Sunday, September 29, 2013

Back to Blogland?

Oh, you know me - I flit in and out of "blogland" - lately I can't seem to find the time or motivation to post much.  Most of the reason behind that is I haven't done much tatting at all this entire year.  And even with a long time of resting my hands,  I still find my limit to be about an hour of tatting at a time - then the base of my thumbs start to ache.  If I do much more I pay for it for the next few days.  As I planned, I haven't done any art/craft shows this year, although my patterns sell steadily and I do have some tatted jewelry in a little fiber arts store in Reading - Some Things Looming - so I'm technically still in the tatting business.  At a much reduced level, obviously.

I love this thread color from Handy Hands - Charcoal Medium (607) - and have been working with it off and on for a few weeks (fabulous design here by Yarnplayer as well).


Simple Drop Earrings (bottom) by Elizabeth's Lace

It works really well with contrasting thread and beads.  I tend to be a bit monochromatic in my designing, so it can be challenge for me to put different colors together and be pleased with the results.  With this thread it seems to be easier, perhaps because it is somewhat of a neutral color.

Well, it's back to the laundry for me - enjoy this Sunday and be blessed!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

In Loving Memory

...of my mom, JoAn. For those of you who have seen me at shows, you know she was my regular companion.  She was not only my mom - but a great friend as well. She was an RN and a wonderful nurse.  She worked in several different specialties, one of them being oncology - caring for and treating patients with cancer while battling her own disease, breast cancer.  Her final job was working in hospice, once again treating patients in their final days, caring for their families and loved ones and helping them with their grief and pain; all the while dealing with and coming to understanding her own mortality.

Joan K. Gehris
December 29, 1945 - December 5, 2012

Me, my mom, and my sister last Mother's Day at a "Fancy Nancy" party.

I wrote the following letter to my mom several years ago, and share it here to help you understand the kind of person she was.

Dear Mom,

Today in church we had a lady talk about her experience with cancer.  She has stage 3 non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  Not that that’s really important though – what struck me was something she said.  She said that it is wonderful to be a cancer survivor.  Everyone who has cancer hopes to be a cancer survivor, but ultimately, not everyone is.  “But,” she said, “it is much more important to be a cancer conqueror.

I couldn’t imagine what she meant by that, but she went on to explain.  A cancer conqueror is someone who never lets their cancer beat them.  I mean in everyday things – getting up in the morning, going to work, living life as fully as you can while you go through your treatments.  Not holding a pity-party for yourself.  Doing what needs to be done.  Doing things you want to do.  Thinking of and serving others.  Being content in the midst of what can be a horrifying and devastating illness.  Having joy despite the circumstances, and letting others see that joy come through you so it blesses them as well.  Displaying peace through the pain.  If you can do all these things, then cancer cannot beat you.  You have conquered it – it has no hold and no power over you, and though you may still have symptoms and side effects from treatment, you are free from cancer.

What a powerful message that was.  And the whole time she was giving it, you know what I was thinking?  I was thinking, “Wow! That’s my mom to a T!! She is a cancer conqueror if ever I knew one.” 

I know I’ve never said this to you, but I sure have said it to other people I know - I really don’t know how you do it.  I sometimes think if I was going through the same things, I couldn’t be nearly as strong.  Your witness to those around you is a testimony to your strength, determination, positive attitude, and that you can be free from cancer even when you have cancer.  What an awesome way to live life!! 

I wanted to write you this note and let you know what an encouragement you have been to me (and so many others) throughout your experience with cancer.  You have never let it stop you from doing what you needed to do. Throughout the whole process you have continued to work and serve others who were going through some of the same things you were going through.  I am sure this side of Heaven you will have no idea how you have touched so many other people through what you do at work.  You have been a blessing to many, I’m absolutely sure of that.  I really don’t know what other word to use other than “ministry” – it is your ministry to others, and you show them God’s love with everything you do for them.

