A Flight of Angels - On Sale Now

Later... I'm back home now and mailing orders as they come in.  Yes, my husband did mail  the first batch late last week.


I've gotten in the habit having my books debut at Palmetto TatDays.  It's fun to have some suspense and excitment with so many people around.

For those of you that can't come, I am ready to take orders.  I will start mailing when I get home from Tatdays. Since Monday will be a holiday, the mail will start September 8.  Or my husband might mail the ones already packaged while I am away. He does that sometimes.

For more information, click on "Books for Sale" at the top of this page.

I am glad to autograph books, but I don't do it unless you ask.  The Paypal checkout should give you a place to put in "request to seller", but if you don't see that, you can send an email, but don't wait till the next day.

Look Ma, No Flip!

I wish I could read Japanese, to better appreciate all the Japanese tatting books available now. If anyone can read the language, and I'm getting this wrong, please let me know.

After a careful study of the photos in Tatting Lace Accessories by Kou Nanami, I came to the conclusion there are no flipped stitches in this book.  First I see direct tatted chains, and that's not too surprising, since that method seems to be growing in popularity. (That's the method where you hold the core thread taut and make wrapped, unflipped stitches to form the chain.)  It was the rings that boggled my mind, as they too seem unflipped, a new-to-me type of mock ring.

She holds a loop of the core thread and wraps one stitch over both threads of the loop and then makes the rest of the ring wrapping into the loop.  When done, close the ring by pulling on the core thread.

I made one tiny sample, and it works.  I prefer regular tatting, but this could be a big break through for some one who wants to shuttle tat and has been unable to master the flip.

Of course, you could look at the diagrams and tat the patterns using whichever method you prefer.  It is a very pretty little book and has some oya style flowers in it.

Coming Soon!

Coming soon, watch this space.

More Wiosna

This round went much more quickly, if a bit monotonous.  I should have plenty of time to finish for the state fair, but the county fair is out of the question.  Is it ribbon worthy?  I see lots of little problems, but no telling what judges will think.

Getting Ready

For a while, I've had this vague forboding feeling that Palmetto TatDays was coming up soon and I wasn't ready.  And then one day I woke up with a new feeling: it was time to get ready.  I did the usual, making lists of things to do and things to pack.  I started a shopping bag to throw in the things that have to come.

It's a good thing I read over the Palmetto web page about things to bring.  I might have forgotten my lanyard! It took a bit of looking till I found it.  Suddenly, I'm tired of my old lanyard, but no time to make one now.  I've signed up for Karey's necklace class - maybe that can become a new lanyard.

Lanyard - in the bag

Karey's class - beads threaded and shuttles wound - bag

Picot gauges to hand out in class - bag

Find the samples of all the class projects I'm teaching - well, I've seen them recently

List of all the Lizbeth colors I already have - gotta do that

Find the left over pack of price stickers for the new book - found, do I have enough?

Find something for the White Elephant Game - bag

Something for the Silent Auction - bag

Something for the Free Stuff table - bag

Something for the display table - hmmm, with all the designing, I didn't actually make very much this year.  Maybe I'll get my doily finished.  Oh, I should have my pincushion back by then.  Some of you wanted a bigger picture of it.  Here's one I took before sending it off.

Almost Famous

I am almost famous in the real world.  I won an honorable mention in this year's Piecework Magazines pincushion contest. Yay me!

I wondered at first if it was my iffy sewing skills that kept me from being a first place winner.  But then I saw the winners' pictures and saw how they thought (and designed) way outside the box.  Then I was surprised my entry was even in the running.

You can see the winners HERE.

 I enjoy Piecework because it has articles on assorted types of vintage needlework and sometimes has some tatting.

A New Start

I have so much to do, and I'm so far behind, I did the only natural thing: I started a new project.  My fingers have been yearning for the feel of wool, and I have so much yummy roving I got at the Smoky Mountain Spinnery.  The label says Merino/Tussah/McKenzie.  It's very soft and luscious.  I haven't spun for so long, I wondered if I would remember how, but it's coming back to me.

Don't worry, the doily is still in progress.  I can carry tatting with me far easier than a spindle.

Just a Month

Just a month ago, I was on vacation.  Just a month from now, I will be in Toccoa for the Palmetto TatDays.

It was one of the most restful vacations I have ever had.  We had almost no planned activities, unlike our usual trips.

Most days DS3 and I walked the trail into the park that went along side the river.  There's something so soothing about the sound of rushing water.

There were white rhododendrons.  Back home they are all pink.

A little live music back in town.

Just yesterday, the image popped in my head of the sight of Lake Louise in Toccoa.  As we travel along a rural road, the lake will suddenly appear and then we know we are almost there.  That will be the opposite sort of vacation, exciting with lots of things to do and friends to have fun with.  Both kinds of vacations are good, don't you think?

Upcoming Angels

Here are the largest and smallest designs from my upcoming pattern book.  I try to have a nice assortment.

**Oops, forgot to say it should be ready around the beginning of September.