Handkerchief Time

My first goal after the Palmetto weekend was to edge a handkerchief to enter in the local fair. I had a vintage hanky I must have picked up at a yard sale sometime. I used some size 40 Lizbeth thread that I got while I was there. Size 80 would have been more appropriate for the fabric, but I knew I would never get that size completed in time.


I searched for an edging pattern that would use just a little pink, and found the perfect one in the book "A Tatter's Workbook". Since it's mostly chains, I only had to refill my bobbin once, as an added bonus. Slope and roll joins instead of lock joins worked well to minimize pink spots where I didn't want them.

This was a big project for me, 54 inches of lace, 7/8 inch wide. Look how much thread it took, compared to an unused ball:


I was really happy with the tatting, though perhaps my decision to sew it on with blue thread wasn't the best since I had trouble keeping the stitches even. I finished it in the wee hours one night and dropped it off at the fair the next morning.

More Thread Exchange Projects

As I've said before, the Thread Exchange Blog is a fun way to trade samples of thread. Typically, the samples are 12 yards (11 meters).

Then comes the question of choosing a project you can complete with the sample. Motifs and bookmarks work great. Here are two of mine.

This one is a bookmark of Mary Konior's Duet pattern, made with size 20 Lizbeth #125 Seascape. I looove this color on the ball, but in this particular bookmark, not so much. Perhaps the back and forth rings were not a good choice for this thread. It looks better on Isdihara's blog.




I also used an exchange thread to perfect my koala bear pattern. I think this is Lizbeth 691 Mocha Brown Medium. It's a nice shade, a bit warmer than the similar Cebelia I had been using.

I've wound my shuttles with more exchange threads, so watch this space....

Later...by the way, I can claim this as Motif 20 in my current 25 Motif Challenge.

Post Palmetto

Well, here it is, three weeks after Palmetto, and I am finally getting to my blog. (Insert usual excuses here.)

As always, I had a marvelous time, getting together with old friends and making new ones. I learned a few new things too. I always come away with some new technique or trick.

I was a little surprised how few pictures I took. I guess I was too caught up in the excitement to get the camera out much. Anyway, here are a few:



Here Erin and Georgia are displaying the smaller quilt for auction. (The group project yielded 1 large, 1 small, and 3 wall hanging sized quilts.)



Sue H in her purple finery at the banquet. That's a lovely tatted shawl.


Riet and Katherine


Karey and Schari


Hope presides over fun and games session


Mary Konior Lace

Close-up of a flower in Shawna's arrangement that won the People's Choice award.

Next year's conference has just been announced: Sept 23-23, 2011 in Toccoa again.