A Long Time Coming

Good evening, gentle readers,

In my usual punctual style, it appears that I haven't published anything in about four years. If any of you are still out there reading, I will try not to make it so long before my next.

I am still coming down from the high of Interwoven Expressions this past weekend. As always, it was a lovely time. This was my tenth year there and I still managed to see new things. Discussions with friends there, and recent events, prompted me to get back on here and connect with you.

About that day job, I still dabble a bit, but my mantra is: More Lace Than Legal. Slowly, but surely, I'm determined to make that a reality.

What have I been doing all this time, you may ask. Everything and nothing. What are my plans for the future? More of the same.

For the past two years, I've participated in the Mill Fest at the Peotone Historic Mill. Full of talented vendors, exhibitors, and re-enactors, there is plenty to see. I have been one of the few vendors allowed to sit inside the mill for the event. It is such a cool space.

I've been fortunate to connect with the event coordinators at Mayfair Presbyterian Church. Their events are always a lot of fun. 

The Irish American Heritage Center here in Chicago requested that I tat some lace snowflakes for the Irish tree at the Museum of Science and Industry. It was rather short notice but I managed to get five made.

Tatted Snowflake (minus beading) by JoAnn Engelbrecht in Aunt Lydia size 10 white. 

Star Snowflake adapted from vintage by Kendra Goodnow in Aunt Lydia size 10 white. 

Star Snowflake adapted from vintage by Kendra Goodnow in Lizbeth size 3 snow white.

Snowflake adapted from 5-poinr star by Sandy in Lizbeth size 3 snow white.

Royal Heart Snowflake adapted from vintage by Kendra Goodnow in Lizbeth size 3 snow white.

It is such an honor and you can see them on the tree through January.

As I mentioned, Interwoven Expressions was delightful. Danny and I were busy throughout the day. We were able to deliver on a commission and get new ideas. We look forward to next year! 

On to future events:

I have been asked to be on a podcast out of Northwestern Indiana. More on that as it becomes a reality.

I will be at the Irish American Heritage Center on December 1st for their Christmas Bazaar again this year. It's always a lot of fun.

I'll be participating in Julmarknad at the Swedish American Museum on Friday, December 6th, through Sunday, December 8th. This is my first time in the market but as a member of American Daughters of Sweden, I am familiar with the museum. I'm very excited to be there.

I've spent the last two afternoons at the Irish American Heritage Center for IBAM, a celebration of Irish Books Art and Music. My group, the Nimble Thimbles, were in our room demonstrating various fiber arts techniques as people wandered in and out. It was a pleasant time.

I should get back to tatting. I plan on making sets of museum ornaments to offer at the next few events and it's not a quick process.

Until next time, happy tatting!

Your friend,

Shuttle Flicka

What A Long Strange Trip... (drafted back in January of 2020)

Happy New Year, gentle readers,

Has it really been almost two years since I've written a post? It appears that it has and I must apologize.  I have been remiss. Not only have I not been blogging, but I have not been tatting as much as I would like.

In October of 2018, I ended my twelve year run as a stay at home mother, to re-enter the corporate world: I took a job part time at a law firm while our daughter was at school. It may not seem like much, but everything I used to do during the day suddenly had to be done after I picked her up. Tatting took a back seat to most everything else but I took advantage of the opportunities that arose.

I was able to participate in a few events, including: demonstrating during St. Patrick's Day and Irish Fest at the Irish American Heritage Center here in Chicago, vending/demonstrating at their Christmas Bazaar in 2018 and 2019, attending a steampunk convention in 2019, and continuing my vendor presence at Interwoven Expressions in Chesterton, IN in 2018 and 2019. These experiences are always fun, creative, and exhausting. I leave them tired and happy every time. 

As a result of my presence at the Irish American Heritage Center, I gained my first official tatting students! In the Spring of 2019, I was asked to teach a small group of women. Imagine my surprise when what I thought was a meet and greet turned out to be 10 women around a table waiting to learn. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Luckily I had extra shuttles and thread, but it was really a mess, and they were wonderful through it all. I think we all learned a lot that day, just not much tatting! We did manage to meet a few more times after that and based on their feedback I was able to tighten up my systems a bit. The group did dwindle, I think we had three people the last time we met, but I saw progress and I hope they have kept up with it. Regardless, they were great fun to be around! Biggest lesson learned: one-on-one is the best for me right now, groups are a bit beyond me.

I had been hoping to do more with steampunk last year and while I didn't have the courage to get a table at a convention, I did attend one in the area. I had such a lovely time. In my persona as a traveling tatter (garb is a work in progress), I wandered through the meeting rooms tatting small motifs and talking to other attendees. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people knew what I was doing and always rewarded them with whatever motif I was making at the time. Upon receiving a motif, one vendor (who sews wearable cat ears) declared she would attach it to one of her accessories! When I came back an hour later, she was wearing it in her hair! She ran out from behind her booth to show me as I walked by. I was so touched and I cannot even adequately explain why. Perhaps it was the fact that she appreciated my work, to the point of joining it to hers and wearing it, that got to me. I offered to make her a matching motif for her other ear and tatted it while she waited. She took the time to sit with me and chat while I tatted. She is a tatter as well, but mobility issues are holding her back from it right now. She asked if I would be willing to make motifs for her to use and we had struck a bargain before I left the convention hall that day. I look forward to collaborating with her this year!

Interwoven Expressions is an event that is near and dear to my heart. I do get stressed in the run-up to it but it never fails to renew my spirit. Being in that room with those talented people, seeing my friends again, reminds me why I do what I do.