You have also never let it stop you from doing anything you wanted to do.  I will always remember going bead shopping with you that day while you had the severe radiation burns on your shoulder and neck.

Never once did I hear you complain.  Never once were you cranky.  I’ve never seen you hold a pity-party for yourself.  You display contentment.  You are joyful through your circumstances, and you bless others because of it.  You show peace through your pain. Mom, you have conquered cancer – it has no hold and no power over you.  You are free from cancer.

My prayer is that you will also be a cancer survivor, for as long as possible.  But I want you to know that no matter what happens, you are a living testimony to all those around you of a “cancer conqueror.”

I love you,

Beth

It was a very tough fall and winter, and it has taken me quite a while to write this post.  We had been dealing with my mom's cancer for so long (she was originally diagnosed as 42) that it seemed at times she would live forever.  Even though we had her for almost 25 years after her original diagnosis, I have to say the end came much too quickly for me.  I miss her every day, and often think about all the things she will not be here to share with us - things as simple as family dinners and as important as weddings and her great-grandchildren. I have decided not to do any art shows this year, mostly because of my hands and the difficulty I have tatting now; but admittedly because I also cannot imagine my mom not being there with me at any of them.

I know it gets easier with time but right now the grief is still overwhelming.  I still cannot really talk about it without a lot of emotion but it has been good to write some things down.  Thanks for letting me share a little about my mom - is does help to think back and celebrate the wonderful person she was. 

Friday, August 17, 2012

I'm a Knotty Girl.

I am bad.  Bad at keeping up with this blog.  It seems when one big thing gets finished (namely, CPA achievement - that's right! licensed in PA as of May 15, 2012!) I start two different big things to take its place.  Those two things being kitchen remodel (going on three months now) and craft show season (two shows down, two to go).  

One big thing is enough. 
Two are bordering on unmanageable. 
And blog falls to the bottom of the "to-do" list.

But I am tatting!  See - my hands know it!

 

Yes, that's me in the Arthritis glove in 90 degree weather reading my favorite publication.  My hands ache.  I am really trying to take better care of them by not tatting for 8 hours in a row anymore.  Yes, I'm a knotty girl!

This is Yarnplayer's pattern and thread - "Unfolding Heart" in "Grey Crimson".  Yarnplayer, you can make more of this thread anytime you want...oh and "Garden Afternoon" too! ;-)


I'll try to keep up with the blog a little better this fall. 

Saturday, March 10, 2012

I Made It!

I am very happy to report that as of March 7, 2012, I have passed all parts of the CPA exam.  Halleluiah!  Fortunately I only had to take each part (there are four) once, and passed each one the first time.  It took me five months and countless billions of hours (well that's how it felt anyway) of studying, but I made it.  Now I just have to get some more work experience under my belt to be able to receive my CPA license.

Finally I can get back to tatting!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Tatting World Lost a Good Friend

Gina, known for her blog "Threads of a Tatting Goddess" (I always loved that name!) passed away on Monday.  Her blog was an inspiration and she was an endless source of information for all of us.  I enjoyed reading her blog almost daily and she was so faithful in her posting and sharing that I felt like I knew her even though we never met.  She always took time to comment and encourage other bloggers as well - me included.  For those of you in the tatting world who knew her personally, my heart goes out to each of you.  If I can feel such a loss for someone I only knew through the blogging universe, I can only imaging the pain and heartache you all must be going though today.


Gina, you will be sorely missed by many.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Checking in-and a tatting class coming up

Hi everyone!  I've passed two parts of the CPA exam so far and have taken a third (won't get my score until 2/3/12).  I take the forth and final part February 29th so I'm still in the middle of studying and, of course, it's tax season!  I wish I had more time to blog.

I did too much tatting around Christmas time this year and my thumbs and wrists have been punishing me ever since.  I'm taking a hiatus from the tatting to try and give them a rest - but I do have a tatting class coming up, and for those of you who meet me at shows and want to know where and when I'm teaching - this is for you.  I will be at something's looming in Reading, PA on February 5th to do a two hour "Intro to Tatting" class.  Click on the link to be taken to their website where you can sign up.

