Girls' day out

I went out to lunch today with two of my daughters and my sister-in-law. It was the first time we've done something like this, and we had a wonderful time.

I managed to finish Clue 5 of the Sanditon MKAL before we headed out. Clue 6, the final clue, is due out tomorrow. I'm excited to see how this is finished off!

After Alison headed home, I worked on my Linens and Threads Mystery Sampler. I've switched to a Q Snap frame. Using a scroll frame with a stand was too awkward for me. This is much easier to handle. I still have quite a bit to stitch from the January section. I'm hoping to finish with January before the March section is released!

My eyes got pretty tired after a couple hours of stitching, so I tatted a Doodle Ice Drop in size 20 Lizbeth #691, Mocha Brown Med. The shuttle is from Veronica of Tatting Shuttles on Etsy. I love the texture of the wood!

Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe that we are in a new year. The time just flies by!

Opening the mail after returning from a trip is one of my favorite things to do, especially when the mail includes new shuttles! These beauties are from Veronica of TattingShuttles on Etsy. I just can't resist a pretty shuttle.

I also received some beautiful new hand-dyed threads from Karey Solomon of Graceful Arts Studio. If you've never tatted with hand-dyed thread, you are really missing out. The colors are unique, and there's something about the hand-dying process that makes the threads a joy to use.

I finished up another Frivolity Ice Drop today. I do enjoy tatting this pattern, but I'm ready to move on to something else.

So, I practiced Edda Guastalla's tecnhique for encasing cabochons. Her tutorial is available on Etsy. It's been a while since I've tried Edda's method, and I can tell I need to pay attention to the instructions instead of doing my own thing. I should have followed Edda's instructions for working with a cabochon with a higher dome. So, I will try again!

Front,

side,

and back look okay, but I'm afraid the glass gem will pop out since I didn't follow the instructions. I will do better next time!

I'm also working on another cowl. I'm using the mock rib pattern from page 222 of Sequence Knitting by Cecelia Campchiaro. After doing some simple math, I cast on 114 stitches and started knitting. This would be a great carry-along project, but I'm pretty sure I'll finish before heading back to school next week, so there will be no need to carry it anywhere!

Early evening

Dave needed to mow grass, so that meant an early evening in for me... no branches to move today!

At lunchtime yesterday, one of the high school boys asked if I made bookmarks. He was referring to the ones my mom made for the seniors last year. I told him that my mom had made them, but that I also made bookmarks. He told me that he's set a goal of reading all the Harry Potter books this year, and that he would like to have a nice bookmark. How could I resist?

I didn't have time to warp a loom or look for the exact colors, but I did find some red and yellow in my stash. I neglected everything I needed to do this morning and crocheted a bookmark for Luke. He loved it!

My on-the-go tatting today was a Doodle Ice Drop in one of Karey Solomon's hand-dyed threads. I've lost the tag, so I don't remember the name of it, but I do like the color! I love Veronica's large hand-made shuttles. They're perfect for holding a full skein of hand-dyed thread!

I managed to crochet a few more rows on my Mud Cloth Inspired Throw. I think I'm done for the night. I've just run out of steam!

Progress!

Today was a gloomy day with a mixture of rain and snow. It was a great day for making progress on projects!

The end is in sight for daughter Alison's waffle stitch afghan. It was wonderful to have it covering my toes on this chilly day!

The back of my Marly Bird knit-along sweater is now 15" long. I had hoped to be 5" further along by tonight, but I can tell that's not going to happen. Still, I'm happy with the progress I've made.

This is the eighth Easter theme Ice Drop for daughter Joanne. It might not seem like there's much difference between them, but I do try to make each one just a little different. The shuttle is by Veronica of TattingShuttles on Etsy. Oh, be be artistically talented!

Busy day

Today was one of those days that just seemed to get away from me. I started off the day by tatting an Ice Drop, and then I got to work going through some boxes of craft stuff.

I managed to take care of three of them. Most of what was in those boxes ended up in the trash. There were bits of this and that left over from various craft projects, nothing worth keeping. For some reason, I had kept an awful lot of packaging. I wonder what I thought I would use it for?

In the afternoon I treated myself to a nap, and I worked on my knit-along sweater. I'm really glad I sized down two needle sizes. The fabric has a nice drape, and the yarn is really nice to knit with. It's been fun to see the progress others in the group have been making. Some are way ahead of me, and some are still working on the ribbing. I kind of like being in the middle!

Number two

I didn't have much time to tat today because of subbing, but I did manage to complete one Ice Drop using another of my new shuttles!

New shuttles

I guess some would say I have a problem. I think I have a passion. Yes, indeed, a passion for shuttles! These beauties arrived from Russia today.

I couldn't wait to put at least one of them to work!

Round 15... in the books!

That's right, ladies and gents... round 15 is finished! Round 16 looks super simple, so we'll see how quickly I can crank that one out. There are 18 rounds in the Jan Stawasz Masterpiece, so I really am feeling that the end is in sight! I'm really starting to get the hang of my bobbin shuttle from La Cossette. I don't know what my hangup was in the past, but I'm having no problems now.

I spent some time working on my Heart Doily from Land of Laces. The shuttle on the left is mother-of-pearl on wood from Veronica. The beauty really doesn't show up in the picture. The shuttle on the right is one of my Tatting Shuttle Addicts shuttles from NAGStudio. I really like this shuttle. It is so smooth and easy to work with, and I was able to get it engraved with Lace-lovin' Librarian!

Just an hour

I only had an hour to tat today. Isn't it funny how work can get in the way of our favorite activities?

I had another wonderful international mail day, starting with this beautiful coaster made by Wendy at Umi & Tsuru. I was a very lucky winner in a drawing she held recently. Thank you, Wendy!

More lovely shuttles arrived from Qtat in Hungary. They are so light weight!

These beauties are from Veronica in Russia. This is the fastest I've ever received a shipment from Russia... 15 days!

So, even though I only had an hour to tat, it was a wonderful tatting day!

International mail day

After spending the morning at school yesterday, I was ready for some tatting time in the afternoon. My tatting time was interrupted because of some wonderful packages in the mail!

I've been eagerly awaiting this clear Clover tatting shuttle from Japan. They cost a bit more than the other Clover shuttles, but I don't mind. I really like this shuttle! I wonder if the clear plastic will ever become more readily available? I guess time will tell!

I find it very hard to resist when new Pop-A-Bobbin shuttles become available in Jane's shop across the pond in England! And yes, I can and do sew, but why should I? Jane makes such lovely bags, and I get to brag that I have something made by one of my tatting mentors!

Veronica's lovely shuttles came all the way from Russia! I just can't help myself... I love collecting and using shuttles!

Despite all the excitement of receiving goodies in the mail today, I did manage to finish another pattern repeat of rows 10 and 11 of my Jan Stawasz Masterpiece. I'm headed off to do some more work at school today, but I am hoping to stay on track and complete another repeat today!