Kathy's Victorian Tatted Lace

Valentine's Day 2012

2012-02-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

Frivole’s ‘Happy Heart’ Pattern

Frivole’s excellent pattern (see link below) came just in time to be tatted for Valentine’s Day! It is so generous of her to offer it to us! This is a quick tat, has a perfect shape, and I think it represents a ‘classic tatting’ look, in a small motif. (Tatted in size 20, Lizbeth Christmas red, the tatting is about an inch and a half across.)

I am delighted that the tatted heart fits perfectly into a metal heart pendant I’ve had for quite awhile (from one of the craft stores). The pendant is solid metal, with a center indentation.

I cut a heart shape out of black velvet, sticky-backed paper and inserted it in the indented area, then added the tatted heart with glue stick. It really ‘pops’ against the black background.

I also added one of my adhesive scrapbook embellishments for 'bling'.
It covers the 'open space' of the heart, and hides only the center chain.

The feature of this clever pattern is the use of Catherine Wheel joins on the outside chains; however, I did not quite master those joins! In Marilee’s excellent video (see link below), she uses different thread colors for the shuttle and ball, and very clearly shows how to do the CW join correctly!

Because I was using only red thread, I wasn’t quite sure which thread (shuttle or ball) I was pulling up into the loop. (In my defense, I was also working on it late at night when I should have been asleep!)

I certainly plan to tat this heart again, in many colors. Even without the metal ‘frame’, it’s a perfect size for a pendant, just by itself.

Here is the beaded necklace to which I attached the pendant. It is one of my ‘converted’ beaded eyeglass leashes (I added the two large red beads). I am pleased with the way it turned out!

I put together a silk flower arrangement for Valentine’s Day, and under the vase is a lovely tatted doily, which I‘ve shown before in photos in my blog.

The doily was a lucky find at a local shop, and the shop owner was delighted that it was going home with a tatter. She had found it at an antique store and has no idea of its history. The tatting is a wide lace attached to a linen circle and is perfectly executed. I believe the thread is size 70 or 80.

Here are the links:

Frivole's Happy Heart pattern:
http://leblogdefrivole.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-heart-gift-for-you.html

Marilee’s 'Catherine Wheel Join' Video
http://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/2011/03/catherine-wheel-join-my-video-demo.html

* * *

After a snowy, blowy weekend, with temps in the single digits, I am glad that Valentine’s Day tomorrow will be ‘warmer’ , in the high 30s, although we may again have some snow showers. It is, after all, still winter.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-26T10:57:00.000-08:00

We have officially arrived at the "Holidays" (by my definition, beginning about a week before Christmas and extending a few days into the New Year), and I'm hoping you are having pleasant gatherings with family and friends and are enjoying the festive decorations and lights, possibly in a more relaxed mood, now that the 'rush' is over! Of course, I realize that the shopping centers are still hectic places, with all the returns and gift cards, and with the kids out of school! I remember how much I enjoyed our Christmas breaks 'back when'.

I wanted to capture a photo of this lovely 'live roses' floral arrangement before we gave it to my MIL yesterday for her room at the assisted living facility.

The table runner (just the one end showing here) is one that I made several years ago (can't actually remember the date - I should make a label for it after I figure it out!).

It includes three lovely pre-printed panels (in my favorite colors!), which I embellished with some beads and hand quilting. (My real 'challenge' was in mitering the 'points' on the border strips!)

I bought the kit at a local quilt store, which, sadly, is now gone, although it was around for many years. The owner, now retired, unfortunately couldn't find a buyer for the store. It was always a 'bright and colorful' presence in the town.

I've always wanted to put some tatting in the empty 'circle' space on the printed design, and for this photo I remembered a motif from my stash (Lynn Morton's 'Hearts and Flowers' pattern - similar to a motif by Lene Bjorn) which does look pretty good just placed there, although the heart shapes kind of disappear unless you look closely. Of course, I would have to tat a second one for the other end of the runner!

* * *

We will continue visiting family members this week, and look forward to seeing our niece's boys (ages 4 and 1) opening the gifts we're giving them. The magic of Christmas is always brought back when being around the little ones!

DH and I enjoy going for drives during the evening to other neighborhoods to see all the residential lights and outdoor decorations; and we also appreciate the effort that goes into the lighting displays in the different towns.

I'm also happy it will be getting lighter in the evenings, although it's imperceptible right now. I just like knowing that we passed over the 'line' on Dec. 21! However, there are three months of official Winter ahead!

Christmas Events, New Product, and Posting Again

2011-12-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

New Shaped Ornament to encase Tatting
Last December I posted about my placing Sharon’s ‘ Merry Christmas’ snowflake inside a spherical, clear plastic ornament that I got at Michaels, which worked out very well.

However, I want to bring your attention to a ‘different’ plastic ornament so that you can obtain one for your snowflakes or other motifs. I have seen them only at Michaels, but unfortunately I can’t seem to find them on the internet.

This ornament is round from the ‘front’ view.

However . . . .

it is not a ‘sphere’, but an ‘ellipsoid’, as shown on the brass stand on the left, side view. It's about 1.5" wide.

These ornaments come in two different diameters:

The ornament in the back is 4.5”; the one in the stand is 3.5”

They are even better than the round ‘sphere’ for displaying a snowflake or other tatted motif, because the motif can more easily keep its shape in a more ‘confined’ (flattened) space. The tatted motif can easily be ‘shaken’ back and forth after being ‘rolled up’ and placed in the ornament through the

nice, large opening.

I quickly put this display together using one of the motifs in my stash, which I believe was to be a snowman. The motif is the perfect size for the 3.5” ornament.

Here is the full view of fancy brass hanger I’m using to display it. I have two of these hangers, which I found ‘somewhere’! They’re very nice for showcasing ornaments or bells or whatever.

I added a velvet bow and silk leaves/flower to the ornament with the use of sticky tape (not a glue gun). I used a small piece of the tape (near the bottom of the stand) to keep the ribbon in place around the side of the hangar.

The cost is about $1.29 for the 3.5” and $1.99 for the 4.5” . I was happy to find them when they were 50% off! I sure hope they continue to sell these! I have so many plans for them!

Old Economy Village (This weekend – 2-day event)
Our group will be at Old Economy this weekend. I have many photos of the Village, and when I improve’ my blog to include ‘tabs’, I’m hoping to put galleries of my photos there.

Vicary Mansion (Last Saturday)
We were at the Vicary Mansion (Freedom, PA) last Saturday (Dec. 3), and had a great time. Unfortunately, Evelyn was not able to join us, due to a cold; but our newer member, Pam, was able to be there. So Peg, Pam and I enjoyed meeting all the visitors. Three visitors were gals who were in Pittsburgh for a job-related convention, and they saw an ad in the paper and chose to drop by. They were from (are you ready?) – Texas, Utah and Colorado!! They loved our tatting and were delighted with the beautiful Christmas decorations in the mansion. It put them in a ‘Christmas’ mood! The volunteers there always do a great job, and we are provided with wonderful homemade food – also prepared by the volunteers. There were a gazillion cookies, too, all free for the visitors!

The Mansion has never been more beautifully decorated (9 big rooms!) , and the music that evening was OUTSTANDING, performed by a trio of youngsters (a brother and 2 sisters – ages 16, 14, and 11) playing violins and cello. The 11-year-old sister played the cello, and it is as big as she is! If I had my eyes closed, I would have thought I was at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, listening to professional musicians! The sound they produced was incredible! I was overwhelmed with their performance and talked to their proud parents. It was SO uplifting! I got a great photo of them visiting our “Tatting” room. The girls loved the dollhouse and my ‘Cinderella’ slipper!

I also taught a visitor how to do the tatted knot! She is a crocheter, and by showing her the chain first (two colors of thread) , and explaining that she can use the ‘crochet hold’ with her left hand, she got the ‘flip’ in no time!

* * *

My absence from posting is due mostly to computer and software issues, which are difficult to explain, so I will spare you that story. As you know, I love to follow the blogs and see all the incredible creativity out there! I HAVE been doing some tatting (not as much as I would like, however), and I hope to get back on track with the 25-Motif Challenge soon! Thanks, again, Sharon for your patience!

Motif #25 Second Round - Mary Konior's 'Patchwork' as a Pendant !

2011-07-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

Also: Nostalgic Hometown Fourth of July

With little fanfare, I’m finally finishing my Second Round of the 25 Motif Challenge! I’m quite embarrassed that it has taken me almost two years to complete it, especially since I was up to #18 in June of 2010, and well within sight of the ‘finish line’ date of Sept. 2010. I never dreamed it would take me a whole other year to post the last seven motifs! (Thank you, Sharon, for understanding!) Computer problems and several other distractions are to blame. I do hope to start a third round soon, as my computer issues are finally in the process of being cleared up. I had hoped when DH retired three years ago already (!) that Time would seem to slow down, but instead it has speeded up!

Motif #25 - Mary Konior's 'Patchwork' Motif - as a Pendant

Way back in November 2008, a few months after starting my blog, I showed another of this same motif in white thread, encased in a paperweight, but the beauty of the pattern is more defined here. (I decided to wear it on ’point’, so it might look a little ‘different’ to you. )

I have no idea when I tatted this motif - possibly in the late 1990s.

The true ‘gold’ color is more evident in the next photo.

Even in size 12 DMC perle cotton (equivalent to size 30 Cebelia), it is a 'larger' pendant, at 3" across.

I like the way the pendant looks with this particular jacket. The lace looks right at home, even though the jacket is modern and sporty (and happens to be Pittsburgh’s sports teams’ colors!)

This motif sat in my stash for many years. I never dreamed I’d eventually wear it as a piece of jewelry! I'm sure Mary would be pleased!

New ideas for my pendants

In my usual fashion, I attached the motif to a black 'velvet' paper circle, but I didn‘t want to use glue on this very special piece of tatting! (The large rhinestone is glued onto the paper - not the tatting, but does add to the design.)

For attaching this motif to the velvet disc, I discovered the wonderful little brads that you can find with scrapbook supplies. The tatting stays secure on the paper, and the brads also add a little 'bling'. (I did dot the outer edges with a bit of glue stick, which easily washes out if necessary)

However, my biggest ‘change’ was in adding a metal ‘backing’ to the pendant, after I discovered some new (to me) very sticky, wide, double-sided tape. As I’m sure you’re aware, all kinds of metallic embellishments are available at craft stores these days. I had to hunt for just the right one. I wanted to use a filigree rather than a solid metal backing, because I needed two 'holes' to stabilize the large motif, in the position shown in the first photo. I used large black jump rings that are also ‘new’ to craft stores.

Since discovering how strong this tacky tape is, I’ve decided that all my smaller pendants on the paper discs need to be attached to a metal backing, which adds a finishing touch, but importantly, adds 'weight', and keeps the pendant from twisting over. I now look for these metal pendants when they are on sale.
HOMETOWN 4^TH OF JULY - 2011

In this post I also want to acknowledge the 235th Birthday of the USA. I made my usual nostalgic ‘trip down memory lane’ by attending my hometown’s annual 4th of July celebration.

These wonderful horses are

beautifully trained!

They are so majestic, and gentle!
Kids loved riding in the ‘cart’

These houses are along the parade route, on a nice tree-lined street.

I should mention that the town is only 2 miles long and has only 2 streets running through it. But it has a wonderful park, where I spent a lot of my chlidhood - and doing a lot of crafts!! Everything was within walking distance, including the schools.

Although I live only 5 miles away (across the river) from my hometown, and can visit anytime, it's on the Fourth of July that it comes alive with nostalgia and memories from the 1950s and early 1960s, during my childhood and my graduation from high school. My parents had moved there in 1945 (into the then brand new rental duplexes, near the high school) from New England when my dad was transferred to the Pittsburgh area. So I spent my entire childhood there, through my graduation in 1961. They then decided to move because the duplexes were going to be sold as townhouses, and they didn't want a mortgage at their age. They moved to a very nice apartment in the next town, and my mother finally got a bigger kitchen! And I started my secretarial 'career' in 1962 and got married in 1964. But we always returned to the old hometown for the Fourth of July.

What I kind of 'glossed over' above was the date of my high school graduation. And doing the math - yes, it's been 50 years! I just can't believe it!   So I spent some time walking around the old Alma Mater. It's now quite updated and and modern, with renovated classrooms that have access to today's technology, and a recently built stadium with lights, plus new tennis courts.   In 1961 our yearbook shows many photos of the first big construction project that doubled the size of the original 1926 school and added the modern gymnasium. I still refer to it as the 'new addiition' (LOL!)

Of course, I had to talk to the new band director, who was quite interested in my tales from the past! As I've mentioned before, there are no majorettes in 'my' band these days, but the musicians sound great, and they have the flags, which are very colorful.    I couldn't help but think about my marvelous last Fourth of July parade, when I led the band as head majorette!
Memories, memories ...... !

I think I did mention somewhere in my blog that my husband and I were in the parade with the GTO a few times, and as recently as 2000, which was fun! But the car will oveheat in the hot weather and slow-moving parade, so we haven't done that for awhile!

Hope you are all having a good summer!

The 'Jelly Bean' Tulip and the Magic Triangle

2011-04-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

(Sounds like the title of a chldren's book!)

MOTIF #24,

Second Round

'Jelly Bean' Tulip

created by joining Vintage Triangles,

together, specifically using Size 20 Lizbeth 'Jelly Bean' thread

This is one of those optical illusions where you can't really tell that this
tulip is actually created with little triangles; and in this case, the colors

were very much controlled, almost giving the impression that I started this tulip 'motif' with six purple rings, but those are really the 'tips' of six triangles. I'll explain below how that 'color control' came about - quite by accident!

I must give credit to Sue from Michigan, who last October posted about her experiments in creating fabric 'shapes' by connecting the little vintage triangles edge to edge, rather than point to point. Jane Eborall has done something similar in the past, using a diamond shape, and has recently posted about a similar new project!

Links to Sue's posts are here:

http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2010/10/25-2-motif-15-diamond-triangles.html

http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2010/10/12-triangles-makes-starso-far.html

http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2010/10/triangle-hexagon.html

The little triangle itself is a vintage pattern from long ago. This past January, Gina (Tatting Goddess) wrote several in-depth posts about them, starting with this post.
http://threadsofatattinggoddess.blogspot.com/2011/01/2-in-25-motif-challenge.html

As mentioned above, usually the triangles are joined at their tips, which then creates triangle-shaped 'open spaces'.

This is the basic triangle,
except I have added a picot on
all the small rings to more tightly
join the triangles together.

The fact that each tip in this triangle is a different color happened by chance, as explained below.

First circle - random colors

When I first began tatting and connecting the triangles, I wound Jelly Bean thread on the shuttle, and started making a ring, without any thought to the color coming off the shuttle.

With each triangle I started the first ring with whatever color was 'next'. After joining the six triangles as I tatted them, I ended up with the above interesting circle. (I might add that tatting the triangles gives one a lot of practice with the 'no-twist join' on the last ring of each triangle, and especially on the last triangle! And, of course, there are ends to hide.)

Second circle - controlled colors

When I began to tat a second circle, I just happened to start the first triangle with the purple thread. And as I tatted, it amazed me that the next large ring was orange, and the last, green.

I wondered if that would happen consistently, and it did, by starting with the purple thread. (Doing this eliminates the reddish color thread.)

Then I wondered what the circle would look like if I attached the triangles with all the purple rings in the center. (I actually drew it in color on the computer first!)

It looked cool on the drawing, with the purple center. Then I added more triangles on the drawing, to form a six-pointed star, and I determined that the tips of the star would be purple also.

But after tatting three points, a tulip shape emerged, and i decided to stop there!

I have no idea if every ball of size 20 Jelly Bean will create this same result. (And the other question is whether it would work with size 40 and 80.) Because Lizbeth threads are commercially manufactured, I assume they all have the same pre-programmed lengths of color, but I may be wrong! On this particular size 20 ball. I'm so pleased it worked out this way

Finding a Frame!

It's taken me awhile to find the right frame to showcase the tulip, and I finally found one this past weekend. Fortunately, it was on sale at Jo-Ann Fabrics. I wish I had had it in time for the Maple Festival, but I 'll have opportunities to display it at Vicary House and Old Economy.

The frame has a 5 x 7 oval opening, and is 8-12" tall and 6-12" wide Of course, I added my black velvet paper as the background. The frame can be hung on a wall or used as a standing frame. That's what makes these kinds of frames worth the cost.

I added some 'bling' to the frame by adding the gold beads to the inner area of the frame. (The beads come connected together on thin adhesive strips).

At some point I might add tatted leaves, but for now these leaves (clipped from a large plant in the house!) are substituting.

This is what I love about tatting - the variety of things you can create with it!!

* * *

In my next post, (before Easter?) I will show my coffee table, which is covered with my egg displays - mostly of the tatted variety, but a few others as well.

Tatting Day 2011 - and Maple Festival Weekend!

2011-04-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

HAPPY TATTING DAY EVERYONE !

I spent Tatting Day setting up with our group for the Maple Festival, which is this weekend. The following photos are from 2009 and 2010, but they give an overview of the way the Festival is set up. It's much larger than what I'm showing here. There are usually Civil War re-enactors and also a petting zoo for the kids.

Below is the view of the Lodge (from the vicinity of the main road but far away from the parking area) where everyone will eat their pancakes, sausages, and, of course, Maple Syrup! The line forms to the left of the building, under a protective canopy, and extends down to where the buses leave everyone off (in the distance). In the front of the photo is the creek, which was starting to overflow the small concrete bridge due to heavy rains the week before (in 2009). We drive over this bridge to set up, but have to park where the vistors park during the Festival. Our pavilion is hidden in this photo by the Lodge, It's up the hill a bit from where the folks are lined up.

Below is a closer view of the folks all lining up. They start at 8 a.m, and it pretty much stays like this the entire day! The Lodge can hold 600 folks at a time! It's buffet style, with the Boy Scouts and other volunteers coming by to give you more pancakes and sausage - as many you want!

In the next photo you can see more of the vendors' booths along the 'main' path.

And here is our pavilion, all protected with plastic panels! We share this pavilion with Bobbin Lacers, Quilters, Cane Chair weavers, and a gal who does German paper cutting.
The local History group also has a table.

Below are photos from inside of our pavilion (in 2010)

First is a closeup of part of my table, where I brought along Janette Baker's DVD and book, to show everyone how much easier it is to learn to tat these days. Of course, I also tell them about the internet and the free videos there. I explain blogging to them, and it amazes them to learn that we are all able to communicate with each other almost instantly from around the world. I emphasize that tatting is no longer a 'dying art'!!

Below is more of my display - my Christmas tree with Victorian Fan Tree Skirt, and the Victorian Doll House. I love to take photos of the little ones peering inside the doll house!

And below is a view looking toward the entrance door, with the bobbin lacers on the right and the quilters on the left (both kind of hidden). Evelyn (83 at the time) is demo-ing to some visitors, and Peg (Carol Lawecki's Mom) is busy tatting away.

As it is now almost 9 p.m, I must get going to continue getting ready for tomorrow!

Costume, books, more tatted items to take, etc. The weather is 'iffy' tomorrow, with rain forecast; but it may clear up on Sunday. (Believe me, the weather does not keep the visitors away!) The temperature may make it up to 50 degrees on Sunday, if we're lucky!

Hope you all had a great day tatting - and, oh yes - eating CHOCOLATE!!!

Sure 'n It's St. Paddy's Day !

2011-03-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Sharren's Shamrock - Motif #23, Second Round

Thanks to Sharren (see link below) I now have a sweet Shamrock to wear on my 1991 hand-knit Aran sweater!

