Victorian Red

I'm so glad my friend Kristine asked for a red snowflake! I've started my next set of seven in size 20 Lizbeth, Victorian Red #670. This is my #7 snowflake with a slight change on the outer rings. I think I like it better!

Weekend Tatting

What do you do when you get new shuttles? I ooh and ah over them, rub them between my fingers...

turn them over and admire the loving care that went into creating them...

and then I put them to work! In case you don't recognize the craftsmanship, these lovelies are from La Cossette. From left to right... Cherry Blossoms, Kaleidoscope, and Green Fairy. I've been waiting for Green Fairy to be available again... she is a wonderful tatting companion!

I finished three Blue Ice snowflakes on Saturday...

completing the set of seven.

I thought of dropping this round one from my collection, but it appeals to me even though it doesn't really look like a snowflake.

Today I tried tatting with metallic floss. The sheen doesn't show up very well on the computer, but they are very pretty in person. One skein yielded two snowflakes. I used three strands of the floss on each shuttle. They're a little larger than the size 20 Lizbeth flakes, about 3 1/4" across.

Needless to say, floss is much more expensive than a ball of Lizbeth! I don't think I'll tat with metallic floss very often. It's time-consuming to separate the threads, and it's very hard on my fingers!

It's about time!

Daughter Joanne called this morning and informed me that I haven't been posting frequently enough! Apparently she's been watching my blog to see what I'm doing with snowflakes. So, these pics are for you, Joanne!

Christmas Delight

Blue Ice

Blue Ice

My Internet connection has been really slow at night. I understand they're upgrading the equipment, and the upgrade was supposed to be finished last week. I hope it's finished soon! 

I haven't been too concerned about my Internet connection, because daughter Carol has asked me to help out at play practice a few times. I am so flattered! I'm in charge of keeping the kids quiet while rehearsal is going on. There are 46 middle school students in the play. That's a lot of munchkins to keep quiet, especially when there's a scene with only two to four characters on set! The play, Aladdin Jr. is in three weeks. I'm really looking forward to this production!

Special request

My friend Kristine requested this snowflake in red. Isn't it pretty? I used size 20 Lizbeth, Victorian Red #670. I hope you like it, Kris!

I tweaked my snowflake pattern from the other day, using longer chains and smaller rings. The center rings are 4 - 4 + 4 - 4. The chains are 8 - 4. The outside rings are 4 - 2 - 2 - 4. I think I like this version much better!

My favorite!

At least it's my favorite so far! I love the Blue Ice Lizbeth thread... perfect for a Santaflake!

Here's the close-up you asked for IsDihara!

This is my current Spinning Wheel glass mat (my favorite pattern from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior). The thread is Navy Greens, hand-dyed by Jess for my daughter Alison. I just love the color combination! When Jess sent the thread, I quickly scanned her note and thought I saw Nancy Green... my mom's name! You can bet I did a double-take when I saw that one!

Feelin' flaky!

I really thought I'd finish at least six snowflakes this weekend, but somehow time got away from me!

This is an extended version of my first snowflake. The first one had three Josephine knots on each chain. This one has five. I don't think it looks much like a snowflake, but it's still pretty!

I didn't feel like looking back at my patterns, so I just doodled again. I'm really not sure if this is one of the flakes I made in Christmas Delight or not. I think it looks nice in the Blue Ice.

I don't really like the way this one turned out. I think I need to have longer chains. So, back to the drawing board! Or maybe I should say back to the tatting shuttles!

A fabulous day for the Tollway Tatters!

We had a beautiful day for our Tollway Tatters meeting! Tatters came from far and wide, some die-hards, some newbies... we had so much fun!

My daughter Alison worked on her first doodad snowflake.

Cheryl is a newbie... she's only been tatting six weeks, and her work is beautiful! She worked on the Amusement Doily in size 10. I really find it hard to believe that she's been tatting for such a short time!

Cheryl's mentor is Sue aka God's Kid. Sue brought along some beautiful examples of her tatting, including her doodad snowflakes! These two ladies drove in from Michigan... made me feel like a rock star! ;-)

Barbara, always so cheerful and full of wonderful stories, makes all of us feel so good about what we're working on. She's quite a talented lady. Her tatting is lovely, and she also makes beautiful bobbin lace! She wasn't able to join us last time. I sure am glad she was able to make it today!

Granddaughter Eva is the youngest in our group. She makes beautiful chains, and she thinks she might be ready to learn how to make rings... makes a grandma proud!

Carol is amazing! She tats, she blogs, she embroiders... she inspires us to try new things. Today she brought along matchbook style needle holders for us to decorate. She's such a generous lady!

The oh-so-talented Marilee brought along her latest pendants for us to admire. She also brought along some of her gorgeous HDT. Of course I had to buy some! ;-)

Marilee showed us some of her goodies from Palmetto Tat Days. Boy, I sure wish I could have gone!

The ever-vivacious Sue Anna had us all enthralled! I think she brought along everything she had from Palmetto Tat Days, plus she showed us tons of pictures and videos. She had shuttles, threads, patterns, lessons... if it was at Tat Days, Sue Anna had it! I am going to attend Palmetto Tat Days, probably when I retire in four years. I sure hope Sue Anna will go with me!

Denise worked on an angel for her Doodad Double Dare, and it is adorable! She wants to tweak it some, and then she's going to try writing up the pattern. Who knows... maybe she'll share it with us!

Yes, I managed to do some tatting also. I worked on a Spinning Wheel glass mat in Navy Greens from Jess. I also tatted a doodad snowflake in 4-Eva, another of Jess's color ways, but I forgot to take a picture of it before giving it to my granddaughter. Oops!

I am one proud mama... this is daughter Alison's first doodad snowflake!

Who knows, maybe we'll be able to meet some more tatters at our next meeting. I sure hope so!