Back to studying!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Fall

One of my favorite things about living in Pennsylvania is fall.  Cooler temperatures, beautiful leaves, Steeler's football, apples, cider, pumpkins, mums - I just love the season.  So when September comes around, I pull out all my orange and other fall-friendly threads and my tatting takes on a distinctly fall flavor.

This is Rosemarie Peel's small Celtic motif from "Tatting for Pleasure." I love this design - especially with beads.  I've been wearing this one myself to celebrate fall's arrival.


Next - my pumpkin earrings, slightly updated this year based on the fact I've discovered some different findings and decided I liked the tatted pearl better turned upside-down. (There really isn't a right way up I just had decided in my own head which side was the top and now I've changed my mind - at least for the pumpkins.) :-)


I've also been playing with Yarnplayer's new "Small Maple Leaf" pattern.  Love, love, LOVE this clever little pattern!  The pattern is written so well, it works up relatively quickly, and it looks just like a maple leaf.  Yarnplayer is a very talented designer.


That's all the tatting for this past week - I've been studying for the first section of the CPA exam which I will be taking this coming Saturday.  Say a prayer for me!

Blessings,

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Bead Embroidery

For the last six months or so I've been playing around with what I'll call "bead embroidery."  It involves sewing beads onto the tatting after the tatted piece has already been made.  Sometimes the tatted pieces already have some beads incorporated in them (as I was tatting them the beads were added) and I'm just embellishing the piece with more beads, and sometimes I just take a plain tatted piece and sew all of beads directly onto it. 



It's mostly pins I make this way since they already have some kind of a filigree on the back in order to hide and attach the pin.  You'll see below one pair of earrings I made this way as well.


I enjoy the process - not as much as the tatting itself, of course - but it is a lot more fun than making the little roses I used for many years to decorate these miniature little doilies.  I've pretty much discontinued that line of my jewelry (although I still use the cameos for a little more of a Victorian flair) and was trying to figure out how I could decorate and keep brooches as part of my inventory.

  

 

I've certainly got plenty of beads and had quite a few piece of plain, undecorated tatting I had originally planned on decorating with the roses, so I started experimenting and my bead embroidery was born.  Right now I'm still in the developmental stages; I have a few techniques and designs I like to use often but I'm always working on coming up with something different.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

New Display

I will once again be teaching an "intro to tatting" class on September 10th at somethings looming in Reading, PA.  Just go to their website where you will find all the information you need to sign up if you are interested (click on "Saturday Samplers" right on the front page). 

I don't have any new tatting pictures to share - just haven't had time to take any.  I did get a new display system this year for my art/craft shows, which I absolutely love.  It's Pro Panels, which are quite pricey, but quite worth the price in my opinion.  Amazingly lightweight, easy to set up and very professional looking.  I've been wanting a display system like this for many years.  At the end of the show season last year my husband accidentally left all my Velcro boards behind at my final show and they got thrown away (admittedly, they were in such poor shape I'm not surprised someone thought they were supposed to be trash).  So this year I had to to something about getting a new display. 


Actually I did away with the table in this picture and instead used more shelves on the other side for the second show of the season.  I just love it! 

I've been working on a few special orders so I may be posting some new tatting soon as I'll have to take the time to take some pictures.   Hopefully :)

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Drawing Patterns

Hi all!  Long time, no hear from me.  I will hopefully be sitting for at least part of the CPA exam in November, so studying is in high gear.  Still working full time, still doing art shows, and now teaching tatting as well - in other words, still biting off more than I can chew.  This is the story of my life. 

I have been taking Sharon's "Design Tat" class, although I generally don't post there either and just work on things on my own when I can.  I recommend the class highly (although I'm not sure when the next one is starting); it's very informative and the tutorials on writing patterns with drawing software are extremely helpful.  I've been playing around today with the software and in the attempt, completed a new written pattern for my "Tigereye Earrings" and then came up with a diagram for my mini-cross (the written pattern was originally posted as Motif 24 on my blog here: Mini-Cross).

Pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

And that's all the time I have to share today - must get back to studying.  I do have some "Intro to Tatting" classes coming up in the near future - watch for posts about that in the coming days and weeks ahead.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Class Available

I will be teaching an "intro to tatting" class on February 5th at somethings looming in Reading, PA.  Just go to their website where you will find all the information you need to sign up if you are interested (click on "Saturday Samplers" right on the front page).  I'm busy getting the kits together so come join us!

Apologies to my faithful readers and followers - once again life, or more specifically school and work, have taken over and I literally have no time for blogging, e-mailing, reading other blogs, etc.  I know I fall off the face of the earth for months at a time.  I'm still here but not doing much tatting.

I promised some customers I would post when I would be teaching a class, however, so here I am popping in just for a second.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Darn Scanner

My old scanner never had any problems with objects that weren't quite flat.  I just laid a nice piece of paper over them and didn't close the lid.  They turned out really nice.  Not so with the new scanner.  Flat things are OK but if I have too many large or thick beads, I seem to get a funny halo effect around the thick area.  I have played with the resolution, the brightness, the backgrounds.   Finally I turned off all the lights in the room and tried to scan.  That met with interesting results.  And a clear view of just how dusty my scanner bed was.  So I turned on the dust removal tool which removed the dust but now I see a fingerprint!  Oops.  I'll have to take care of that before the next scan.  This piece still needs to be washed and blocked and have a clasp added.


Integral to this necklace is the central polymer clay piece I mentioned in an earlier post.  I saw the artist's work online and went to go see her in person back in August.  What incredible detail exists in each of her pieces.  I love tiny work myself but this just boggles my mind - I mean, look at the clay around the edge that looks like a little ribbon woven in and out of the piece. 


This is a vintage pattern (circa 1924) from Priscilla Tatting Book No. 3 - one of my favorite old books. 

Back to the scanner issue - I really do not know what I am going to do about this because I'm not really crazy about the black background.  It's not terrible, and the detail is good, but I'd much rather have my pretty papers. I'm not even sure if there is a way of resolving the issue.  I know my old scanner didn't give me the halo effect unless I closed the lid, so I'm not even sure where to start trying to correct the problem.  I'm pretty bummed at the moment.  Anyone have any ideas?

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Snowflakes

My scanner is here and I'm back in business.  Another learning curve involved, however, and one I have not had a lot of time to explore as school, work, and high school football season are in full swing. I'm not quite getting the results I want yet.

I am currently enjoying my pdf copy of Jon Yusoff's "Tatted Snowflakes Collection."  Tatted snowflakes have been around about as long as tatting itself - so you'd think we'd run out of really different and unique patterns.  Not so with Jon's book, predominantly because of the use of more "modern" tatting techniques like the use of two shuttles and split and mock rings.  Here is the first one I tatted, "Alladin."


I think the thread is "Treebeard" by Lady Shuttlemaker (I really should label my thread better).  I plan on making this into a necklace eventually, probably by adding a tatted/beaded chain of some sort.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

A Shuttle to Tat - Resurrecting an Old Pattern

I saw this really cool idea of Chris Hinton's to suspend a tatted motif in epoxy in order to create a shuttle with it - the important links are here (forum) and here (shop).

That reminded me I had designed a shuttle pattern way back in 1998 (I hadn't tatted this pattern in a while and had kind of forgotten about it). As I remember, back when the Tat Chat group was in existence we were trying to come up with a pattern for a "tatted shuttle" and this was my contribution.  I reworked the pattern slightly since then and have posted it here.  If you are interested in getting one of those cool shuttles and would like to use this pattern for your tatting, feel free.  There are also other  shuttle-shaped patterns available on their site.


