what an amazing weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tat Days was phenomenal.  The people are so caring and gentle.  I learned a bunch of new techniques and had a wonderful time.  I didn't finish too many projects because I was busy learning new things but watch for more really cool stuff to be posted.  I am making a hummingbird, a gathering basket and some ornaments.  I also made a bag from vintage handkerchiefs with tatting edging.

two steps forward

well, when I get frustrated by the one step back I look at somethings that have worked well.  these are shuttle tatted.  I have a lot of nice things I did with a needle but I'm having trouble working beeds in using the shuttle. 

I'm trying to build enough stock to do some craft shows in the fall but need to make more salable items.  My daughter is good with having a concept and finishing it to being something someone would want.  She does jewelry and other pretties, I'm still doing circles and such.

oops - there I go again thinking I've got this down

I contine to try new things and continue to make a mess of unattractive knots. Just when I think the arthritic monkey (me on a bad day) is gone, its back! I get convinced by reading and hearing about a technique that this isn't too hard but then IT IS. Oh no. Am I going to know and have done what I need for tat days?

On to more - my middle child took a couple diving lessons from me and now how an amazing dive. She is such an athlete, I didn't see that until recent years from her. My youngest daughter and son have always exhibited the interest and aptitude in sports. Theresa is a beautiful surprise. She is so powerful and beautiful.

newer work by shuttle

so this is it so far.  all shuttle, yeah!!!!  I'm getting to love my shuttles.

Angels - my daughter the 9 year old is one and I am tatting more!!!

My youngest daughter always wanted a nickname because her sister is my princess.  So she became Angel.   The big one is the princess and the little one the angel.  Although today the angel is bigger than the princess. 

I'm so excited!!!!

The arthritic monkey has been retired.  for those of you who don't understand, the first several weeks of shuttle tatting I felt like an arthritic monkey, although a monkey could probably have tatted better than I was.  I've got it.  The stitches are flowing, I'm holding the shuttle right, and there is a light at the end of this tunnel.  Yahoo!  I'm sure I'll make knots that aren't pretty occassionally but for the most part - I've got it!!!!!!!!!!!!  Nothing feels better than to suddenly master a new and challenging skill, like when I went back to college and was liked and made deans list in 2007/2008.  How cool.  I like my job but I can do so much more.  Hopefully I get licensed in the future and will be able to do more.  Well, I want to get off the computer and do some tatting before I fall asleep in my chair. 

boy have I got a lot to learn

I thought tat days was about learning and it is, but you have to know a lot to take the classes first. I have to learn more than I thought. I have learned split rings and mock rings this week. (of course that is with shuttle, needle tatting I am relatively strong with). I still need to learn block tatting and split chain, although split chain makes sense now that I have seen it illustrated. Our local library has the book by Janette Baker with the dvd and it came to me today as I had put most of the tatting books they have available on hold from time to time. I am learning a lot, I don't hold the shuttle right so that explains why I occassionally feel like an arthritic monkey. Watching the dvd is amazing as it gives me the time to break it down slowly. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to learn although I probably wouldn't have tackled it without a hands on instructor first.

One of my first cards with little tatted flowers, they have come a long way since then.

pendant

This is a little pendant I made after seeing a photo of another one, this is why tatting is so cool.  You're only limited by your imagination.  It is a very inexpensive craft to do and easy to carry the stuff with you.  If you want to learn, let me know and I'll try to find you someone in your area.  In addition, there are some online classes available.

Work basket magazines have arrived!!!

For those who don't know they are vintage craft magazines from the 70s and 80s.  every one has at least 1 tatting pattern.  I went through them quickly and there are other things I will use as well as well as the tatting patterns.  I want to do craft shows this fall for some extra money for Christmas.

well tat's how it goes

sorry, couldn't resist the play on words.  My car is sick.  Just about the time we are getting on top of bills and what not, my car died.  Needs $1000 work so back in the red again.  What's this got to do with tatting?  Well, we (my oldest daughter and I) were thinking of doing some hand dyed threads so that will have to wait, no capital to invest.  My kids (younger 3) are growing like weeds so they all need new soccer gear, cleats and shin guards, and will need longer jeans when school starts.  I hope to do some sewing for the girls - they will be willing to wear some skirts and dresses because I do sew well.  Its challenging because we have a dog that won't stay away from my stuff so I can only sew when he is outside or crated.  Too hot to be out too long.  I was buying crate for living room but $1000 car bill makes that hard.  The good news is I love tatting and am meeting a lot of very nice folks because of it.  I thought when we moved here it would be easy to make friends because I tend to talk to anyone who wants to listen but then it didn't happen the way I thought it would.  So my shuttle tatting is still an exercise in frustration but I am still learning.  My needle tatting continues to delight me and I'm working on things to sell this fall at crafts shows (hopefully make enough to give kids a great Christmas) but also want to work seasonally if I find a good boss. I'm also working on something special for my best friend back home.  I have made a lot of stuff over time but nothing has ever seemed special enough.  I have the center part of a necklace made that I think is special enough.  I need to design the rest and get it done.  Well tatters back to my kids and live!

tatting and thread

I got an order from ebay and got some lizbeth on sale so I'll be posting more to trade on the Thread Exchange blog.  I want to start a pattern exchange with either mailing or emailing a pattern or providing a link online to a pattern.  I am looking to tat some beautiful, but not incredibly intricate, items to sell this fall/early winter.  Any ideas? 

