Back to Tatting

 Ended up with unexpected Cataract surgery (one eye in 

April and the other in May).  Well middle distance is great  (no glasses needed).  Working on distance which is ok.  The sad is I need readers for close work which includes sewing, reading, computer and tatting.  Depending on how much close work I do, these readers are off/on frequently.  So, I have made one lanyard and working on a second.  Pattern is by Patti Duff "Beaded Lanyard".  Sure helps to have them around my neck instead of wherever I left them!  Lizbeth size 20 with 6/0 seed beads.

If you're thinking of going to this years Palmetto Tat Days and have not registered, late registration is now open through July 30.  More information is found here:  https://www.palmettotatters.org/

2026 Palmetto Tat Days

Just saw that registration is now open for 2026 Palmetto Tat Days.  This is a fun weekend (Thursday arrival through Sunday departure).   This year's theme is Loony About Tatting.  Date is September 24 through 27, 2026 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Ridgecrest, North Carolina (about 30 minutes east of Ashville).  

It is always a delight to go and see old friends as well as meeting new ones.  It's a chance to learn something new or refresh what you already now.  Classes vary from beginners to advanced.  

Mystery Doily

 

I had made this years ago but only 2-3 rows.  I started a new one last year before life got crazy again.  I am picking it up again since I have finished a couple other projects that needed to be done.

This is Patty Dowden’s version.  I am working on row 4 of 6.  It is coming together nice.  Using Cebelia size 20 in light green for rings and light blue for chains.  

Pattern may be found at https://www.theonlinetattingclass.com.  Look for Patterns, Doilies, then Mystery Doily.

Holiday Craft Fair

 

Our local Senior Center had a craft fair this past weekend.  I signed up for a table earlier this year and got busy tatting.  Some things I had been collecting ( as I finished things, I would put them in a shoe box) and some new items were added.  I did okay and it was a nice experience.  Heard a lot of “my Grandmother did that” along with so intricate and you must have good eye sight.  The best part:  I was interviewed for our local newspaper.  She had never heard of Tatting and was intrigued.  May do it again next year!

Beaded Tea Candle Holder

Another WIP complete.  Pattern is from Sabina Carden-Madden.  Easy ring/chain with a split ring every once in a while.  Will be added to other projects for a craft fair at our senior center in November.  Thread is Lizbeth size 20.

Palmetto Tat Days 2025

 Well another year at the Palmetto Tatting Guild Tat Days is over.  Tired in a good way.  It was nice to catch up with fellow tatters and see many friends again.

Live auction was filled with nice items and several competitive bids.  It is always filled with laughter and comic relief.

Classes completed were the Celtic Owl, Pearl Tatted Earrings and Dragonfly wings made in Lizbeth Metallic.  The bracelet was a class I taught made with Superduo and seed beads.  I have one more project (a tatted Iris flower) but it will be a bit before completed as there are several parts that need to be tatted and assembled.  

Next year’s conference is scheduled for Sept 24-27, 2026 at Ridgecrest Conference Center just outside Asheville, NC.  If your able to plan and attend, you will be welcomed with open arms, have a great time, meet new/old friends and learn from fantastic teachers.

Jan Stawasz Doily Finished

 

 Started this little beauty last September.  Just finished.  It is Doily XVIII from his Tatted Treasures (red) book.  Made from Cebelia size 20.  

Onto next unfinished project.

Snowflakes for Tatting

 

I made some of these ornaments with family names for Christmas.  I decided to made some for Palmetto Tat Days.  I used a script font for Tatting.  These measure approx 3.25 by 3.5 ish inches.  The center is approx 1.25 inches.  A small tatted motif could easily fit inside.  

USB Wallets & No Poke Shuttle Holders

Been a bit busy on sewing machine getting ready for Palmetto’s Tat Days this year.  Here is a picture of some of the USB wallets (they hold 3 flash drives) snd no poke shuttle holders (hold 2 shuttles each).  Have a few more to stitch up.

Went through a bit of a slump earlier where I just could not concentrate on anything.  I have my mojo back and in a better place to concentrate on getting projects up, running and completed.  Grandkids and life in general is an up and down battle at times!

Treasures

 

Our local Senior Center had a Book and Fabric Sale this past week.  Went Friday morning for the second time to see what they had left.  $5.00 bags - stuff as full as you can.  Well I think I did quite well.  

The lady in charge and I had talked on Monday about tatting.  Friday when I came back, she had the Learn to Tat book and a couple of shuttles.  Of course they went into my bag immediately.  The book and thread will be donations to the Palmetto Tatters Guild for this year’s tat days along with the crochet thread.  

Temp Tat Along Complete

2024 is in the books.  Finished last square this morning after I logged yesterday’s temperatures.  Will start working on header board for wall display and color key.  

Now to catch up on projects I started throughout the past year.

Temperature Tat Along

 This project had a two month rest.  I ran out of Gold thread.  It has been on back order since October!  Well, received an email last week that it was back in stock.  Placed my order immediately and received it yesterday.  Now to play catch-up.  Had a warm summer of 86 degrees and above.  It is nice to start using different colors now.

National Parks and Legendary Rivers (Columbia/Snake)

 This year's anniversary trip was American Cruise Lines National Parks and Legendary River Cruise.  We started in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  National Parks were:  The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Glacier.  After a week on the road, it was onto the cruise ship for a leisurely cruise down the Snake and Columbia Rivers following Lewis and Clark.  I was amazed at how wide the rivers were.  Sometimes up to a mile wide.  

The motor coach had us on the move everyday.  The hotels/lodges were very nice and the food exceptional.  The cruise was on a small boat (180 people I believe).  Had a culinary demo from the Pastry Chef on New Orleans Pralines!

