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!