In the last two years, I have had a faithful companion at a few of my events. My daughter started out as an observer and then took on the role of setup and breakdown assistant. She is also growing into her own as an artist. She was introduced to paper quilling a few years ago by her art teacher and found it spoke to her. She has always loved sketching and has an interesting point of view. When she asked to bring her quilling  and sketchbook along to one of my events, I eagerly assented. When she took over part of my table to display her work, I was thrilled. When I saw her interacting with the crowd that grew around her, demonstrating and educating them on her craft, I was extremely proud! She would quill and then sketch while the glue dried, alternating between the two over the course of the afternoon. People bought her creations and sketches as she made them (she charged anywhere from a quarter to a dollar) and she spent her earnings on chocolate from the gift shop. It was such a pleasure having her there. We each had our own thing going, but sent people to check out what the other was doing. We make quite a team!

I have had the pleasure of making a few items on commission over the past few years. I'll post pictures of them below. 

(yup, no pictures)

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!

Wild Ride!

Greetings!

It's been an interesting couple of months here. The short version is that: we moved in, my father passed away, and our daughter started school.

The house was unfinished when we arrived so I have been dealing with the developer. Ugh. Hard to get settled in and unpacked when you know they have to install a window in the basement and paint stuff (at a minimum).

I have found that tatting is very relaxing in the ICU at 3am. I have a string of simple earrings (Leila's flowers, no picots) that I made in the low light while taking my shift with my father. I wear a fitbit and a watch on my wrist; they are perfect for holding a large picot gauge when you have to get up in a hurry.

I looked forward to the end of summer break as, I suppose, many parents do. While I have not had the unlimited tatting time of my daydreams (just wait, once she's back in you can tat to your heart's content), I have found time to get something accomplished. Of course, I haven't tied anything off so I won't be showing them here for a bit. But, believe me, I have been tatting again.

I am looking forward to Interwoven Expressions, a sale and exhibition held annually in Chesterton, Indiana. I will be back there again this year! It is being held the second Saturday in November leaving me just enough time to recover from Halloween before I have my last presale push.  Funny how I always come up with new ideas right before a sale and really try to realize them in the short time left. I am resolved to stick to my plan and tat only what I need. Of course, I'm sure my resolve will fail but we don't need to dwell on that right now.

Hopefully I will have something to show you the next time I write. Until then, happy tatting!

Cheers,
Shuttle Flicka

New Home for Tatting!

I am back and it hasn't even been ages and ages!

We have moved house which means my tatting (and other goodies) can come back out of storage! It also means that instead of working in one corner of a room shared with the rest of the family, I can keep all of my things in a separate room and finally have my own space! It will also double as a guest room when needed, but there is plenty of room for both! I know, a lot of exclamation points, but this is a really big thing for me.

As I mentioned previously, I have only made earrings (okay, and a small cross) since February. The stash that had been growing in my workbox has been depleted by random sales. Funny thing about tatting at the local Dunkin' Donuts, I have a following there now.

I am still in the process of unpacking everything, which is making me want to do all kinds of things, like sew and knit and crochet. But I am determined that I will only make earrings for a while now. After a few more using Leila and Morimoto's patterns, I'll look for a new pattern. But before I do that, I have to find my pattern books, they're still packed away.

As an aside, I did make a small cross. I don't remember off-hand who wrote the pattern so I won't picture it here. My daughter had her first communion and she wore a wedding veil that both my sister and I had worn. We attached a tiara that her paternal grandmother had commissioned for her. On the day of her communion, I told her I had added something to symbolize that it was hers now too. I attached the small cross to the back of the veil in honor of her event.  She was touched and very proud of it. I was happy that she liked it. I know she enjoys it when I make something special for her and I think she felt the love I had tatted into it.

Now, I haven't tatted anything since we moved here in late June, but I know where my kit is if I need to tat a bit. I feel like I have to unpack everything else first to earn the reward. Silly me.

I'm off to unpack.

Happy tatting!

All Tied UP!

Well, it has been a long time since I posted on here. My apologies. It seems that something is always happening around here.

I have not stopped tatting though, and I have not stopped tatting in public. I spent last April 1st making small butterflies in a pub and giving them away to patrons and staff.

I have made items for a friend to wear to a steampunk convention.

I have made a few things as gifts for family and friends.

I have made items for sale at Interwoven Expressions, a market that I do in Indiana every November. The keychains are by Morimoto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My resolution this year is to make at least one item every week. Tatting relaxes me, keeps me occupied, and by choosing small items, I can accomplish my goal without stress.

A slew of earrings is growing in my workbox.

This focus has helped me recently. You see, we are putting a lot of things in storage right now. I have boxed up and stored ninety percent of my tatting supplies. It wasn't easy to do, but I pulled out only the thread I plan on using for the next few months. It has been good in that I don't have other thread sitting in a bin calling to me to tat it; less distraction.

The earrings so far have been made from Lizbeth size 20 in various colors. The patterns are by Leila and Morimoto. I only have the Leila ones finished right now, the Morimoto are waiting on hardware.

I was also fortunate enough to have some of my tatting integrated into a quilt. As I have mentioned before, I am a member of the Nimble Thimbles at eh Irish-American Heritage Center in Chicago. During an art quilt challenge, I offered some pieces to embellish a morning glory themed quilt. I tatted caterpillars and green tendrils for the piece.

 

I was so happy to finally get my tatting on a quilt!!!!!

I'm sure much more happened in the intervening time, but I cannot summon it from the depths of the cavern in my head. Ah well...

I admit I did take a break from tatting to work on costumes for a convention. We went as the characters from Inside Out; I made the dresses and stenciled the sweater. It was quite a bit of work, but well worth it.

 Okay, that brings us up to speed. With any luck, I'll be posting again the next few years!

Tat tat for now!