The motor coach had water bottle holders on the back of the seats.  They made a nice holder for my pattern and tatting accessories.  The cruise had a couple of cruise days, so while hubby took a nap, I pulled out my tatting.

I brought plenty of left over scrap threads for making butterflies and a shuttle wound with beads/thread for angels.  Both Adventure Guides and bus driver received angels.  They all did a great job with keeping us safe and entertained.  Butterflies were given to anyone who stopped by to ask what I was doing.

Mystery Tat-along

Georgia Seitz mystery doily has come back alive!  Tat-a-Renda has started a Facebook page titled Georgia’s Mystery Doily Tat-along.  Not to late to join if your interested.

Georgia had seen this doily in an antique store and was intrigued.  She published the doily online and invited tatters to solve the mystery of creating a pattern.  Vicki Reynolds and Patricia Dowden came up with a pattern.  They are similar but each has a slightly different count.  

I had made this doily years ago.  Seemed to me I really had to tat tight to make the chains fit between the clusters of rings.  This time, everything seems to be playing nice.  

Round 1 is complete.  Using Cebelia size 20 thread.  I don’t need another project; however, I am at a stopping point with my temperature tat-along.  I run out of a color and waiting for it to come back in stock.  So since I can not tat any further on it, the mystery doily will fill in the void.

This is my second start.  While doing Round 1, I noticed I had an extra picot in two separate areas.  I decided to start over and reverse the colors.  I think the green will pop the negative space more than the blue.

Mystery Doily Tat-Along

 Getting my passion for tatting back!  Besides getting back to the temperature tat-along, there is a new tat-along getting started on Facebook.  Tat-a-Renda has received permissions and is reviving Georgia’s Mystery Doily as a tat-along.  Search Facebook for Georgia’s Mystery Doily Tat-along to join for those who are interested and have not joined in Starting date TBD.

Tat Days 2024 - Part Two

 

Day 2 found me in Randy Houtz class for some more alternating thread samples (left side).  Did pick up his latest 2 books (Chain Around and Split/Rings).  Eager to make more samples and start a tatting notebook for samples.  Scraps of Knit-cro Sheen threadwas used.

Next was the Cell Phone fob holder from Kelli Slack.  There were options for the wristlet.  I choose the challenge.  Worked from front/back side.  Unfortunately, the picture does not do it justice.  Colors is the green with a light blue (not white).  Used HDT by me.   I can see more of these so I can change out to match my mood!  May even make a lanyard to hold it when I go walking.

Last class of the day was a SCMR Tree by Erin Holloway.  Lizbeth Metallic was used along with some pearl beads I found at a craft store.  SCMR and split rings make up the tree.  Easy pattern for last class.  If only the brain would read the pattern correctly.  Retro tatting was done several times.

The Squared Away was from Jane Eborall’s class from Day 1.  Finished it a couple days later.  

I do believe this is the first time I have pretty much completed all class projects.  For those who are interested, next year’s Tat Days is scheduled for September. 

Test Tatting Part Two

Richard Embrey was my second tatter to test tat.  He is known for his Helix tatting.  

The candy cane earring was nicely written.  Hard to see in photo.  Small but tatted quickly.   Size 20 Lizbeth.

The Helix brooch was interesting.  Started with the chains, then Helix.  Thrown off chains with rings which joined later is a nice technique for dimension.  Size 20 HDT by me and Lizbeth for this creation.

Now for the Helix Sea Anemone. This was quite the challenge to get started.  Had never done floating chains before.  Took some time and messages to wrap my brain around this technique.  Once my brain decided to cooperate, it went well.    As you can see, lots of floating chains.  I do tat tight so tentacles curled.  Size 20 Lizbeth for this one also.

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Tat Days 2024 - Part One

       It was nice to see familiar faces that have not been for a few years.  Tat Days was held at Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina.  Rooms were convenient to classes, classes were very close to vending and the food was good.  Only drawback was signage to find everything.  Took a good day to really get the layout figured out between room/classes/dining.          

       Thursday evening was Arlene Medder’s Solar Flare - top right. Made with HDT I had in my stash and beads.  The middle is tatted over a jump ring or pen ring, then continuous chains around and climbing to next rounds.

       First class on Friday was Nina Libin's Grape Earrings taught by Bonnie Swank - upper left. This is a Beanile Lace pattern using metallic embroidery thread, beads and single shuttle rings.  These tatted up quickly.  Actually worn that day!

      Next was Randy Houtz Double Stitches on Picot Rings - middle.  These were samples of a few of the techniques.  They were made using scraps of size 10 thread I had.  The technique uses flip/unflip alternating threads (last one is a split ring).  Another fun class.  

      The card was a Bev Corder fun item using negative space.  It was made with a cardstock cutout (or tatting piece) and acrylic ink mixture.  I can see more of these in my future.  

     All of the above projects were completed.  Stayed tuned for day 2.

Test Tatting Part One

Volunteered to test tat for this year’s Palmetto Tat Days.  

Martha Ess was the first one I was to test.    Nice patterns with no problem that I recall.  I enjoyed these.

The right has picots on top and bottom of ring/chain.  Challenging but nice technique.  The top has dimpled hearts with picots in middle.  Both were made with size 20 HDT by me.

The bee has over lapping/interconnecting rings.  Size 20 Lizbeth thread used here.

Helix Jellyfish

I was cleaning up my tatting area when I came across this fella.  This was a test tat of a Helix Jellyfish for Richard Embrey.  I believe it was for last year’s Palmetto Tat Days.  Size 10 Knit Cro-sheen thread in four different colors.