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.

Bunches of Fun

Tonight I went to a totally amazing concert by the Carolina Chocolate Drops. I don't know if I've ever been to a performance with more energy and enthusiasm. The whole crowd were on their feet more than once. They specialize in Old Time music, especially early African American string band music, but they play many other types as well. Rhiannon sang a Celtic thing (I wish I could remember what she called the style), that was like singing Gaelic for ten minutes without breathing and no discernible repeats of stanzas. Awesome. And she lives here in Greensboro. You may think you've never heard of them, but they are on the Hunger Games soundtrack, so there.

 In the morning we leave on a sightseeing trip that will meander a bit and end in Toccoa on Thursday afternoon for TatDays. I can't wait. That will be so. much. fun.

Easy-Peasy Lanyard Idea

Lots of people like to make decorative lanyards for their TatDays name tags. You could use lanyards for badges at work too, or make a shorter length for a bracelet.

Some people have very elaborate lanyards, either a wide strip of edging or something with lots of beads. If you don't have the time for that, here's an idea for something relatively quick and easy, but more interesting than a simple string of split rings.

To make this, use 2 shuttles with a different color of thread on each.  

Ring: 10 ds, very small picot 10 ds. Close ring. Turn, Switch shuttles

Lock Stitch Chain: 5 stitches, each stitch is one flipped and one unflipped half stitch,  lock join to picot of ring.  (If the ring is in the way, fold it down while making the chain. When I make the lock join, the chain is sort of laying on top of the ring.)

Repeat for desired length.  By turning after each ring, both sides will look almost the same.

If you do not turn after each ring, then you get a distinct front and back side as seen below.  Choose which way you like best.

The inspiration for this came from erroneously guessing how Jane's SSSR and LSCH Bracelet was constructed.  She says the inspiration for the bracelet was from something I had made. What fun!

Another Guy Stuff Day -- Winston Salem Air Show

DH suggested we go to the Winston Salem Air Show. A good time was had by all. Aerial acrobatics, vintage WWII planes, a Harrier hovering mid-air...

Note to self, next time don't forget the sunscreen.

Needing a Break -- Athalia

I was working on a involved project for so long that I was desperate for a change of pace. Fox's Athalia pattern provided an excellent diversion. Both of these are with size 20 thread, the upper one is Tat-ilicious' Harvest and the other is some Lizbeth. I didn't have any filigree doo-dads like the pattern, so I substituted buttons. The upper one is 1/2 inch and the white one is 3/4 inch. Diane at Lace Lovin' Librarian just happens to be having a give-away of just that sort of finding. Better hurry, it's first come,first serve. Many thanks to Fox for sharing the pattern and Diane for giving away doo-dads.

Meanwhile, in the garden, can anyone identify this plant?  The standing up one, not the crabgrass beside it.  A few of these came up by themselves in awkward locations so I might try to move them.

Also, in the garden, or NOT in the garden, I don't have any tomatoes.  I had some just starting to ripen, but one morning they were all gone, except one on the ground with teeth marks in it.  Deer I suppose.  I see do-it- yourself recipes for Deer-Be-Gone, but they all seem to include raw eggs.  Has anyone tried this?  Does it work? Just how bad does it smell and how long does the smell last?

Meanwhile, on the spinning front, the roving I once showed you has been

spun,

plied,

and skeined.  Now to select a pattern.....