Thread Exchange

I've just gotten some of the prettiest hand dyed thread.  I had to set my current project aside ( a beautiful lacy lace bookmark) to start with the new thread.  I'm trying hard to finish a project before I move on so I don't have multiple projects in drawers.  I need to start working on things for shows this fall and when I create my own patterns as I go I have to carefully record what I have done so I can finish if I set aside.  I have things I made that I can't identify the "how to" of it all. 

Such as this which is not my craft business logo.  Deputy Crafts is the name of the business and I sell at craft shows and church bazaars.  I tried selling on ebay as a lark to lean how to post but only got one hit and thought they wanted me to sell off ebay so I didn't. 

and this one, no pattern.  It was when I was very new and didn't know I would want to recreate.  a lot of things I create from my mind got tossed.  this was one of the things I let my children take to a teacher during teacher appreciation week.

I love tatting! 

tatting, tatting, and more tatting

I feel like a tatting fool!  I just finished a medallion because I offered some of the thread in exchange so I could wind off the 12 yards.  I also found a pattern I had misplaced and had started tatting a lacy lace bookmark with some thread I received in an exchange.  I have been playing with shuttle tatting since Saturday when I learned the basics and I am cutting off a lot of threads and tossing.  I am working on practicing but also want to complete the bookmark I am making needle tatting. 

I am so exited! I am learning to shuttle tat!!!

I can't believe it, one of my dreams is coming true.  Thanks to a very special woman named Sue who lives up in Stokes county.  She opens her home on some days to those of us who aspire to learn to tat.  A very special woman named Mary taught me to needle tat back in March 2009 and I love it and have taught others but when she was offering the shuttle class my kids were out of school for the summer and even if I had the money, I don't know who would babysit here.  My oldest daughter is one of the people I taught to needle tat and she is all over the web learning more and making connections.  She started participating in this thread exchange and I then started too.  One of the women told me about Sue and now I have made a butterfly and a flower using the shuttles.  They aren't even close to perfect but I know I'll get better.

So again yeah for shuttle tatting and really sweet people who share their artistic knowledge and talents with the rest of us.  And my daughter went and is learning shuttle tatting as well, she is so smart, her tatting is better than mine and I think she is amazingly talented.

tatting craziness

some days I feel crazy with the tatting.  I want to do a couple craft shows or church bazaars in the fall but have to watch because some patterns are not available to use that way.  when I was doing cross stitch I was told I couldn't copy the pattern (such as xerox it) but could sell anything I made using the patterns.  Now I'm told that some tatting patterns aren't like that.  My craziness comes from making it up as I go with the tatting and I get frustrated when things aren't working so I cut off and throw away a lot of beginnings. 

anyone got any needle tatting  patterns to share that are not too complicated that you would like to share for making for me to sell at shows.

Hi y'all

I've been saying that since I sold Tupperware in Indiana in the early 1990s and worked with a manager named Sharon who had grown up in Georgia.  It sounded so friendly, especially with her southern accent.  Well now that I live in North Carolina I embrace the "y'all" of it.  The part of North Carolina I live in is called the Triad.  The people here are polite, helpful, and friendly.  The home prices are mostly fabulous.  There is one home of over 3800 sq ft on over 9 acres with a stocked 1 acre pond, pool, hot tub, and outbuildings.  In addition, the huge home was built around a 19th century log cabin.  This is close to Winston Salem and is listed at $359,900.  That is so much house based on where we moved here from. I don't need the 5 bedrooms and certainly don't want to clean that big of a home but it is fabulous anyway.  I thought when I was growing up and we lived in a middle class neighborhood that I wanted to live in a big fancy house like the neighborhood the doctors lived in.  When I was living in New Jersey I cleaned those big fancy houses working for a cleaning service.  Trust me, I don't covet big, unless I win the lottery and can have the money for an assistant/ housekeeper full time, I don't want big.  My idea of a good home is a 4 bedroom ranch with 4 small bedrooms and jack and jill bathrooms between them.  A half bath for company, a small office at the front of the house and a door into living area for family.  that living area is an open kitchen with island and stools, open to dining area and great room.  All in all about 1200 square feet with 1st floor laundry.

you can tell I'm into real estate and my future and my dreams.  I am working as a real estate assistant for now.  I didn't transfer my license when I moved down here so I have to take classes here and pass the test.  Only draw back is tuition is $410 so that is in the future.