This shamrock is a very clever design, and - I know this may shock you - it's my first attempt at an SCMR! All of these techniques open up design possibilities!

Here's a close-up of the shamrock on a scalloped black velvet paper disc. (These little discs are a great way for me to 'wear' small tatted motifs.) Of course, I couldn't resist adding some 'bling'. I did a simple chain 'stem' (and not too neatly!) as I was tatting this around Midnight and didn't have time to figure out how to do Sharren's very impressive lock stitch chain. I don't think I've ever seen that before. Always something new to learn!

I used DMC Perle Cotton Size 8, Color 909, and I have no idea where or when I bought it - probably at a cross-stitch store, as back in the 1990s there were several shops in the area, and had a good range of colors in the Perle Cotton. It has a nice sheen to it.

Here is the link to Sharren's blog:

http://tattingwithsharren.blogspot.com/

The green ball of thread is not new, and I recall using it for some cloverleaf and chain patterns, but don't know what I did with them! Possibly they'll show up in some 'safe' hiding place !

Irish Roots

It's that special day when I honor my Irish ancestors, especially my maternal grandmother, Katherine Flanagan (born in the 1870s), for whom I am named, but sadly never got to know, as she died only four months after I was born. But I have photos and have heard all the stories from my older cousins about what a special and cheerful lady she was! Interestingly she did not do any needlework, and neither did my mother(!), so I possibly acquired that skill from my father's Polish mother, who had worked alongside her husband in the textile mills in New England, and did a lot of sewing and crocheting. My father's sister also did a lot of knitting, and later on, we shared patterns by mail.

I always enjoy visiting Tatskool's blog (http://tatsakoolchallenge.blogspot.com/), where she often takes us on tours of Ireland complete with wonderful history lessons!

Miranda's Cardinal

2011-03-04T13:01:00.000-08:00

MOTIF #22, Second Round

I have a small collection of cardinal items, and I certainly love seeing the real ones flitting around the yard!

When Miranda ("Tatting Fool"), generously offered this free pattern a few weeks ago, I e-mailed her immediately.

Click here to see how to obtain the pattern:

http://tattingfool.blogspot.com/2011/02/cardinal-pattern.html

As soon as I printed out the pattern, I did a rough sketch and numbered the rings (there are 19), as that's what I need to do to figure out where I am going. Her instructions are very clear and easy to follow, not to mention the pattern itself being so cool! I kept wondering how she thought of it. Mr. Cardinal is adorable, and I know he'll get a lot of attention at the Maple Festival, coming up in April.

This is my second cardinal, as I did a 'practice' run with burgundy thread. I intend to do a third one, as this one still isn't perfect and I'm embarrassed to say that I miscounted the stitches on the rings in the easiest part - the main body. Also, I didn't quite get the sharp turn in the feathered crest, which I hope to improve on the next one.

I think Miranda's design is brilliant, and I simply love it. Thank you so much Miranda for sharing this with us! He definitely can be a year-round decoration!!!

I used "Christmas" by Lizbeth, size 20. The frame is 4" high and 3" across.

This frame could hang on a wall, but the stand shown above is a nice showcase for him

The frame
The frame is similar to a 'locket' and is hinged - creating a clear glass 'sandwich'. which means the tatting (and the paper background, from a notecard) is 'pressed' between two pieces of clear glass and 'locked' into place. No gluing necessary!

This clever frame was made by a fellow in Texas and was discovered by Carol Lawecki's mom, Peg, (who's a member of our tatting group) during a trip there. He makes (made?) different sizes of these, from pendants to frames, and in all shapes. I will see Peg soon at the Maple Festival, so can get more details. I have no idea if the fellow is still in business!

For Mr. Cardinal, I happened to have a green note card that provided a kind of Spring-like background, with white 'flowers' printed in the corner of the card, and I added my usual bow with curly spirals, and a silk flower.!

The stand
The stand is similar to the one I used for my white 3-D bell (posted Oct. 19, 2010). I now remember where I bought these stands - at a local store, which, unfortunately, is no longer in business. They carried unusual items from Europe and actually traveled there to find them.

Gina's Blogaversary Giveaway
I am a recent happy winner of Gina's generous giveaway, and I'll be posting soon about the many items I received from her!

Four-Pointed Star from 1990

2011-01-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

I have been having computer and blog problems, so I have been delayed in posting my final 5 motifs for the second round of the 25. I'm going to try to get them all in within the next week or so by posting one or two at a time, to avoid complications.

Motif #21, Second Round

Four-Pointed Star designed by Marion T. Leyds

from the classic DMC "Tatting for Today" book (Motif #10 in the book, p. 11)

This motif goes back to my early days of tatting in the early '90s, and I look at it every day on our balcony sliding-door/window where it hangs as as a pretty suncatcher.

It is one of the few items I have tatted using size 10 thread, and it IS rather large, but definitely gets noticed. I stiffened it with Alene's fabric stiffener and added some glitter. It has been in the full 'western' sun in the afternoon for many years, and has suffered no ill effects.

I added the long 'crystal' bead and made the tassel (from embroidery floss).

It measures 8 inches from top of the star to bottom of the tassel. The star itself is about 4-1/2 inches long.

* * *

I enjoyed watching the Parade of Roses on New Year's Day. The dogs jumping into the water and 'water boarding' were SO CUTE!!

I did happen to notice, though, that there were very few if ANY majorettes in the parade. Having been one in my youth, I'm feeling sad about yet another tradition going away. I understand that majorettes are fast disappearing from school bands, and it makes me sad, as twirlng a baton was a huge part of my life, as were ballroom dancing - and being a secretary. I'm feeling more and more like a quaint old relic !!!

And All Through the House

2010-12-24T17:42:00.000-08:00

the Tree was in place, and so was the lace ....

VICTORIAN DOLL HOUSE - purchased in 2000

I thought Christmas Eve would be a good time to show photos of the exterior and interior of the doll house that I take to all my tatting events so you can see how I've decorated it in 'Victorian' style, with Victorian furniture and, of course, tatted lace. I will be describing this lucky find more fully in a future post, and also how and where I found the furniture.

This is the front view.

The door actually opens, and normally you can see into the house through the clear (acetate) windows, but I wanted you to see the detail on the windows.

Here is the side with the double window, which I find charming

.

Here is the side with the single window

And here is the interior, which is the way it looked a few years ago (a photo of a photo).

I've made a few changes since then, but you get the general idea.

The tree is all beads, which I found at Michaels.

Note the hardwood floors on the 1st level!

In a future post, I'll take you on a more detailed 'tour'.

At the moment the interior is not 'photo ready' because the house just came back from two events, and the furniture is still in disarry, as I always put it in positions that make it safe to carry, and I haven't had a chance to get it all back in place!

* * *

On this Christmas Eve 2010, I wish those of you who celebrate

the Christmas holidays

a Very Merry Christmas!

* * *

As a record of the weather here in Pittsburgh on Dec. 24, 2010, there's about 3" of snow on the ground (from previous snowfalls) - but none on the roads - with temps in the low 30s, no precipitation, no wind. Perfect. This kind of weather doesn't often happen on Christmas Eve, but this is how I remember every Christmas Eve during my childhood in the 1950s! It was a magical time - waiting for Santa! I'm feeling quite nostalgic this evening!

Christmas Tree Pin - 1991

2010-12-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

- Multiple Uses for Edging Patterns

- Black Wool Cape (from my costume wardrobe)

I recently wore my Christmast tree pin (circa 1991) during our recent Festival events, and I was reminded how it came about. And when I wore it on my black wool cape, I also added another piece of tatting to it to make it more noticeable (see below).

Here is the pin I made in 1991

It is from the same edging in Ann Orr's Classic Tatting patterns that I used to form the star shown in my Feb. 17, 2009 post. I noticed that each point of the edging looked like a Christmas tree. So I tatted one motif in white thread, then glued it onto a card, and it did look like a tree.

But I thought the motif looked the right size to put on a pin backing that I had purchased from a craft store. The pin backing (about 2" high) is made for inserting a separately purchased cameo. However, I cut a velevet oval from gift ribbon to fit into the center of the pin, then glued the tatted tree (in gold metallic thread from DMC) onto the velevt.

Then I glued tiny rhinestones to add bling. I made several of these pins for friends and family

Wearing pin on Black Wool Cape

When I went to our recent tatting events on Dec. 4 and 11, I wanted to wear the pin on my black wool cape that I purchased a few years ago at a consignment shop (a very lucky find!). But the pin by itself didn't stand out, so I found a piece of tatting in my stash to 'frame' it. It is an ecru tatted edging which I had formed into an oval. I pinned the edging to the cape (didn't have time to baste it down), then centered the Christmas pin inside it. I received lots of compliments on it!

Here is a close-up of the pin on the cape

framed by the ecru edging.

Here is a photo of the entire cape. There is red piping around the neck and down the opening, which is a part of the red interfacing inside. I pinned back the interfacing so you can see how nicely the cape is made.

I have no idea where the cape came from, but it's a welcome addition to my costume wardrobe!

Snowflake Inside a Clear Ball Ornament

2010-12-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

Sharon's Merry Christmas snowflake!

Because I'm having blogging/computer problems (long story), I'm going to publish a REALLY short post (aren't you glad?) to show you that I was able to get Sharon's pretty snowflake into a clear Christmas ball ornament.

Sharon generously gave us this excellent pattern last year in her December blog. I loved the pattern and her easy diagram, and I posted about it in my own blog on Dec. 24. (In fact, this IS the snowflake that I made last year.)

The ornament is plastic - not glass, as they usually are - and is very well made. I got it at Michaels, and it is 3-1/2 inches in diameter. They also have smaller ones. I like this one because it has a larger opening, which made it easier to 'roll up' (not fold) the snowflake and drop it down into the ornament.

The hanger on the snowflake is wrapped around the 'knob' on top of the ball, and the metal top is clamped over top of the hanger, holding it in place.

I made the snowflake with Lizbeth white, size 20, and it didn't need any sitffening. It easily rolled into a 'tube' (not too tight), then it unfolded when it got into the ornament after jostling it a little bt.

It is displayed here on an 'egg holder', so that it can sit on a table.

* * *

During the past two weekends, our group demonstrated tattig at Vicary Mansion (Dec. 4) and Old Economy Village (Dec. 11). Considering we've consistently had 'snowy-blowy' weather for the past few weeks, we were lucky to have had good weather both Saturdays. Today we're back to snow!

Tatted Angel in Snowglobe !

2010-11-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Product Alert:

This unique snowglobe has a place for inserting photos (2" x 3"), but also has plenty of room to insert a small piece of tatting, and it can be seen from both sides. It is also magnified.

I want to alert you to these snow globes that I found in the Photo area of the big discount store whose intials are W-M. These globes are also advertised on the internet.

The large snow globes (which are not glass but some kind of soft acrylic material) allow you to insert two small 2" x 3" photos back to back. The photos get magnified and look as if they're floating in the snow globe, with the usual 'snow' swirling when you shake them. Cost: about $10.

The base stand just pulls off, and the photos are placed inside the plastic insert (shown in the photo below), which then slides up into a protected area of the globe. Very clever!

I knew exactly the tatted piece I wanted to showcase.

I'm sure you've already guessed what it is:

Motif #20 - Second Round

Hairpin Lace and Tatted Angel - by Martha Ess

Of course, it's Martha Ess's excellent and innovative angel pattern, which can be found on the internet.

For some reason I'm not able to paste the link to the URL here. If you Google "Tatted Angel Hairpin Lace" it will be the first listing on the page. I apologize for the inconvenience!

For size comparisons, here is the angel outside the globe, next to the clear plastic insert (2" x 3") which slides into the globe from the bottom, and holds the photos (or in this case tatting) in place.

I tatted the angel with size 30 Cebelia thread.

I first saw Martha's lovely and unusual pattern (combining hairpin lace and tatting) on the internet in 1998. I was very much intrigued by it, and finally decided to try to make it, possibly around 1999.

Somehow I had a hairpin lace loom among my craft supplies, but had never used it other than to practice making a small sample of hairpin lace, using a crochet hook.

I was quite pleased with myself when I finished the piece (minus halo - I hope to add it soon!), and it's the only hairpin lace I've ever made.

As most of you are aware, Martha has gone on to design so many other fabulous designs, has written several tatting books, and has taught classes at Hector and Palmetto. Thank you, Martha, for your total dedication and innovative contributions to the art of tatted lace !

These snowglobes are a great showcase for your smaller tatted items, which can easily be changed according to the season.

I hope to put a printed gold label on the base, and definitely plan to buy a few more globes!

* * *

In the United States we are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, a very pleasant holiday to share with friends and family. i hope you also have a wonderful weekend!

More Treasures from Wanda!

2010-11-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of 2

In addition to winning Wanda’s fabulous Pumpkin Vine Bookmark (see prior post), I was stunned that there were so many other items hidden in the pretty red gift bag that she handed me at the restaurant on Sunday (Halloween), all part of a very generous Giveaway Prize for her 2nd Blogaversary!

Imagine my total surprise at receiving all of THIS, in addition to the Bookmark!

I certainly appreciate the time and effort that Wanda made into gathering, and in some cases, making or decorating, these items!

The attractive candle contains three scents: Maple Sugar, Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Apple Crisp. How yummy is that?!!! I can’t wait to light it up! (I didn’t even know there WERE ‘three-scented’ candles!)

Next to the candle is a lovely tea tin, decoupaged by Wanda with a pretty fabric (in my favorite colors), all around the sides and on the lid! I can now rescue my teabags from their cardboard boxes!

Inside the tin were all the items you see in front of it! I was amazed to pull all these things out of the tin while we were visiting!

- Lizbeth #20 Autumn Spice thread (one that I don’t have!)

- Three cute wood ‘paddles’ with Lizbeth solid thread samples
in Fall colors: brown, green and orange (the last two were used in her pumpkin
bookmark!) She labeled them with a green glitter pen! I notice these things!

- Three matching items (pictured below) all decorated with the
same pretty 'Falling Leaves' fabric:

An unusual ‘fine’ crochet hook with a cylindrical handle, again decoupaged by Wanda. I’ve never seen this kind of hook before! I have one that has a flat handle, but not cylindrical. Very ergonomic!

Clover shuttle, also decoupaged by Wanda, which makes it so special and unique!

Wonderful Needle Keeper, expertly sewn by Wanda!

Inside the needle keeper, complete with needles!!!!

This is so nicely made, and will be VERY handy!

And there were even MORE items! (shown in the first photo above)

A cute postcard from Kansas, which shouts “Hay! from Kansas”, also showing a big sunflower (the State flower)! :)

“Pumpkin Seed Recipes”! Very handy for this season!

And another BIG surprise: Karey Solomon’s “Here be Dragons” book, which I have never seen before. It has amazing patterns in it!

I am so overwhelmed by all of this, from getting the notification that I won ‘something’, to making arrangements to meet, and to sharing that wonderful and special time together!

And she still had to continue on with her long road trip to Kansas (over several days), whereas I was only 45 minutes from home!

Wanda is such a delightful person – she is so cheerful and enthusiastic, and seems to have endless energy, not to mention her exceptional creative talent! Her blog, only two years old, is brimming with her own beautiful tatting designs (several of which she has shared with us) plus excellent ‘travelogues’ about her travel adventures!

And her devotion to family, friends and work is obvious. I’m so glad I got to meet her in person - plus her daughter and grandson! Quite an amazing day!!
I can only say: THANK YOU SO MUCH, WANDA!

This has been a very wonderful experience!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN (Today!)

2010-10-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a quick post today because I just HAD to explain how Wanda's Pumpkin Vine Bookmark is now in MY possession on this Halloween Day 2010 !!! :) :) :)

This is Wanda's actual bookmark designed and tatted by Wanda herself! (Wanda of “Wanda’s Knotty Thoughts Blog”), and it is now in my house, where I just took the above photo!

It is Wanda’s prototype, first edition, one-of-a-kind bookmark, based on Heidi Sunday's innovative and clever 'pumpkin vine' pattern found at

http://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2/pumpkin.html

Here's where you saw Wanda's bookmark first - On October 26:

http://wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com/2010/10/givin-and-gettin-tatting-tea-tuesday.html

Wanda had been fascinated by Heidi's vine pattern and designed a full bookmark from it with lots of twists and turns and lots of ‘pumpkins’!

This bookmark is nothing short of brilliant and I can't believe I now 'own' the actual bookmark that she posted on her blog!

However, GET THIS !!

The bookmark was handed to me IN PERSON

TODAY - by Wanda herself!!

How did this happen, you might ask, considering I live in Pittsburgh, PA and Wanda lives in Kansas !

Well, here's the 'short' story! :)

Wanda recently held a giveaway to celebrate her 2nd blogaversary, and - I WON!

The giveaway was announced in her post dated Oct. 12, where she described making her amazing "Doily with Antique Motif.” (Please check that out, too!)

All you had to do was leave a comment in that post, and you would enter a drawing for a prize. The drawing would be held Oct. 26. Of course, I commented on the doily, which is gorgeous! (And to tell you the truth, I completely forgot about the giveaway!)

On Tuesday, Oct. 26, she notified me that I won the drawing ; and, of course, I was delighted, even though I had no idea what the prize was! She was keeping it a secret!

I sent my address to Wanda so that she could send the prize to me.

When she received my address (I live in the Pittsburgh PA area), she realized that she would be in my 'neck of the woods' on Sunday (today - Halloween Day), as she would be driving from Washington D.C. back 'home' to Kansas, and was taking I-70, which passes very near Pittsburgh! (This gal really gets around, which you already know if you follow her blog!)

She asked if we could possibly get together, and - long story short - that's what we did this afternoon!

We met at a restaurant off I-70 and had a GREAT time and an enjoyable tat-chat while having lunch at the restaurant! What's more, I got to meet one of Wanda's daughters and her adorable 2-year-old son (one of Wanda’s grandsons) who were also on the LONG ride back to Kansas!!!

To my amazement, Wanda's giveaway has several parts to it, which I will post about soon, but when I opened a card with this fabulous bookmark in it, I was totally in shock, as I recognized it right away!!

I asked if she tatted a second one so soon after the first, and she said "No, this is my first and only one". I protested that I couldn't possibly accept it! How could she bear to part with it!??? But she insisted it was now mine!

I am truly honored and delighted to have this bookmark!!! It is amazing to see it in person!

And, as mentioned there were other amazing surprises! It was like Christmas on Halloween!

Stay tuned for Part 2 - and more photos! Just wanted to get this posted ASAP!!!

In our neighborhood, 'Trick or Treat' night was on Thursday, so I was able to do this post without interruption from 'Ghosts and Goblins!' Hope you get to enjoy some leftover candy, especially CHOCOLATE!

Fluttering By - finally!

2010-10-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

- New (to me) butterfly pattern
- Necklaces for pendants

I’m finally doing a post again, and never intended to be away this long! I’m ‘late’ in finishing my second round of the 25-Motif, so I’m getting back in the game with Motif #19 today to show that I actually am doing some tatting, and I hope to finish posting six more motifs soon, to complete the 25.

Motif #19 – Second Round
from “Butterfly Twins” designed by Eliz Davis.

We’ve been traveling and having some fun adventures (except for a flat tire on the turnpike - long story there!) and while on the road or at a motel, I like to tat 'easy' things. I happened upon this sweet butterfly pattern on the internet, and I was smitten! I knew it would also be a fun and quick way to ‘test’ the colorways of variegated threads

Clockwise from Upper Right:
Caron Wildflowers ‘Twilight’ ;
Lizbeth #20 Vineyard Harvest;
Lizbeth #20 Vineyard Harvest;
Lizbeth #20 Spring Garden

Center of Photo:
Caron Wildflowers ‘Harvest’

This three-ring section is the first round of the butterfly pattern, but I made a slight modification (see below).

