Palmetto Registration Is Open

Registration is now open for the Palmetto TatDays convention. Click HERE for more information. This event is always the high point of my year. These wonderful people always put together a splendid meeting with lots of activities. It is a great time to get together in person with plenty of your internet friends.

One thing I admire about their group is that they are always trying new things to make it a better experience. In the early years at the little college, I was just so happy to be there that I did not mind the dorm rooms. But then they moved to the White Oak convention center, and that was sooo much better. So now, I am looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us at the new location, in Toccoa, GA this year. Another new thing they are trying this year is to have three class periods on both Friday and Saturday. Before, when there were four classes on Saturday, that was a great day, but we were so exhausted by the end.

Here are a few pictures from last year.



Just imaging being in a room with this many people tatting.



While there are many classes and organized events, just hanging out in the commons area is one of my favorite parts.

You can shop to your heart's content.

You never can tell when a leprechaun might show up.

Another 12 Yards from the Thread Exchange

I got this green thread from Fox and it is the actual sample from the header picture of the Thread Exchange blog. I'm not sure what it is, but it feels like a size 10.

I made two of my new hummingbirds from the upcoming book. I was trying out a different way to work the pattern, but decided it looked better the first way.

There was more that 12 yards on the floss winder, and I actually made a third hummingbird, but it seems to have flown away....

The Thread Exchange (Motif 19)

The Thread Exchange-Or-What Can You Do With 12 Yards?

Lately I've been sharing the fun on The Thread Exchange Blog. Fox from Tat-ology set this up as a place to swap samples of thread. Each person posts a list or picture of what they have to trade, and then others offer to make a deal. This is a no-frills exchange, just thread samples that fit in an average envelope. It's a good way to try out a type of thread to see if it is something you would like to buy.

The suggested amount to trade is 12 yards (11 meters). That gives rise to the question, how much can you do with that much thread? Quite a lot, actually.

One of the samples I have received so far is some size 50 Pear Glace' HDT made by Lady Shuttle Maker. I can tell you this is very nice thread and I recommend it. The picture doesn't do it justice. This is very pale, delicate shades of green and yellow. I wanted to make the most of this thread without wasting any, so I hunted around till I found this two shuttle insertion pattern in the book Tatting by Cathy Bryant. You switch shuttles regularly, so an equal amount of thread is used from each one, which meant there was no guesswork how much to allow for each one. I finished this bookmark with only a few inches of thread to spare. Not counting the tail, it's 4 inches by 1.5 inches. I like my bookmarks on the small side, so I'm very happy with this.

I've been neglecting my 25 Motif Challenge lately. This time around, I'm only counting patterns by other people, so I can claim this as Motif #19.

Lovely Shuttle

I love my Aeros, really I do. I hardly every use any other kind of shuttle, except now and then I need something that can hold more thread. Then I pull out my Tatsy, or one of my Russian beading shuttles, but I miss the built in hook so very much. Sally's husband came to my rescue and custom designed an oversized shuttle with a built in hook. (Yes, that's " 'im in the garage" who makes those popular Pop-a-Bobbin shuttles as well.) This shuttle is just wonderful. It's a beauty to look at (rosewood, one of my favorites!) and feels good in my hand.

Here you can compare the size with some other shuttles.

I put it to the test with hemp beading cord and size 5 thread (from Karey) and it performed beautifully.

Coming Soon--More Critters on the Block

victats@gmail.com said...
All of your test tatters have been tormenting us with pictures of your new patterns...when is the new book comming out?

The answer is August. Definitely in time for the Palmetto conference. My team of test tatters is turning out critters at an amazing pace, though I am getting bogged down with perfecting the last few patterns. It always works OK out in the end, though.

Thank you to everyone who answered my earlier blog post with suggestions of critters to make. Before I knew it, I went from too few ideas to too many. There could be another critter book way down the road with the leftover ideas.

On a different note: when (if?) I get a little more caught up, I'll tell you about the new love of my life. Here's a pic:

With a Little Help From My Needle Tatting Friends

I'm a shuttle tatter because that's how I learned, and that's how I write my patterns. In the past I have been helpless at helping my needle tatting friends adapt the shuttle tatting style patterns for my Palmetto classes. I vowed to do better this time after they had some trouble dealing with one of last year's class projects. So I wouldn't be so unprepared, I asked some friends for som help. Wally answered some questions and gave advice. Heather tested the patterns "needle-style" and gave lots of advice too. I am really grateful to both of them.

For any needle tatters out there who may be coming to Palmetto this year, (especially you Southern Belles), here is Heather's assesment of my class projects.

The bookmark above will translate very easily to needle, though you may prefer a vertically held picot gauge to the horizontal picot gauge recommended for shuttles.

I had figured out a way to make this beaded bracelet with the needle, but Heather suggested an easier way. Some of the beads will be strung onto the ball thread and others added as you go. You will need a crochet hook or needle threader that can transfer beads onto the thread, but the tatting needle does not pass through the beads.

For the Celtic button project, you can make one square and use it as a pendant (see previous blog post), or make two squares and turn them into an amulet bag. The squares themselves will be easy enough to do, but needle tatters will most likely prefer to substitute something else for the long lock stitch chain shown here. Some suggestions will be provided in the handout.

Remember the lanyard I wore last year?
Here is that pattern reworked for this year's theme. I cannot whole heartedly recommend this class for needle tatting, though no one is unwelcome. To make it in two colors would require two long lengths of thread with the danger of tangling. The lock stitch chain, while possible to do, would be tedious. Neither of my friends thought of a way to make a single color split ring while working with two colors of thread. If you wanted to make this with needle tatting, the easiest way would be to make it all one color with needle and ball thread. You could substitute a regular chain for the lock stitch chain and a regular split ring for the color-hiding single shuttle split ring the shuttlers will be making. BUT, making it all one color wouldn't look nearly as interesting as the shuttle version. Proceed at your own risk.

Thank you again to Wally and Heather.

Palmetto Sneak Peeks

The sneak peeks of the Palmetto class projects are now posted here. You must click and view now, really you must.

Check out Erin's sparkly pink poodle. And Anitra's lifelike bear. And Riet's complicated butterfly. And Nina's jewelry, gorgeous as always. And Sharren's dragonflies. And Karey's breathtaking tree. Wally has some adventures in rolled tatting, and it looks like Georgia will show us how to decorate things with our tatting. And did I mention a really sparkly, really pink poodle? I always look forward to Palmetto as the high point of my year, but now I am practically hyperventilating with desire for the pattern CD. Since I teach, I have just one free period to take a class. I wonder which one it will be.

Below is an alternate version of one of my class projects.