YLI #15V ~ Vineyard

This is the last of my YLI threads, and I can't tell you how gorgeous this color way is in person! The photo really does not do it justice. My pretty pink shuttle is from an exchange with TypsTatting. When I first shared a picture of this shuttle, I commented on the size of these itty bitty decorations. I still can't imagine how anyone can manage those little bits. It's so much fun going through my shuttle collection and remembering where they've come from, especially the ones decorated by my tatting friends!

Here's the set of Stumpy motifs in the five YLI colors that I purchased. They'll be off in the mail tomorrow to be shuttle-fied by Chris Hinton. I love each and every one of them. I'm feeling more and more confident about starting a larger project with these finer threads. I wonder what it should be? : )

Marilee to the rescue!

When my Tollway Tatters group met back in March, Marilee (aka Yarnplayer) brought along threads for us to ogle and purchase. I fell in love with this beautiful lavender, which was one of Marilee's sample skeins. She warned us that the sample skeins were not full skeins of thread. I wound the thread and started tatting my favorite pattern, Spinning Wheel glass mat from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior. Much to my dismay, I didn't have enough thread to tat the last six rings and chains!

I emailed Marilee, and luckily she had another sample skein! It arrived this afternoon, and I quickly finished the doily.

All the drawers in my shuttle chest are now lined with Spinning Wheels, so this one will grace the top of the chest. The reproduction Greek vase was a gift from our friends Gus and Irene. They spent January in Greece visiting family, and were kind enough to bring back a souvenir for me! The beautiful white doily was crocheted by Irene's mother. Hmmm... I wonder how I could tat that motif? ; ) 

YLI #V85 ~ Nordic Fjord

This may be my favorite color combination! I love the shades of deep, dark blue. However, I will be sure to not wear dark blue pants when tatting with this thread. I really need a light background so that I can see what I'm doing! The shuttle is another favorite from LaCossette, Chocolate Ice.

YLI #V76 ~ Kyoto Garden

It's been a busy week! I can't believe that I only managed to tat one set of Stumpy motifs. I love this color. The blues, greens, and yellows flow so beautifully! The shuttle is another favorite from LaCossette... Pansies.

Daughter Alison and family came to visit this afternoon, and daughter Carol joined us as well. My granddaughter Eva, who will be ten in June, has decided that she'd like to learn how to tat. So, being a good grandma, I sent her home with her very own starter kit! Eva told me that she'd like to learn how to decorate her shuttles, so we have plans to do some blinging this summer. Keep your fingers crossed... I may have a new tatter joining the fold!

One skein of Teenybopper

In case you haven't guessed, Spinning Wheel glass mat from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior is my all-time favorite pattern! I love the way it shows off the colors of hand-dyed threads. This thread is Teenybopper from Yarnplayer. I think I may challenge myself this year to see how much I can tat from each skein of hand-dyed thread that I use. That way, I won't have unidentified bits of thread lying around! The other four motifs are from Occhi, the Peacock Book. I LOVE this book!

Here is my Teenybopper Spinning Wheel in its new home. Top left is my real English Aero shuttle. Top right is an impostor from who knows where., Underneath them is a German Aero shuttle. There is a big difference in each of these shuttles. I love the English, can't stand the impostor, and don't mind the German. I noticed that the Handy Hands catalog shows these shuttles now being made in Mexico. I guess maybe I'll have to try one of those as well.

The three shuttles on the bottom left are from The Shuttle Brothers. The three on the bottom right are Silent Tatters. The blue and brown shuttles in the middle are from either eBay or Etsy, I don't remember which. I guess I should try these shuttles out! ; )

YLI #V77 ~ Alaskan Twilight

I wish you could see this thread in person, because it's so much prettier than it shows up in the photo. I chose it because the name, Alaskan Twilight, reminded me of Georgia Seitz. Georgia is the one who introduced me to the Sulky line of threads. Thank you, Georgia!

The shuttle I used this time is my new Wisteria from LaCossette. I think I'm becoming a serious bobbin shuttle addict! ; )

YLI #V80 ~ Danube Blues

The YLI threads that I purchased have been sitting on my table calling to me... Forget the Sulky! Tat with me! So I caved. : )

I really couldn't help myself. After all, the thread is called Danube Blues, and those of you who have been reading my blog know how much I love blue! I decided to use my new Lily shuttle from LaCossette. This could be my new favorite shuttle from LaCossette!