The original design, “Butterfly Twins” by Eliz Davis (“Tat Knot”) goes back to 1998, is a diagram, and is located in the sidebar in her blog http://www.tatknot.blogspot.com/ where she has generously shared other free patterns. Thanks, Eliz!

As the title implies, the pattern is written for two little butterflies to be joined together, and attention must be paid to the outer chains (the wings) on the diagram for placement of the picots and connections when forming the wings. However, because I made individual butterflies, I used the same stitch count for forming both wings, with no picots.

Also, in order to do each butterfly in one pass, Liz indicates a split ring for the third ring of the 'clover' in the first round, which would be very convenient for avoiding extra threads to hide.

However, I didn’t want to wrap two shuttles to do the split ring, so I did a normal ring instead (5 total picots: two joining and three showing - always being careful not to twist the final joining picot to the first ring). For the most part, hiding threads is not a big problem for me, and I usually encapsulate the beginning thread. Also, I could choose the color for the beginning small ring on the second round. (I didn't do front-side/back-side tatting on these!)

The antennae are quite easy to add (with a crochet hook), but as you can see, I have so far only added antennae to the ‘blue’ butterflies.

Of course, I had to put one of these butterflies on a pendant!

This is a duplicate of the
‘Twilight’ butterfly shown above, although the colors aren’t quite exact in either photo.

I obtained the Caron Wildflowers threads at my local cross-stitch shop. They are equivalent to size 30, but are a little tricky to tat with – not as smooth as Lizbeth. I have to use less tension.

The little butterfly is also perfect to add to cards, such as the one I made for my mother-in-law for her recent birthday.

These were made with Lizbeth ‘Jellybean’, and were easily attached to the card with gold brads (from my scrap book supplies)

“New” beaded necklaces for my pendants

My recent posts have shown small motifs I’ve put on scalloped black velvet ‘paper’ discs. I recently attached four of them to some colorful beaded ‘necklaces’ that I found at – of all places - the dollar store!

They were eyeglass leashes! I cut off the parts that go over the eyeglass ‘temples’ and joined the ends with a jump ring and bail (which necessitates putting the necklaces on over my head, without a clasp).

I was amazed at the variety and colors of beads on the leashes, which happened to match my pendants!

I did add my own green beads and spacers to the necklace on the far right.

My next posts should be coming up soon! I’m getting much more done around the house with the cooler Fall weather, and always marvel at the changing colors of the leaves – which sometimes happens overnight! It really is a beautiful time of the year, and I'm not missing the hot, humid weather we had this summer!

A blogging note: I edited portions of this post (the next day) to 'improve' some of my sentences (that task could go on forever!), and I also tried very hard to make the spacing the way I want it to be. The written edits indeed were reflected, but I just can't seem to control the spacing. And it may get even worse! I know it has something to do with 'html' codes, but I have no intention of learning them. So, unfortunately, my posts will continue to look a bit 'wonky' and not up to my standards! I'm amazed that blogging can be done at all and I find the technology wonderful - but also frustrating!

More Quick Pendants

2010-07-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

Motifs #17 and #18 - Second Round

Because my 2nd Blogaversary is coming up at the end of the month (amazing to me!), I realize that after this post, I need seven more items to complete the second round of the 25 Motif Challenge. I may not make the ‘deadline’ of July 31, but I’ll be posting them at least by early August. My problem isn’t tatting them ( as I’ll be showing items I made back in the 1990s) - it’s finding the time to photograph and write about them!

Motif Counts: I had neglected to include Mary Konior’s cross (post of April 4) as Motif #16. So I’ll continue with #17 and #18 below.

Here are two more fun pendants on scalloped black velvet paper discs. This is a quick way to display 'practice' motifs that I usually stash away.

Motif #17 (second round)
Rings and Chains
Lizbeth Turquoise, size 20

This basic ring-and chain motif which I tatted up quickly (and is far from perfect!) was the first item I made to ‘test’ my first ball of Lizbeth thread over a year ago. So I retrieved it and now enjoy wearing it!

Again, I used small ‘scrapbook’ embellishments, which are self-adhesive.

Motif #18 (second round)
Dimpled Rings
Lizbeth Vineyard Harvest, size 20

This is a recent first try at dimpled rings, which I saw in an antique pattern. Not exactly perfect here, but fun to do.

It takes practice to make these dimpled rings, as they take a little finessing to close properly.

I've had a good experience with Lizbeth threads and enjoy working with them. I'm not always crazy about some of the variegated threads, but many are becoming favorites, such as this one.

Unfortunately, I haven’t done much tatting recently because of so many things to do in the summer months. After being cooped up all winter, I longed for summer, so I want to be out and about as much as possible! I do enjoy surfing the blogs for relaxation in the evenings, though! So much talent out there!

* * *

I know you’re curious about the slipper pattern, which is coming along, after some fits and starts, but I can’t promise a finished booklet until later in the year as I just don’t have the blocks of time I need right now to fully concentrate on it. Many ‘learning curves’ still lie ahead for me, as I very much want to have a professional-looking presentation. I must live up to the standards that many of you have set!

* * *

Enjoyable Summer Distractions

Below are some of our ‘fun’ distractions this summer , which are pleasant respites from the usual chores of yard work, fix-it home projects, and our continuous de-cluttering efforts. We’ve enjoyed several picnics and family events (a Christening and birthday parties, plus picnics), all of which, fortunately, were held in nice weather.

This summer has been hotter than in recent years (although to me it is similar to the summers of my youth in the 1950s), and we have had to ‘cave in’ and turn on the whole-house A/C more often than we would like – but I’m sure glad we have it available! I’m not looking forward getting to the electric bill, though!

We enjoy visiting this local lake (an hour away) to watch sailboats and enjoy an
afternoon picnic during the week.
(Great to be retired!)

Unfortunately, we don’t own the pontoon boat - or any boat!

Of course, we continue to attend many car cruises.

Here is a photo of our ’69 GTO sitting next to our cousin’s fabulous 1974 Bricklin - a rare automobile, as few of them were built (in Canada) between 1974-76. Note the ‘gull-wing’ doors!

The weather has been both good and bad for the cruises this summer. It's either been perfect, or very hot and humid, or unstable, causing some events to be cancelled – or interrupted! We recently attended one which started out with great weather, then was interrupted by a sudden downpour of heavy rain! It wasn’t unexpected, but came up fast and caused everyone to run for cover! At least there was no lightning or wind, and it was over in 5 minutes, but everyone tried to get their cars dry again. We, unfortunately, had to drive home in our slightly damp clothes!

It is sometimes too humid to tat, so I just walk around, take photos, and generally chat with people.

However, this weekend we plan to attend the annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, where sporty vintage race cars compete in a specified road course on a winding country road. It brings thousands of spectators from around the world and is considered a major auto racing event. We will be in the car show which is a separate part of the event. I’m hoping to be able to tat at this one, since there are shade trees to sit under!

I hope you’re also enjoying favorite outdoor summer activities!

Fun Pendants Using Motifs and 'Scrapbook' Supplies

2010-06-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

I’m fascinated with variegated and hand-dyed threads, and I like to test them out by making quick motifs – easy ones that I can tat while riding in the car.

I like to think of ways to use these little motifs, rather than stash them away

Mary McCarthy’s Butterfly (again!)
(pendant shown on black T-shirt)

This one in Lizbeth Vineyard Harvest, size 20

Mary’s butterfly appears to be floating ‘freely’ on this black T-shirt . . .

...but in reality it’s glued onto a velvet paper circle (made with a scalloped circle punch). The paper also gives it stablity.

I like to justify the purchases of these craft supplies, like the scalloped punch, that I just 'had' to have! :)

The hinged bail and snaps together through a small hole punched into the velvet paper. The bail easily fits over any necklace

This is a basic
ring-and-chain pattern
from Catherine Austin’s “A New Twist on Tatting” book, page 115 (first round of the doily)

Thread: Lizbeth Jellybean, size 20

The dark velvet paper shows to good effect the colorways of most variegated threads, so the motif is always is defined, no matter what color background fabric the pendant rests on.

As usual, I added some gems for ‘bling’. I’m looking forward to trying out smaller thread sizes so that I can make more detailed motifs, such as those in Patti Duff’s book. Adding beads would be fun, too.

Loving the Warmer Weather!

I’m not complaining about our hot weather, as I wait for it all year. The travel bug has ‘bit’, and we’ve already taken an overnight trip to Lake Erie – a delayed 46th anniversary celebration (from snowy January). Beautiful sunsets at dinner, and a wonderful room overlooking the Bay! Love to be by the water!

It’s much more pleasant to travel in warmer weather, with longer daylight hours, and a privilege to be able spontaneously to go during the week when a spectacular day is forecast! Retirement does have its perks.

We’re ‘almost’ done with the yardwork, but not quite. New mulch is on the agenda. The decluttering project continues, and there may be light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s always bittersweet to ‘look back’ over the years when we accumulated these things and realize how fast time has flown. I'm having a difficult time deciding what craft supplies to part with!

We had beautful weather here for the Memorial Day weekend, (Sat. and Sun.), and although we had heavy storms Monday evening (the official holiday), at least it held off until all the local parades and memorial services were completed.

Embellished 1990s Gift Boxes, and New Bookmark

2010-05-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Also:

- Update on the Lady’s Slipper Pattern
- Recap of two recent tatting events

Fabric Boxes from the 1990s

Boxes of this type would certainly make a nice Mother’s Day gift!

Back in the 1990s, during the early days of my tatting, I embellished these ready-made fabric boxes, which were available at craft stores.

Of course, as usually happens, the stores will only have these kinds of items for a few years, then they disappear.

In addition to the tatting and trims on top, I often added cording or other trims on the sides

Although I gave several of these away as gifts, I kept a few for myself, and use them for jewelry.

I was disappointed when these boxes were no longer available in the craft stores, at least in our area.

Bookmark with Mary McCarthy’s butterfly

I’ve always found it relaxing to tat Mary McCarthy’s butterfly, and I often tat it when riding in the car. I’ve slightly altered her pattern, and I’m enjoying now tatting it in variegated threads. I am also now making it front-side/back-side, as I like all the knots to face forward (especially in the size 20 thread) when only one side is visible, as in the bookmark below.

I like to put tatted motifs on bookmarks which I make with velvet paper mounted on card stock (in this case, metallic gold).

This is Lizbeth “Spring Garden”(size 20), which really ‘pops’ on a black background – similar to “Springtime”; (which has has blue in it).

The small butterfly was made from the thread that was leftover on the shuttle.

The curved line is a gold sticker.
I added adhesive gold half-beads in the centers of the butterflies.

I don’t mind using glue stick on my tatting, as it is easy to wash out later, if I wish to remove it.

When giving this kind of bookmark as a gift, it’s easy to write a note on the back of the cardstock. The sturdy plastic sleeve (barely seen in the photo) keeps the tatting protected, yet allows it to be easily removed to see the tatting clearly. I obtained this plastic sleeve at a specialty ‘stamp’ store in the area.

Packaging Hint: I have also discovered (in the candy section at the craft stores) some clear plastic ‘pretzel stick’ bags, which are a perfect size for protecting tatted bookmarks or displaying them for sale.

Update on Lady’s Slipper Pattern
I am slowly making progress on writing the pattern for the lady’s slipper (post of March 3). Various family and other events (including tatting-related ones) and normal chores are distracting me, plus the welcome arrival of some beautiful spring weather has beckoned me outdoors (there’s still a lot to do in the yard! .

I have started tatting a model of the slipper, and will photograph each ‘section’ as I go along. I’ve decided to use contrasting thread for each of the different ‘rounds’, so it will be clear (especially to me!) how it’s constructed.

I thought once I started tatting the slipper, a feeling of ‘familiarity’ with the pattern would come back to me; but in fact, I feel as if I’m tatting the pattern of some mysterious person, except I know that I’m the mysterious person! I wasn’t quite as thorough in my notations as I would have liked, so I’m muddling my way through, guessing at knot counts.

I’ve also had to learn a new drawing software, and it's taken me some time to get comfortable with it.

I appreciate your patience while I work this through!

Recent Festivals
Here is a recap of our group’s two recent tatting events – the Maple Festival and the ‘reopening’ of Old Economy.

Maple Festival (Brady’s Run, Beaver, PA)
The weather for the Maple Festival (Apr. 10-11) was excellent, and there were thousands of visitors, as usual. There is always interest in our tatting,
Many young children also accompany their parents, and they enjoy looking at my dollhouse with Victorian furnishings (to be shown in the future). Evelyn, Peg (Carol Lawecki’s mom), and I were kept busy demonstrating and talking about tatting both days. I admit that I’m quite exhausted after these weekend events! Did I mention that Evelyn is 82? !!! She has more energy than I do!

Old Economy Village Reopening
And the Old Economy event the following weekend (Apr. 17-18) was also very successful. It was well advertised, and many people came by who had never visited the historic site before. We were honored to be invited to demonstrate tatting at this reopening event You can read more about Old Economy at this site: http://www.oldeconomyvillage.org/

Silk Exhibit
This was the first time we were in a large room on the first floor of the huge two-story Feast Hall/Museum, and we happily shared the space with three gals who had an excellent exhibit / demonstration of the silk manufacturing process, for which Old Economy became famous. The manufacture and weaving of silk at O.E. was developed by Gertrude Rapp (1808-1889), the granddaughter of George Rapp (1757-1847), The story of silk manufacture at Old Economy is absolutely fascinating, and their high-quality silk was prized around the world.

It is hoped that Old Economy Village will continue to be a major attraction, with volunteers working hard to preserve it.

* * *

Mother’s Day (in the United States) is celebrated this Sunday, May 9.
I wish a ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ to those of you who
have raised and are raising children!
You are to be applauded and recognized for all that you do!

Easter - April 4, 2010

2010-04-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you who celebrate Easter are having a pleasant holiday weekend with family and friends.

Some Easter Tatting

I'm sure you recognize Mary Konior's cross pattern from her Visual Patterns book. I have often made this cross as a keepsake gift, and it always receives compliments. She was such a wonderful designer.

This is a cross I made several years ago, and stiffened (to hang in a window); however, I've decided to put it in a frame, so I’ve added a gold metal embellishment, plus a small crystal in the center. The diagonal gold 'ribbon' stickers add an interesting effect.

Now I have to find the right frame for it!

Below is my small 'Egg Tree" which is several years old. It is part of my demonstration display, and, of course, is a decoration for my home during the Easter holidays.

On the tree are several of my 3-D eggs (all the same design), which I created back in 1992.

The other eggs on the tree are pastel flocked eggs or metallic ones, with tatted motifs on them.

I'll go into more detail about the 3-D egg design in a future post.

Memories of Easter holidays in the '50s-'60s

Easter memories of my childhood always come flooding back to me at this time of year, and I recall how my friends and I were SO excited to get dressed up in our pretty new dresses and new shoes (usually white leather or black patent leather), plus, of course, the obligatory new hat and gloves - which we LOVED to wear back then!

We kept our Easter outfits on all day and 'paraded' around the neighborhood showing them off.

I always looked forward to getting my newest stuffed bunny rabbit or other animal. Believe it or not, I still have my big bunny (about 2' tall) from about 1953 (I was in pigtails at the time – 4th grade). Her name was ‘Carrots’ (as she was orange), and these days she’s a bit – well, ‘tattered’!!! Definitely not fit for a photo-op at present.

I also had a big teddy bear (sadly, long gone), named Christopher (for Christmas?), and I used to make clothes for Christopher and Carrots, which was considered a little strange by my friends! (I was way ahead of my time!) I kept the stuffed animals on my bed for a long time - through high school(!) and have a photo of them around here somewhere! Just remembered - there was also a floppy-eared dog named 'Cuddles'. Kind of embarrassing that I'm remembering all this, not to mention the fact that I continued to collect stuffed animals for a long time, even after I married! One of my prized possessions is "Larry Lion" (a gift from DH around 1968) who fared much better than Carrots, and still says his 11 phrases when you pull the cord under his chin. Wow, I'm really getting carried away!

As I recall those years in the 1950s, the weather always seemed to be warm on Easter (no matter the date between March and April), and flowers were always in bloom.

However on April 2, 1961 (I was a senior in H.S.), we actually had snow on Easter, and I was shocked! The year before, on April 2, 1960, I passed my driver's test (first time around!) and got my license at 16 years old - BIG DAY! It was 80 degrees that day, just as it was on April 2 this year - first time in a long time!

I simply can't believe I have been driving for 50 years!! (Yikes!) Little did I realize that a few months later in the summer of 1960 I would meet my DH-to-be at a local swimming pool (he was from another school and had graduated the year before. I was about to start my senior year (and it was a magical one!) Talk about being young, at 16 and 17!

Now here we are at 66 and 67, and we’ll be going to DH's 50th class reunion in September! We recall that when his parents went to THEIR 50th reunions, we thought they were SO old !!!!! (Can you tell I'm having trouble dealing with this?)
* * *

Two Beaver County, PA Events coming up:

- Maple Festival (Apr 10-11) AND (amazingly)
- Old Economy (Apr 17-18),
which has been re-opened (on a limited basis) by volunteers!
(More about this soon)

Three Cheers for the Irish!

2010-03-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Plus - the Ides of March and thoughts of - Hawaii ?

It's that time of year for me to honor my Irish ancestors - the Flanagans on my maternal grandmother's side – as well as my English/Irish ancestors on my maternal grandfather’s side, who lived in Ireland.

When I was growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, my Irish aunts, uncles and cousins all lived in New England - 600 miles away - so I missed out on 'family' St. Patrick’s celebrations. They LOVED to sing all the Irish songs! Although my mother missed living near her family, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has a large Irish population and it has one of the biggest St. Patrick's Day parades, so she felt ‘at home’ here also! My husband and I were in the parade a couple of times back in the '80s in our GTO convertible.

Hearts to Shamrocks - Motif #15 (Second Round)

It was fun to learn in elementary school art class that three green heart shapes can form a shamrock!

Here is a representation of a shamrock, which I recently made using three heart motifs (by Monica Hahn) and a ‘stem’ which I added.

These tatted hearts have almost a Celtic look to them!

In the future I'd like to join the hearts and stem at the appropriate places to make a one-piece motif.

The 'heart' pattern is actually a section of a 'Grapevine' edging from page 31 of Monica Hahn's popular book , "Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns."

In looking over this book again, I was amazed how many items I've made from it.

Below is how I’m showcasing the Shamrock – in a ceramic Celtic frame, which matches my newly purchased Irish cup and saucer!

The motifs are lightly attached
(with glue stick) to velvet
paper.

(Glue-stick adhesive can easily be washed out of the tatting.)

I’ve added gold stickers in the corners for an extra effect

Although I'm not a big tea drinker, I'll have some green tea on Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day!

The popular "Shamrock" plant (called oxalis regnelli) in the background (difficult to see here), with the straight-sided leaves and sweet white flowers , is actually not native to Ireland at all, but to South America!

I'm not known for my 'green thumb', so I'm pleased that this plant has survived for the last three years. I bring it inside during the winter months, and it continues to bloom. It always folds up its leaves overnight!

The 'real' Irish shamrock plant is actually similar to the clover that grows in our yards here in America. I spent many hours of my youth hunting for the elusive 'four-leaf clover' - the symbol of good luck!

