Running out of thread

...is always a possibility when using a partially filled shuttle!

My shuttle is rewound and I'm ready to finish the bottom of the cross. This one's taking me a long time, because I'm just not catching on to the pattern. It's not difficult, it just requires my very close attention so that I don't lose my place in the pattern!

Gold Dust... gone!

Yup! I used it all up!

Isn't it amazing how much can be tatted from one skein of hand-dyed thread? I decided to take the tassel off the cross. I just didn't like it. I started to tat "Flower Pot" from Tatted Treasures by Jan Stawasz, but I realized I only had enough thread for the center of the pot, not the entire pot. So, I used up what was left on my shuttles to make bits of "Leaf Braid" from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior.

I started another Workbasket cross tonight. This one is from March 1953. Tatting Marie was kind enough to send this pattern to me. From the picture, this is not a pattern I would have chosen to tat. However, now that I've started it, I really like it. I sure am glad I set up this challenge for myself!

One more in pink

I finally finished the cross I found hiding in an Origami pouch. This is my interpretation of The Workbasket cross that I had been searching for. Thanks to many friends who read my blog, I now have  all but one cross pattern from The Workbasket, and I think Carol is bringing that pattern to Tollway Tatters on Saturday. I think it's time to begin my Workbasket cross challenge!T

Jury duty tatting

I had jury duty today, and it was uneventful. I arrived at 8:30, went to lunch at 11:00, reported back at 1:30, and went home at 1:45. Luckily, I brought some tatting supplies along!

I almost completed a cross in size 80 Majestic. As you can see, I was undecided as to which color to use, so I took three with me. 

I visited with a very nice woman during the morning session, who asked about my progress a few times. She seemed interested, but not enough to learn how to tat. She told me that her passion is machine embroidery, something I did for a while, but I quickly lost interest.

Right before we were dismissed in the afternoon, two women asked me what I was doing, and I showed them my progress on the cross. I think that if we had stayed for another half hour, I just might have had two new tatting students!

Look what arrived in the mail today! My dear friend Beedeebabee read my post about The Workbasket cross, and she found this copy for me on eBay! Thank you, Paulette! As soon as I finish the two crosses I have in progress, I'm going to tat this one!

I thought it might be fun to find out how many tatted cross patterns were published in The Workbasket. I found this database online, and if I counted correctly, I found 14 tatted cross patterns published between 1951 and 1989. Wouldn't it be fun to find all of those patterns and tat them? Here are the issues I have listed...

March 1951

March 1953

January 1954

April 1955 (I have this one. Thanks, Patti!)

October 1957

December 1958 (I have this one. Thanks, Beedeebabee!)

June 1963

January 1972

February 1973

December 1977

November/December 1983

March 1986

February 1987

March 1989

Carol will be bringing some Workbasket cross patterns to Tollway Tatters on Saturday. They've been torn out of the original magazines, but maybe with a little detective work, we can figure out which issues they're from. 

Do you have any of these issues lying around? I'd love to see pictures of the various crosses!