Art Imitates Life

Some time ago, back when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I decided to make chocolate brownies. I got out the box of mix and gathered my ingredients. I was very careful, repeatedly checking the directions for proper measurements and instructions.  I poured the batter in the pan and put it in the oven which I had preheated properly. Something didn't look right, too runny. I couldn't put my finger on it.

I called in my older sister and explained the situation. I opened the oven the show her the batter and she asked to see the directions. As I held up the box, insisting I had followed it to the letter, she started to grin. She asked if that was the box of mix I had used. I replied that it was.

She gently pointed out that it was unopened.

Which meant I had completely forgotten to incorporate the dry ingredients.

Which meant it lacked a great degree of substance.

Which explained the runniness and bright color of the batter.

All of which earned me a place in the oral history of the family, a dubious distinction at best.

Why am I sharing this very embarrassing moment with you, gentle readers? Because last night I made this:

As I approached the last ring, I wondered why it was so hard to manage. I looked at the picture and realized my mistake. I had failed to join the six picots that hold the thing together.

Which meant it lacked a great degree of substance.

Which explained the floppiness and sloppy nature of the finished form.

All of which I now share with you, gentle readers, my tat-family.

As I did with the brownies, I went on the finish the star, with a great deal of chuckling and head shaking.

Some things never change.

I have learned that if you can't laugh at yourself, everyone else will laugh at you. I'd just as soon you laugh with me.

If you need me, I'll be making bricks without straw.

2013 Tat It And See

I just joined the 2013 Tat It And See project! I'm very excited. I'm also a little frightened. My mind is swirling with visions of twisted picots and split rings. It will be a challenge, but I think I'm up for it. I'll be posting both here and on the TIAS site so please forgive the repetition. I'll try to make it interesting.

If any of you dear readers are also participating, perhaps we can offer mutual moral support, an emotional gift exchange, if you will. (Although, I'm sure you won't need it nearly as much as I will!)

Expanding The Empire!

So, this has been one heck of a weekend! At first, it was a "weekend of beauty" what with getting my hair cut and colored (I know, you all thought it was naturally this luxuriously rich honey tone), and my nails done (pedicure gift from my mom, thanks mom!), but it turned into so much more.

 

It went like this. Early to the nail studio, I decided to walk around the town square. First antique store I entered had three shuttles for sale, one black celluloid post that I couldn't identify and two Susan Bates bobbins. I noticed that the post shuttle points didn't close and mentioned this to the proprietor. It didn't stop me from test driving the thing and I didn't buy it, but I did leave a small ring on the thread for her display purposes.  I am not used to bobbin shuttles yet but I checked out the Bates' anyway. The bobbin wouldn't move on one (I think it might have been the wrong size) and the other looked in rough shape. I told her that if someone gave time and effort enough, they would be willing to fix and use all three, but I wasn't that person. She understood and tried to make a deal on some crochet thread. Late for my appointment, I bolted.

Afterward, while waiting for my mom to come by and run errands with me, I continued my walk around the square and found myself in the Old Green Shutters Antique store. There I met the proprietor (and tatting collector) Carey. She informed me that she had just sold all of her shuttles (a bowlful, as she described) to a customer. I could only imagine. We spoke a bit more, she looked at pictures of my work, and encouraged me to try to market some items. I thanked her and went on my way.

Our errands included a trip to the grocery store, Joann Fabrics, an office supply store, and Costco. The skies opened while at the grocery store, and the line was so long to cut fabric at Joann that I sent my mom to the other places while I waited. By the time she returned, I had cut fabric, introduced two customers to the joys of tatting and found Lindsay Rogers' book Tatting Collages! I was sooo excited. I skipped out to the car in the pouring rain and we headed back to rescue my father from the clutches of my daughter.

As we neared home, I turned to my mother and declared with a grin, "My car is still back at the nail studio!" We laughed about how very blonde we are and tried to figure out the best way to get me back into town. Upon our return, my father was unscathed but offered to drive me back to my car. I requested a bit more time to roam the square which my parents were happy to oblige.

I stopped back in to Old Green Shutters because I wanted to show some actual work to Carey. She restated her interest and again encouraged me to market my work. She also mentioned that she had a friend down the block who is a tatter. I immediately headed out.

That was how I met Ginger. She is a kind soul who hails from my hometown. And she is a tatter. She loved my work and encouraged me to listen to Carey. Oh, remember how Carey said she sold the shuttles to someone? That customer was Ginger. I was happy to meet the recipient of such largesse. We talked for over an hour before I realized that I had to get back home.

I shared with my parents all the exciting things, the new tatting book, the new friends, and they were very encouraging. My father turned to me and said, "Who knew you'd come out here this weekend and expand your tatting empire!" Really, who knew?

