misc

Jasper

(using cell phone)

He comes in - he wants out.

The night before last, he came in around Midnight + slept until around 5am

and wanted back out.

Last night, he came in around Midnight + slept until around 1am

and wanted back out.

I don't know where he goes - he keeps coming back!

Honey

(using cell phone)

Stays up on the desk and watches for Jasper's return.

They kinda ignore each other.

After seeing Diane's lovely tatted snowflakes,

I ordered the book - wow,

what a nice book of patterns!

A Veritable Tatted Blizzard

by Samantha Melnychuk

Must have for 2013 ....

Not sure about you, I look forward to shopping at Barnes and Noble for calendars on 12/26.   Today, Tori + I enjoyed making our selections.

This is my 2013 Diary ---

2013 prints from the MFA-Boston

(wall calendar)

AND

2013 Charley Harper

wall calendar for our family schedules

(wall calendar in the kitchen).

Tori found a beautiful 2013

Monet Diary and a wall calendar with

x-ray photography of flowers.

--- excellent choices.

Not that I needed any, found lovely holiday

cards.   Monet Snowscenes and Winter Wonderland 

with Lucy Grossmith paintings.

Guess maybe it is time to mail out some cards!

Tollway Tatters (Part Two)

Aren't these stunning?????   Diane made them.

I may gift a couple - but, they are so pretty,

may be too hard to part with them.

Diane tatted this

Triangular Doodad Snow Crystal in size 10.

It is just beautiful!

She also brought along the button swap pieces

pieces from Bri (but I forgot to take a photo).

What fun to swap buttons and have them return, embellished!

Diane had a tin of beads/fibers and challenged 

us to be creative!   Not sure what we will come up with.

In addition to the challenge - there was a small

hook tool to help with the beads and charming

round discs that look like life savers.

Thx Diane!

-----------------------------------------------

The white star ornament on the left

was tatted by CathyB's Mom, Marlene.

I found a similar pattern (or perhaps it is the same pattern)

in Myra Piper's book:   Tatting.

The pattern is typed out - no diagram, and I wasn't quite

sure how to manage .... but, I tried using size 40 Lizbeth

and think I've figured out the pattern.

By using size 40, I think it will be smaller + look nice

on my Mom's tree.

I have been enjoying Marilee Rockley's tatting class.

I used some fiber samplers, size 3

for the flowers and butterflies -

to use on cards / scrapbooking.

I have more green fiber - and will make more

of the grass in green!

Now that I have some size 10 fiber, I'm ready

to continue with the next lessons

making earrings, bracelets, etc - with size 8 seed beads.

Tollway Tatters (Part One)

'Santa' Sue Anna was tatting

Diane's Snow Crystal pattern.    They 

experimented with a different count on the chains

and tried size 10 fiber with a Dream Catcher component.

Visit Diane's blog for the pattern.

Sue Anna brought some tatting with her.   She tatted 

this beautiful motif (Lizbeth Scottish Thistle)

AND, she brought along:

tatting she received from Jane - so, lovely!!!

(my photos do not do justice).

'Santa' Sue Anna gave each of us a kit of candy

to create candy sleighs!    She shared some of the new

Lizbeth fiber colors, and some size 10 fiber.

Plus, a beautiful Cherry Vanilla Aerlit shuttle.

Thx Sue Anna ; )

----------------------------------------------------------

Barbara was tatting

Merie Lettieri's

bell pattern from the L.A.C.E. newsletter.   

https://sites.google.com/view/illacemakers/home?authuser=0

She added pearl beads + so far, looks fantatsic!

I think she said this was her

third tatted bell.   The red and white look festive.

She shared some of her size 80 + size 10 fibers, too. 

Thx Barbara!

Lizbeth: Size 3

Handy Hands send a Lizbeth brand, size 3 fiber sample 

with their newsletter.   

Earlier this evening, I tatted a butterfly doodle.

The 4-ring butterfly seemed to use a lot of fiber!

Keeping the ring of DS seemed clumsy at first.

I was glad I had a practice piece before

choosing

this motif from MiniTats

(This one is motif #12).

I chose this motif, as the shuttle only needed about 6' of size 3

for the rings -- the rest was from the spool of fiber.

I don't have much left on the spool.

Maybe more doodles this evening!

Did you notice the pretty shuttle?

This one decorated by Diane, blogging

at Lace-lovin' Librarian.

Her color coordinating with her tatting 

is rubbing off on me!

I own 2 wooden shuttles, and find the

fiber shreds while winding.   Tips are so tightly pinched together.

Have not actually used them.

The two new shuttles for my collection

are Gr-8.   I knew they existed; however,

when I held one in my hand (belonged to Tatting Friend),

I knew I'd have to own one!

When I couldn't decide, I bought two.   

I have not tried them yet - they are very pretty to look at!

2012: 25 Motif Challenge

Thank you Sharon for being our leader

and doing such a nice job with the 

25 Motif Challenge blog!

I used Lizbeth fiber,  Col. 171, Size 20.

Motif #25 pattern from

Minitats; 69 Petite Motifs by Patti Duff.

Woot!

Now I'm ready for next year's challenge ...

 another 25 motifs.

(Motifs #26-50)

Did you notice the special shuttles?

The green shuttle embellished with cherries

and GLITTER, was a gift from Diane.

She does a marvelous job decorating shuttles.   

Shuttles with bling are so much fun to use!