March 15 - Ides of March (meaning middle of the month)
Speaking of luck, today happens to be the “Ides of March”, which wasn’t a lucky day for Julius Ceasar in 44 B.C., but WAS a lucky day for me in 1971 A.D. I was 27 years old, and after being in the work force since 1962, it was my first day on my new exciting job at a major corporation, where I was hired as a private secretary to a patent attorney, who happened to be - Irish! He was a great boss with a wonderful sense of humor, and I felt lucky indeed to work for him for the next 14 years.

To celebrate my 10th anniversary at the company in 1981, my boss and his lovely wife took my husband and me to dinner, which was so nice of them!

Then as icing on the cake, DH and I boarded a plane the next day for our first trip to – Hawaii (!) where to my surprise and great delight on the 17th, we were amazed to see a rather large St. Patrick’s Day parade! There we were, under palm trees and in the vicinity of fabulous Diamond Head volcano, hearing - Irish music!

Our luck continued the next year, as we had the opportunity to return to Hawaii on a charter flight, at a very nice price!
Wonderful memories of those two trips!
We've been to Oahu and Maui.

As a reminder of those lovely Hawiian trips, I have an hibiscus plant, which keeps my shamrock plant company in the dining room during the winter months!

It rewards me with beautiful red blooms, which seem to pop out unexpectedly! This photo was taken between one of those goofy snowstorms in February this year!

One little side note:

On our return to work from that first Hawaiian trip in 1981, I was greeted with the news that the company was going to make a major investment in some 'new equipment', which turned out to be monitors (called CRTs), keyboards, and ink-jet printers the size of washing machines)!

I was among the first secretaries in Pittsburgh to use this ‘futuristic’ Word Processing equipment! Little did I realize that it would lead to the end of the secretarial profession as I knew it (which at that time included lots of shorthand and typing).

Of course, it did lead to the internet and something called ‘blogging’, which I never could have imagined back then!

Wishing you a 'little bit o' luck' and an enjoyable St. Patrick's Day 2010 !

Victorian Lady's Slipper - Pattern in the works

2010-03-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

I have a Computer question (below) about the Antique Pattern Library.
Also: Upcoming Maple Festival

Victorian Lady's Slipper - and Parasol

Recently I received some requests for the pattern for the Lady's Slipper shown at the top of my blog, and I'm certainly flattered by the interest! I've also had inquiries about the parasol shown with my handkerchief doll last May.

(Motifs #13 and #14 – Second Round)

The slipper and parasol make a nice 'set' hanging on my Victorian tree

These are both now at least 17 years old!

The slipper was the last of the 3-D items I created between 1991 and 1993. I also made 3-D bells, an egg, a ball ornament, birdcage, and heart.

I’ve always wanted to publish the slipper pattern, but every time I got out the draft notes and drawings I made back in 1993, I promptly put them back because I didn't have the patience to re-do them.

And, until I started my blog, I had no reason to re-draw the pattern. However, it is now time to get the pattern into readable form so I can finally share it.

I’d be delighted to know that it is being tatted and enjoyed by others out there in Tatland!

The 3-D aspect involves different views, and I also have to re-interpret my 'side' notes. Of course, I’ll also tat a new model.

The slipper isn't difficult to tat - it's a matter of paying attention to the joins, although it gets a little tricky under the arch and heel. It measures 3-1/2 inches long, 2-1/2” high. and 1-1/4” wide.

I don't want to set a deadline, but I'm hoping I can accomplish this by April or May. And because I know I will be putting in some time on it, I hope you’ll understand that I’ll want to charge a small amount for the pattern.

I'll also include my parasol pattern, which is easy to tat, but the finishing work is a little 'fussy', so I'll give tips on how to do that.

Vicary House last August (2009)

This is one corner of the lovely parlor room at Vicary House. This large room is furnished in Victorian style, which is perfect for my Victorian-themed tree and tree skirt.

I’ll feature more about the Vicary House in future posts.

I have many photos and stories of our demonstration experiences to share. I’ve seriously thought about opening another blog, so I can go into more detail about our tatting demo adventures, for those who are interested. I feel privileged to have been a member of the Beaver County Tatters since 1990. (I promise to share the whole story of this group in the future!) Evelyn, Peg (Carol Lawecki’s mom) and I are presently the ‘core’ of the group, and we are often joined by a newer member, Pam, and also Carol Lawecki on some occasions!

Upcoming Maple Festival (April 10-11 this year)
We now have only one outdoor event each year, the Maple Festival at Brady’s Run (Beaver, PA), where thousands of visitors come to have “all-you-can-eat” pancakes and sausage. We are in an enclosed pavilion, which we share with other crafters, including bobbin lacers and quilters.

It’s a rustic setting, so I wear what I call my ‘prairie outfit’ with a fringed black suede jacket and long black skirt with a gathered ruffle at the bottom (also boots and a black felt bolero hat) My ‘folk art’ quilted vest has tatting on it, of course! Wearing costumes is so much fun for me!

The weather in April is always ‘interesting’, and has ranged from 80 degrees to freezing with snow! There was one memorable occasion where everyone had to evacuate the park when the ‘babbling brook’ (after a heavy rain) started to rise over the vehicle bridge and pedestrian bridge road surfaces! Then there was the time when many cars (including mine) got stuck in the mud in the parking area. However, we’ve also had many weekends of perfect weather, and it’s a marvelous family event.

Fortunately, I've kept a diary of all our events, because after 20 years they all kind of blend together! I can’t believe how quickly time has passed, and I’ve gone from 46 to 66, seemingly ‘overnight’!!!

Antique Pattern Library - Problem with Adobe Reader
I was a little frustrated recently to discover that I couldn’t open PDF files in the Antique Pattern Library http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/completelist.htm

Apparently the Library was updated recently (Feb 2010) and I guess they did something to change access to the files. I have Adobe 7 and 8 in my computer and laptop, respectively, and never had problems before, but now neither one opens the files.

It seems that I need Adobe 9. What I'm concerned about is that there are ‘warnings’ on the internet about adding the ‘9’ upgrade (even though it’s free). And some 'forums' state you should use some ‘other’ software that doesn’t take up so much ‘space’ as Adobe. I just wanted to check with those of you who are more familiar with these ‘computer’ things than I am. Thanks!!!

Hearts - New and Old

2010-02-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

Motifs #8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 - Second Round

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m posting FIVE different heart patterns. One is newly tatted, and the other four were made in the 1990s.

Motif #8 - Second Round

Lyn Mortons “Hearts and Flowers”

I was recently searching for books written by Mary Konior, and I came across Lyn Morton’s “Tatting and Designs” website, which has this free pattern in it. It is also in her “Tatting Patterns” book from 1993.

This is 3” in diameter,

DMC perle cotton, size 8, #498

Lyn’s pattern can be found at http://www.tatting.co.uk/pattern.htm

* * *

The next hearts are from my early days of tatting in the 1990s.

Motif #9 - Second Round

Gold Heart (now in Paper Weight)

Designer: Kim Goetz
Victorian Hearts & Flowers
magazine (Better Homes and Gardens – 1995)

Size 12 DMC perle cotton

Next are pins I wear on my costumes. They are called “Strawberries” in the Workbasket magazine, but they make a nice ‘heart’ shape, too

Motif #10a - Second Round
Coral pin

Designer: Cindy Polfer
Workbasket, June-July 1995, Labeled as “Tatted Strawberry

Motif #10b - Second Round
Burgundy Pin

Each pin is about 2” x 2”
and is made with
perle cotton, size 8

The next two motifs are on my ‘crazy quilt’ Victorian Christmas stocking (shown on my Dec. 24, 2008 post). I finally found the sources of these two patterns.

Motif #11 - Second Round
‘Large Heart’

Designer: Kim Goetz
Victorian Hearts and Flowers magazine
(Better Homes and Gardens - 1995)

Related to gold heart above,

from the same magazine

Possibly size 30 thread

Motif #12 - Second round
‘Quilt Show’ Heart (designer?)

I finally found the ‘source’ of this pattern, but not the designer (see below)

Tatted with size 50 thread

There is supposed to be one more ring on the outer round, left side, to match the one on the right side.

The above motif is an example of a heart shape made from three motifs which form a triangle, then an outer round that connects them together.

1994 Quilt Show - Inspiration for Motif #12

When I posted my Victorian Christmas stocking a whole year ago, I could not remember where I saw this pattern. Then it dawned on me that I saw it on a quilt at a Quilt Show around 1994 (can’t believe that’s 16 years ago!).

I also recalled that I made an attempt to ‘copy’ the heart from a somewhat blurry photo I took of the quilt square. I finally found that photo AND one of the entire quilt, plus some other squares. Those photos reminded me that the quilt had a LOT of tatting on it, which amazed me! The quilt (mostly appliqued motifs) had 49 squares, all different, and most of the squares had tatting in them!

Yet the card that accompanied the quilt made no mention of the tatting or the tatter! Unfortunately, the quilter was not at the show that day, so I couldn’t ask her about it. If she also did the tatting, she did an excellent job, as it has free-form tatting as well as delicate edgings and tatted motifs, done in fine thread. Just sewing all that tatting on would have been a big task.

I very much regret that I did not make an attempt to contact her, especially if she was a local gal. Today I would have made the effort!

* * *

The Winter Olympics has started in Vancouver, Canada, and it’s ironic that they are having an unusually mild winter and desperately need snow! (I’d be happy to send them ours!!)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY !!

SNOWED IN !! Working on Sherry's Treble Clef

2010-02-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh wasn’t so lucky this time in avoiding the Feb 5-6 storm that pounded the mid-Atlantic states, and we’re not out of the woods yet, as more snow started falling again yesterday and today (Feb. 9-10). Because we’re retired we no longer have to struggle to get out to go to work, and we’re very thankful we haven’t lost power. We also share a plowing service with the neighbors to keep our driveways clear, and that has been a major blessing. There’s a photo at the end of this post which shows the depth of the snow last weekend.

I tried to keep my mind off the snowstorm on Saturday by working on Sherry’s excellent Treble Clef pattern on her Feb. 1 post at http://ladyshuttlemaker.blogspot.com

Motif #7 – Second Round
Sherry’s Treble Clef

It took several attempts to work out the “folded ring”, which kind of forms the letter “D”. The idea is to get 5 knots in the ring to ‘fold over’ and to face the same direction as the outer edge of the ring

This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a ‘folded’ ring!

I’m VERY pleased with the way the heavier gold thread worked out - DMC’s size 5, which comes in a skein.

The clef (2” high) fits nicely into this little 4” x 3” frame from the dollar store.

These frames come in a 4-pack usually found with wedding items (in the larger stores).

This a VERY clever pattern, and my hat is off to Sherry for coming up with it! It almost looks as if it’s made with a continuous chain; but instead it’s constructed with rings and chains going in different directions than you would expect, without weaving over and under. Amazing

Here is the small table it will sit on, next to my piano. PERFECT

Thanks so much, Sherry!

* * * * *

SNOW PIC - Feb 6, 2010

This is a table on our balcony after the snow finally stopped on the 6th. Total was about 21", although this looks deeper for some reason.

We keep pushing the snow off the balcony onto the back yard, and we have no idea when THAT snow will melt!

Happy New Year (Belated!) from the Victorian Snow Ladies - and Me!!

2010-01-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

Victorian Snow Ladies -
Motif #6 (Second Round)

Here is my rendition of two “Victorian snow ladies”, copying an idea from Linda at
http://quayceetatter.blogspot.com/

As soon as I saw Linda’s cute snow people on her December 6 post, I knew I was going to make them, adding floppy Victorian hats, similar to her “Red Hat Mrs. Clause” (post of Dec. 3), which I still chuckle over when I look at her! THANKS SO MUCH, LINDA!

I somewhat followed the pattern in Rebecca Jones’ book, but kept it simple by just doing two circles (body and head) and joining only four picots to connect them.

At first I made a smaller head (the “pink” lady), with 10 rings and chains, but for the red one, I made the head a little larger (12 rings and chains – same as the first round of the body) Makes it easier to add eyes and nose!

I attached silk ribbon roses at the neck and even added pearls! I used Lizbeth size 20 thread, and stiffened them using Aleene’s fabric stiffener. I used tiny rhinestones for the eyes and nose.

I gave these ornaments to my sweet nieces (21 and 18) for Christmas, who are attending the same University here in the area ( both studying pharmacy ). They always appreciate my handmade gifts, and have quite a collection of items – mostly knitted things to wear, like caps or socks, plus different ornaments of all kinds. Seems like yesterday they were in elementary school!

The ‘snow ladies’ might like this cold snowy weather, but I’m looking forward to temperatures finally getting above freezing this weekend!

* * *

Computer Note: I was without the internet for almost a week(!) due to a router problem. starting New Year’s Eve! I felt totally ‘disconnected’ from the world, and was not a happy camper. It’s taken me awhile to get caught up on all the blogs and e-mails! It proved to me what I already knew - that I am totally addicted to the internet and can’t function without it!

'Angels We Have Heard on High' - plus Sharon's Merry Christmas Snowflake

2009-12-24T10:50:00.001-08:00

On this Christmas Eve 2009, I am wishing everyone a wonderful holiday!

Below are some angels I made back in the early 1990’s.

Also below is my latest tatted piece – Sharon Briggs’ newly designed Merry Christmas Snowflake! (I'll count it as Motif #5 - Second Round.)

Straw Angel with Tatted Wings

This stand-alone centerpiece angel (9” high) is part of my traveling Christmas display

Straw angel forms were prevalent in the craft stores in the early ‘90s. I removed the straw wings and gave her tatted wings, which are two fans .

Unfortunately, I still can’t find the designer of the fan. It’s the same pattern I used for my 3-D heart, Feb.14 post. Possibly it’s Mary McCarthy's.

I also added maribou around the bottom of her skirt, which gives an added effect.

I used size 30 ecru thread, and stiffened the wings with Alene’s fabric stiffener

My Christmas card from 1993

This is my Christmas card from 1993, on which I received many compliments.

The ‘model’ is a flat 4” straw angel, with the same fan (only one was needed).

I added the gold ribbon and flower, and some small gold beads around her head. I also used gold glitter on her wings, so that she sparkles on the tree!

The photo was taken with a 35 mm camera, with a macro lens borrowed from my brother-in-law. It was a very sophisticated piece of equipment back then! I mounted the photo onto a gold sheet, giving the effect of a gold border , and then attached it to white card stock.

The back view of the angel (taken recently with my digital camera) shows the fan design.

I used a glue-gun (sparingly) to securely anchor the ‘wings’ to the body (under the ‘pony tail.)

Back when I had more energy and ambition, I not only made my cards (about 60) but addressed them in calligraphy. I no longer am that crazy! However, many of you actually send tatted snowflakes with your cards. Amazing!

Speaking of snowflakes . . .

Here is Sharon Briggs’ beautiful Merry Christmas showflake (2009).

(My Motif #5 - Second Round)

I think this is a sweet design – so elegant – and yet SO easy to tat. Sharon’s diagram is excellent. I finished tatting it within an hour.

I used only one shuttle and therefore didn’t do the split rings; but it worked fine for me. She gives you the option.

I used white Lizbeth thread, size 20. It doesn't even need to be stiffened!

And as you can see, I added a turquoise rhinestone in the middle (both sides). I love bling!

Sharon works overtime to bring us wonderful designs and tatting ideas, not to mention her tireless work on updating the 25-Motif Challenge Thanks so much, Sharon, for all that you do!

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there!” (The Night Before Christmas – C. Moore)

Collar from 1991 - Motif #4 (Second Round) - Plus Upcoming Christmas Festivals

2009-12-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

Sad News about Old Economy (see below)

Motif #4 (Second Round)

This collar was designed by Gloria Crowther from her book “Gloria’s Tatting”. It’s my widest piece of tatting, and is 23 inches longI remember as a ‘new’ tatter in 1991 that it seemed like an endless task to finish it. I kept holding my breath that I didn’t miss any picot connections. I also had to be careful when adding new thread on the shuttle.

However, It’s obvious that I never blocked it.

I believe it’s size 30 thread, although it could be size 50?. I’m amazed how I never wrote these details down anywhere, and I can’t always tell by looking at the item!

Various uses for the collar

I first wore the collar on a turquoise blouse for the christening of my niece back in 1991, and she is now 18!

Then over the years I’ve attached it to various costumes, or just displayed it on a table. One of my favorite costumes is shown below, and you’ll notice I attached the lace ‘collar’ to the fashionable ‘dropped’ waistband of the gown (front only) The Victorian pin on the gown was given to me several years ago by the very niece mentioned above! How sweet was that?

This beautiful gown was expertly hand made by some loving hands – possibly back in the 1980’s. I purchased it at a consignment shop around 2002, and I can only guess that it was made either for a stage production or for a bridesmaid – lucky girl – for a fall or winter wedding. – taffeta skirt and velvet top!

The gown is a timeless design, harkening back to the Victorian era, and I think it could very well garner ‘oohs and aahs’ today for a wedding, even though the strapless look is in fashion.

I’ve worn it a few times to our Christmas festivals, at both Vicary House and Old Economy, but this year I’ll be wearing another one of my favorite outfits, which I plan to show in my next post. It has lots of ‘sparkle’, as did many Edwardian evening dresses.

Two Christmas Festivals on Same Day
News Flash: Last festival for Old Economy?

Our tatting group has to be ‘divided up’ this year in order to attend two festivals, which, unfortunately, are scheduled on the same day (Saturday, Dec. 5). I will be attending the festival at Vicary Mansion in Freedom, PA, and Evelyn and Peg (Carol Lawecki’s mom) will attend the one at Old Economy in Ambridge.

The shocking local news story here is that the Old Economy historic village (circa 1824-1905) will be officially shut down beginning Jan. 2010 ! Incredibly, funding for the large site (17 historic buildings!) has been cut off by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It’s certainly too complicated for me to go into here. Many other historic sites in the State have also been closed due to lack of funding.

Old Economy has been one of our main venues for demonstrating tatted lace. I’m not sure exactly when our group started there (sometime in the 1980’s?), as I didn’t join until October 1990 for their Fall festival. In future posts I intend to go into my complete tatting history (I know, I’ve been saying that forever!) and Old Economy was definitely a major site for us, as they always had several events during the year (spring, summer, fall, and Christmas). In the past few years, however, they’ve cut back on their events, although it was always open to the public as a museum and tour group destination. The last few years, even their Christmas event was cut back to just one day, rather than two days.

Rumors had been floating around about the complete closure of the site, but no one believed that would really happen – however, the official announcement was made on November 17. So we’ll have to see how this will all play out. It has sent a shock-wave through the community, and I’m sure there will be a campaign to rescue it.

My stint at Vicary Mansion will kick off the Holidays for me, and helps to get me in the mood for the season . Even though the weather indicates cold temperatures, snow doesn't seem to be on the horizon, which is good! Only the hale and hearty will venture out in snow!

In my next post I will share my story about visiting Elizabeth Zipay again at one of her shows in November!

Jazzy Slippers, Front-Side Tatting - and Visiting Replicas of the Nina and Pinta!

2009-11-13T18:36:00.000-08:00

Jazzing up my slippers with Valdani Thread, Size 12
.
I was watching TV one evening, with my feet up on the hassock, and I noticed that my comfy slippers needed some pizzazz!

Of course, I immediately thought of the 1872 edging that I’ve been ‘obsessed’ with lately

I also remembered the Valdani thread I purchased recently at a cozy cross-stitch shop in our area.

Sadly, many cross-stitch shops have disappeared around here, so I’m happy this one is still in business.