Two shuttles, wound in the continuous thread method.  I use the method of front side/back side tatting.  In size 80 thread, the motif measures 2" x 1".

Pattern Key:
R          ring
Ch        chain
p           picot
+           joining picot
vsp       very small picot
lp          long picot
RW      reverse work

Shuttle #1
Cloverleaf
R1  6 p 4 p 2.
R2  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 vsp 2 lp 2 vsp 6 p 2.
R3  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 vsp 6. RW.

Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.

Cloverleaf
R4  6 + (to last vsp of R3) 4 p 2.
R5  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 + (to 2nd vsp of R2) 2 + (to lp of R2) 2 vsp 6 p 2.
R6  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 p 6. RW.

Ch 2 + (to p of previous chain) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R7  3 vsp 3. RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 3. RW.
Cloverleaf
R8  3 p 2 p 2.
R9  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 3 + (to vsp of R7) 3 + (to 2nd p of R6) 2 p 2 p 3 vsp 3 p 2.
R10  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 2 p 3. RW.
Shuttle #2 
R11  3 + (to p of previous chain) 12 p 12 p 3. Do not RW.

Shuttle #1
Ch 3 + (to last p of previous R) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R12  3 + (to 2nd vsp of R9). RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
Cloverleaf
R13  6 + (to 5th p of R9) 4 p 2.
R14  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 + (to 2nd vsp of R5) 2 + (to lp of R2) 2 vsp 6 p 2.
R15  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 vsp 6. RW.

Ch 2 + (to p of previous chain) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.

Cloverleaf
R16  6 + (to last p of previous R) 4 p 2.
R17  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 + (to 2nd vsp of R14) 2 + (to lp of R2) 2 +(to 1st vsp of R2) 6 p 2.
R18  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 p 6. RW.

Ch 2 + (to p of previous chain) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R19  3 vsp 3. RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 3. RW.

Cloverleaf
R20  3 p 2 p 2.
R21  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 3 + (to vsp of R19) 3 + (to last p of R18) 2 p 2 + (to 1st p 0f R1) 3 vsp 3 p 2.
R22  2 + (to last p of previous ring) 2 p 3. RW.

Shuttle #2 
R23  3 + (to p of previous chain) 12 p 12 p 3. Do not RW.

Shuttle #1
Ch 3 + (to last p of previous R) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R24  3 + (to 2nd vsp of R21). RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 + (to 1st p of the 1st Ch) 2.  Tie off ends at base of first cloverleaf.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Nothing New to Report (Tatting-wise, anyway)

I have no tatting to share because I have been very busy - my in-laws are up from Florida for a visit, I started school again, and I bought a new laptop.  My Dell laptop turned 4 years old this month and it was time to lay it to rest.  It has served me well but got quite cranky over the last six months or so and I was trying to decide whether I wanted to just wipe the whole thing by reinstalling Windows again (for the forth time), or go ahead and upgrade.  Plus the battery gave out about a year ago and so it has to be plugged in all the time. Kind of a pain for a laptop.

I shopped around and decided to go with an Acer Aspire.  I had some specific items I was looking for - namely, a keypad as part of the keyboard (for my bookkeeping and accounting), a power plug that doesn't stick out of the laptop by 3 inches (I will never understand why all laptops are not equipped with an elbow power cord.  I killed my previous Dell because the thing stuck out so far it kept getting bumped.  I mean, isn't the point of a laptop it gets moved around a lot and so you don't want things sticking out in all directions??   - but I digress.), and a nice large screen and good sound system because I watch a lot of movies and TV shows on my laptop while I am tatting.  The Acer has Dolby Virtual Surround Sound (really, really nice) and a 17.3" screen.  The Acer had all the things I wanted at a really good price.

