Feeling better

I've been officially released from quarantine! I still have a bit of a cough, but that cough is consistent with my springtime allergies. 

This is Snowflake #2 from Four Dozen Tatted Snowflakes by Robin Perfetti. It really looks better in person than it does in the picture. My photography skills are very sketchy!

Snowflake #3 is in size 20 hand-dyed Sugar Maple from Yarnplayer. The shuttle is another beauty from Rita Richmond of Shuttle by Design.

Inspired by the beautiful color, I decided to tat a button ornament. I love the stability that comes with using a button, glass gem, or doo-dad in the center of small tatted motifs. Speaking of doo-dads... I wonder where I put my stash?

Starting over

I've put the snowflakes I've tatted from Four Dozen Tatted Snowflakes by Robin Perfetti someplace very safe. I seem to do that way too often!

Rather than take time to look for them, I decided to start over and keep the finished ones in a baggie with the book. This is Robin's Sample Snowflake in Tatskool's size 20 Serendipity hand-dyed thread.

 Snowflake #1 is in size 20 Ljiljan. This time I think I'll tat a mixture of colors so that I don't get bored!

Doodle Ice Drops

Yesterday I tatted two Doodle Ice Drops. I just love this pattern! The thread is Tatskool's Serendipity, and the shuttle is by Rita Richmond's friend, Olga Fedotova.

Another beautiful and unusual shuttle that I recently added to my collection is from Jean Roux in France. I saw a YouTube video showing how this shuttle worked, and then I followed links and was able to contact him. I do not speak French, and he does not speak English. Thanks to Google Translate, we were able to understand each other, and I now have a fabulous new shuttle in my collection!

Sick days

I've basically slept away the past week. I've had a low grade fever and persistent cough. It seemed the best thing to do was sleep, so that's what I did. I did call the doctor's office, and they ordered medicine for a sinus infection. However, I was told that I had to have a COVID test, so I did. It came back positive, which seemed odd since I haven't been in contact with anyone other than Mom and Dave, and I had finished my vaccine two weeks before. I'm in quarantine until Friday. If I truly have COVID, it's a very mild case. Still, I will follow the protocols.

I'm on a hand-dyed thread kick again, and I had recently ordered some beautiful new threads from my friend Pamela aka Tatskool. I've been collecting hand-dyed threads for years, and I've decided it's time to do more than just collect. I need to enjoy this wonderful threads!

Yesterday was the first day I had energy to do anything in a week, so I tatted around four different donuts. I think the top left one is my favorite. The thread is Pamela's Serendipity, size 20. I do love tatting with hand-dyed threads!

Surprise!

I was thrilled to find out that I was one of the winners in Marilee Rockley's drawing last week! The surprise was the amount of thread that was included. Yes, I saw the picture. Still, it looked like so much more when I opened the package. To say I am thrilled is an understatement!

 Following Jane's lead, I focused on completing five pattern repeats today. It worked!

Doily day

It was a lazy day around here. It rained all morning, so we just sat around talking. Daughter Carol made blueberry smoothies for us, and I baked a loaf of beer and cheddar bread for my brother.

This afternoon, I watched t.v. and worked on Renulek's Spring 2021 doily. I'm taking care to check every three to five motifs now. I keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race!

I missed a day!

I thought I blogged yesterday, so I was a bit surprised when I logged on tonight and saw that I didn't post anything yesterday. I guess I need to make up for lost time!

My friend Pamela Myers set a challenge for herself to match hand-dyed threads to donuts. I decided to join in the fun!

I think the thread colors show up better in my hand. I've lost the tag, so I don't know the name of this hand-dyed thread.

I'm pretty sure it's size 40 thread. The one on the right is definitely size 20.

Today I decided to work with size 20 Sugar Maple from Marilee Rockley aka Yarnplayer. I met Marilee online about 14 years ago when she first started blogging about hand-dyed threads. I even stalked her at a craft show in Wisconsin so that I could meet her!

Again, I think the colors show up better in my hand.

I didn't want to stop with a donut, so I also tatted a button ornament and a flower. If you haven't tatted with hand-dyed thread, I highly recommend it!