Although I don’t do that much cross-stitching anymore, I do like to see what threads are in the shop apropos for tatting, and I found some Valdani. Somehow I’ve lost the label (can’t imagine how!), but I know it’s size 12, as I have another ball in another color. I see this thread is made in Romania.

I’m very pleased that the tatting looks quite natural on my slippers. I like the way it blends with the ribbon’s design that was on there. And yes, I did finish the second slipper!

1872 Edging in Valdani Thread

Here’s the thread and the colorway.

I was so accustomed to the ease of working with Lizbeth thread that when I first started working with Valdani, it seemed ‘difficult’ to close rings, and to retro-tat. But then I relaxed my tension and it worked just fine, although I do try to avoid making mistakes, especially on rings!

It does have a nice, soft feel to it. However, it must be carefully ‘picked out’ to avoid fraying.

I’ve almost completed the Lizbeth Caribbean edging shown on in a recent post, and will unveil it soon, on a long-sleeve black jersey pullover.

Speaking of ‘Caribbean’ (notice the segue), here are two ships that plied the Caribbean sea back in 1492!

Replicas of Nina and Pinta visit Pittsburgh, PA

One of the joys of being retired is being able to visit attractions in the area on an off-day when parking is easy and lines are short!

These two replicas http://thenina.com/ are on tour around the world, and they happen to be in Pittsburgh from Nov. 7-15.

This was a really fun day for us! For the first time ever, we were able to take a walking tour of the revitalized North Shore of Pittsburgh, which has seen major changes during the past 20 years.

The replica ships are floating on the Allegheny River, but are very near the Ohio River, which is formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, called “The Point” – the site of Ft. Pitt back in 1758..

In the vicinity are two major stadiums: Heinz Field, where the Super Bowl Steelers (and Pitt Panthers) play; and PNC Park (magnificent modern ball field of the Pirates). The recent Stanley Cup winners - the Penguins - play in an arena in the City itself, near the buildings in the distance. (I had to throw that in! Sports is BIG in Pittsburgh!) The yellow bridge is the Ft. Duquesne Bridge.

The Carnegie Science Center is also nearby, plus several new restaurants and office buildings. There are new bicycle and walking trails and beautiful landscaping along the river. We worked downtown for 25 years (1962-1987) and saw a lot of changes during that time; but it’s amazing to see how many more changes have taken place since then!

There are lots of memories for us in the City. In fact, my husband learned to fly a seaplane near this spot in the late '60s. Sadly, the seaplane base was damaged in the floods caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972, and it is just a memory. He did obtain a land rating, but he missed the fun of landing on the rivers! The heritage of the city, however, will always be steel, even though most of the mills have shut down

Thoughts on Front-side Tatting
I'll end this post with thoughts about front-side tatting. I admit that I would have found the ‘front-side’ tatting concept difficult to have learned as a beginner. I had enough trouble as a new tatter (and even today!) remembering which direction I was heading on certain patterns, let alone the sequence of the stitches. And I wasn’t even aware until recently that there was such a concept as ‘down’ joins (another subject!) Tatting all looked fine to me, and I wasn't aware of a front or back side.

However, with the enlargements of photos on blogs, I can see how attractive tatting can look with all the knots facing forward.

One of the reasons I’ve been concentrating on the above 1872 pattern is to practice ‘right-side’ tatting on an easy ring-and-chain pattern, but which has enough variety to keep it interesting. I now can comfortably tat this pattern while riding in the car - not that I haven’t made mistakes! Occasionally, I forget to start the chain with the 2nd stitch (out of habit), but it’s becoming much more 'natural' now for me to reverse the stitch sequence (2nd stitch first) on chains.

Rings-only patterns, such as Hens and Chicks, are a little trickier, as you have to remember which ring is facing the 'front' side. And it's not easy for me to remember to start a ring using the 2nd stitch first.

Right-side tatting IS an admirable goal, and I will work toward trying to achieve it whenever I feel the pattern isn't too complicated.

Hope you all have a good weekend! I'm glad Thanksgiving is still two weeks away (here in the U.S.) I can't believe it's November already.

Halloween 2009 - plus Four Tatters at Car Cruise !

2009-10-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

Could there be chocolate goodies inside this small jack o’ lantern (only 3” high) ? :-)

The tatted lace is a basic cloverleaf pattern, in size 30 thread.

In our area, the 'Trick or Treat' night was Thursday, the 29th, which is a good thing because today’s weather isn’t as nice as it was then!

POSSIBLE WORLD RECORD: FOUR TATTERS AT CAR CRUISE !
As I mentioned in my previous post, my husband and I attended a car cruise (Oct. 4) in our GTO, about an hour and a half away, at Kiski Area High School, which is attended by Carol Lawecki’s son and daughter. Her daughter (a senior) plays flute in the Band, which consistently wins competitions, and recently won 1st place at a recent interstate competition! I’m sure many of you are aware of Carol’s wonderful tatting and her blog ( http://caroltats.blogspot.com/ )

L-R: Carol, her mom Peg, and me, standing by the GTO.

I met Peg 20 years ago. She was already a member of the Beaver County tatting group when I joined in 1990. Then I met Carol, who attends some of our events. Carol also started tatting in 1989, the same year I did, and, of course, was taught by her mom!

It’s so neat that Peg and Carol, as mother and daughter, share a love of tatting !

You might say the weather was a little ‘blustery’ that day! I’m wearing several layers of clothing, with my “GTO” jacket over top (described in my Sept. 17 post). Carol needed the hood she had on her jacket, and Peg was wearing earmuffs, which I wanted to borrow! We were fortunate, however, that it didn’t rain, even though it looked threatening at times, and it did warm up a little in the afternoon!

Car Quiz: Can you guess what is on the stand next to the
car in the above photo? See answer below !

And here I am with Carol’s friend, Rayanna, and we are actually tatting – and chatting!

Rayanna is quite the Elvis fan, although she’s young! I love to talk about the 1950s, so we had fun discussing Elvis!

Carol taught Rayanna to tat not too long ago, and she is already doing split rings with size 80 thread! She finished a cute horse-shoe pattern, and I wish I had taken a photo of it. I didn’t get very far on my ‘Caribbean’ edging because I was talking too much. (Does that come as a surprise? !!!)

Rayanna and her husband also had a vehicle there, but she came over to sit with me!
Peg also sat with us, and we got to discuss our next December tatting event.

Carol’s Portable Tatting ‘Showcase’
Carol had to help out at one of the booths, so she couldn’t sit and tat. However, she did have a chance to show me her big notebook filled with samples of her wonderful tatted pieces, which is a good way to keep finished items safe and visible. Many are clever Jane Eborall designs. As you all know, Jane’s patterns of animals and sea creatures are very unique, and Carol executes them perfectly!

Also among Carol’s notebook of samples was her fabulous rendition of Pam Palmer’s famous elephant, adding her own colors! I can’t tell you how breathtaking it is to see in person, and it fills the entire 8-1/2 x 11 notebook sheet. You can see this fabulous elephant on her blog under http://caroltats.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html If you click on the photo at that post, you can see in detail all the sparkly things she added to it! It’s a masterpiece!

Kiski Area Band - Fifth Annual Car Cruise (2009)

An overview of just a portion of the car cruise, which is a fund-raiser for the Band.

Over 500 cars were there !

Kiski’s beautiful school campus is situated among the rolling hills of Pennsylvania

Here are the things we display with our GTO: tigers and goats on the roof (both symbols associated with Pontiac and GTO), and a vintage food tray, plus, the other item, which is the answer to the car quiz, below.

ANSWER TO CAR QUIZ: Drive-in-movie speakers! These speakers actually work, in that music can be played through them from the base below (and also are remote-controlled). Our cousin took the speaker-and-stand display that we had purchased awhile ago and turned it into a ‘working model’, by inserting a car radio/CD player in the base of the pole. (He also designed the base for this purpose.) It gets its power from our car battery during the shows, and it can be dismantled easily for transporting. Very clever, indeed, and it gets a lot of attention

I’m wondering how many of you out there remember these speakers at the drive-in movies! Do you recall how static-y they were – that is, if they even worked at all. There still are drive-in theaters around, and these days you just use your car radio, tuned into a certain frequency.

MEMORIES, MEMORIES !!!

My Latest 3-D Bell Design - Motif #3 (Round 2)

2009-10-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Motif #3 (Round 2)

3-D Bell (2009) - With 1872 Edging

This is the ‘project in white thread’ I mentioned in my recent Sept 17 post where I featured the antique 1872 edging in Lizbeth Caribbean (see Motif #1, 2nd round)

I knew the edging would be perfect (with a modification) for the ‘lip’ of a bell.

Then I had to design the rest of the bell, and I’ve worked on it for the past several weeks I’m very pleased with the results!

The bell measures 3-1/2” high, without the decoration, and 5” with the ribbon / bow.

Photo of the bell in this special hanger, which I believe would look quite nice as a topper on a wedding cake! The hanger is 9” high. I can’t quite remember where I got it, though!

For more details about the tatting, see below.

I’m very happy about this bell, as it’s the first one I’ve created in 10 years! I use the term ‘create’ because the 'edges' I’ve used on the bells have been published patterns (usually vintage). My ‘creation’ is that of filling in the other areas with ring and chain combinations. The trick, of course, is to determine the sizes of the rings and chains, and to set up picot connections.

Here is the bell in its original state (not stiffened) with some fabric inside to better show the design.

I used #20 Cebelia, which I admit felt a little ‘rough’ after working with Lizbeth. Because it was going to be stiffened, I didn’t want to use my Lizbeth white thread; but then again, I’m not sure the ‘gauge’ would be the same.

I made a modification to the antique edge pattern, as I did not connect the small rings at the base of each ‘clover.

There are seven repeats of the edge pattern, and the rest of the bell is made to fit that number of repeats.
.
There are inconsistencies in this model, as I was trying various knot counts as I went along. Happily, I only had to re-do one section that wasn’t working out. Now I’ll have to tat another bell to test the pattern. (I sketched it out after the bell was completed. ) I also can see a 3-D egg shape forming here, so I hope to experiment with that idea, also!

Thanks to the 25-Motif Challenge, I’ve become motivated to more actively tat, and to think about making new things!

Experimenting with Lizbeth thread led to the search for an edging for a T-shirt., which then sparked this idea for the bell.

I’ll eventually show all my bells in my blog. However, I don’t have the ‘models’ for some of them - only photos – because I gave them as gifts. I did make sure to sketch out the patterns, but never remade them.

And even though I love the new color threads, I will always admire the classic white and ecru, as I have a particular fondness for Victorian items and vintage tatting. I especially enjoy decorating the items in 'Victorian' style – which represents a challenge in itself. Making bows and attaching them involves some patience! I usually add a crystal ‘ball’ clapper on a metal chain, but I didn’t want to take the time to do that before posting. That involves wire cutters and pliers!

Before ‘signing off’ I want to mention the following:

First – I was a happy winner recently of Sherry’s “Mondo Monday” Giveaways! http://ladyshuttlemaker.blogspot.com/ I’m sure many of you are aware of Sherry’s generous nature and her creative spirit! I was DELIGHTED to receive one skein each of her hand-dyed threads Treebeard #20, and Rio, #80 !!! I have several ideas in mind, and can’t wait to tat with these gorgeous threads! (BTW, I just noticed the Bead Spinner for this week’s giveaway (Part V). I have one and they are REALLY COOL!) Check it out!!

Second – I had the great pleasure of being with Carol Lawecki ( http://caroltats.blogspot.com/ ) , her Mom (from our Beaver County Tatters group) and Carol’s good friend, Rayanna (a new tatter, taught by Carol), at a recent CAR CRUISE at Carol’s local high school which her children attend. This was their 5th annual cruise, and it’s a fund raiser for the high school band – a great idea! They get a huge number of cars (over 700!) , and we were delighted to go there in our GTO for the first time (about 1-1/2 hours away). I’ll be sharing some photos and more of the story in my next post!

I can’t believe it’s October already! The beautiful, bright colored leaves are helping to ease the realization that winter is not far behind. We at least haven’t had snow yet in our area, although temps are definitely below normal! Hoping to still have a touch of Indian summer!

T-Shirt: Neckline Edging and Butterfly

2009-09-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

I finished this T-shirt project before I started Motif #1 and had planned to add this whole section to my post yesterday, but I had some blog problems, so I saved it for today.

Motif #2 (Round 2)
Edging and Butterfly in Lizbeth 'Springtime'

These colors definitely ‘pop’ on a dark background!

After I finished the edging, I sewed down some pieces of tatting to form a ‘butterfly’ – then attached a butterfly pin in the middle.

I wanted a quick project that I could work on at car cruises, and also was curious to see how the Springtime thread (#115) would evolve color-wise, so I used a very easy “edging” pattern. I’m happy with the way it turned out, and I discovered I have a jacket that has these colors in it!

More about Lizbeth Threads – Plus a Question
You may recall that back in April I was very surprised and pleased to find Lizbeth thread at a ‘nearby’ Hobby Lobby store in Boardman, Ohio (an hour away). I went back in August to purchase more colors to add to the three I already had.

To my delight, not only did they have more colors (they now have about 20), but I lucked out by catching the last day of a sale! So, of course, I had to buy 10 more colors!

I’m amazed that Handy Hands now offers Lizbeth in 76 colors in both size 20 and 40! I can’t imagine owning all 76 (152) – or what I would do with them, although I’m delighted they’re out there.

I find I now have to keep track of my Lizbeth ‘stash’ on a chart, much as I used to do with my cross-stitch threads. I’ve never had that ‘problem’ before with tatting threads, since for so many years there weren’t that many colors to choose from. This is a great age we tatters are living in!

Question about Lizbeth names and numbers: For my own convenience, I added a small label (using one of those label machines) to each ball, showing the name of the thread, because the name isn’t on the ball itself, just on the plastic bag it comes in..

What puzzles me, however, is that the Handy Hands chart on their website lists the names of the threads but not the numbers, although they indicate the number(s) that each thread coordinates with!

How do you know what the coordinating colors are if there are no numbers for any of the colors on the chart? Am I missing something? . Maybe there’s another list somewhere?

UPDATE: Laurette (www.knotty-things.blogspot.com/) kindly sent a comment and explained how to read the Lizbeth chart! I had totally ignored the ‘price’ side of the chart where the number of the thread is right next to the size, as in “20-102”! At first the numbers are visible, but later you have to click on the ‘down’ button to see them. But at least I now understand it ! Thanks, Laurette!

* * *

I guess this weekend marks the official end of summer. :-( We’ve been having great weather these last few weeks, and I hope it will continue for awhile.

Second Round of 25-Motif Challenge

2009-09-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Some Recent Tatting using Lizbeth Thread

I took a little “hiatus” from blogging to enjoy some of the spectacular weather we had during August and the beginning of September, although I always check the tatting blogs to keep up with everyone’s projects. I’m constantly amazed at the creativity out there!

Motif # 1 (Round 2)
Antique Pattern circa 1872 - in Lizbeth ‘Caribbean’

I couldn’t wait to try out Lizbeth’s Carribbean thread (#122).

This is one of my first ‘successful’ attempts at front-side, back-side tatting, although I didn’t start doing that until the fourth motif from the right. From then on, the rings are done ‘normally’ and the chains are done with the 2nd stitch first. I'm beginning to feel more confident about it and do appreciate seeing all the knots facing the same way.

I looked through my internet patterns and found this classic ‘shuttle-and-ball’ edging which is nice and deep, but has easy rings and chains. Here’s my progress so far.

The pattern was posted by Etha Schuette in October 2000, and she copied it from Godey’s Lady’s Book, Vol. 84, p. 278, 1872.

Etha is also known as “Maus”. She had a website called ‘Tatting Treasures’, which seems no longer to be available (at least I can’t find it). Etha attached this edging (in variegated blue and white for the chains, and white for the rings) to a small fabric-covered box for storing her shuttles. It was very attractive and eye-appealing.

As yet another ‘challenge’ I’m working on drawing a diagram for this pattern, using Microsoft Publisher, and hope to post it as soon as I figure out how to get the drawing out of Publisher and into Blogger. (Hints anyone?)

You will see this pattern again soon for another project I’m working on, using white thread.

Inspirational Places to Tat
I’ve started to take my tatting with me in the car again, which I used to do all the time, years ago. In my next post, I’ll show you some of the scenic places where we recently took day trips, and where I would sit and tat. It's definitely a blissful experience to tat in peaceful surroundings outdoors!

These photos were taken at North Park,
only about a half hour from our home.

I was delighted to get this photo of one of the
blue herons that reside there, although I wish my camera had a more powerful lens.

Here is a bridge where cars and bikes cross over the lake..

The land for the park was set aside and developed in. the 1930s. It’s a very small lake, a kind of “V” shape, but many enjoy paddling a boat around it.

The park also has a beautiful outdoor ice skating rink overlooking the lake. These days, I can't join the skaters, but I love watching them!

I’m delighted to be starting my second round of the 25-Motif Challenge!

Celebrating 1st Blogaversary and 20 Years of Tatting !

2009-07-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

Also - Completing First Round of 25-Motif Challenge !
Motifs 22, 23, 24 and 25

2009 is an important Tatting ‘Milestone Year’ for me: 20 years of tatting, and 1 year of blogging – both beginning in July!

Today is my FIRST BLOGAVERSARY (yay!) , and I want to bring my motif total up to 25. Below are four motifs (#22 through #25) that I tatted back in the 1990s.

On my next round of the 25, I’ll be getting more into my 3-D tatting and my experiences in attempting to get my designs published. And I’ll definitely (for SURE !) tell the story of exactly how I actually learned to tat 20 years ago (after waiting about 33 years, from 1956 (age 12) to 1989 (age 45), then started demonstrating in 1990 with the Beaver County Tatters (Carol Lawecki's mom is a member). I also hope to do more 'current' tatting, with new variegated and hand-dyed threads and beads.

Motif #22 – a 1st Blogaversary Candle!

This candle (which I lit for the first time for this special occasion!) shows a tatted motif by a talented designer, Gloria Crowther and is from her soft-cover publication, “Gloria’s Tatting.” In fact, she displayed it on a candle, which gave me the idea. (See a clearer photo of this candle below. Of course, you can click all photos to enlarge.)

Her book was the first one I saw which printed each ring and chain on separate lines (which I prefer) and she also used the then somewhat ‘new’ number-dash system, which I also prefer!

She used two different color threads on several of her designs. which are very appealing, However, I used only white thread here, in size 50.

I’d like to know more about Gloria. There doesn’t seem to be much information about her on the Web. I believe she lives in Idaho. I’m curious how she managed to get her designs published. Publishing is a fascinating subject to me.

I painted the flowers/leaves with acrylic paint (very easy) and added gold tape under the tatting. I always include this candle as part of my display at the fairs.

Decorative Candles make lovely gifts and nicely show off tatted motifs

Motif #23 - Mary Konior’s clever flower motif is very popular, and has a very unique look to it. I’ve seen it done in many different variations, and with all sizes of thread. Here I used DMC size 30.

I was thrilled with Mary Konior’s book, “Tatting With Visual Patterns”, as it was the first time I saw a publication using the idea of drawing the patterns AND using different colors in the drawings to represent rings, chains or rounds It made it so much easier to see how the pattern evolved

Of course, Mary’s patterns have become classics, and her book is a “MUST HAVE” for tatters.

Motif #24 – This ‘pictogram’ (in a stand-up frame) was made with a scrap piece of tatting. Right now I can’t find the source of the ‘basket’ part of the pattern. I believe I added the ‘handle’, using a common ring and chain pattern.

This is similar to the piece of tatting I used on the back of my Victorian Doll.

Here is how I display the above items at home on top of a bookcase.