The Aerlit was a gift

from Sue Anna.   I've never used a

shuttle with a bobbin - it took some

getting used to, but a lovely shuttle to tat with

once I got the hang of it.

Giveaway ... and etc.

Oh my, I'm over-the-moon with 

my new fibers!!!   I was fortunate to be the lucky

one chosen for Yarnplayer's giveaway

of 

"Summer Trail" Hand Dyed Thread.

Yippee Skippee -- so spoiled, I stink!

And, if you haven't been to her blog recently,

don't miss her snowflake with the double picots!!!!

Here is motif #24 from Minitats (by Patti Duff).

I used Ice Blue Lizbeth Fiber - size 20.

The lock joins were a challenge!!!

Only need one more to meet the 25 motif challenge for 2012;

While at the most recent Tollway Tatters Gathering, I had

forgotten my yellow folder at home, which housed my tatting patterns : (   

oh my --- what to do?   Never fear, Denise brought

her Minitats book + let me use her copy while she tatted

a snowflake from another book  ... 

I made this little tree motif - I tried to use the #60 motif

 pattern from Minitats + wanted to change it to have the

start and end at the top of the tree.  oops - didn't

quite manage that.   Marilee aka Yarnplayer

suggested a split ring at the top.

Oh my --- why didn't I think of that??? the next one

will have a split ring at the top!!!

We have so much fun when we get together.

Our tables are loaded with tatting books, patterns,

shuttles, bags, and it is a wonderful time to exchange ideas

and tat the afternoon away ; )

(Pictured above:   Eva, Diane, Barbara, Marilee)

Did you notice the shipping deals at JoAnn.com?

Lots of deals around Veteran's Day and Cyber Monday and Black Friday, and

what ever else..... I had ordered some thread 

Sulky Blendables (because Diane gave me a sample

and the stuff is oodles of fun to use, so I had to own a few spools).

and, I noticed they also have Art Bins

slim line that I like to use.

The pink has a magnetic strip to keep the

crochet hooks from rolling around.

The blue and green are clear + wonderful to use

for scissors and markers, etc.

How can today be November 30th???

Tollway Tatters (part five)

Sue Anna

tats away with perfect tension.

Her tatting is an inspiration.

This is tatted with the new Aerlit tatting shuttle

using the recent released size 3

by LizBeth ... like the colorways!

(did you notice another nifty tatting bag????)

Look at this lovely motif - using LizBeth Scottish Thistle fiber.

Sue Anna also shared multiple balls

of fibers with the tatters gathered.

She offered all the colorways of the new size 3 fiber

to grab a few feet and give it a try.   Oh, and her

generosity didn't stop there --- she also

gifted each of us with our choice of the Aerlit tatting shuttle!!!

She had ALL the colors.   They are so pretty.

(I confess to not trying it yet - but I will try soon)

Thank you Sue Anna - you are the best!

After the LONG week I had with multiple 'issues' and installation of new appliances (how stressful that can be) ... I was so happy to gather together and tat the afternoon away.   Looking forward to meeting up again!

Tollway Tatters (part four)

Marilee

was designing as she tatted along.

(unlike struggling me - baffled by patterns and

mere lock joins!  Also notice the book on the table???   

Plenty of books get passed along and it is

AWESOME to see a books contents

before opting to purchase .... thx Denise and Diane).

Marilee ended up with a marvelous

motif.

Marilee brought some of her famous

fibers - you know the ones ... from

Yarnplayer's Etsy Shop?

Aren't these gorgeous???

Tourmaline and Nightwind.   ooooo ... so pretty.

Marilee also shared bundles of these lovely woven

square cloths --- They were like wrapping paper w/ribbon.   

We'd open them up to find LizBeth fiber!

and chocolate bars (were delicious.)

Thx Marilee!!!   I have the cloth on my basket in my room.

The colors are just lovely.

And, by the way --- couldn't help notice,

Marilee also was sporting a stunning bag for her oodles of tatting goodies:

Did you notice the heart on the needle book

and the lovely scissors keep?

Betcha wish you were there, tatting right along with us .... stay tuned more to follow ....

Tollway Tatters (part three)

Diane

tatted a stunning piece with metal doodat + beads

photo of it finished, on her blog post - HERE.

The motif from the ever popular

Minitats by Patti Duff book.

Am I spotting a new shuttle ??? a blue shuttle??? 

Could it be one of the new Aerlit bobbin shuttles?

And, we revisited the split ring.

These made by Diane.

Seems both Denise and I make them

in a similar way - without causing

so much pain in the hand!!!!

Woot - now Diane will be off to the races with split rings

in her patterns.   No stopping her now ; )

Our new challenge pieces --- THREE of them ...

oh my, who knows what the creative tatters will end up with ; )

I confess I'm not finished the first doo dat challenge.

Didn't get the tatting started - did have a couple diagrams/notes started.

Diane had some gifts to share ... a new to me fiber to try,

and blingged shuttles!   Floral and Cherries.   Both so pretty + glittery.

Then, come to find, her generosity continues with oodles

of doodats and beads to choose!!!   Awesome stash builders.

thank you ever so much Diane.

I adore this photo of Diane and Eva!

Eva is learning how to tat + is moving right along

making chains:

Eva also went around the table

and took photos for Diane.

She is the sweetest peach!

Hang on now ... there is more, are you wondering about those nifty new shuttles?   Stay tuned.