Jan Stawasz Doily

Hot off the shuttles.  This is from Jan’s book Tatted Treasures, Doily XIV.  Lizbeth size 20, Burnt Sienna.  Love the color.  A good pressing and it will be finished.  It has been great to be tatting on a regular basis again.  Life is finally starting to settle down so I may start concentrating on me again! 

Going to start working on unfinished projects I have been setting aside.  I have some kits and/or started projects from 2012ish.  I though I had better start working on them as they are not going to finish themselves.  

Tat Days 2020

 Another Palmetto Tat Days has come and gone.  Different this year, but the classes were great and fun was had by all.  Want to thank the staff from the Palmetto Tatters Guild, volunteers, teachers and the Georgia Baptist Conference center for hosting this year.  There was plenty of hand sanitizer for all along with masks and face shields.  Classes were small (limited to 8) but social distancing was practiced in each class along with spacing in the great room.  I felt confortable and very safe.  

The conference started with dyeing thread and making Celtic shuttles out of popsicle sticks. Tie dye kits were used for the dye.  Eventhough I have dyed my own thread, I did learn a few tricks to practice.  Lots of laughter especially when we doned our speciality evening wear for dyeing (plastic trash can liners).  

The first picture are my completed projects and test tatting I did for Tat Days.  First year I completed all projects from classes I attended.  The only item not there is a bracelet I made for my granddaughter.  Not able to get a picture before I gave it to her.  There is Triangle Edging, Leaf Motif, Rainbow Pearl Snowflake, Rainbow key ring, the Celtic Shuttles, hand dyed thread and Dangle Earrings.  The shuttle is hand painted and was a teacher gift.  The pineapple is a fingerless glove along with wave bracelet and a tatted show which I had the opportunity to test for Erin Mosely.    The other photo are books I picked up for my growning library.

This year there was a virtual online auction.  It was interesting to guess who was bidding on the offered items.  Was also nice to see tatters from other contries log in and check out the items as well.  Georgia Seitz was on the phone before the live auction.  It was good to hear her voice.  Eventhough she was not there, she certainly was there in spirit and thought of by all. 

Beads, beads and more beads!

I needed some beads (specifically delica) for some earrings I wanted to make for a possible craft exhibit.  I had ordered from Fusion Beads before and checked their webside again.  Lo and behold, they had a clearance section.  So, I proceeded to select a bunch of colors for several projects.  Shipping was quick.  The Angel earrings were made with some of the beads.  Love this pattern.  It can be found on the 2019 Palmetto Tat Days CD.  Taught by Bonnie Swank. 

The black item is a necklace and earrings for a present.  Needs to be finished with findings.  Pattern from Marlie Rockley's book Tatting with Beads Jewelry.  It is a nice, quick pattern.

The bottom two photos are from Karen Brovard's book Illusions of 3-D in Split Ring Tatting.  It is a challenging pattern.  Thought I was doing ok but I really need to work on tension as illustrated by the arrows.  The green block with the middle arrow was the last section.  It is definately tight.  Soooooo, I decided to restart.  I have made a single ring to use as a marker to compare against rings as they are made.  Seems to be working much better.  Will post a pic with my next post. 

It is on hold right now as I am working on presents (althought I sneak a few rings now and then). 

Also, Lisa from Tatting Corner has put out a request.  The Lacey Ladies of Arizona is hosting the 2020 IOLI Convention in late July 2020.  They need 300+ bookmarks - all types welcome.  Bookmarks are to be 4 - 6 inches long.  She would like to make this a service project and flood the Lacey Ladies with bookmarks.  For more info/address to send bookmarks to, search Tatting Corner on Facebook or send her a message.

Tat Days - Part 2 & Musing

Here are my new additions to my library that I picked up.  Need to finish a few projects before I will allow myself to start working some of these items.

I was able to finish some projects this year at Tat Days.  The peacock is pearl tatting (class by Martha Ess), beaded lavender angel earrings and tri-color maltese earrings (pattern by Bonnie Swank and Nina Libin, class by Bonnie).  After my granddaughter saw the angel earrings, my granddaughter wanted one.  She picked out the orange beads and viola, an orange angel was created. 

Georgia was under the weather the whole weekend (we missed you).  Tamie did a wonderful job at filling in for her at the auction.  Laughs around as well as a couple fierce bidding wars. 

Shuttle decorating was a hit.  It was nice to see so many having fun, talking and putting their own touches on their shuttles to make them one of a kind.  The only draw back - the smell of the nail top coat used to seal the shuttles.  Fans helped but if ever a next time, sealing needs to be done on their own or outside.  Thanks Tonya for helping.

The week after Tat Days, DH and I went to St. Lucia (anniversary).  Of course, I brought my tatting along (Marie Smith's angel pattern and Reit's owl pattern, thread for both).  Weather was hot but it was nice to get away and relax.  One of the flight attendants on the way down saw me and asked if that was tatting.  I said yes and we talked for a few minutes.  Once at St. Lucia, I tatted by the pool when relaxing.  Several staff stopped by asking how things were going but occasionally one would stop and we would talk about tatting.  They had never seen tatting before.  By then I had several complete angels/owls.  I started giving them away to those that seem impressed.  It was joyous to see how happy they were to receive one.