The battery-powered clock is one I can rely on when the power goes out!

Motif #25 - ( TA DA !!! ) Earrings from the Workbasket –June/July 1991 – by Millie Wilcoxson. This is the first (and so far, only) earring pattern I’ve ever made, which state of affairs will be changing shortly as I venture into making more jewelry. I especially want to impress upon my young nieces (and others) that tatting is HIP AND COOL. I’m sure they’ll be interested when they see designs using the commercial variegated threads - and, of course BEADS!, and especially the beautiful hand-dyed threads – by so many of our talented fellow tatters!

For these earrings, rather than using the thread suggested, I found DMC’s metallic gold/silver thread on a spool to work perfectly. The white pair is size 30 thread. The original pattern was open in the center, and I decided to add gems or pearls. (You know how I like to add ‘bling’!)

Sometimes I even eliminate the picots, which gives a different look. I wear these earrings with my costumes (a subject for upcoming posts). I also used this motif on the Christmas ornament in my Nov. 18 post.

I intend to tat up a new pair – in one of my new Lizbeth variegated threads – as a gift to myself for completing the FIRST ROUND of the Challenge.

Of course, I’m continuing on with the Challenge! I’ve really only just begun – there’s so much more to share with you, and I look forward to doing so.

You knew I couldn’t just end the post here, as I have a few more ‘tributes’

The ‘Blog” thing !

I remember feeling very tentative last year about starting this blog, and I also remember how excited I was to actually see it appear on the internet the first time. (Actually I’m still amazed by it!)

Sharon Briggs http://sharonstattedlace.blogspot.com/ and a few other very dedicated tatters started the 25-Motif Challenge http://25motifchallenge.blogspot.com/ a few years ago, and it is responsible for generating a lot of interest in tatting. It has certainly revived my interest, as I was in danger of getting away from actively tatting, even though I was still demonstrating. However, even the festivals that we Beaver County tatters attend are cutting back their festival dates (going from full weekends to just one day), and some of the craft stores are not promoting tatting in any way - so it’s important that tatting be as visible as possible on the internet.

I certainly will never forget how Sharon Briggs (after my sending a snail-mail letter to her) featured my tatting in her blog post of Feb. 21, 2008 - and then encouraged me to give ‘blogging’ a try, as did fellow Pennsylvania tatters, Carol Lawecki http://caroltats.blogspot.com/ and Elizabeth Zipay. http://elizabeths-lace.blogspot.com/

I finally jumped in on July 31. I am so indebted to Sharon for patiently taking time out of her busy life last July to guide me via e-mails through the ‘techno’ stuff. THANK YOU, SHARON !

And I’m definitely grateful to Blogger for making it possible for a ‘non-computer programmer’ like me to create a simple web page, without knowing anything about HTML code or any other computer language. However, I’m very curious to know how so many of you learned HTML! I know it would be helpful to know HTML in order to eliminate my 'excess spacing’ problems. I have to admit I’m not exactly enthusiastic about learning HTML, though! (Some day I may bore you to tears with my ‘computer history’, staring in 1981! [Teaser: I had an ink-jet printer at the office in 1981 that was the size of a washer/dryer combo! And it had all of three typestyles available! Cost: $20,000]

Also in the future, I’ll be seeking advice on how to learn some of the finer points about blogging! I’d like to do other things on my blog, like add more photos (slideshow?) to my sidebar. I’m so afraid I’ll somehow ‘lose’ the blog if I don’t know what I’m doing. I still have some anxiety when I do my posts and fear pushing a wrong button! And I'll figure out how to do links w/o showing the entire URL! I also intend to finally write up a 'profile' !

Thanks for dropping by and sharing my 1st Blogaversary !

Motif #21 - Single Heart from Jon's "Hearts Entwined"

2009-07-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

On this actual anniversary of the Moon Landing (see my prior post), I'm submitting a ‘current’ tatting project, just to prove to you that I still do tat!

Motif #21 - Single Heart motif adapted from Jon Yusoff’s “Hearts Entwined” pattern.

I am indebted to Jon Yusoff for her clever and beautiful ‘Hearts Entwined' pattern, which she has so kindly shared with all of us (see link below).

When I first saw the pattern, I also envisioned, and then tatted, a single heart, by merely adding a long chain connecting the entwined hearts at the bottom, with three picots at the ‘point’.

DMC perle cotton size 8, # 315

Jon’s pattern definitely has a ‘regal’ look to it!

Jon’s 'Hearts Entwined' pattern can be found here:
http://tatsaway-patterns.blogspot.com/2009/01/hearts-entwinedcrowning-hearts.html

I love ‘heart’ patterns, and I was very intrigued at Jon’s design. In her blog post of January 15, 2009, she also explains how the design evolved. Even her ‘first drafts’ are beautiful! Jon is an incredibly talented and gifted lady, and she is so generous with sharing her designs and patterns. Her snowflakes are becoming classics!

Even though the pattern calls for two shuttles (which I don’t always feel confident using), her pattern was so beautifully drawn (another skill I’d like to accomplish) that I thought it would be easy to follow, and indeed that was the case. As I often do, I added ring numbers to my printout of the pattern, as that is how I keep track of where I am.

And here is where I’ve placed my motif!

Amazingly, I just randomly chose the ‘purple’ thread out of my thread box.

Then, after I finished the motif, I looked around my craft room to find something to put it on - not easy to do these days, as the room is in a state of ‘transition’ (turmoil, actually) while I move furniture around.

I saw laying in a corner – this amazing pastel “Victorian Shoe” Christmas stocking, which I bought at Hobby Lobby last year and put aside. (I actually had forgotten about it!)

It’s as if it was waiting for this heart to be added – and in this color thread!

Thank you again, Jon!

July 20, 2009
More about the 40th Moon Landing Anniversary

Today (July 20) is the actual anniversary date of the 1st moon landing, after the July 16 lift-off and a four-day journey from earth. This is an addendum to my prior post about this milestone anniversary.

I was very pleased that Sunday evening (July 19) the NASA Channel broadcast “live” the very rare appearance of the three Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, and Michael Collins, who agreed to be part of the celebration at the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC at the IMAX theater, where each one gave a speech.

This milestone anniversary event was itself a unique moment in history and one that is not likely to be repeated in the future, as these famous men rarely appear together. It took awhile to get used to the fact that they are now (or soon will be) 79 years of age! Their excellent speeches covered different perspectives of the past and future of space exploration, and it was wonderful to see them together again.

There is an interesting website (see below) which has some spectacular photos of the lift-off, landing and return to earth, taken in 1969. (The photo of the majestic Saturn V rocket on the launch pad in front of the Vehicle Assembly Building reminded us of our trip to Florida in May of 1969, where we actually saw Apollo 10 on the launch pad. Apollo 10’s mission was to orbit the moon and take the lunar lander close to the moon, but then return to the command module without landing. That must have been exciting and frustrating at the same time. “So near and yet so far”!

All the photos are an incredible look back to an amazing time. (The site may take a few minutes to load.)

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html

I’ve also enjoyed watching several classic science fiction movies about the moon on Turner Classic Movies today. I remember some of these movies from my childhood in the 1950s. And “Buzz” Aldrin, himself, is the guest host this evening (pre-taped) on TCM.

It’s been an interesting 'milestone' day and I've enjoyed watching all the tributes on TV and reading about many aspects of the moon landing on the internet (a fabulous source)!

Weather for today: Overcast most of day; some sun, then rain in the evening. High: 79, Low: 59 Ironically, the moon is not “available” for viewing this evening, here in North America!

40th Anniversary of Moon Landing - July 20 (1969-2009)

2009-07-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Commemorative "Moon Landing" Afghan (made 20 years ago), which has a connection to my tatting history!

“Tranquility Base Here.
The Eagle Has Landed”
Neil Armstrong,
July 20, 1969

First Astronauts on the moon:

Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin

Astronaut in Command Module: Mike Collins

Note: All three astronauts will turn 79 this year!

The above commercial patch is affixed to the knitted afghan I made 20 years ago, in 1989, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the moon landing. The full afghan is shown below, as is the story of how the afghan is ‘connected’ to my tatting history.

The 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing is coming up on Monday, July 20, and
my husband and I clearly remember – as if it were yesterday – watching with awed amazement as Neil Armstrong took those first steps on the moon.

It was a spectacular achievement, and because of television, millions of earth’s inhabitants witnessed the event as it was happening! It was a profound moment for the entire planet!

And as incredible as it was to see the surface of the moon ‘up close and personal’, it was the vision of the ‘blue orb’ rising above the horizon that took your breath away. The previous December (Apollo 8 – the first manned orbit of the moon – also incredible) had shown us that spectacular view of the earth (in color!) but it was truly astounding to see it that view from the vantage point of humans who were actually standing on the moon’s surface!

My husband and I (25 years old) were living in our first apartment, and we watched the moon landing on our first color TV set (purchased in 1966). Even color TV was amazing back then, since we grew up with the ‘black and white’ TV sets of the 1950s.

We held our breath as we listened to Armstrong counting down the tricky approach to the landing site on the moon. And although the first visuals were fuzzy when Armstrong jumped off the LEM and actually touched the surface of the moon, it was incredible that we were hearing and watching the whole thing in ‘real time’. It truly was a “Giant Leap for Mankind”!

For me, the moon landing event is also a reminder of another important July anniversary, which is VERY important to my tatting history!

20 years ago today (as I write this), on July 15, 1989, my husband and I were driving to Grantsville, Maryland (a two-hour trip) to attend a craft fair (which I know I’ve mentioned several times before).

While riding in the car, I was intently working on embroidering ‘eagles’ on some of my last remaining individually knitted squares for an afghan I was attempting to complete in time for the 20th anniversary of the moon landing. I wanted the afghan to be totally finished by the anniversary date on July 20, so I had only five days left to sew all the squares together, and to add the fringe (very time consuming) – that’s why I was diligently working on it during the trip.

What I couldn’t possibly know during the trip to Maryland was that attending that fair was going to change my life! In a very short time, my passion for knitting was going to be transferred to another needlework hobby. Three guesses what that was!

I had no idea that there was going to be a tatting booth at that fair, and that (on July 15, 1989) I was going to see, for the first time, someone actually tatting! (Almost as amazing to me as the moon landing!)

So the afghan commemorates not only the moon landing, but also the ‘beginning’ of my tatting adventures! On the ride back home, all I kept thinking about was how I was going to somehow, some way, finally learn how to tat!

And unbelievably (to me), a month later, in August 1989, I started learning the basics of tatting, and a year later, in October of 1990, I was actually demonstrating tatting at a local fair with the ‘Beaver County Tatters’. (I didn’t even know there was such a group – and so close to home!)

Of course, I didn’t stop knitting overnight and still do some knitting. It is ironic, however, that only a few months before the fair I had been elected President of our knitting guild (a two-year term)! Also, in 1993 our guild hosted the Knitting Guild of America convention in Pittsburgh (600 attendees). But tatting quickly took over my life and I was immersed heavily in tatting from 1990-94, and even submitting 3-D patterns to a national magazine.

Then in 1994 I went back to work full time and I dropped out of the knitting guild as it was too difficult to keep up with the meetings and to do much knitting. Also, I cut way back on my tatting. But I continued to demonstrate tatting, and still do so today Of course, I never dreamed, back in 1989, I'd have something called a "blog"!

“The Eagle Has Landed” afghan from 1989.

9 squares down, 7 squares across.

Measures 48” x 63” (including fringe)

This is one of the eagle motifs I was working on, which appear on 31 of the squares, done with gold colored yarn.

The eagles are ‘embroidered’ over top of the white knitted stitches, and follow (or “duplicate”) the direction of the V-shaped knitted stitches.

I added the commercially made official Apollo 11 patch (shown at the beginning of this post) to emphasize the subject of the afghan. In addition, I added a label on the back of the afghan, which has the cross-stitched phrase “The Eagle has Landed” (1969-1989)” .

Controversy over the Apollo patch, at a judged exhibit!
In September 1989, I entered the afghan in a local fair. However, I found out, after I won a “Second” ribbon for it, that a ‘conference’ had been called among the judges concerning the addition of the commercial Apollo 11 patch, and whether it should be ‘allowed’! Amusing, yes? Apparently common sense prevailed, and they didn’t ‘disqualify’ the afghan. Actually I felt lucky to win a “Second” ribbon because it isn’t as perfectly sewn together as I would have liked.

And the month of July also has another important ‘tatting’ date for me.

July 31 will be by first ‘blogaversary” ! I am vowing to finally get around to describing how I actually learned to tat. (I know you’re all waiting with bated breath :-) ! I’ve ‘promised’ to do this before in several blog posts, but I have never quite gotten 'a round tuit'! I HAVE worked on drafting the story, and am I’m trying to keep it as concise as possible (difficult for me LOL!), It’s not that dramatic, but learning to tat was a huge accomplishment for me (and for many of us!), and it was amazing how all of a sudden, everything fell into place.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

A ‘moon watch’ irony: It may be that the moon will not be visible at all on the 20th, to those of us in the northern hemisphere !

Happy 233rd Birthday, USA !

2009-07-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Plus Hometown 4th of July Memories

This star is a smaller version of the “star-from-edging” pattern featured on my February 27 post,
based on Edging No. 12, Ann Orr’s Classic Tatting Patterns.

It actually may be the first star I ever tatted (back in 1990), since it’s size 50 thread. I seemed to tat with size 50 thread a lot back then. It usually hangs on my Christmas tree, with a crystal snowflake in the center.

Here, I have attached the star to the candle with gold-bead metallic pins, which I cut to a much shorter length with wire cutters. The flag is a lapel pin. The lovely doily is the same one I displayed in my April 1 post, which I purchased at a boutique shop. (Someday I might try to copy it! But don’t hold your breath!)

Declaration of Independence - 1776

This is the 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence here in the United States. What an amazing document! Of course, we didn’t win our independence from England until seven years later in 1783.
I
The Fourth of July is a time to contemplate all that has happened (good and bad), in this incredible country and especially to feel a connection to the Colonists who signed that important document. It was an amazing time!

200+ Years Later

Little did the Colonists realize how we would be living only 200 amazingly short years in the future.
They never imagined trains, automobiles, jet planes, not to mention radio, television, computers, cell phones, microwave ovens, and space travel! I hesitate to even mention the changes in fashion! I think they’d faint dead away if they saw how we dress (or don’t dress) today! :-)

A true fact to contemplate: Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826, exactly on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! Jefferson was an amazing 83 years old and Adams was an even more amazing 90! And this was in a time when very few made it past 40!

Memories of My Hometown 4th of July Celebrations -
Parades, Picnics and Fireworks in the 1950s
The Fourth of July evokes many wonderful “Norman Rockwell type” childhood memories for me (1949-1961), as my small hometown (across the river from where we live now) always had a big celebration, starting with a parade in the morning, activities in the park all day, backyard picnics, and big fireworks at night at the high school field.

The town was incorporated in 1904, and I was 10 during its week-long Golden Jubilee celebration in 1954, centered around the 4th of July. The movie “Picnic” (although it’s set in a larger town which had a “lake’) was filmed in 1955, and, for me, that movie really captures the ‘atmosphere’ of the Jubilee celebration. We even had a “Queen” for the Jubilee, who happened to be my girlfriend’s older sister, whom I admired.

Happily, the town still retains its pleasant ambiance, and few changes have been made. It was and still is an ideal place to grow up.

These days their celebration is smaller, but almost annually (like a swallow returning to Capistrano), I make a nostalgic visit on the 4th, where I walk around town and recall warm memories of my parents and their friends and neighbors during those “Happy Days” of the 1950s and my wonderful childhood.

The Park and Playground
The park grounds were part of a former estate belonging to the family who first settled in the town in 1826. In 1948, my mother was among the petitioners who sought to turn the area into a permanent park/playground (with the usual swings, sliding board, jungle gym, etc.) – a wise move on the town’s part, as it is a lovely ‘green oasis’ and is the center of many activities.

I also learned many crafts there during the summer months, from our school’s art teacher.

I especially made a lot of bracelets, lanyards. and keychains out of what is now called 'plastic lace'. It was kind of like ‘macrame’ and, of course, it appealed to me as a handcraft.

My Parade Experiences

I was in every Fourth of July parade in my hometown from 1949 to 1960, starting at age 5, when I rode my decorated tricycle, then graduated to a bicycle by age 6.

The next year I pulled a wagon filled with the new (and unexpected!) Border Collie puppies from our dog “Pal” (a stray, who had wandered into our hearts around 1949). The puppies, of course, kept jumping out of the wagon, much to the delight of the crowd! I believe I won a ribbon for my efforts!

Then I marched as a Brownie, and then as a Girl Scout, where I had the honor of carrying the flag.

In junior high school I began marching with our small High School band (50 members) where I played the clarinet.

During ninth grade, I learned how to twirl a baton and tried out for majorette the following summer (1958). I was 14 years old and was thrilled when I was chosen for the only open spot (in a five-majorette squad). HUGE moment in my life! I LOVED being a majorette (starting in my sophomore year) and marching and doing dance routines during half-time at the football games and parades.

During my junior and senior years, three of us shared Head Majorette duty, and I got to lead the July 4th parade in 1960, which was my final hometown parade, as I would be graduating the next year in 1961. It was an emotional experience for me!

My husband-to-be (whom I met in August of 1960, and who had just graduated from another school)) was disappointed the next May that I wasn’t leading my final Memorial Day parade (in another town). However, he recorded part of that parade on his parents’ 8mm color movie camera. Not many people were taking movies back then! What a treasure! We’ve transferred it to videotape, but now must transfer it to a DVD!)

Then after I graduated, it was strange to all of a sudden be a ‘spectator’ at the Fourth of July parade in 1961 after all those years of being part of it!

However, on a few occasions many years later, my husband and rode in our GTO in the parade.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing another trip down Memory Lane.

Hope those of you in the USA enjoy the fireworks and other festivities this weekend!!

Summer Fun in Our GTO !

2009-06-04T19:12:00.000-07:00

Our 1969 Pontiac GTO convertible is now 40 years old!

We bought the car new, and would never have believed that we would still have it 40 years later!

To celebrate the occasion I bought a new jacket to wear to the many car cruises we attend all summer (and have attended since 1980!). I knew I was going to embellish the jacket, but I didn’t have anything specific planned. Recently, however, my mind got in ‘gear’ (pardon the pun!) and I came up with some ideas!

GTO Jacket, with Tatted Embellishment (so far)

When I saw the sequined alphabet letters at the craft store, I HAD to buy them!

After I sewed the glittery letters on, I wanted to add even more ‘pizzazz’, so I naturally thought of tatting, and this little piece that I had in my ‘stash’ works well. I believe it was done in size 30

After sewing the tatting on, I carefully put silver glitter glue over the tatting, which sparkles in the sun. I also added more ‘bling’ by gluing on some gems

This is basically a ‘work in progress’ as I have other ideas in mind – such as adding tatting to the sleeves and cuffs. We’ll see how it evolves!

I love the front of the jacket! (I forgot to button up the other pocket for the photo).
You can see there are lots of possibilities here, too!

So now I have a special jacket to wear when we go to the car cruises.

And when I do some tatting while sitting by the car, I’ll be able to show how tatting can be used today as a fashion ‘statement.’

1969 Pontiac GTO convertible

And here’s the car, as it looked in 1977 at 8 years young (and me 33 years young – and still 12 years away from learning to tat!). I’m standing in the driveway of our then 4-year-old house.

The flag decal on the front fender was for the US Bicentennial in 1976.