And now, I get home to find that my eBay purchase of thread arrived earlier than expected! A wonderful weekend indeed!

I actually managed to get some tatting done as well. Here is a small star by Birgit (I don't know her last name) worked in size 10 white and green.

Christmas in August!

This post started over a week ago. My how time flies...

With the school year about to start, I decided to reclaim my possessions from the spare classroom at school. I run a crafts afternoon once a month there and had left some of my supplies and other PTA stuff. I hadn't counted on the fact that they would be using that room as an active classroom this year. So, I walk in to find nothing where it should be. Yes, I know I should have gone back sooner, and I had meant to, I really had. But the summer just got away from me. I was able to track down my bin of remnants but am at a loss as to where my collection of pinking shears has gone or my PTA files, for that matter.

Funny thing is, though, when I opened my remnant bin, there was a bag with about seven balls and two cones of thread in it. They aren't full by any means, and I have no idea what size the thread is, but they are now mine!

I have decided to use the thread to make snowflake or star ornaments for our Christmas market at school. I've spoken with the organizer and she thinks it's a great idea! I hope to tat one up before school starts so she knows exactly what I'm talking about. So far, I'm thinking the Leal Morgan Snowflake pattern in red or green or ecru. Or a star pattern I found (I'll post the pattern designer when I have something to show). I'm looking for something simple that tats up quickly since I may need to make quite a few of these.

Upon closer inspection, the balls appear to be size 10 and the cones may be as well. One of the coned  threads is sort of fuzzy so I don't know what I'll do with that. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments, please!

I just received my first catalog from Handy Hands and I'm quite excited! The Lizbeth color chart is quite convenient and I know I'll use the matching reference guide (not so good with the color matching). I've perused the sample newsletter, made a note to subscribe, and am about to dive into the catalog itself. Hooray!!!! So happy to see that in my mailbox!

Continued...
Just back from a quick trip to visit my parents. I am fortunate enough to see them fairly often and I never fail to feel refreshed after a visit. This was particularly fun because we staged a little fishing derby. My parents, daughter, and nephew all headed out with our fishing poles yesterday. My nephew was determined to catch fish for our dinner. As you might expect, it didn't turn out quite as planned. In the end, I cleaned fish for the first time in years and he had some tasty pan fried fish bits from the two fish he managed to land. (note, grapes are for scale)

My parents and I were more interested in the fishing so as the kids hung out of the deck we fished for the better part of today. Mom and I managed to land a little 10 inch bass. I say we because she left her rod lying on the dock next to me while I fished and I happened to land the thing. It had taken the hook far too deep to survive and since it was a fair-sized fish I decided to cook it rather than release it. My fish-cleaning skills were better today (with the aid of a proper filleting knife) and it was deemed quite tasty by the consumer.

My last act of my visit there was to work with my father to re-rig a number of fishing poles we found in the basement.  This was a completely unplanned activity; I found him down there and couldn't resist.  We stood there, side by side, at the old tool bench, tying leaders and attaching weights and bobbers, while reminiscing about fishing in Canada and tying our own lures years ago. We worked very well together; he checked the reels and selected the proper materials while I tied the knots. I credit my tatting for making my fingers a bit stronger and more dexterous.  It was a lovely time and I will cherish it as he slowly slips away.

Flakes on a Plane!!!!! (Motifs 17-20)

Just back from a weeklong trip to the Seattle area to see family and, wow, did we have some fun. We saw mountains, the sea, flying fish (okay, people throwing fish), more mountains. It was lovely. I even found some time to do a bit of tatting while we drove and flew.

I was concerned about taking my shuttles on a plane for the first time. I didn't want to lose any of them to TSA but also didn't want to sit and stare for four hours. I know I could have read but I'm not really invested in any books at the moment (hard to believe). So, I wound some of the thread holders from my recent haul...okay I wound all of them to maximum capacity with size 5 white for snowflakes and size 10 victory red.  I also wound one with size 30 ivory for magic thread use.  My other clovers were already wound with size 10 for the bonnet.  I CTM wound two shuttles full of victory red size 10 for pastor's cross and gave the bonnet with accompanying shuttle and ball the Ziploc treatment.  All went into my travel tat bag with patterns.  I have never been so organized as I was for that flight (tatting-wise anyway).

I had packed my scissors in my luggage so we made it through security without a problem. I was able to tat a snowflake from the Lael Morgan pamphlet I recently purchased. But without my scissors, I had no way to detach it from the shuttle to start a new one. Bummer! I switched to the bonnet and made some progress there.

