At the Fair

The deadline for the county fair came all too soon. Luckily, they do not require that entries have been completed in the past year, like the state fair does, so I was able to substitute an old handkerchief for the one still in progress. My other entries over a year old too.

You have seen this one before. It is Iris' Anemone Nemorosa from her book Tatting Fantasia 2. I had high hopes for this, and was not disappointed.

Sometimes, though, it's hard to tell what the judges were thinking. Look at this doll, with the old fashioned edging making a perfect choice for the vintage handkerchief forming the yoke.

And here is the hem, with a hens and chickens border. (How did I manage not to get a picture of the whole doll?) This is a marvelous piece, in my mind well deserving a blue ribbon instead of a red.

What won the blue? My handkerchief instead. In my eyes, its only virtue was being worked in size 80 thread. Perhaps it was an even-ness of stitches or picots sort of issue.

This is my other winner, in the Christmas ornament category. This is one of Terry the Tatter's bell patterns.

My other handkerchief did get completed, in time to go to the State Fair instead, along with a butterfly. Anitra had kindly offered to deliver them there for me. I hear I won blue ribbons, but I did not get to go to the fair. Perhaps someone else went and took pictures? Hint, hint...

The Places I've Been

 Last week I used a few future scheduled blog posts to hide the fact that I had skipped town.  Needless to say, not much tatting got done.

Regular scheduled tatting will resume shortly.

Palmetto Tatting on Display

Here is a little of the tatting on display at Palmetto TatDays last month. Was it really that long ago?

I admired this piece, though I can't remember who made it.  Can anyone tell me who it was, or identify the source for the pattern?  Update: the tatter was Jeannie S., and the pattern is from Workbasket 1986.

Randy Houtz brought some really interesting 3D tatting.

This is part of the Gina Tatting Goddess display.  I love how she turned the heart in the square frame.  I miss her so much.

Here is a vintage collar.  I love old tatting.

Not in the display room, but in class, Lorena was Jane's assistant for the animal doodle class and proudly shows off the diorama she made with the sample projects for the class.

More Palmetto Pics

On the way to Palmetto TatDays, we stopped at the National Historic Park at Ninety-Six.  This was a town at an important crossroads and the site of the first Revolutionary War battle in the south.  It is more famous for a conflict later in the war.  The approach to the town was guarded by an earthenworks star fort, and General Nathanael Greene of the colonials laid siege to it. His plan was to approach it with trenches and dig a tunnel underneath.  Trench warfare in the Revolutionary War! I had no idea.  The whole scheme had to be abandoned when British reinforcements were on the way.  Now only mounds and depressions in the earth are left, but a pleasant walk on a sunny day.

Next was Helen, GA. Quaint alpine village or kitschy tourist trap?  A bit of both, actually. But we're easily amused, and there aren't any German restaurants at home.  Some of shops have lovely European imports and others have hillbilly souvenirs.  One shop has a really impressive miniature railroad display you can see for a nominal fee.  We skipped the Live Tarantula Museum.

Then on to Toccoa.  Here are some pictures of me with friends.

DooDad Double Dare & Catching Up

After I got home from Palmetto TatDays, I had so much to do, and was too tired to do it, thanks to a nasty cold I've had since Labor Day.  I'm gradually making progress though.  I'll be blogging in no particular order about assorted stuff until I get caught up.  (Do I ever get completely caught up? Hmmm)

Back in August, Diane sent me 2 doodads for her Doodad Double Dare. This is what I came up with, worked two different ways. I'll have to be on the lookout for doodads, since I have some more ideas I'd like to try out, and I want to make Frivole's Square Elegance.

Here is the pattern.  You may use it, print it, share it, sell items made from it, everything except publish the pattern elsewhere without permission.

Martha’s Doodad Design #1

©2012 Martha Ess

Materials: 1 doodad 3/4” across at widest point, 2 shuttles. I used size 40 thread, haven't tried any others.

Rnd 1: 2 shuttles, CTM or 2 colors tied

[R:     6 + (to doo-dad) 6 vsp 3 – 3 – 3 – 3 clr RW
Ch:    8 – 4 – 4 – 4 – 4 – 8 +LJ (to vsp of R) 8 SS
JK:    12 half stitches SS
Ch:    8 RW] 4 times, ending with cut and tie to base of 1st R.


Rnd 2: 2 shuttles, CTM or 2 colors tied

[R:    6 + (to 1st p of Ch of Rnd 1) 6 clr RW
Ch:   4 – 4 – 4 – 4 RW
R:     6 + (to 2nd free p of same Ch) 6 clr RW
Ch:   4 – 4 – 4 – 4 RW
R:     6 + (to 2nd free p of same Ch) 6 clr, DNRW SS
Ch:   16 RW
R:     3 – 3 – 3 – 3 – 3 – 3 clr RW
Ch:   16, DNRW SS] 4 times, ending with cut and tie to base of 1st R.

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Meanwhile, I finally got started on Jon's Tat-a-Long of Norma Benporath's Lace Mat. Click here for a link to the page with Jon's excellent diagram.  I really admire the graceful look of this doily.  It happens to include really long chains, which are one of my weak points.  I need the practice, so I'm not letting that stop me.

Back from Tat Days

Judging from the progress of this blog, you may well suppose that I packed for Toccoa and promptly fell off the face of the earth.  I feel a little like I did just that once I got back home.  

Anyway, here are a few funny photos from Palmetto Tat Days.

Playing battling cameras...

... with Jane ...

... and with Sherry.

Shuttle Brother Randy bowing down to Jane, because she is the best.

More posts coming soon, I hope.