This is how the GTO looks today, 40 years and 120,000 miles from the day we left the dealership

As for me, I guess I have to admit that I’m now 65! (*sigh*)

The GTO is associated with tigers and goats – that’s why we have the stuffed animals on the roof. Plus we sometimes display a food tray, reminiscent of the ‘eat in your car’ drive-in restaurants, which were common back then

Here’s another view.

This photo was taken from Mt. Washington, which has amazing views of the city of Pittsburgh

Here’s some more trivia about the car, if you’re interested in old cars:

- It has a 4-speed manual shift, and has an ‘AM-only’ radio. Back then, FM stations did not play rock ‘n roll! That was for ‘square’ adults!

- Everything is still original – vinyl top, paint (‘Mayfair Maize’), and interior (bucket seats). It has not been restored

- The engine has had some work done (including a new carburetor and radiator), but has authentic parts.

- We had to be towed once (in 1972) when the timing chain broke, 30 miles from home!

Car ‘Connection’ to Moon Landing – also 40th Anniversary this year
In researching info about the car, we discovered that it was rolling off the assembly line at GM’s plant in Baltimore, MD the same week that the first Moon Landing mission was taking place (July 16 launch - July 20 landing on Moon - July 24 return to earth).

Other events of 1969
The spectacular moon landing was a welcome reprieve from other unsettling events of the time – there was a lot of unrest in America about many social issues, especially Vietnam. (I was a very confused, mini-skirt-wearing, 25-year-old secretary, married four years, and having grown up in a happier time with poodle skirts, bobby socks and Elvis! My husband was in the Army Reserves, and was in his third year of a six-year commitment, so it was tricky for us to take on a car payment, as we didn’t know what the future held for us. We still lived in an apartment, and building a house wasn’t even on the agenda!

Therefore, the car represents our youth, the uncertainties of the ‘60s, and with the moon landing, hope for a fabulous future - and I remember all of it very well. It’s also been a great car to ride in, and we’ve met many people through the car cruises. Also at the cruise we get to see other cars that we’ve owned over the years, plus the cars of our parents. It’s amazing how many people have restored or saved old cars, especially here in Pennsylvania

Car Songs of the Era
We especially enjoy listening to the music of our era (‘50s and ‘60s), which they always play at the cruises, especially the car songs (“Little Old Lady from Pasadena”, “Til Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away”, “She’s Real Fine, My 409”, “Mustang Sally”, and, of course our favorite:

“Little GTO” by Ronnie and the Daytonas. My husband INSISTED that I include the link below (for car enthusiasts) so that you can hear the song and see a slide show of the various GTO models from 1964-1972 (although they don’t label them). The slide show begins about 25 seconds into the song.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_FSicQWimU

Hope you enjoyed my little 'Cruise' down Memory Lane!

One of our nieces will be graduating from high school tomorrow. Here's to the Class of 2009 as they begin a new journey of their own!

Motif #20 - Red, White and Blue PIn (two versions)

2009-05-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Plus photo of 111-year-old Christening gown, mentioned in my St. Patrick’s Day post.

* * *

In the United States, three Patriotic holidays are coming up (Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Fourth of July), so I’m sharing two versions of a Celtic motif designed by Sue Hanson in 1999, which appeared on the Internet. Here I incorporated the colors red, white and blue, all DMC perle cotton, size 8.

Back around 2000, I apparently was surfing the Net at the library and was able to print out Sue Hanson’s 5-point Celtic Motif, which she did in two colors. The easiest way to see Sue’s basic pattern is to Google “Sue Hanson’s Tatting Patterns”. There’s a nice chart which lists several of her clever patterns, including this one. Her heart pattern is also very attractive.

I believe I independently came up with the idea of attaching (sewing) the motif to a tri-colored ribbon. (The pin backing is also sewn on.)

Motif #20 – Version A

I used red white and blue for the colors in the 3-section motif.

1st section –white rings and chains,
2nd section – (‘star’) blue rings and chains
3rd section – red rings and white chains

I changed the 3rd (outer) section to have longer chains to include three picots in each chain, rather than two. Adding the longer chain definitely gives the motif a different look.

I sewed a brass star (from scrapbooking supplies) in the middle, and added a tiny gold bead through the center hole in the star.

Motif #20 – Version B

Here, tatting-wise, is Sue's original motif (shorter outer chains, having two picots each.)

A slight change to the colors also gives a different look to this motif from the one above.

1st section – white rings and chains
2nd section – blue chains, red rings
3rd section – white rings and chains

I glued a red gem to the center of this motif.

These holidays mean that summer is finally on the way (although I don’t want to ‘rush’ it, and I will savor every moment). This week we have been blessed by the most fantastic weather! My mood has improved considerably, and the back yard is a wonderful place for contemplation and admiration of nature. Lots of birds and rabbits, and occasionally some deer. I’d love to have a butterfly garden, but haven’t been successful in planting one so far.

Christening gown made in 1898 !

In my St. Patrick’s Day post, I mentioned my grandparents, whose parents (English and Irish, although they all lived in Ireland) emigrated to America between 1850 and 1870. My English grandfather had tailoring skills, and in 1898 for his firstborn child (my uncle ) he made a Christening gown, which is still in the family and has been worn by my uncle’s children, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And now it’s been worn by my uncle’s great-great granddaughter. Here is a very recent photo of the gown, which looks new! Lots of pin-tucks and some nice wide eyelet-type 'lace' for insertions, the hem and sleeves. I believe my mother (b. 1907) also wore the gown as did two other uncles. Fortunately, it has been lovingly stored and cherished down through the generations

Interestingly, it was my grandfather, not grandmother, who did the sewing in the family, and had a laundry business – very important to the community back in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, I never met him, as he died in 1929. I remember my mother saying how her father helped her with her 'school' embroidery projects, of which she did only a few, so I’m delighted to have four napkins she embroidered. She did not have an interest in needle arts, but was a great cook, which, unfortunately, did not ‘rub off’ on me! :-(

My mother graduated from a ‘big city’ school (Springfield, Mass.) in 1924 and went to “Normal” school for two years (now Westfield State Teachers College); then she taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Vermont for six months. (1926-27). I have photos of her standing in front of that schoolhouse (wood siding - no longer there), and actually saw (in 1993) the home where she boarded. She mentioned how she had to start the potbelly stove – like ‘Little House on the Prairie”! The location of the small Vermont town is not far from Arlington, VT, where Norman Rockwell set up a studio in the 1930s, although that was several years after her teaching stint. However, she may have taught some of the children who later became his ‘models’.

Looking forward to picnics, trips to lakes, and nice summer weather!

While Strolling Through the Park One Day, in the Merry Merry Month of May ...

2009-05-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

(A popular “Parlor” song from 1884 – see below)

Motif #19 – Edging Used on Victorian Handkerchief Doll, Hat and 3-D Parasol.

(Edging # 8834 from the Tatters Treasure Chest – Dover Publications)

In honor of Month of May, and also Mother’s Day, I’m showing my Victorian ‘handkerchief’ doll, which I created back in 1992, after I saw a McCall’s pattern for making dinner napkins into Victorian dolls

I thought the idea would also work with handkerchiefs which otherwise would be stored out of sight in linen closets

Of course, two handkerchiefs with tatted edging are ideal!

The two handkerchiefs used for the doll can be completely ‘untied’ and used again as handkerchiefs. No sewing or cutting is involved. As I recall, I used size 30 DMC ecru thread for the tatting.

I’m going on memory here, as far as the instructions. The basic idea is to take a Styrofoam cone and cover it with plain fabric, providing an underskirt. A thin dowel rod is stuck into the top of the cone so that the upper body and head are supported

The lower handkerchief (put on first) is draped over the cone, showing off the tatted lace to best advantage.

The upper handkerchief forms the head, sleeves and upper ‘apron’. This particular handkerchief has a simple chain edging, and an appliqué in one corner, which becomes the ‘apron’ of the skirt. The head is formed over some cotton batting, and a ribbon is tied at the neck. She also has a piece of scrap tatting for a ‘collar’. The puffy sleeves also have quilt batting, and the ends are tied in a knot to form ‘hands’. The handkerchief is also tied with a ribbon at the ‘waist’

Here is a the back of the doll. Her hair is ‘tacked’ onto the top of her head with some small stitches. and her hat is a very small doily stiffened into a hat shape, using the same lace edging as that on the lower handkerchief

The parasol is basically rings and chains and is topped with the same lace used on the bottom handkerchief and hat.

I’ll feature the parasol on another post

The basket is from Rebecca Jones’ book, and I’ll also feature it on another post

She’s sure carrying a lot of stuff !!!

Imagine what you could do with all those handkerchiefs stored hidden away. The dolls would make great gifts and wonderful curio keepsakes

Here’s some information about the song

You can check the website www.geocities.com/holidaysfun/strollpark.html to hear this melody and see the lyrics. You might even do a little “soft shoe” tap dance!

Younger folks may not be aware of this quaint 1880’s Victorian parlor song (although the original title was “The Fountain in the Park”) , as that kind of music (sadly) doesn’t seem to be popular anymore. This is one of those ditties which remained a staple in most barbershop quartet repertoires and in family sing-alongs

Because of my interest in Victorian things and in playing music, I find it to be a charming reminder of a more ‘innocent’ time, when “June, croon, tune, honeymoon and spoon” were popular rhyming words

Although the author of the song is listed as “Ed Haley”, further research on the amazing web indicates that the actual writer of the song is a fellow named Robert Keiser (1862-1932) , also known as Robert King. For whatever reason, he wrote music under several different pseudonyms, even using women’s names! Ohio’s theme song “Beautiful Ohio”, was published under the name “Mary Earl” but the writer was actually Robert Keiser/King again. (Go figure!)

I hope you all have a Happy Mother’s Day! Although I’m not a mother myself, I’ve enjoyed my role as “Aunt Kathy” to several nieces and nephews, ranging in age from 48 to 18. However, being an aunt is definitely easier than being a mother! My hat is off to all of you who have children! You deserve to have a special day! I’ll fondly be remembering my own wonderful mother, and other older women in my life who were mentors and friends, especially those who shared my love of needlecrafts.

A Card for You, a Bunny, and More Eggs !

2009-04-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER 2009 !

I hope you have a pleasant Easter holiday with your families. It’s a time to reflect on all of our Blessings. and to look forward to a new spirit of personal growth, as we witness the miracle of rebirth all around us with the coming of Spring!

I wanted very much to tat with my new Lizbeth thread (color 661), and it definitely lives up to all your praise! I am very impressed with its crispness! I quickly tatted up a simple cross, then decided to put it on a card to share with you.

Easter Bunny drops by !

I was excited that a sweet bunny stopped by long enough to be photographed with some beaded eggs that I added tatting to last year, but then added sparkly gems to this year!

The eggs came from Michaels and are 3-1/2 inches high. They are not only covered nicely with microbeads, but also have a variation of color from light to dark. Of course I bought as many eggs as I could last year, anticipating that they would not appear again this year, and I was correct. I'm disappointed about that, as they are of such a high quality, and there seem to be very few microbead eggs available on the internet. They each came with a small bow, which I removed so that I could fashion a fancier bow, and added flowers and some gold wire ribbon.

Just a quick post on this very special Holiday. Although it will only be 53 degrees today, I’m delighted to see sunshine and blue skies!

You might want to look at some "pysanky" sites on the web for some wonderful egg designs done in the Ukrainian tradition! I dabbled in this art years ago and will show some of those eggs on a future post!

Festive Beaded Eggs with Tatting and "Bling"!

2009-04-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Also – some amazing finds during yesterday’s trip (April 9) to Hobby Lobby.

Plus THREE CHEERS to Janette Baker!!!

I’m doing a quick post to show two recent egg designs, which I came up with last week while experimenting with pretty adhesive gems found in the scrapbook section at Michaels. I was able to display the eggs at the Maple Festival last weekend, and they received many favorable comments.

The two eggs below (normal size) were part of a set of six ‘microbead’ eggs I found at Jo Ann Fabrics last year (but are not available this year, of course!). The gem embellishments are from the scrapbook section at Michaels – adhesive, one-piece gem stickers I found this year. The neat thing is that the gems come in ONE PIECE on a single sticker, which makes them super easy to attach.

This tatted motif, done with a cranberry perle cotton (size 8). consists of eight rings and chains that I made up to accommodate the gems, so that each green
gem sits under a chain, and keeps the tatted ring visible.

The package had a duplicate sticker, which I hope to attach to the reverse side, after I tat another motif!

An adhesive strip of rhinestones (also very convenient!) divides the egg vertically, and makes it sparkly from the side.

Four metallic ‘bell caps’ are pinned on to add to the design, and the tatting itself is held on with gold bead pins. This egg is sitting on my special brass egg holder.

I had an extra tatted green wreath in my ‘stash’ (I believe it’s Patti Duff’s), so I thought I’d see how it looked on the yellow beaded egg, and it worked out nicely. I used different color bead pins to give it a festive look, and, added a one-piece ‘gem’ sticker in the center.

The gold beads (also self-adhesive, on a strip) worked great to section off the egg

This egg is sitting on a plastic egg holder but also has a hanger. I can’t seem to find these egg holders anymore, but they’re probably on the internet.

I hope to show more eggs from past years (it will have to be after Easter), but I wanted to share with you my recent EXCITING FINDS at a Hobby Lobby in our area.

Shopping Trip to Hobby Lobby on Thursday, April 9.
I have been upset that Jo Ann’s seems to have NO tatting supplies anymore, although Michaels has at least a few shuttles and some basic thread, and possibly the Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic (mentioned in my previous post). .

But yesterday (Thursday) when I went to Hobby Lobby in Boardman, Ohio, I was bowled over when I saw their EXCELLENT tatting section, containing rarely seen metal Boye shuttles with bobbins (plus extra bobbins in a separate package -also rarely seen), plus a couple of Aero shuttles with metal hooks, plus clover shuttles! They also had needle tatting supplies and books and a video on needle tatting.

But my BIGGEST SURPRISES were the two books staring at me:

- The new Learn to Tat book by Janette Baker, complete with “interactive DVD”.

At my local Barnes and Noble, you have to ORDER the book. I want them to DISPLAY IT so visitors to the store can SEE it, although I haven’t told them that - YET!! Therefore, I was amazed to see it prominently displayed at Hobby Lobby! I first learned about this book from Diane’s blog http://lacelovinlibrarian.blogspot.com/ (Thanks, Diane!) and was excited when Diane mentioned that it had a DVD with it. I've been curious to see the DVD - a major step forward in the technology for our times! I believe this is the first commercial DVD.

I have so much more to say about this DVD, but will save it for another post. I can definitely tell you this: THIS IMPRESSIVE DVD IS A "MUST HAVE" FOR ALL NEW TATTERS !!!! Not to mention some of us 'intermediates'. She even goes into "right-side, wrong-side"! CONGRATULATIONS to JANETTE for an amazing DVD!!! I’m delighted that Hobby Lobby has the book prominently displayed to catch the eye of passers-by. (How’s that for a rhyme? :- )

- Celtic Tatting Knots and Patterns by Rosella Linden (aka Ruth Perry).
It was also exciting to see this book ‘in person’. I finally discovered why Ruth has chosen “Rozella Linden” as her ‘pen name”. I love Ruth’s designs and am delighted to have this Celtic ‘tutorial’ in my library!.

My next shock:

- Lizbeth thread, which has been given high marks by so many of you. Hobby Lobby doesn’t have a full range of the colors, but enough of both solid and variegated to keep me busy!!! I’ll report back on my results with it! I assumed I would have to order it from the internet, so I couldn’t believe that I was seeing it ‘in person’!

The main thing for me is that NON-TATTERS will SEE all these items – especially the books – and then become INSPIRED to learn to tat. (Yoo-Hoo! Anyone at Jo Ann’s listening?!!) I told the clerk in the fabric department how THRILLED I am with their tatting display, and she appreciated my comments. I will be writing to the ‘Management’ to express my delight.

I have so much more to write about - plus I have some things to share from the very successful Maple Festival this past weekend. We REALLY lucked out with the weather. It was sunny and warm both days (although a little windy and chilly on Saturday morning) and they again got HUGE crowds. Then on Tuesday it snowed here in Pittsburgh. Yikes – but, normal, I’m afraid.

However, I must close for now, as I want to get this post in today!

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY EASTER!

I have to admit that after my shopping trip yesterday , for me it feels more like Christmas!!!

"I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket . . ."

2009-04-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

From a song by Irving Berlin, featured in the Astaire-Rogers 1936 movie, “Follow the Fleet.” I now have all ten Fred Astaire–Ginger Rogers movies in a DVD collection! My favorite dancers!)

Well, maybe not ALL my eggs – I have too many to put in just ONE basket!

I’ll be showing more eggs soon (before Easter), but below is a grouping of my first eggs – satin ones, to which I added simple motifs back around 1991.

Plus – the Maple Festival is coming up this weekend. More about that at the end of this post.

Also below, – I have a tatting story from a recent shopping trip to share with you.

Let’s see, I think I’m missing something - Oh, yes –

HAPPY TATTING DAY!!

Satin Eggs - from the early 1990s

My Motif #18 is on the pink egg (see below)

You could find these satin eggs (non-shiny) in craft stores in the 1990s. . They’re a ‘larger’ egg, at 3-1/2” high.

They are ‘hollow’ inside and therefore allow pins to be used to either tack the motif down or to use as an embellishment.

The motifs are mostly simple ring-and- chain patterns, and I admit I put the motifs only on one side! On most of the eggs in this photo, I glued down cording as a design element.

Fortunately, there is a hole (unseen) on the one end of the egg, where I was able to ‘hide’ the ends of the cord.

The lovely doily is one I ‘rescued’ from an antique store years ago. We all feel a ‘connection’ to those who tatted these items! As with the doily shown below, it has a solid fabric center.

In the next photos, I’ve singled out two of the eggs.

Motif #18 – from book by Rebecca Jones

This satin egg (from 1991) is sitting on a doily that I wish I could take credit for, but it’s one that I purchased at a local boutique and felt lucky to have found. The shop owner was thrilled that it was going home with a tatter! It is made with a ‘fine’ thread and is so delicate. I’m also impressed by the skill involved in adding lace to a ‘solid’ center.

The motif on the egg is from Complete Book of Tatting by Rebecca Jones. I used a coral color DMC perle cotton, size 8.

I made several of this motif, especially to decorate small boxes.

I like to add embroidered flowers for a Victorian look; however these particular flowers, which were easily found in sewing stores back then, are now difficult to find – and are more expensive! I also used pins/ beads as a design element here. (Oops - I just noticed I’m missing a pin and bead on the left side! Wonder where it went?!!) Back then I simply used a straight pin through a gold bead (as in the above egg), but later I found gold beads already attached to pins. This egg sits on an special egg holder, and has a prominent spot in my china closet.

Right now I can’t find the designer of the motif on this egg, so I won’t count it here.

I see I’m also missing a rhinestone on the left side! This is what happens when transporting items to show after show. I’ll have to fix it!

This is the side view where I used hens and checks as another design element

More eggs to come in future posts.

In the meantime, here’s my recent shopping story, which I just HAD to share with you, especially on International Tatting Day!

I was in a Michaels store over the PA border in Ohio and, as usual, I checked out the status of tatting supplies, which, to my dismay, are becoming more scarce – if not entirely DISAPPEARING from the chain craft stores. (Most unsettling and a subject for a whole other post.)

I had scanned all the books in the different areas of Michaels, especially the knitting and crocheting books – and, as usual (sadly), saw nothing about tatting.

Then while still in the ‘yarn’ vicinity, I overheard one gal talking to another – “Oh, look – TATTING (as she picked up a book) – that’s a dying art.”

