Twice in One Month!?!

I know, I know, it's very strange. I'm writing again and it hasn't even been six months or a year. Part of my resolutions for the new year were to tat and write more.

Well, I have started work on the Let's Tat a Brussels Monument in Pink for Women's Rights project. I've only managed a test tat right now (had a busy couple of weeks) but I have the shuttles and thread ready to get down to business for the real thing.

I've also started working on an Ice Drop, pattern by Lace Lovin' Librarian. I should have read all of the instructions first, but I managed to struggle through and produced this:

I have been offered the opportunity to exhibit tatting again at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago. This time it is during their St. Patrick's Day celebrations. I suspect I'll be making quite few of the obligatory green earrings to have on hand that day, but I'll also work up some other more interesting items. I began a doily (I keep it at the Center) that I hope to have finished in time. It wants aggressive blocking right now, but I'm about three rounds out of 4. The first time I made it, I used green and white thread; it turned out okay. I've decided to go all white for this attempt. It's the Clover Leaf Doily from an old issue of A Needle Pulling Thread magazine.

If I can manage to make a more successful Ice Drop (and tat a few of the Brussels squares), I feel that I will have achieved my goal of learning one new pattern a month this year. Does this count as two patterns in January, or do I get to slide on February off of this? Either way, it's a start. I tend to make more than just one of everything so getting a new pattern in here and there will only add to my repertoire!

I was hoping to jury in to a new market here in Illinois in May (the market isn't new, just my being there). Had the application ready to go. Then I realized that it conflicted with a 5k I am running with my daughter. I'll not be telling her about it because she would insist that I do the market instead. She is a sweet child and very supportive. I think I'll be free for the September version, fingers crossed I get in.

I'm off until next time.

Happy tatting!

Your Friend,
Shuttle Flicka

AAAANNNNDDDD She's Back!

Happy New Year to everyone!

It was an exciting year around here last year!

It's been a year and a half since we moved in and I can finally state that as of June, 2017 my guest/craft room is open. I removed the 20 or so boxes that had been living in there, made a comfy space for guests to use, and organized my craft supplies! Okay, I may have overstated the last bit, but it doesn't look like a yarn shop blew up in there so that's something, right?

I also participated in some incredible events!

In July, I was asked to demonstrate tatting at an Irish fest here in Chicago! I volunteer at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago with the Nimble Thimbles and the organizers requested that we have some of our members demonstrating our crafts at the fest. There were demos on spinning, quilting, needlepoint, doll dressmaking, and tatting! Although it was only supposed to be for half an hour each day, I ended up demonstrating for an hour the first day and three the next. Did I mind staying longer than arranged? Of course not! Any opportunity to tat in public and talk to people about it is like playtime for me! I even managed to sell a few pieces.

Then in November I was back at Interwoven Expressions exhibiting and selling my lace.

Rare sighting 

I love the artists there, they truly do amazing work and I have so much fun every single time. It turned out to be a successful day for me. So successful, I was near jumping out of my skin by the end of it. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that people appreciate your work enough to take it home for themselves or as a gift for someone else.

On the strength of interest at the Irish Fest, the organizers of the IAHC sent me a vendor invitation for their Christmas Bazaar! I had attended in the past as a volunteer at the Nimble Thimble craft table and had sold a few shamrock earrings, but had never had my own booth. I decided to take the plunge...

I am now the sole proprietor of Shuttle Flicka Lace! (for tax purposes in Illinois)

Leading up to the Christmas Bazaar was a nail-biter because I really wasn't sure how it would go; but I resolved that everything would unfold the way it was supposed to and I would just accept it. I must say, the response to my lace was gratifying. I met some wonderful people, heard lovely stories about relatives who tatted, shared some tatting history, and sold some of my pieces. I was so exhilarated at the end of the day! Back in the Nimble Thimble room packing up, I was fairly bursting with excitement over my success. Seeing my smile, they asked how my day went and my gleeful response was treated to a round of applause. I walked out of there on air!

Christmas Bazaar set-up, oh so very flashy

The balance of the year was spent finishing up a commission (clip-on earrings) in time for Christmas and spending time with my family.

Patterns by Morimoto and Parry

It has not been an easy year with all of the firsts since my father passed away, but there have been some real high points, especially celebrating my brother's marriage to an amazing woman. On the whole, I will remember it fondly as I choose to focus on the good as much as I can. I am grateful for the continued love and support of my family and friends and hope I provide the same for them.

I look forward to this new year, like most people, as a new start, another chance to get it right. I plan on filling it with goodness and love, time spent with family and friends, time spent tatting, and trying in some small way to make this world a better place. Happy New Year to you all!