The amazing thing was on the flight home.  The same flight attendant was on our return flight!  She stopped and asked if I remembered her.  Of course I did, and I had a finished angel to give to her as well. 

Continuing on working to finish WIP's.  It is amazing how fast projects get away when you want to tat them all!

HDT and Jewelry

Been a little AWOL.  I have been busy test tatting and finishing up a project for the teachers for Palmetto Tat Days, along with housework and grandkid watching.

All of these projects were tatted using HDT.  The green is called Palmetto.  Pattern:  Newcastle Necklace.  The blue is actually a blue-green called 9K.  Pattern:  Darker is Keyed Up Earrings and the Ligher is Lacy Treasure Pendant.  All these patterns are by Marilee Rockley from her Tatted Jewelry book.  These pieces are for a possible craft show later this year.

The two butterflies are my current colorways just made this past week.  The larger is called AMM-1.  My grand-daughter pick the colors and I dyed the thread.  The little one is called "Spike".

I am planning on having a few of these colors with me at Tat Days this year. 

Home from Tat Days

Finally catching up on last weekends Tat Days held in Toccoa, GA.  What a wonderful weekend.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Irma hit Florida that weekend.  Thoughts and prayers were with those who were not able to attend.  All in all, it was nice to meet new tatters whom I knew in name only and friends I have met at previous Tat Days.

My major secret project this year was:  tatting 120 lucky pennies.  These were sent to Palmetto Tatters to include in the goodie bags.  No two colors were the same and each had a shiny penny!

I did behave myself this year.  I ordered two books (3-D flowers and the nativity) from Reit prior to Tat Days.  However, I saw the Tatting Online and Beads and Knots.  They somehow jumped into my hands!

I saw the cat shuttle and "I just had to have it". The blue tatting book was given to my by a fellow tatter that happen to have an extra copy.  Lots of nice patterns.  The royal blue shuttle was a shuttle that just happen to jump in my hands also (love blue anyway).  The denim varigated thread was the only thread obtained this year.

I had the opportunity to meet Diane C. aka Lace Lovin Librarian and Wally Sosa.  I was selected to test tat and be class helper to all of Wally Sosa's classes (bottom left - suncatcher, angel, button flower oya igne style, and hybrid tatting bracelet).   I have to admit that I shuttle tatted the hybrid bracelet with split rings originally.  I did learn to needle tat the weekend before Tat Days as hubby watched Georgia Seitz Needle Tatting DVD so I was able to help those in class (the pattern was specifically made for needle tatting with the help of a shuttle).  I came home and got out a needle and redid the bracelet as proof I did the pattern correct.

The early class on Saturday was the Ice Blossom by Karey Solomon and Friday's Fleur-de-lis by Linda Reiff.  The last tatted item in this photo is my cup sleeve from the class I taught.

The final photo was another surprise.  Baby Groot was finished up Wednesday morning prior to leaving.  It is a crochet pattern that I converted to tatting.  This was my first attempt at converting.  I give kudos to those who have converted other patterns.  It is made in three parts.  Each part is a continuous chain and lots of Catherine Wheel Joins.  With the theme of Tat-A-Con, I could not pass at trying my hand at this pattern and showing it as eye candy.  I was very surprised when I went to pick it up that it had won Best of Theme.  I selected one of Rita Richmond - Shuttle by Design - commemorative shuttles.  

Need to start back on the paperclip project I started for the online tatting class - class starts on Monday!!!!  Will be taking some time to catchup on a tat along doily and then finish up on my Proficiency Course.  After that,  might be time to think about next years Tat Days.

Misc and Adventures in Dye Land

The first photo are two new additions to my library.  Have to wait until later this year to start.  The Tatting a 4 Square Ring has many options.  No diagrams but lots of information for those who like adventure.

The Tatted Quilt Squares was a surprise book from my daughter. 

The four colors of green was done as an adventure.  The far right is from the Tulip Custom Tie Dye kit called "Mint".  There is a booklet that comes with the kit for many custom colors.  A little light for me but a start for future reference when using this kit.  Of course, to start I had to scale down the amount of dye and water.  Also, I noticed there is quite a bit of filler with the Tulip dyes (might be the soda ash).  When using regular fiber reactive dyes with the same amount of dye/water as the Tulip, the color turned out more of a yellow-green instead of a green-blue.

I have been interested in trying to convert Pantone or CMYK colors into colors I can duplicate with the fiber reactive dyes.  I came across a blog called Leigh's Fiber Journal.  She has had adventures in try to come up with dye recipes with computer coding.  She then decided to dabble into CMYK/fiber reactive dyes.  This has been interesting to me from the start.  Well I got to play a little and this is what I came up with.  The color I was trying to duplicate is Pantone 351 Mint.  I think I am pretty close with the second from left (blue holder).  I plan to keep experimenting with another desired color to see if I can duplicate.  Stay tuned for further experiments.