Naturally, THAT got my attention! Tatting Book??? (Turns out it was the Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic, which, happily, can still be found in Michaels stores, although I somehow missed seeing it that day!)

But here’s the amazing part: The gal put the book down and was commenting to her friend,
“I remember when Mrs. ____ used to sit all day on her porch tatting away.”

[Of course, I’m eavesdropping with REALLY big ears at this point!]

“She used to have that big frame and she’d work away all day on it.”

Whoa! ‘Big Frame”???? Well, I just HAD to find out what that was about, so I piped up – “Oh, excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. I just wanted you to know that tatting isn’t a dying art and many people around the world are tatting, and even making jewelry – there’s lots of information on the internet these days!”

She was very nice and didn’t seem annoyed with my ‘intrusion’, so she told me her story about the lady with the Big Frame and how she used it to tat ‘lots’ of things – especially table cloths! !!

I said, “Are you sure she was ‘tatting’? Because all you need is a small shuttle and don’t need any kind of frame.” But she said – “Oh, yes, I know it was tatting – she used to sit there all day. She would work for hours and hours working with that big frame,”

I decided not to argue the point, so I just said – “Oh, that’s pretty amazing. I hope whoever got them [the tablecloths? Wow!] appreciated them.” And she said, “Well, she had only sons, so I hope they appreciated them, too.” I wished her a ‘good day’ and thanked her for sharing her story.

It was one of those “Twilight Zone” moments, and I couldn’t help being amazed that I happened to be in that area of that store at that particular moment. Here’s the ONLY book in the store on tatting (which I missed seeing!), and this gal finds it within earshot of me and talks about tatting being a dying art - and then talks about this Big Frame!

OK - I’m open for suggestions! What in the world do you think 'Mrs. ___' was doing? Weaving? Needle netting?? Or somehow - tatting?

* * * *

The Maple Festival at Brady’s Run (near Beaver, PA) is this weekend (Apr 4-5), always a big event here in Western PA, which brings thousands of visitors. Our tatting group, the Beaver County Tatters (4 of us at the moment) will demonstrate tatting, which the group has particupated in for at least 20 years and possibly more! This will be my 18th Maple Festival - except I missed actually demo-ing in 2002 after the broken wrists (post of Feb. 27)!

Back in 1990 I had participated in my first 'demo' events at Old Economy, so 1991 was my first Maple Festival, and for the first time I had a few items to sell (two stars and three snowflakes), and was thrilled that they all sold that day! This marked the beginning of my tatting ‘frenzy’ when I tried to have inventory for each festival , plus I started thinking up 3-D ideas. Selling involves so much more than just the tatting – again, the subject of future posts!

Uh-oh – I’m having a sudden need to eat chocolate!
Happy Tatting Day!

Celtic Tatting - Motifs 16 and 17

2009-03-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick’s Day !

Below are some “Irish” patterns in commemoration of St. Patrick’s Day

I’m proud to be part Irish, and was named for my maternal grandmother, Katherine (“Kate”) Flanagan. Can’t get much more Irish than that! She was born in America after her parents immigrated to New England around 1870. Sadly, I never knew her, as she died in 1944, the year I was born; but I understand she had a wonderful sense of humor and an infectious laugh, which my wonderful mother also inherited! My grandfather’s ancestors, although having an English name, lived in Ireland for generations, and his parents also immigrated to New England before he was born. My grandfather had tailoring skills and made a christening gown in 1899 that is still in the family!

Motif #16 consists of two parts, both associated with Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic Motif

Motif #16-A: Lenore English, Celtic Bookmark Motif
(based on Motif by Rosemarie Peel)

I love this Celtic tatted motif, which is only one section of an outstanding bookmark by Lenore English, found here:www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/6896/pbkmrk.html

It’s based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic motif, which apparently was on the internet at one time, but I can’t seem to find it. (Rosemarie’s motif is beautifully interpreted by Elizabeth Zipay in a delicate pair of earrings on her Jan. 21, 2008 post.) www.elizabeths-lace.blogspot.com/

On this motif I used two different DMC perle cotton threads, size 8. The label is missing on the lighter green ball of thread, but the dark green is #3346. In this instance, I think the two colors enhance the woven effect

Since I was doing only a single motif, I didn’t need to do a split ring in part 1 (lighter green thread), and therefore I used only one shuttle. I used the darker green for part 2, and back to the lighter green for part 3

The full bookmark is beautifully designed and executed by Lenore, but she admits it’s difficult to do, and after looking over the instructions, I’d have to agree. It will be awhile before I attempt it!

I’ll be wearing the pin on my hand-knit ‘Aran’ sweater, made in 1991, during my tatting-knitting-quilting-frenzy years.

I’m not so ‘driven’ these days, and I’m amused when I read how everyone has three or four projects going at once, and I can very much relate to it

My husband (not exactly Irish!) will also wear the fisherman-knit sweater I made for him way back in 1973 – different pattern (still fits, because I made it a little bigger!), which won a blue ribbon at the Allegheny County Fair back then. The pictured sweater won a blue at the Canfield Fair in Ohio. (Just a little bragging!). I find fisherman sweaters easier to knit than sweaters with color changes, although I’ve made many of those. As with all needle arts, we have our preferences, from types of knitting needles, yarns and patterns, to tatting shuttles, threads and patterns

Motif #16 –B: LaRae Mikulecky’s Celtic Bookmark
also based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic Motif

Lenore’s bookmark was inspired by LaRae Mikulecky’s famous Celtic bookmark from 1997 (below), which also was based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic motif

I tatted this bookmark sometime in the early 2000s, and was quite pleased with myself when I finished it

When “surfing the net” back in 1999 or 2000 at the library, I remember being stunned when I came across LaRae Mikulecky’s Celtic bookmark.

It was the first time I had ever seen ‘Celtic’ tatting, and I was mesmerized by all that weaving in and out. I just HAD to tat it! It has a wonderful texture and definitely has a “Wow” factor when seen in person. Fortunately, it was relatively easy to tat, thanks to LaRae’s excellent instructions, which she so generously shared. The pattern is found here: www.geocities.com/Heartland/5082/Patterns/celtic/celtic_bookmark.htm

I experimented with tatting the first layer (split rings) in dark green, but I think I’d prefer to do all four layers of the bookmark in one color, to add to its ‘mystery’, although it’s helpful here to see how the split rings are the foundation

Both Lenore’s and LaRue’s bookmarks are outstanding and attractive, but the Celtic motif is more clearly seen on Lenore’s three-step bookmark, and very much appeals to me

Motif #17 – Iris Niebach’s “Cactus” Motif

Even though this motif doesn’t involve ‘Celtic tatting’, the design sure looks Celtic to me, and was designed by world-famous Iris Niebach, from Italy!

Believe it or not, it’s made in one pass, and I’m delighted that it’s my first Iris Niebach pattern. Of course, this is one of her easier designs!

I’m displaying it here on a candle-wicked pillow I made long, long ago, in a galaxy far away

The candlewick knots were fun to do, but at the time I didn’t know yet how to quilt a ‘running stitch’. I just sort of ‘stab stitched’ the ‘quilted’ areas

As mentioned above, Iris’s motif is an amazing one-pass pattern (without any special tricks) which is very easy to follow, and measures about 5” across.

I must give credit to Marty of Tat’s All She Wrote - http://www.marty-tatsall.blogspot.com// where I first saw this pattern. It is beautifully tatted and was her 20th motif, posted April 23, 2008. I was excited that the pattern was offered free from Iris Niebach, and Marty provides an easy link to it. You must visit Marty’s blog to see all her beautiful tatting! Marty has skillfully tatted many of Iris’s patterns!

The thread I used above has a unique history. itself, as it dates back at least 30 or more years!
It was made by American Thread Company at Fall River, Massachusetts, called “Silkateen” (100 yards) on wood spools (collectors’ items) and feels like size 8 perle cotton.

Amazingly, a few boxes of this thread sat on a shelf for who knows how many years in a hardware / general merchandise store owned by a relative of my sister-in-law. The store was being sold, so my sweet SIL gave the thread to me! I had to unwind it a bit to get past the more ‘brittle’ outside yardage; then it became stronger and darker as I removed the outer layers of thread

In researching the company, I haven’t been able to find a reference to the Fall River mill in Massachusetts. There is information about a Connecticut mill, and a nice photo of the ‘headquarters’ building in New York. The American Thread Company apparently began operations in 1899 here in America and had several mill sites in New England. Apparently the mills closed around the 1970s. I’d have to do more in-depth research to track down the story of the production of this thread. I made a few Christmas wreath pins out of this thread for my SIL and her daughters, as a memento of the store owned by their relative.

Have a great St. Patty’s Day!

"Spring Forward" - Easter Egg Alert

2009-03-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

I’m very much against ‘rushing’ the season, but I want to alert you to some eggs that are currently at Michaels. I’m not sure they’re in all their stores (they don’t seem to be listed on their web site). As usual, I purchased several of them, as the stores don’t often have the same items the next year. Usually I’ve had to add braiding and/or flowers to plain eggs, but these are already finished – ready to hang - or just sit in a basket The braiding 'sections off' the egg into quarters. They have a ‘velvet’ covering and come in different pastel colors – pink, blue, light green, purple, orange.

Of course, I can’t leave that ‘empty space’ between the braiding just sit there, when it’s crying out for tatted motifs!

This was the quickest motif I could find (Mary McCarthy’s butterfly, from my October 17 post) to attach to the egg, so I could alert you to them.

There are many possibilities for embellishing these eggs even more. Need I mention beads?

The colors aren’t showing as well as I’d like here, and there are shadows in the photo, but it kind of gives you the idea.

Because the eggs are hollow (but not hard plastic), it is possible to use pins. (I use metallic pins that have a gold bead at one end.) However, always be careful not to let children play with the eggs, even though the pins don't pull out easily.

Around Easter I’ll be posting eggs that I’ve decorated with tatting over the years.

"Seeing Stars" on Ice - plus Motif #15 -Tatted Edging made into Star

2009-02-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to another Niece!

Today (Feb. 27) is significant to me for two reasons.

First, one of my sweet nieces was born 18 years ago today (sister of the 21-year-old niece born on Valentine’s Day). Both girls have shown interest in the needle arts (one likes machine sewing, and the other learned to knit - from me, I’m proud to say – but she’s not tatting yet, although she wants to learn), but their school schedules keep them so busy, it’s difficult for them to find time. I gave each of them the small tatted red heart pendant (previous post) for Valentine's Day.

The second reason Feb. 27 is memorable is written a few paragraphs below!

Motif #15 – Tatted Edging formed into Star (ornament or sun catcher)

From Ann Orr’s Classic Tatting Patterns (Dover Needlework Series) Edging No. 12 (page.23)

This is the first ‘fancy’ edging pattern I tatted after I learned the chain. I discovered after making 5 points that I could form the ‘straight’ lace into a star

After making the star, I felt confident enough with it to try making my first long piece of tatting (about 30”) to embellish a black vest, which I wore as part of my first tatting costume (to be shown on a future post)

I use the stars both as Christmas ornaments and as window 'sun catchers' for all seasons.

I’ve been working on the continuation of my tatting story, but I want to get this particular post in today.

Also, I’ve never worked with beads to any great extent – I usually just added them to connect picots, or even sewed them on afterward (!) so I’ve been trying to understand how to plan ahead to load them onto the shuttle and work with them; therefore, I am doing some ‘active’ tatting these days.

But I have to share this next story today, as I know you’ll find it ‘interesting’ if not disconcerting!

"Seeing Stars" on Ice - Feb. 27, 2002

"Happiness was" . . ice skating a few weeks 'before the fall', at a different rink.

Today is the 7-year anniversary of my ice-skating accident (at 58 years of age) when I broke both wrists in one fell swoop – so to speak – while trying to go into a backward turn during my usually joyful afternoon skating session at a new, beautiful indoor ice rink in our area. In a nano-second I went down. I won’t go into details, as it’s too painful for me to recall them. Believe me, I literally saw stars!! The year is easy to remember, however - two wrists, 2002

I was VERY, VERY FORTUNATE that I did not need surgery on either wrist, although the doctor said the left wrist would be a little crooked. (By the way, he was wonderful – great sense of humor that helped so much – and no ‘rolling of the eyes’ that I was skating at ‘my age’!!) The ‘crooked wrist’ verdict was okay with me, and it really isn’t that noticeable. In fact, it actually healed faster than the right wrist, which looks perfect (for which I’m also grateful).

I ‘attended’ the April Maple Festival (Brady’s Run) that year (just visiting the tatting group - the wrists were released from the casts two weeks later), and by August I was, happily, back with the group at historic Vicary House, although still a bit sore, and not tatting with great speed!

Needless to say I am GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL that it wasn’t worse. However, psychologically it was a bitter pill, because I LOVED to skate, and had roller skated or ice skated a good bit for many years, even through my early 40s. However, I did have a 15-year lull and was getting back into it because of the fabulous new ice rink, which was empty during the afternoon session when school kids were not there.

I was in ‘hog heaven’ having mostly the whole rink to myself. I have to say I was really getting into good skating form again, although a little shaky on the backwards stuff (literally my ‘downfall’!) . I loved hearing from young folks that I skated “pretty good for an older person” – one actually used the term ‘elderly’ (LOL ? ).

I have not returned to skating (although I very much wanted to) because I just can’t chance getting hurt again – there are knees, ankles and elbows also to consider! Not to mention my dear husband’s feelings, who had to do so many things ‘above and beyond’ during my recuperation. It really was not an easy time. (Did I mention that the casts prevented me from feeding myself?) Very sobering thoughts, and I had lots of time to think about it.

Sometimes you just have to let something go and realize that you have limitations – and accept your age!!!! (Still having trouble with that one!)

I can ‘celebrate’ the anniversary because the outcome was so positive and after six months I regained full use of both wrists. It was wonderful to drive again. And I no longer complain about doing housework (well, maybe just a little) – I’m just so grateful that I can do housework..

I was amazingly pain-free for four years, and again, was grateful, grateful, grateful. But in 2007 I started having some arthritis issues - at first quite painful and disconcerting, but fortunately within a few months the pain diminished (amazingly, on its own) and now I just have a ‘mild’ case, with many long stretches being pain-free, but still a bit stiff in the morning. Weather does seem to be a factor, but sometimes they will ache (either both or individually) for no apparent reason. I realize, however, that one can get arthritis without having had an injury, but injuries certainly increases the odds.

I have a great appreciation for the difficulty many have in opening things – especially with today’s packaging. I definitely need bottle opener gizmos! And I can highly recommend both a “Paper Pro” stapler and 3-hole punch (for all those internet tatting patterns!!) that are excellent products requiring minimal pressure. Therefore, I’m also indebted to the ‘gizmo’ makers.

The wrist issue is one of the reasons I’m not tatting or doing other needlework with ‘gusto’ anymore. I was doing some quilting one day, and the next day the wrists were very sore. Fortunately, tatting and knitting aren’t quite as much of a problem, but I try to limit my time. However, surfing the web is also a ‘risk’ factor (the mouse!) , and I try to watch my time there, too – although it’s difficult to stay away from the 'Net, and I do get ‘twinges’. (Did I mention I also love to play the piano – just for my own enjoyment, nothing fantastic. It’s just very important to me!)

I’m going to end this post here, and possibly go visit the rink, which I do occasionally, just for ‘old times’ sake. I love to watch the kids who are just learning, and especially the ones who are training to compete. How I envy them – their youth and agility!!!! But I’m still grateful, grateful, grateful that I can use my hands and enjoy all my other hobbies. (If I used the word 'grateful' often in this post, it's because I am just that!)

Happy Valentine's Day! Motifs #12, 13 and 14

2009-02-14T14:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine’s Day to all !
And a Special Happy Birthday Greeting to my sweet niece, who is 21 years old today!

MOTIF #12: 3-D VICTORIAN HEART (made from two fans)

Here’s one of my 3-D ‘designs’ from around 1993, where I used a published ‘flat’ pattern and molded it into a 3-D shape. It is made from two fans (see below) with an added chain on each fan to make a ‘heart’ shape.

I used Alene’s fabric stiffener and draped each fan over a plastic 3-D heart form to 'puff' them out. Then I sewed the stiffened rounded shapes together with sewing thread, also incorporating pearls on the sides as I sewed along.

I hung a large pink ‘crystal’ bead on a chain in between the two halves, and also wove gold beads (the plastic ones that can be cut to desired length ) in and out on the sides (no sewing). Then I glued the flowers on top

This is a rather blurry ‘photo of a photo’ of the fan, as I no longer have the original fan ornament.

I have it pictured here upside down so you can see the ‘heart’ shape. Not shown here, of course, is the long chain (plus picots) between outer rings 4 and 6 to give the fan a ‘heart’ shape. (Hope I’m explaining this OK!)

I know I've seen this pattern while going through my books, but, of course, I can't find it at the moment to give credit to the designer.

I know I made many of these fans. If you want to stand on your head, you'll see that I added a little
crystal under the silk flower and bow!

Interestingly, I made only one of the 3-D hearts, partly because during my tatting frenzy years of 1990-1994 I was trying to make a lot of ‘quick’ items to sell, plus I was coming up with several different ideas for other 3-D items. The finishing for the 3-D heart was a bit labor intensive (for me), and I didn’t want to take time back then to make more of them. I always intended to make more, but haven't made any others so far!

MOTIF #13: ‘REGAL HEART’ by TERI DUSENBURY,
with pearls sewn to the tatting afterwards

This heart may look familiar to you, as it was almost a year ago that Sharon so kindly posted a photo of it on her blog (along with other photos I sent her by mail) and introduced me to the 25-motif tatting group before had a blog. I never dreamed that I would actually start a blog – and it took six months for me to get up the ‘courage’! Thanks so much, Sharon! This is my E-Valentine greeting to you!

I pinned the heart to the padded top of my favorite burgundy velvet heart box (easy to remove), which I purchased at one of the craft stores several years ago. I think tatting and velvet go well together!

I have it displayed in the curio in my living room, where I keep anniversary keepsakes and gifts

This pattern is in Teri Dusenbury’s excellent book “Tatting Hearts” – a VERY IMPORTANT PUBLICATION because in it, Teri explained (and revived) the split-ring technique, and used it to great effect in many of her beautiful designs in that book, published by Dover Publications. It was amazing to see rings floating around with no chains between them.

However, her Regal Heart pattern above does not use split rings, which is why I chose to tat it, back when I bought the book around 1994. At the time I was intimidated by the split-ring idea and didn’t fully grasp it. Happily I am no longer intimidated by split rings, since I discovered they weren’t that difficult! The split ring certainly opened up new and unique design possibilities for all tatting designers. THANK YOU, TERI for reviving the split ring and for your many other contributions to the tatting world!

MOTIF #14: QUICK AND EASY HEART PENDANT

This admittedly is not the greatest photo, nor is it representative of my best tatting, but I enjoyed rediscovering this very cute little heart pattern, and I tatted up these samples quickly today to see how the pattern would look in both DMC’s perle cotton size 8 (color 498) and DMC’s gold thread on a spool, which makes a smaller heart. The red one is only an inch high.

The pattern is by Kim Goetz, which appeared in “Victorian Hearts and Flowers,” one of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazines (1995). She made it with size 80 thread for use on note paper.

* * * *

I thought I'd add a weather note here, to record the fact that there is a dusting of snow on the lawn and trees, with temps in the mid-30s on this Valentine's Day 2009. Amazing to think that on Wednesday it was 65 degrees, but I knew it wouldn't last!