Tat Days - Part 3 (Final)

Three more classes today.  Lee Pearl Flower, Puzzle Fun with Split Rings and Single Shuttle Stacked Rings.

Lee Pearl Flower was another single shuttle pattern.  I saw the teaser and thought what a great item for a barrette for my granddaughter. I showed her the picture and then let her select the thread.

An open forum for everyone was conducted prior to lunch.  Designing 101.  There was a panel of distinguished designers that talked about how they got into designing, with tips for those who do or would like to design.  Good tips.  One thing I saw was a panelist that had a notebook.  In the notebook were samples of lots of techniques along with finished designs using the techniques.  That is the best tip I came away with and am going to start my own notebook.  It will be a good reference tool when designing future patterns. 

Puzzle Fun was the class I taught.  I like to think outside the box.  It is made of individual pieces (just like a puzzle).  My students were really excited.  One piece was tatted to learn the technique of split and thrown off rings along with single shuttle split ring to end the piece.  Between continuous thread method and SSSR, there are no ends to tie, cut and hide.

Single Shuttle Stacked Rings 2 colors is based on "Waves earrings by Corina Meyfeldt" which can be found on Craftree.  The technique of stacked rings was new to me.  Instead of cut/tie/hide ends between the two colors, I just added the new thread by hiding ends between last and first color rings.  I also decided to add beads but with a twist.  Black beads on Boysenberry and Boysenberry on Black.  It was a hit in class with show and tell along with pictures and instructions.  Another color variation was discussed in class and I will be try it out later.

Tat Days - Part 2

The tractor was made as a last minute project.  It is a Caterpillar want to be tractor in memory of brother-in-law that just recently past.  He worked at a tractor museum with Caterpillar tractors.  My plans are to make a memory picture with the tatted tractor and send to my sister-in-law to give to museum.

Karen Brovard Sayre held a class at Tat Days - day 1 evening - on enamel shuttles.  Kits were available for purchase, the tatter decorated them and then Karen finished the firing process.  Mine has a bronze background.  The painting did not quite turn out the way I thought, but it will be used.

Tat Days - Day 2

First class of the day was a lecture opened to everyone.  Karen Brovard Sayre was the leader for "Repairing Mistakes."  Very informative and lots of information.

Classes for today included Curled Rings, Chains from Point A to B and Beaded Clover necklace.  Curled rings are new to me.  Really easy and beautiful technique.  Chains was another technique class.  Lots of different chains were presented with instructions on how to do them.  I selected several to try that looked interesting.  The necklace was a nice, easy pattern that was great for the end of the day.  All projects were actually finished in class which is a first for me!

The gold infinity ring was one of the early bird classes on day 3.  I have had the pattern for a while but have not attempted it.  For a 6:30 am class, it is not bad although the brain did not want to function quite right (3 attempts because I could not read properly!).

Then there was the evening banquet and auction.  Georgia Seitz was wonderful again as auctioneer.  Things started out slow but as the evening progressed, things heated up.  I win a package that included a needle tatting book for hubby, a tatting book for me and a couple of skeins of Manuela size 20 thread.  One spool was given to Georgia.

The little beaded earrings I won at the silent auction the next day.  These were tatted by Nina Libin.  It is an honor to own a pair tatted by her.

Mat and Tat Days - Part 1

I wanted a somewhat non thinking project.  Karey Solomon's thread and Tat Mats coaster book did the trick.  This was a nice small project that I enjoyed tatting. 

Tat Days 2018

Another Tat Days has come and gone.  It was good to get with friends old and now new.  Learned several new techniques and was able to teach someone how to do split rings who said she almost threw her shuttles against the wall trying to learn on her own.  The smile on her face when I physically showed her is why I like going to Tat Days (whether teaching or sitting with someone to show a technique).   The people at Palmetto Tat Days are very kind, helpful and generous.  I have not been able to attend any other tat days other than Palmetto's so I can not compare.  I can only assume that the tatting community elsewhere are the same.  Many thanks to the volunteers, teachers, tatters and KNOTS (Kind Network of Tatting Supporters) for their support this past weekend.

There was an early get together class on arrival day.  It is a single shuttle leaf (see photo above) with thread bars.  It is amazing how one can not read correctly easy patterns.  My first leave was messed up, so at 10:30pm I decided to retat.  After 3 tries, it was finally finished.  Ok, one long day down (was up at 4:30am to get ready, bed after 11:30pm), two more to go!
 

I volunteer each year to help test tat patterns.  I was given the opportunity to test Erin Holloway Mosely patterns this year.  The tree is call "Flapper Tree".  It unfortunately was not taught this year.  It was a little tricky to get started, but once I got the concept, it went quickly.  The Amulet Bag turned out small.  I will put a handle on it and give to my granddaughter for her dolls.  Same concept as the Flapper Tree.  The "Big Ol' Honkin'" earrings was another nice pattern.  Works up quickly.  Hoping to enter them in this years fair.  There was also an ornament covering.  It has been tatted; however, it is not on my ornament yet.  Now I have to complete so I can post the picture. 

Oh, one can not forget vending.  Tatting Corner was the vendor this year.  I did my shopping of books, threads, and of course shuttles. 

More to follow. . . . .

Knight in Shining Metallic

When I saw the knight from Martha Ess in her Flights of Fantasy book, I knew I had to make one.  He is made of Lizbeth silver metallic.  The thread was nice to work with and look forward to more projects with this thread.  Even though I married my Knight, I now have a Knight in shining armor to be with me at all times.

The blue doily is made from size 10 that I had around the house. Pattern is from The Bulletin Spring 2018, published by the International Organization of Lace.  It is called Two-Blue Self-Closing Mick Ring Doily by Randy Houtz.  Frontside/backside technique was also utilized in this Doily.

My latest book is from South Korea.  Tatting Lace Lesson Book by Tomoko Morimoto.  It is in Korean; however, there are diagrams and stitch counts.  Lots of lovely ideas.

I have pretty much dyed all the thread I will be taking with me to Palmetto Tat Days.  Just getting organized and putting finishing findings to the jewelry I made.  Jewelry will be donated to the silent auction.

My daughter has let me know she will be getting a booth at one of her guild meetings in November.  I am planning to do some tatting and dye thread.

After that, I am planning on finishing tatting projects that are waiting patiently.  It has been a busy year but hopefully I can see calming days ahead.