So I spent this past week moving things over from my Dell.  I did manage to disable the Acer's DVD player twice, once because I installed a software program that was not compatible with Windows 7, and again when I tried to install my 7-year-old scanner - also not Windows 7 compatible.  Why it chooses to disable the DVD player I have no idea.  With the software glitch I was able to use a system restore point to go back, but the scanner killed the system restore too and I spent three hours surfing the web trying to find a solution that didn't involve resetting the entire computer back to factory standards - after I'd already moved over all of my data - and I finally found it on Microsoft's own website.  I had to go in a edit the registry but it's all working again now and I'm in the market for a new scanner.

I love the laptop so far; Windows 7 of course has given me some trouble but changing operating systems after four years always involves a learning curve.  Once I get a new scanner then I will be back up and running and able to scan some more of my tatting to share.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Not Quite the Way I Planned It.

Some ideas just do not turn out like you envisioned them.  This is one of those projects.  Over the weekend I visited the Eagle's Mere, PA Art and Craft Show to contact a particular artist who's work I was interested in combining with my own.  I'll share more about that in a later blog post when I actually get something put together.  Anyway, I bought a pair of her earrings and since I was planning on using only her handmade beads in my work, thought I might experiment a little with the really cool ear wires the beads were originally attached to.


I got out Jon Yusoff's "Tatting with Rings" to remind myself how to tat onto the wire and away I went.  I had a great time designing these and I love the way they look but unfortunately they are not practical.  In order to get them in your ears you have to be really, really careful that you don't squash the tatting as you manipulate the wire into your earlobe and as you are trying to fasten the ear wire as well (you end up having to hold your fingers right on the tatting itself as you put them on). So, while I don't mind and know how to take the kind of care necessary to wear these and enjoy them, the design won't work  for most customers.  For now, I'll just keep going and do some more designing with rings and wire.  These go in my own jewelry box to enjoy (yay)!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Another One Down

I didn't do much blogging these past few weeks as I was finishing up another course in pursuit of my CPA license - Intermediate Accounting I.  Well, today I finally took my final exam.  I'm glad this class is over.  I had a much more difficult time with this course than the three that came before it - did fine on the homework, thought I knew what I was doing and then I'd get to the tests and it would all go downhill.  I still got a A in the class and managed to maintain my 4.0 average - but it was much more of a struggle this time.  Here's hoping Intermediate Accounting II is not quite so hard (along with Business Law II, it starts in a week).


I've had this thread, called "Magnolia", in my stash for a while without using it.  [Yes, I have entirely too much hand-dyed thread.]  This one is from LadyShuttleMaker.  It is a beautiful combination of a light lilac, creamy pale yellow, and ecru. Very subtle and just lovely.  She uses a high quality cotton thread which tats up nicely as well.  The pattern is from Occhi: Schiffchenspitze, a German book which has very clear diagrams and some unusual patterns.


I've wanted to try this pattern for several months and finally found some time.  I mark pages in books with paperclips to remind me to revisit certain patterns when I get a chance.  This is one round of a larger doily in the book.  The most fun was deciding how I wanted to add beads.  You see where the long bugle beads are - that's the kind of thing I find picot gauges to be very handy for.  


You can get the picots to be exactly the right length for these bugle beads so that the beads fit perfectly over the picots with no extra thread sticking out.  So far, I am very pleased with the way this project is going.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I ♥ My Mailman, #4

I thank God for Handy Hands Tatting.  They are one of my favorite suppliers for all things tatting, both shuttle and needle...books, threads, and tools.  Usually when a tatter who meets me at a show asks me where I get my supplies, I send them to Handy Hands.  They cater specifically to tatters, which makes them very valuable and fairly rare - especially with the extensive line of supplies they offer.

DMC has been discontinuing thread colors right and left, especially in tatting thread and Cebelia, which are two of the most common threads I use in my work - they have discontinued most of the colors that are my staple colors.  That's why I am so thankful Handy Hands is around - they have developed their own line of thread, Lizbeth, which comes in lots of sizes and colors, including lovely variegated shades.  My favorites (so far) are a nice deep orange, a lovely silver - seen here:



...and my newest aquisition, Spring Garden.  I played with it for quite a few days this week. I also did some bead weaving to match my heart pattern - little hearts made of beads!  

