Thankful for Gifts, Part 3

These date back to the Palmetto convention in early September, and I apologize to the givers for not showing them off earlier. This is a butterfly given to me by Sherry Townsend. The pattern is from Tatted Animals by Inga Madsen, but Sherry has worked some of her special magic, experimenting with some two thread techniques. The scan doesn't do justice to the beads, which are very delicate and sparkly.





The Palmetto guild treat their teachers like royalty. Lori Dunlap made bags for all the teachers with a heart motif, and heart edging all around. I was amazed with all the work she did. The bag is like a handkerchief bag, but larger. Pictured alongside are just a couple of the many other gifts.

Update: this pattern is Regal Heart from Tatting Hearts by Teri Dusenbury. I didn't recognize it at first, but I should have. Both of the pattern books mentioned here are excellent. How many times have you bought a book for just one pattern? I have worked quite a few patterns from both of these, making them well worth having.

Thankful for Gifts, Part 2

Here are two lovely Romanian Point Lace teapots from Gina Brummett. This form of lace combines needle lace and a crocheted braid. Though her nickname is the "Tatting Goddess", she is a lady of many talents and also makes other forms of lace, crochets, sews, paints, etc.

Some more goodies.

I actually tatted something that wasn't ugly this week, but Shh!! it's a secret.

Thankful for gifts, Part 1

I don't have any new tatting to show, since lately all I have are really ugly rough drafts, so I thought I would share some of the beautiful things I have been fortunate enough to receive.

These are two turtles by Tatbit Teri Dusenbury. This is exquisite, meticulous work with all these tiny beads placed so perfectly. Please visit her blog, here.

She is planning a new e-book of heart patterns, which I am very excited about. Her book, Tatting Hearts, from Dover Books was very influential for me, since I think it was my first "modern" pattern book, as compared to the reprints of earlier works which were all I had before. This book also introduced me to the split ring, which was a huge,revolutionary concept for me.

Motifs Seventeen & Eighteen--Halloween Bling

You've heard me say that strange (craft related of course) ideas pop in my head. Most recently I got the notion to make Halloween jewelry. Yes, I am another one of those that love Halloween and I am munching on candy corn right now. Since I borrowed the shape from one of my other patterns, this one was fairly quick to design. I made up several and mailed most of them away. When someone would come sit next to me to see what dainty ladylike thing I was tatting today, it was funny to hold up a row of grinning skulls instead.




DH helped model since I was having trouble with the camera one-handed.



There are earrings too, but I forgot to model any before mailing away. I haven't made myself a pair yet since I'm still wearing the new ones I bought at the Ren Faire.

Ooooh, had to come back later and add: the pattern is here.

Time Out for Renaissance Faire

No tatting today...

One day last weekend we got up, played the music of Blackmore's Night singing "The Renaissance Faire" to get in the mood, and indeed headed off to the Renaissance Faire held every fall just north of Charlotte NC.



The weather was wonderful and the crowds less than usual. It runs every weekend through mid November, and I heartily recommend it to anyone within traveling distance. (The same company has a fair in Arizona in the spring.) It may not be historically authentic, but it is a whole lot of fun. There are live jousts, stage shows mostly comedy, lots of music, juggling, sword swallowing, magic, belly dancing, falconry, glass blowing, etc, etc. Many of the guests come in costume, and so did we, but I stupidly forgot to take pictures of the family.


















Our long time favorite act is Don Juan and Miguel, who have a comedy show which includes whip tricks and swordfights.



















My other favorite act is the Nun Show. These women are just roll on the ground funny.
















My favorite musical act is the Puckerbrush Players, a retired husband and wife who now tour the country playing hammer dulcimers. These are two of the nicest people you could hope to meet. I have all their CDs.















Here are some other performers.
















































Some advice for those that attend: If you buy your tickets ahead of time at Harris Teeter, you get a dollar off and you don't have to stand in line at the gate.

In theory, your admission ticket is all you need, but you want to bring more money for:

• Buying stuff. Items for sale range from cheesy souvenirs to exquisite jewelry, art, leather, sculpture, clothing, etc.


• Food. Food at the fair is pricey and often involves standing in long lines. We minimize food expense by eating at the McDonalds just before the fair. (Of course you can go to McDonalds in full costume, and if anyone asks if you are going to the fair, smile brightly and say "What Renaissance fair?") But we do always buy a big bag of cinnamon almonds--you simply must have some of those.


• Tips for performers. The performers will beg for tips at the end of the show.


• Other stuff. There are some rides and games that cost extra. Also face painting, hair braiding, etc.

At the end of the day, there used to be a muscians' jam that I enjoyed a lot, but this has apparently dwindled down the last few years. There is also a closing ceremony at the front gate with the cast singing a song with their own made up verses and the firing of the cannon.

If you do stay till closing, it will take a long time to get out of the parking lot. If we stay that late, we bring a picnic to eat in the parking lot until the crowd thins out. (There's a rule against outside food, but they don't seem to mind after closing, we've done it lots.)

We always have a great time. You could stay all day and not see it all.

Palmetto Pictures

I can hardly believe it's been over a month since the Palmetto Tat-Days. That is my favorite place to go. I always have the best time getting together with old friends and making new ones. We have such a good time talking and laughing.




I always learn something too. This time it was a better way to separate embroidery floss strands, a better way to pick out lock join knots, and Abby Small's beaded cluny. Well, that last one, I was just looking over someone's shoulder, but after watching, I feel I will be able to do it once I get a chance to try the pattern. I do recommend their pattern CD's for all the great projects. The CD's will be available to order soon, check back at http://www.palmettotatters.org




The Palmetto guild takes such good care of us, with the activities and the gifts and the food.





Here are a handful of pictures so you can tell what fun we had.

Motif Seventeen--More Tiny Thread

Here is another teapot, this one worked with King Tut quilting thread. I wish I had measured it or put something else in the picture to give an indication of size before I gave it away. It's probably 2 1/2" wide. This thread isn't quite as forgiving as the cordonette for retro-tatting, but it is still a great thread to work with.

Tatting with tiny thread isn't as hard as you might think. (I remember my trepidation the first time I decided to try size 30 after learning how with size 10.) For these tiny threads, I need my reading glasses to count the stitches, but, heck, I need them for most "average" threads now too. Joining into a tiny space like a lock join requires a very small crochet hook, but for routine joins into picots, the hook on the Aero works fine. For making your tatting, you are working around the thread wound over your left hand, so that part is the same no matter what the thread size. It's much easier than crochet with small thread, with trying to stick the hook into each tiny stitch. If you can work with size 30, you can probably work with size 70 too, and if you can work with that, then the size 100 and quilting threads shouldn't be any problem either. Try gradually stepping down in size and see what you can do.

I got my King Tut from Deb Arnold at DS-9 Designs: http://www.ds9designs.com/index.html