Coral Sea #171. This is one of my favorite colors, so I purchased it to use at the Twin City Tatters retreat.

Before leaving the retreat, I started tatting "Monica" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. I love the patterns in this book!

With the thread left on the shuttles, I tatted an Ice Drop... of course! Mom requested six Ice Drops in light colors. I think I can do that!

In exchange, I received this beautiful mini loom from Hard Maple Looms. Gene Marino made this loom to Mom's specifications. Isn't it adorable? I plan on finishing the band I'm working on, then I will warp this little beauty and go to town!

Maria

Maria is one of my favorite cross patterns from Lene Bjorn's Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross~shaped. This one is in size 80 Lizbeth #678, Olive Dk. The finished size is about 3 1/4" x 2 1/4".

I don't feel like I accomplished much in September, but I sure did learn a lot! After all, this September was my first time to attend Palmetto Tat Days!

Practicing picots without a gauge

After seeing Tatting Marie's gorgeous tatting at our last Tollway Tatters meeting, I decided to try tatting without a picot gauge just as she does. My picots are not consistent, but I guess that just like everything else, it takes practice!

Another thing I need to practice is reading patterns! I goofed on the very last ring. Yes, I checked and double-checked before closing the ring, but I didn't see my mistake until I was sewing in the ends. Sigh! I guess I'll have to try this one again.

The pattern is Maria from Tatted Bookmarks - cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. I'm still working with the size 80 Lizbeth. I do love Peacock Blues!

Saturday only?

I hope not! Now that Open House is over, I hope to settle into a routine so that I can tat and blog on a more regular basis. For some reason, it just hasn't happened so far.

This week I worked on "Christina" from Tatted Bookmarks - cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. I love this pattern, and I have tatted so many it feels like an old friend. I used size 80 Lizbeth #149, Peacock Blues. It's a present for a very special little girl (not one of my granddaughters) who loves blue. I guess we're kindred spirits!

I was pleasantly surprised to receive Martha Ess's new book, Flights of Fantasy, in the mail yesterday. I really wasn't expecting it to ship until after Tat Days. I am not disappointed. This is a fabulous book, especially if you love dragons, unicorns, and Pegasus!

Thanks for publishing another fantastic book, Martha! Now I just need to choose my threads, load my shuttles, and tat... or should I finish up the projects I've already started? Decisions. Decisions.

for Chris

This cross if for my friend Chris whose father-in-law passed away last week.

The pattern is "Christina" from Tatted Bookmarks cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. The thread is size 80 Lizbeth, Turquoise Twist #142.

Another Doodad Double Dare Entry

Monica finished her Doodad Double Dare, and her finished pieces are gorgeous! Please hop on over, take a peek, and leave a comment!

Today I spent time tatting a cross for my friend Chris's mother-in-law, whose husband passed away this past week, a mere six weeks after going through open heart surgery. Chris chose yellow for her mother-in-law.

This is some Lily thread that I've had for quite some time... the price sticker says 60 cents! There's no size on the label. I'm guessing it's size 70 or 80. The pattern is "Christina" from Tatted Bookmarks ~ Cross-Shaped by Lene Bjorn.

Imagine my delight when I opened my mail today! My friend Carol sent me some doodads! Thank you, Carol!

Sue found some wonderful little doodads at her local Hobby Lobby and shared some with us at our last Tollway Tatters meeting. If you go to her blog, you can see some of the beautiful snowflakes she has tatted with them. Anyway, I went to my Hobby Lobby in search of them... no luck!

Carol decided to go hunting, and she hit pay dirt. Her Hobby Lobby just started carrying these jewelry components... yippee!

Now I need to go back to Sue's blog and look at those snowflake patterns again! Thanks for sharing your patterns, Sue!

Speaking of Tollway Tatters... we're meeting next Saturday, November 17. If you'd like to join us, please shoot me an email and I'll give you the details.

A wonderful weekend!

The weather was absolutely fantastic this weekend! Our granddaughter Eva spent the weekend with us, so I didn't get a lot of tatting done, but I did finish one piece.

This is Maria from Tatted Bookmarks - cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn, with two modifications. I left the picots off the rings, and I changed the rings at the ends of the tassels. I was hoping for a more masculine look. Do you think I succeeded? The thread is size 20 Lizbeth #173, Purple Marble.

When we arrived home, I found two very special packages in the mail. First, some luscious new HDT from Monica! Monica proposed a swap when she saw my rose shuttles... HDT for shuttles. Being an HDT addict, I quickly agreed, and I'm so glad I did! Aren't the colors gorgeous?

My other package contained the most beautiful rose pin I have ever seen! This gorgeous embroidery on felt is by my dear friend Paulette aka Beedeebabee. I just adore her work, and I would recommend her to anyone! Right now, she has two Halloween-themed pins that I am sorely tempted to buy... an adorable witch's hat and a pumpkin. I wonder if she'll be making a black cat as well? I'll have to ask her!

I hope all of you had as wonderful a weekend as I did. My batteries are re-charged, and I'm ready for another fun-filled week at school!

Celtic Prayers from Iona

I've been reading about Lisa's travels abroad, and loving every minute of it! Oh, to have the time and money to visit all the wonderful places she's been. Maybe some day...

Anyway, Lisa wrote about Celtic Prayers from Iona by J. Philip Newell. I enjoy reading devotional books, so I ordered it and I'm very happy that I did.

Like any good librarian, I felt that it needed a special bookmark. My friend Denise and I have been discussing "Christina" from Tatted Bookmarks: cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. This is a pattern I have tatted several times, but never before in size 80 thread. I'm very pleased with the finished bookmark! I used size 80 Lizbeth #144, Leaf Swirl. The finished size is 3" x 2 1/4" without the tassel. Since I really prefer very thin bookmarks, I think I may try this pattern again in quilting thread.

Do you ever have trouble following charted patterns? The charted patterns are my favorite, but I can get lost in them. I almost always make a copy of the pattern and mark off the rings and chains as I finish them. I still make mistakes, but not nearly so many! I find that by doing this, I get a much better feel for the flow of the pattern.

What are your tips for following intricate patterns?

Success with Christina

I was determined to tat "Christina" correctly! I am happy to report that I was able to tat this piece with only one slight glitch. I had to re-tat one ring because I didn't hold it while closing it. It twisted up on me. Not a big deal. I sure am happy I was able to complete this so easily!

The pattern is from Tatted Bookmarks - cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. The thread is size 40 Lizbeth, color #164, Blue River Glades.

For Robyn

My friend Robyn's father, Walter, passed away this week. This cross is for her.

The pattern was supposed to be "Maria" from Tatted Bookmarks - cross-shaped by Lene Bjorn. However, I realized I had made a mistake shortly after starting. Rather than un-tat, I adapted the pattern. I missed some chains, so I had to add some rings. It worked, but I prefer the original pattern. I think Robyn will like it.

The thread is size 40 Lizbeth #117, Country Side