The last photo is a desired color gone experimental.  I had intended this to be more red than greenish, however, I accidently added yellow instead of fuchsia.  The resulting color is interesting.  It is a green but kind of has a slight yellowish background.  Really like this color.  I have make a couple of 50 yard skeins in size 20 that I will be selling at Tat Days. 

Inspiration

Look what arrived in my mail yesterday.  Edda Guastalla sells them
http://www.guastallascarpe.com/bs/categoria-prodotto/filati/

The book is in Italian.  Google translate and I became friends yesterday afternoon.  The diagrams are great and the pictures fantastic.

I look through this with my almost 3 year old grand daughter.  As she pointed to the alphabets, I was looking at the kitties.  So before nap time, she picked some thread and beads.  The kitty was complete just as she awoke from her nap.

This magazine will bring me lots of tatting moments as I can see myself practically tatting everything in it. 

This now completes my second 25 motif challenge.  I will start a new one but it will probably be in January as I really need to complete other projects first.

2015 Fair Entries

Here is this years fair entries:

1) Coffee/brown Grab 'n Go tote bag (pattern by In Color modified to have pockets on the inside)

2) Mock Cluny star with beads (Karey Solomon's pattern from this years Tat Days)

3) A decoupage shuttle using glitter Modge Podge and Olaf stickers

4) A purple beaded necklace (hand dyed thread by me - see previous post on this one)

5 & 6) A purple beaded lanyard - Patti Duff pattern - and a brown doily.  The doily is from the book Tatting with Friends which I won at this years Tat Days auction.  The thread is Perle cotton which was given to me at one of my classes by A.J. (thank you so much).  These two items will have new homes after the fair (more on this with another post later).

With the lanyard and doily, that makes 23 and 24 of my 25 motif challenge.

Tat Days 2015 Pics

The first pic (upper left) is the Trillium Flower from Linda's (aka StringyDogs - nice to see a face with a name) class.  It is inverted tatting.  Actually was able to finish the project in class!  It now has a new home at my mother's.

The next one is from the auction Friday night.  the DVD's is my husbands and the Tatting With Friends is mine.  Already working on a doily from the book for a fellow tatter. 

The bottom left are pictures of projects from the three classes I taught.  The bug is from The Complete Book of Tatting from Rebecca Jones (used with permission).  The other two are my own design.  The bug class had fun after completing as they enjoyed playing with them.

The last picture are four projects from Karey Solomon's class.  I able to test these for her.  Pendant Necklace (teal), Mock Cluny Star (red and white), Leaping Lambies and Heavenly Tails and Happy Endings are the bookmarks. 

The picture on the left is my husbands raffle prize.

I enjoyed this years Tat Days as I have learned two more techniques to my list (cluny tatting and inverted tatting).  I look forward to next years as I am already thinking of class submittal and the enjoyment of catching up with my fellow tatters.

This now makes 17 through 22 of my 25 motif challenge for 2015.

New Challenge, Cross, Heart and Rosette

Well, I have started my third 25-motif challenge. 

The cross is a Jane Eborall pattern.  I wanted something quick.  It went to an extended family member who has a son in the hospital.  It was tatted in Gold, Lizbeth size 20.

The heart is from an IOLI Bulletin (see March 13 post).  It was tatted in size 10, hand dyed by me.

The rosette was the start of a doily from Tatted Fashion by Teiko Fujito.  I started it last week when my mom was in the hospital.  I messed up so I just quite at the rosette part.  I have started again and it will work better (forgot to put the picots at the end of each chain after joining to previous round).  Anyway, it is tatted in Size 5 Metallic Perle Cotton found at Hobby Lobby.  The doily is project 1 which reminds me of a spider web.  I will tat some spiders for the doily and place it on my front window at Halloween.

Marilee's Beaded Tatting Finery

Just thought I would pass this along.  Marilee Rockley's newest book is available as a pdf ebook.  It is on her Etsy site here.  I have already purchased it and will be working on a pattern this afternoon while watching football.

New Additions to Tat Library

Here is a photo of my new books.  I am so excited.  I have looked through them and see lots of tatting in my future.  I need to now find more time to sit, relax and tat.  Too many projects, too little time!

Tatted Name

Here is my Christmas gift to our new granddaughter.  The alphabet is from "Tatting ABC's & 123's by Houstine Cooper and Handy Hands Inc."  Her name was tatted in size 20, the pink in DMC Cebelia and the salmon in Lizabeth.  It has been blocked.  It is ready to be framed and put up on her wall.

Tatting Shipment Received

My latest shipment from Handy Hands arrived today.  The book is in German.  I will need to translate some of the text!  The diagrams are great and am excited to get started on some of the projects.  My first thought is to do the peacock in colors similar to a regular peacock.  Will need to think on that idea.  The thread is size 10.  I have been waiting for it so I may started my Tatters Across Time Proficiency course.