Blue River Glades

This is one of my favorite Lizbeth threads. I love the combination of blues and greens, and the color is so serene!

For this Krzyz by Jan Stawasz (Tatted Treasures), I turned the doodad slightly. I can't say that I prefer it one way or the other. I do think that certain color doodads go well with certain threads, and I really like the silver tone with the Blue River Glades!

The shuttles are by Chris Hinton. The top one is from Christmas 2009, and the rose inlay shuttle is one of my favorites. It's so smooth, and it has my initials on the back. I really do treat myself well! ;-)

Sulky Blendables #4029 ~ Mocha Mauve

School is out for the summer, so I'm hoping I have more time to tat. So far, I've been too busy to spend very much time with my shuttles. I did manage to complete this set of Stumpy motifs for Chris and Erin Hinton. I'm really looking forward to the day when they start posting pictures of their Tatted Shuttles!

This Clover shuttle is another one that I decorated with fabric from Ann. She certainly was generous with her fabrics!

Sulky Blendables #4017 ~ Lime Sherbet

I think of lime as having more green in it. This looks more like the center of a lime than lime sherbet to me, but it still is yummy thread! The shuttle is my new Regency Clover shuttle from LaCossette. I hope she doesn't make any more... I'll be tempted to buy them! ; )

So, another set of Stumpy motifs is in the mail the Chris Hinton at The Shuttle Shop! I'm really looking forward to seeing how these shuttles turn out, especially the Peacock Plume and the Valdani.

Sulky Blendables #4002 ~ Buttercream

While waiting for loads of laundry today, I managed to tat two more Stumpy motifs, this time in Sulky Blendables #4002. You're looking at the top side of another shuttle decorated by my friend Jenny... very appropriate for a librarian!

I really like the back side of this shuttle. I sing a song with the pre-schoolers at the beginning of each library class...

I love books, and they love me.
I get them free at the library.
Read them once.
Read them twice.
Library books are oh so nice.
See ya at the library!

And now I have another set of shuttle-shaped motifs to send off to Chris Hinton at The Shuttle Shop to be shuttle-fied!

Sulky Blendables #4004 ~ Golden Flame

I am really enjoying tatting with my Sulky Blendables thread collection! I haven't really done any research into this thread, but I'm assuming that because of its name, it is meant to be used with another thread as an accent. I've been tatting with a single strand, and yes, it is very fine. Honestly, I've been uninspired by some of the threads when looking at them on the spool. However, once I start tatting with them, they seem to come to life!

For me, the Stumpy motif by Kersti Anear is the perfect way to try out all of the different colors. Each motif takes me about an hour to tat. I've been tatting two of each color to send to Chris Hinton at The Shuttle Shop to be made into Tatted Shuttles. I get the joy of tatting with a purpose, and Chris has motifs to practice with so that he can perfect his shuttles... win/win! No, I am not selling these motifs. I am just having fun helping out a very talented shuttle maker. If you are interested in ordering one of Chris's shuttles, all you have to do is go to The Tatting Forums and contact his wife Erin. She can provide you with information on shuttle styles and prices.

Now that I've finished my samples of #4004, I'm really looking forward to trying another color! Yes, I do have TWO fish shuttles from my very talented friend Jenny. Aren't I a lucky girl?

Tatting with Sulky Blendables #4005 ~ Strawberry Daiquiri

A year or two ago, I purchased a plastic case loaded with Sulky Blendables thread at Overstock.com. Why Sulky Blendables? I had received a sample from Georgia Seitz, and I loved it! What I didn't realize when I ordered the thread, was that this is 30 wt. thread, not the 12 wt. that Georgia sent. Not knowing the difference, I tried it out. It was much later that I realized that I was using a much finer thread!

I do enjoy tatting with it. I can untat chains, but I have been unsuccessful with opening rings. Stumpy is the perfect motif for me to use with this thread. It's small, and when I make a mistake, I don't mind cutting the thread and starting over.

The size of these finished motifs is 1 1/4" x 3/4". As you can see, they're much smaller than a Clover shuttle! My friend Jenny decorated the shuttle for me. Isn't it adorable?

You may have guessed... I'm tatting up a set of Stumpy motifs in the Sulky to send off to Chris Hinton at The Shuttle Shop. These will make adorable shuttles!

I've been asked about how the Tatted Shuttles are for tatting. I love them! They hold a tremendous amount of thread. They're wider than any other shuttle I own. I really like the feel, but I don't think you can really go by me. I love every shuttle I own!

Oliver Twists Colour Wheel

I have now tried out all of the colors I have in Oliver Twists! I think this may be my favorite set of colors. Do I dare order other sets? We'll see!

As before, these Stumpy motifs designed by Kersti Anear are destined to become Tatted Shuttles from Chris Hinton at The Shuttle Shop.

Reconnected!

Talk about withdrawal! Keeping in touch with my blog buddies has become such a big part of my life, that I think I was suffering far more than I imagined possible with no Internet access from home for nine whole days!

Yes, I have been doing my best to keep up by using my smart phone, but it just isn't the same. I NEED my computer!

One advantage to being disconnected was that I did a lot of reading. I read the entire Hunger Games trilogy in eight days. What a great series! I didn't realize until we went Christmas shopping this past weekend that the series is being made into a movie. I'm usually disappointed with movies after reading books, but I'm sure looking forward to this one!

I received a lovely surprise from madtatter80 this past week. Isn't this a beautiful little case? And inside...

a hand carved Sea Turtle Shuttle! The detail is amazing!

I also finished a beaded bag for a teacher at school, who's getting married New Year's Eve. This isn't Jackie's bag. I forgot to take a picture of hers. This is the one I made for daughter Joanne's wedding in August 2010. Somehow, they each turn out a little differently!

I'm almost finished with Jackie's wedding hanky. I'll take a picture as soon as I've finished.

Today I was really excited to receive my Christmas shuttle from Chris and Erin Hinton at The Shuttle Shop!

Isn't it angelic? Sorry... I just couldn't resist! : )

Winder Shuttle Giveaway!

Chris Hinton's Winder Shuttle Version 1.0


Winder Shuttle Version 1.1

Chris and Erin Hinton at The Shuttle Shop are hosting a new tatting forum called... The Tatting Forums! Chris has been developing a new winder shuttle, which I have had the privilege of testing. I've tried out the first two versions, and the third version will be on its way soon. This process is so much fun for me!

To celebrate the new site (just a little over a month old), Chris and Erin are going to be giving away one of their new winder shuttles on September 1, around 8:00 p.m., to one lucky registered member of The Tatting Forums!

Why not join us? We're a small group so far, but there are a lot of familiar names. Besides... you might be the lucky winner!