I have read on other blogs and in forums that some people do not like Lizbeth thread, but I have not had any problems so far.  I like it much better than soft threads like Caron Wildflowers and embroidery floss.  I also like it better than Manuala (too stiff) probably a little better than DMC Cebelia.  I still prefer DMC Cordonnet but of course you are limited to black, white, and ecru unless you find someone hand-dying it.


I also ordered a Japanese book, one of my weaknesses, I confess.  I love foreign books, but I especially love the Japanese books with all their glorious photographs and wonderful diagrammed patterns.  I just drool over the photographs especially - such wonderful staging!  ;-)  This book is called."Tatting Lace" (actually, that's the name of several of my Japanese books, I think) and it contains mainly beaded necklaces.  They are a bit too beaded for my taste, I really prefer that my tatting looks more like tatting than like bead work - that's a personal preference.  There are two lovely scarves which I cannot imagine myself making because they would take forever and be too monotonous - I have difficulty with repeating patterns and pieces that take more than 10 hours.  But the pictures give me different ideas about displaying my work at shows so I did get something out of the purchase.
Thank you, Mr. Mailman (and Handy Hands Tatting)!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday wishes to my twin sons, Ed & Eric - today is their 18th birthday! 

Aren't they handsome?  That's because they look just like their dad. 
:-) 

I ♥ My Mailman, #3

There was a time when I was very envious of tatters who use post shuttles.  I do my share of lurking around on ebay, in antique stores, tatting supply vendors, and any other place that I might possibly run across nice shuttles. Some of them are really pretty; they come in lots of colors, lovely materials like bone, wood, celluloid, sterling silver. But let's face it - 99% of them are post shuttles.  I have collected quite a few nice decorative shuttles on ebay and elsewhere - but they are all post shuttles.

Here's the dilemma - I don't use post shuttles.  They are nice for collecting but for me they aren't  practical.  They take a long time to wind and you can't change colors easily.  I change colors all the time.  I'd need a million post shuttles with my million different color and size threads in order to work efficiently.  So I only use removable bobbin shuttles.  I have used Boye  metal bobbin shuttles in the past and I like the antique ones.  The new metal ones are complete crap.  But mostly I stick to Aeros.  I like them.  They have a built in crochet hook which I prefer, I can change colors often,  they are easy to acquire and are relative inexpensive.  But let's face it - they are BORING.  Dull gray, plastic, blah.  As a result, I had post-shuttle envy.

But no more.


Thanks to LaCossette on etsy.com, no more plain gray shuttles - I can have pretty shuttles too!  I have been using mine for almost three weeks now and I LOVE them.  Not only because they are so pretty, but because the little bobbin-winding tail you usually find on an Aero-type shuttle (I never used it anyway and just thought it got in the way) has been removed.  This makes the shuttle smaller and it fits in my hand better.  Another thing I discovered after using these pretty little shuttles for a while is that I prefer the feel of these to the plain gray shuttle.  The decoration causes them to have a bit of a texture to them, and when I pick up a plain Aero shuttle after using one of these, it feels almost slimy it's so slick and smooth.

And - they are decorated differently on each side!


The only problem I have now is I'm having a hard time limiting myself to a reasonable number because they are all so wonderful!  So far I have (from the top going clockwise) "Oriental Jewel", "America", "Paisley", "Daisy", "Summer Meadow", "Black and White", "Regal Blue", and "Dapper".  But let's face it, I mean, how many bobbin shuttles do you really need?  You need a lot of bobbins, yes, but you don't really need that many shuttles.  I just can't seem to help myself, however.  I've had post-shuttle envy for so long I went a little crazy and bought eight right off the bat.  I have been trying to avoid her shop for now but have already hinted to my husband that Christmas is not that far off.

Thanks again, Mr. Mailman (and LaCossette)!