"Seeing Stars" on Ice - plus Motif #15 -Tatted Edging made into Star

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

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!

Let It Snow?!!! Motifs 9, 10 and 11

I’m counting my 3-D bell from my previous post as Motif #8.

Since it’s been snowing off and on for the past few days (total 6” – plus record low temps), I’m inspired to post some snowflakes from the past! (Also, please know that I seem to have little control over the spacing in my posts. I've 'edited' it as best I can. Possibly someone can give me some tips!)



I’m trying to put a ‘happy spin’ on my winter doldrums, (which always set in before winter starts!) and thought I’d see what some tatted snowflakes ( Motifs 9 and 10 below) would look like on a cute sweater I wear in the winter to cheer me up. (Actually they look good. Maybe I’ll tat new ones up!)







Motif #9 - Snowflake (with variation) from DMC Festive Tatting
(designed by Marion T. Leyds - No. 15 in book)

This is the first snowflake pattern I ever attempted back in 1991, and it’s still one of my favorites.









My ‘variation’ is that I did not include the thrown- off rings in the center and just put picots (thereby avoiding the use of the ‘feared’ second shuttle in my early learning stage)












Same snowflake with mirrored gem
in the center (front and back)

Adding the gem always adds some ‘sparkle’












Same snowflake, with silk ribbon poinsettia embellishment.

I like to use silk flowers in my tatting, even on snowflakes!

This snowflake is a reminder of our winter wedding (45 years ago on Jan 4!!) , where my maid of honor and bridesmaid wore red gowns and carried white fur muffs, with a red carnation spray. I had wanted poinsettias but the florist said they would wilt! The carnations looked lovely, though. Our wedding in 1964 was snow-free (just some snow leftover from a New Year’s Eve snowfall), but we got 10” on our return to work on the 13th!! ! Anniversaries have ranged in temps all the way from 60 degrees to minus 2! And on our 30th anniversary (1994) we spent the morning shoveling 10” of snow from our driveway so my husband could get to work! Annoyed as I was at having to shovel so much snow, I was very grateful that it didn’t snow like that on my wedding day!

Motif #10 - Snowflake (with variation) from DMC Festive Tatting
(designed by Marion T. Leyds – No. 5 in book)





Marion Leyds created a very similar snowflake to the one above, eliminating the long chains under the 5 top rings.

You can see how she came up with this variation, and indeed it has a different ‘look’ to it.

Again I didn’t include the thrown-off rings in the center, allowing me to hang a snowflake ‘crystal’ pendant.







When hung in a window, the crystal reflects sunlight through a prism and throws rainbow “lights” around a room. A true “sun catcher” !

Motif #11 - My Own Design (1995?) – No Picots!





The inspiration for this snowflake was a Lenox porcelain snowflake that I saw in a catalog.

I wondered if I could ‘copy’ it in tatting and sat down and sketched it out, then surprised myself by actually tatting it!

I can’t find the sketch or the pattern, which is probably tucked into the catalog, which may or may not still be in the house! It needs to be perfected a bit, as the rings kind of ‘lop over’ each other. On the other hand, it adds to the ‘antique-y’ look.

I have just realized that the above three snowflakes plus the eight-sided one I posted on December 18 (the Christmas card) are the only snowflake patterns I’ve ever tatted! I was concentrating more on my 3-D ornaments during my ‘tatting frenzy’ years (1990-94). I have been bedazzled by all the snowflake patterns tatted by everyone, including the gorgeous HDT’s!

Hope those of you in the cold climates are staying warm! (Hey, Tattingchic - and those in sunny climes – just a little envy! OK – maybe a lot of envy!!!!) I’m trying to appreciate the beauty of the snow (it IS beautiful on a sunny, blue-sky day) and, thankfully, I really don’t have to go out in it (except for shoveling and food shopping), but I miss the joy of walking around the neighborhood and sitting in my backyard among the birds and flowers! At least the stores are starting to put out gardening items – that helps cheer me up!

Ring in the New Year !!

Happy New Year greetings to all !!!


This is one of my first 3-D bell designs - 1992.

I created the bell in 1992 and I used a photo of it for my Christmas card that year. The bell itself is about 3" high.