I took the chance in the return flight and brought my scissors with me. Of course, no problems at security; I could have brought them through the first time. That meant I could get a bit more done.  In total, I was able to tat four snowflakes, part of the bonnet and get a good running start on pastor's cross. Below are two snowflake number 2 and on the left are two snowflake number 3 from Lael Morgan Pattern No. & Splendid Snowflakes. I have tatted them in white size 5.  I plan on making more of these for use as Christmas ornaments.

Simple Cross by Crazy Mom in Size 10 Victory Red. I am hoping to have it done for the first day of school next week. Fingers crossed and, most likely, entangled.

Watching this bonnet take shape, I am seeing more and more proof that I tat tightly. At this point, a bonnet that should fit a softball might fit on a baseball.  It may be that I adjust the pattern even more than I thought and keep this one for my daughter's dolls. I would consider going with larger thread but I'm having a heck of a time working on the size 5 snowflakes. This is my Merry Higby NIN Bonnet. I'm getting close to tatting the medallion on this one and then we'll really see how tiny it gets. It is a lovely pattern, please do not let my execution of it give you any wrong ideas.

So, now I know what I'll be working on during future flights...no one hears the clickety-click as I tat along!

Happy Birthday, Twins!

Relaxing after a day of prep for my mom and her sister's birthday party tomorrow. But I am happy in the knowledge that I have finished my portion of their gift (aside from tying and hiding ends).

These are matching Ripple necklaces by Marilee Rockley done in Aunt Lidia's size 10 black and Mexicana. I was pretty proud of myself for getting the colors to line up as well as I did. My sister will be here tomorrow with her jewelry making skills to put the finish to them. I have shown mom hers a while back but think she will still be impressed with the final product. I can't wait!

What a couple of weeks!

This was meant to be posted earlier this week. Sheesh I've been busy!


It has been a while since I wrote, but fear not, fellow tatters, it has not been time wasted. My daughter was in summer camp for the last two weeks, one here and then one by my parents. During the first one, I was able to meet with some quilters at the Irish American Heritage Center here in Chicago. Such a sweet group of ladies. They are the Nimble Thimble club that meets twice a week to work on a raffle quilt. They also do other fiber arts in addition to the quilting and I may be contributing some lace to them. They make little outfits that fit American Girl dolls and have some lovely examples of Irish crochet and other laces in the museum. I might work up some trim and a few other pieces for them. I already have some patterns in mind!

In between the camp weeks, I was able to spend some time up in Wisconsin near Waupaca, resting and relaxing with friends. The wife is pregnant so I started working on Merry Higby's NIN lace bonnet.

Merry has since informed me that this particular pattern is for a preemie so when I make the one for my girlfriend, I will have to enlarge it. I may be calling on you all for advice on doing that (although I will stubbornly try to figure it out myself first).  This first one will be sent to Newborns in Need as requested by Merry. In looking at their website, I was particularly struck by the idea of a bereavement package. We had received something similar upon the death of my grandmother at age 98 and every time I see it at my mom's house, I think of her. I realize how comforting these packages can be and the thought that my work might bring comfort to someone else makes me happy. It's quite selfish really. So, with it's purpose in mind, I tat in loving and peaceful thoughts.

I was able to get a bit of it done last week at my parents' house. I was one of two women watching five energetic children between the ages of three and a half and nine. One afternoon (while they were at camp) I took myself out to visit some antique stores in search of shuttles and peace and quiet. The time flew by and at the last place I visited, she produced a loaded Tatsy and three Workbasket issues from the 70s. She promised that she had more at home and would bring them back the next day. As we talked, thread came up and she mentioned that she had some balls of thread at home that sounded like what I was describing. With a promise to return the following day, I rushed to get the kids, thrilled to have found a new shuttle and patterns.

Upon my return, she greeted me with a big grin and said she had found everything! She produced an unmarked empty bobbin shuttle, the aforementioned Tatsy, five Workbasket issues, a Lael Morgan shuttle with three snowflake pattern instructions, and ten balls of size 70 Coats tatting thread in various colors!

We discussed the price of the Tatsy (she had asked for $5 the day before) and the fact that it was full of size 5 (maybe?). She admitted she had done some homework the night before. I did a little quick math and settled on what I was willing to pay. I asked her to name a price. She smiled, knowing where things were headed, and I grinned when she came out with exactly what I was willing to pay. Now, I can haggle with the best of them. but I was just so happy.  We settled quickly and I took a stroll around her place as she bagged everything.

As stressed as I was by the end of Friday, I was content in the knowledge that I had increased my thread stash, shuttle collection, and pattern collection in one swell foop. By the time the other parents arrived to oversee their children, I was pretty done in and my sister could see it. God bless her! She took my child in hand when necessary and gave me a rest.  I sat with a glass of wine and tatted amid the chaos.

Tatting toward sanity in these three days before the next round of chaos!