Sue Anna the Enabler

When Sue Anna and I drove to Cincinnati to visit Jane, we had a lot of time to talk, and we did! We talked tatting, school, blogging, family, religion, politics, and bobbin lace. You would think we had known each other all our lives! 

Sue Anna and I met in person for the first time at the Downers Grove Lace Day in June, and the focus was bobbin lace. Sue Anna had wanted to take the bobbin lace class, but it was filled. Lucky Sue Anna owns the video Successful Bobbin Lacemaking for All Occasions with Christine Springett, which is the accompanying video for the book Lace for Children of All Ages. Sue Anna told me how good the video was, and she offered to lend it to me.

Anyway, the video arrived last week, and I finally had time to watch it on Saturday. Sue Anna was right... it's wonderful! I finally learned the correct way to fill my bobbins... so much easier than what I was doing, and the hitch actually held! I watched it from start to finish. I found Christine Springett's voice very soothing. I love English accents!

Sue Anna also included samples of Gold Rush embroidery thread... luscious! Blue, two shades of green, pink, white, yellow... all sparkly colors! She also included some silver beads for eyes. Yes, she's an enabler!

I learned a lot from doing this snake. First, it is easier to undo bobbin lace than it is to undo tatting. You see, when I got down past that third bend in the body, I discovered that I had missed a pin further up. Sigh... time to undo more than half of what I had accomplished. When I reached the part where the pin was missing, I discovered that I had missed another pin further up... more to be undone! Okay, I reached that missing pin, only to discover that there was another missing pin above the eyes! So, I learned that I can also undo bobbin lace with beads woven in! In addition, I learned the importance of tensioning at the end of each row. The second time through, my snake had far fewer lumps and bumps!

He doesn't show up very well, but I am very pleased with my snake. I'm sure the kids at school will get a kick out of him. In fact, I think I'll have to make another!

Thanks for enabling me, Sue Anna!

Note to self... learn how to use your camera!

Down and out...

Yes, my Internet is still down, with no hope for restoration until Monday, So, being the technology lovers we are, Mom, Joanne, and I are sitting in Barnes and Noble having a late breakfast and using their wifi. Believe me, it was worth the half hour drive!

Guess what today is? It's my friend Denise's birthday, and I've decided to celebrate by giving away some more shuttles!

Yes, dear friends, I am giving away three shuttles again! Never fear, I do have shuttles set aside for Denise and me. Again, I used 3D stickers and glitter nail polish. I haven't tried tatting with these yet, so I'm not sure how good they'll be for actual use, but they sure are cute to look at!

I think I'll wait until the weekend to draw the winners. We have a lot planned for this weekend, so I'm not sure if I'll have Internet access before Monday. So, there's no sense in drawing early!

The little pink bookworm is for Denise. When I feel I've mastered the cloth stitch, I'll try to make this little worm the way it's supposed to be made!

Hmmm... I wonder if they have any bobbin lace books here?

Poor worm!

After attending the Lafayette Lace Day this spring, I was inspired to plow through my sewing room to get to my bobbin lace pillow. The little sampler on it was a mess, so I took it off and started a worm bookmark. I didn't remember all of this until this morning, when I saw the beginning of the cute little worm!

Before breakfast, I decided to move my bobbin lace onto the screened in porch. I really hadn't touched my bobbin lace since going to Lafayette, because I'd have had to put all my tatting away. Maybe bobbin lace will become a summer only activity, that is unless I manage to get my sewing room in order this summer!

Unfortunately for the poor worm, I tried to finish him by relying on my memory and my pent up enthusiasm from yesterday's lace day in Downers Grove. About halfway through, I realized I really need to re-read the instructions, and possibly watch a video or two!

Poor little guy! He's usable. He just doesn't look at all like the pattern! When I realized how badly I had messed up, I just finished him up in cloth stitch.

I think I'll embrace Scarlett O'Hara's attitude for this project... tomorrow is another day!

Look what came in the mail!

Yesterday, I went to visit my college roommate, Eileen. We first became friends our senior year in high school. We shared a love of... tater tots! We were roommates for two years, then we both dropped out of college. I went back after a year. Eileen met Tom and married him. I was her maid of honor; she was my matron of honor (the first time around). Do you have a friend who knows so much about you that you can pick up a conversation years later without missing a beat? That's the kind of friend Eileen is. We are so comfortable around each other that I don't think we've ever been awkward around each other.

Anyway, I didn't get home until after dark, so I didn't pick up the mail until this morning. I received my exchange package from Snowy! I love getting gifts, and this one is extra special because Snowy included one of her lovely pieces of tatting! I can't wait to try the samples of thread she sent... Valdani, Gutermann, and Anchor! I've never tatted with any of them, so this will be an adventure for me! The chocolates have cherries with liquor (sp?) in them... they're wonderful! I'm not a huge chocolate fan, but I do have a weakness for chocolate covered cherries! Snowy also sent me some blue paper for my bobbin lace. I haven't found any around here, so I am very grateful to have some that I can work with. Thank you, Snowy!