The bottom ‘round’ is a flat lace from The Tatters Treasure Chest,
Dover Publications 1991 – a compilation of “out of print thread company leaflets”.

I submitted this bell design (among other items) to
a national craft magazine in 1992.

I’ll be writing a whole post about that experience in the future!

I can’t find these small doves in craft stores anymore, although
they may be available on the internet.


If you look very closely you’ll see the ‘crystal’ bell clapper (actually a clear acrylic 'bead') at the end of a gold chain. It took extra time to ‘make’ the clapper using jewelry tools.

I often made two bells as package toppers on the gift for a bride (one bell was for the bride's mother), using ribbons and flowers in the bride’s wedding colors. I sometimes furnished a brass holder for displaying the bell on a shelf or in a curio. Of course, the bride can also hang the bell on her Christmas tree, as shown here.

On a non-tatting note, I certainly enjoyed watching the Rose Bowl Parade on TV this morning. I can't even begin to imagine how they put those floats together! They seem to have a short 'window of opportunity' to attach the flowers and seeds. etc. The parade must be magnificent to see in person!

I also enjoy the marching bands, as I was in our high school band back in - well - let's just say a very long time ago!!!! I played the clarinet during concert season and was a majorette during football season, and loved every minute of it!! Sadly, it seems that majorettes are being phased out of high school bands - but I'm happy that college bands still seem to feature them. Just another trip down memory lane for me!!

Enjoy your New Year celebrations and the remaining days of this Holiday season!

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care

It’s Christmas Eve 2008!

I wanted to post this photo today, as it is appropriate for this “Night Before Christmas!”



Christmas stocking from around 1995.


Tatted motifs and counted cross-stitch ribbon on the cuff.


Have you spotted the 8-sided snowflake?!!












I purchased the commercially made stocking in the mid-1990s (velveteen and brocade fabrics, with gold stitching already on it), as I realized immediately that it would be a great place to display some motifs that I had tatted but put away in my tatting ‘stash’. I also found a home for my counted cross-stitch ‘ribbon’ that I had stitched sometime in the early ‘90s.

You may recognize the eight-sided snowflake from my Christmas card on the previous post – this is where it now resides! It definitely does appear to be size 50 thread.

I’m embarrassed about the top ‘motif’ which looks like a heart, but is really a strawberry pattern (Workbasket June-July 1995), gone a bit awry, as I did too many knots in the final chains near the top! I always hope that visitors to the fairs don’t look too closely at it! I could replace it, but it helps remind me of my not-so-successful tatting attempts!



I am looking for the sources for the other patterns, but I do know that the heart in the toe of the stocking is Teri Dusenbury’s. I have a duplicate of this heart on a velvet box, to which I added pearls afterwards. (I didn't know how to tat them in yet!) Sharon Briggs posted my photo of it back in February, before I even considered starting a blog, as I felt too intimidated to do so! Of course, Sharon gave me the encouragement to give blogging a try, and also helped me through the process. Thank you so much, Sharon!

I wish I had more time right now to express how I feel about this fantastic ‘electronic’ worldwide tatting community, specifically the 25-Motif participants brought together by the amazing Sharon Briggs! Words can’t express my appreciation to Sharon for her tireless efforts in starting this Challenge and making it so successful – and, of course many thanks also to her assistants, Clyde, Laura, Aileen, and Jeff, who are doing a wonderful job with updating it. We all are aware of the effort that it takes to do this!

Also I am grateful to all tatters who are a part of the fabulous World Wide Web and who have so generously shared their experiences and tatting patterns! ( Also a big thanks to those on the internet who supply threads, shuttles and books that would otherwise be unavailable to us!) Not only is the tatting fabulous, but the websites and blogs are so creative, too!

I’m still trying to figure out just the basics of blogging, and I pretty much hold my breath hoping to do everything correctly with just posting text and photos, yet so many of your blogs have bells and whistles that astound me! I’m in total awe of all of this and can’t believe I’m actually a part of it

I will end this post with the same wish as Santa, as he drove out of sight: Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!

