Too tired to tat

Lately I've been too busy to blog and too tired to tat. I just hope I can get ready for Palmetto in time.

Thank you to everyone who expressed condolences. I am still trying to get back on track after two deaths in the family.

Last week I did find time to tat this little cross bookmark for a special thankyou for someone. The pattern is from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns. It is made in two rounds and works up quickly. I will count it in my current 25 Motif Challenge, though I forget what number I'm up to on this third time around.

I also recently took off a few hours to go downtown for a free concert in the park featuring the Carolina Chocolate Drops. I really enjoyed that and it was so nice to get away and relax a little.

Sheba

**News flash** Sheba moved to her new home today! Thank you to everyone who expressed concern.

Thank you to everyone who sent condolences or cards when my mother passed away. All your kind words meant a lot to me.

This is a special plea to anyone living within driving distance (whatever that may be). My mother's cat, Sheba, needs a home. I cannot take her myself since it just wouldn't work out with my autistic son. She is spayed; thirteen years old, but no known health problems. She is an “indoor cat”. She is short haired solid black, sweet tempered and rather shy. If anyone can help, please let me know.

Tatting Conventions North and South

You have already heard me talk about my favorite event, the Palmetto Tat Days in South Carolina, Sept 11-12.

There is another event in Ontario that may be more convenient for you folks in the Northeast (you could go to both, you know). Here is part of the information they sent me. You will recognize a lot of good teachers who will be there. More information is here: http://theonlinetattingclass.web.officelive.com/fringe09.aspx
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The Fringe Element Tatters invite you to join our 4th annual Tat Days, September 25 - 26, 2009 in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
The fun starts Friday afternoon.

We have a great line-up of 8 instructors with exciting classes to inspire you, including both beginner and advanced classes in needle and shuttle tatting.
Gina Brummett (The Tatting Goddess)
Rita Cochrane (Threads Plus)
Josie Hancock (Exquisite Effects)
Kaye Judt (author of “Oh My Stars!”)
Norm Reid (as seen in Canadian Living)
Karey Soloman (of Tatting Times fame)
and for a break from Tatting
Beading with Brenda Franklin (Brenda Franklin Design)
Also, new this year: Saturday Classes for your tweens and teens.
Tatting with Rita Cochrane
Crochet & Knitting with Wynn Reid
Contact fringetatters@gmail.com for further details and Registration Package.

More Buggy Lanyards

Oh, did I mention it was a bag of assorted buggy buttons?

I haven't been up to more than mindless carry-along projects lately, so this fit the bill. I'm well equipped for Palmetto TatDays now, anyway.

Done it again...

Please bear with me, it's been (another) one of those days. While fixing a big computer problem (no internet connection!), DH accidentally caused a little problem (all HIS email downloading into MY inbox), and while fixing that, accidentally erased all my emails and my address book. And just when I had about gathered all the addresses I had lost when the computer crashed in May. And that included some emails I hadn't even read yet.

To the lady in Harrisburg, (Jim&Deb??), I was still mulling over your invitation. To Jane in NC, I haven't forgotten, but waiting for my schedule to settle down. Anyone else who is overdue for a reply, please email me again, thanks.

Buggy Lanyard

I had these buttons I wanted to do something with, though none of my ideas had been working out. Then TattingChic started her dicussion of the Single Shuttle Split Ring and its use for climbing out. Oooh, just what I needed! and a lanyard was born.

(Now, who knows why I need a lanyard with bugs on it? How many of you are making a buggy lanyard too?)

Now another discussion has started in TattingLand about adding joins to the SSSR. I can't wait to see where that will lead.

I suppose I could call this an "Excercise Your Stash" project, since otherwise those buttons would have languished in the drawer forever.

Motif Five -- Maple Leaves

For another "Exercise Your Stash Challenge", here is a fairly new spool of thread, but still one I had forgotten about. This is YLI Long Staple Cotton. I first became acquainted with this type thread at the local quilt shop, back when variegated threads were hard (for me) to find. This is a fine thread, both in terms of size and quality. I would guesstimate this to be similar to a size 60 thread. If you find YLI thread, look carefully at the label on the bottom, since they make other threads, polyester and rayon, on similar looking spools.



Anyway, I came across this YLI spool in the vendor room at Palmetto in 2008. I thought this was a pretty green/gold/tan colorway. It wasn't until later that it hit me....Ayup, this is camoflage! (Well, next time I need to make a bookmark for a guy, I'm all set.) Since it made me think of leaves when I bought it, I dug out a leaf pattern. This is the Maple Leaf Motif from the Feb 1975 Workbasket as modified by Tammy Rodgers as modified a little more by me. This thread is a joy, just as nice as I remembered. I just need to remember to use it more often.







Here is the same motif worked with vintage Clark's O.N.T. Brilliant, which seems to be pearl cotton. It came from ebay. We used to search out vintage thread to get color variety, before our new Golden Age of Thread with all the new threads at Handy Hands plus all the gorgeous HDT from all our favorite dyers. With vintage threads, check carefully for dirt. Then work a ring or two to make sure it's not too brittle to use. If it passes those tests, then enjoy!