Season's Greetings !! Motif #7 - Snowflake Tatted in 1990

Season’s Greetings !!!
Motif #7 – Snowflake tatted in 1990

First I want to mention that I’m so flattered that Tattingchic has chosen me for a blog award(!), and I will acknowledge it on my next post, when I have more time to figure out what to do! I certainly appreciate being selected – in fact I’m in shock! Thank you so much, Tattingchic!!!!





Motif #7 – Eight-sided Snowflake
and my first use of two shuttles!

Here is my 1990 Christmas card where I featured a photo of my first “complicated” tatted snowflake
after learning to tat. (I promise I will get back to that story!)

You’ll note that it has eight sides! It was supposed to be a six-sided snowflake, designed by Marion T. Leyds in DMC’s “Festive Tatting” book, copyright 1983! Several years after sending the card I read that snowflakes in nature can’t possibly have more than six sides – no exceptions???

I wanted my card recipients back then to see that I could tat - not that anyone knew what tatting was! I had a note printed inside the card that said “Snowflake tatted by Kathy 1990” so they would know that I made it, and that it was tatted and not crocheted. (Really, would anyone care?) Actually, I did get lots of compliments on it

It has eight sides because after I made the sixth point, it was very apparent it was not going to lie flat, and I’d have to make at least two more points!

I’ve never investigated why the snowflake wouldn’t lie flat after the sixth section. The pattern doesn’t call for a particular size thread, and I can’t remember what size I used. I recall I often used 50 back then.

I remember not being thrilled that I was going to have to add more points to it! I felt lucky to have gotten that far and didn’t know if my luck would hold out. But I certainly didn’t want to leave it unfinished!! So I forged ahead.

It was also my first use of a second shuttle. I was wondering what the second shuttle was used for, and I felt a bit intimidated about it. Then I discovered it was only needed for the ‘thrown off’ rings in the center (although I had no idea they were called that). I kind of held my breath doing those, especially having to connect them to each other.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I finished the snowflake, making all the ‘connections’ at the end. I was quite pleased with myself, and I wanted to show it off with my card!

Making Cards in 1990 (not as ‘easy’ as today!!!)

Speaking of making cards – remember this was 1990, and the fabulous sophisticated computers and color printers we take for granted today were not around!

I was starting formal calligraphy lessons at the time (really enjoyed those) and learned about making your own inks using gouache paints (from a tube) thinned with water. (I also wrote the inside greeting, wishing everyone to have a “Sparkling Holiday”.)

I took the card to a professional printer (without the photo, as I was going to paste it on later, framed in silver paper) to have 60 copies run on card stock. The printer told me they ran blue ink on Tuesday (or whenever), and I had to wait a few days. (That was a revelation to me – running different inks on different days!)

Film cameras were the ‘norm’ then, and I used our 35 mm AE-1Canon camera and borrowed a macro lens from my brother-in-law. Then I had to wait until I used up the whole roll of film (24 or 36 shotsl).

Then I had the film developed (possibly cost at least $8 or more for the prints), and fortunately the photo of the snowflake turned out great. So I took the negative (remember those?) and had 60 prints made (possibly 20 cents per print) and waited several days for them to come back.

I didn’t have the nice circle cutters that I have today and had to trace a circle with something, then cut 60 silver circles and 60 smaller circles of the photo with scissors. Then, of course, the 120 circles had to be glued down with glue stick, and placed properly.

Of course, I addressed the envelopes in calligraphy, too. Crazy, crazy, crazy! I don’t do that anymore (came to my senses after several years!). But l feel guilty putting stickers on my envelopes now, rather than handwriting the addresses even in my own handwriting. (My apologies to Emily Post!)

However I like to create special stickers via the computer, and this year I used a photo of the tatted burgundy ornament with tatting on it (of course). The card itself is a commercial card, which is also a departure for me. I just didn’t have the time to make one this year.

In another post I’ll show you where that eight-sided snowflake is now, and eventually I’ll show all my cards featuring tatting.

Hope you’re keeping calm and taking time out to enjoy music and sights of the season during this week before Christmas!

Meeting Elizabeth Again!

Holiday preparations, family events, and traveling have kept me from posting! First of all, thanks so much for your kind comments on the ornament and paperweights. I hope you all have success with them!

I must get this post in now, before it gets lost in the holiday rush! It seems as though Thanksgiving was a long time ago, and our weekend trip to Washington, DC (Nov. 21-23) was one week before Thanksgiving!

I love to go to Washington D.C. anytime, and since I knew Elizabeth Zipay was going to be there again at another craft fair, I was only too happy to go and 'surprise' her again, the way I did back in May, before I started this blog in July.

Elizabeth Zipay and Kathy Niklewicz

at Montgomery Fairgrounds in

Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20 miles north

of Washington, DC.

It was unseasonably COLD that day,

but sunny. Even Elizabeth didn't know she would

be in an outdoor shelter (thankfully covered for

this event but still cold!). That's why we look

like we're in Alaska!

Elizabeth and I first met in July 1998 at Victorian Days in Mercer, PA. (It is only an hour from my home near Pittsburgh, but six hours from hers near Philadelphia!) It was my second time in Mercer (first time was in 1993) and I had a ‘demonstration-only’ table again, and she had a large tent with her beautiful and unique jewelry. I was overwhelmed when I saw her work! I believe it was her first and only time there, as it is a long way for her to travel. I haven't returned as a demonstrator since then, either. It’s a unique festival as it has a Victorian theme, and features a Victorian ‘Ball’ and and old-fashioned bandstand music concert. But the craft area has become much smaller over the years, and I just go to visit.

A special feature of Elizabeth's jewelry early on (and which continues today) is that she makes tiny bread-dough roses – and tiny leaves - to enhance many of her pins and pendants, giving them a lovely Victorian look. She also mounts many of her pieces on gold filet metal backings, which adds another unique dimension. The past few years she’s been designing fabulous beadwork necklaces and bracelets and also works with the beautiful hand-dyed threads. Just gorgeous!

Of course, I know many of you are aware of her exquisite work from both her website and her blog.
http://www.elizabeths-lace.blogspot.com/. (You can link to her website from there.)

After our initial meeting in Mercer in 1998, we didn’t see each other again for ten years, when I surprised her at her booth in Chantilly, Virginia, last May, also in the Washington, DC area. (Her show schedule is listed on her website.) I was so flattered that she remembered me from so long ago!

Elizabeth very much encouraged me to start this blog (which I finally did in July – with lots of help from Sharon Briggs!), and I wanted to thank her in person for her encouragement and to catch up on what she’s been doing since she started her full time job! It was fun to see her reaction when I walked into her booth again!

Of course her exquisite jewelry elicits “oohs and ahhs” from the visitors, and, happily, while I was there, Elizabeth made several sales. One fellow even ‘sneaked’ back to buy an item his wife had admired so he could surprise her with it for Christmas!! I’m hoping the rest of the weekend went as well for Elizabeth.

The visitors who are familiar in some way with tatting are astounded that it is still being done, and that it now is being adapted to make such beautiful and unique tatted and beaded jewelry Elizabeth’s work, of course, is perfection. She is a fantastic ‘ambassador’ for tatted lace!

Happily she likes her full-time job but admits it is quite an adjustment, and she’s tatting ‘less’ but is managing to keep her show commitments for this year. (Her tatting ‘less’ would be a tatting ‘frenzy’ for me!). Understandably, her blog has taken a back seat for awhile.

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My husband and I are amazed at how vast an area Washington has become over the past 45 years, since we spent our honeymoon there (Jan. 1964 !). Believe it or not, our motel room back then at a very nice place in Falls Church cost - would you believe - $10 a night!!!! Our motel this time (in a very trendy new shopping mall area with a 'lake' cost $100 a night, which actually was 'reasonable' compared to others in the area! It's great to have the internet to compare prices! We ventured over to historic Alexandria - one of our favorite towns, with Colonial architecture and cobblestone streets, and lots of cute shops and neat restaurants. I'm a history buff, so I love the atmosphere of Washington!

CHRISTMAS AT VICARY MANSION (Dec. 6)
Also, just this past weekend we Beaver County Tatters ( Evelyn, Peg, Pam and I ) had a nice time at Vicary Mansion (Freedom, PA) last Saturday, December 6. It was beautifully decorated and we enjoyed meeting the folks who ventured out that day, especially since it was one of those blustery, snowy days when the visitors could have stayed home! There is always an interest in our tatting!