Simple is lovely

I finished this edging and decided to leave it as is. I really like the simple quality it exudes. I have another hanky that I'll do a fancy finish for later.
I am enjoying tatting in all white again as it has been awhile. White is the essence of elegant lace to me. But I can't resist color, so I am sure I'll go back to that soon enough.

Love to TAT

I wanted to tat something for my Aunt who is sending me copies of some of my great grandmother's original poetry. I don't know what this motif is going to be, I just started tatting and this is where I ended up. I guess even I will have to wait to see what it becomes.

I finally got my Tatters across Time mailed off. I've had it finished for a couple of weeks but they are very particular about how it should be packaged and sent back so that took me almost as long as the actual tatting. But it is another thing I can cross off my list and I am very excited for the next step of the program.

It's been two weeks since the dog attack and I have not been able to do any pottery. My hand just hasn't healed enought yet. I have been out longer than I thought I would, much to my chagrin, but I have been able to do a lot of other things I normally wouldn't have time to do. So I guess there really IS a bright side to everything.

Current Project

Since I bought a couple really expensive Irish linen handkerchiefs and then decided not to use my grape edging on them I thought I might as well put them to good use another way.
This is a partial pattern from Mary Konior's, Tatting with Visual Patterns "Eternity Rings" Page 38.
I started the pattern and quickly flubbed it up so I am going to have to add my own flare to finish it up later.

My bandages are finally off my hand but I still can't tolerate anything touching the skin where the wound is so I am still unable to do many chores around the house.
Also, I am coming down with my yearly bought of bronchitus. It just seems like a time of trials and tribulations for me right now. I desperately need a vacation.

The final bit .....for now.

I decided to use my edging to finish off the other rear pocket. I think I'll leave the purse as it is for now. I may decide to add more embellishments in the future.
Now I am just going to enjoy using it and I am sure the purse itself will become somewhat of an ambassador for tatting when I am out in the public. I'll have to be sure to bring along my tatting brochures to pass out to those who are interested.

My hand is doing ever so much better today. I currently have the bandages off to let it air out some. I am hoping that in a few more days I can get fully back to work.

Also, I have been using my down time to get to know a diagramming software that Jane E. so kindly introduced to me. I am working on diagramming all my patterns. I am rubbish at it right now but Jane is trying to help me get better. Bless her!
My goal is to have all my patterns neat, clear, concise, diagrammed and published by Christmas. Sounds easy enough....Yeah right!

Backside of Purse and "Healing"

I was able to tat two more items for the backside of my little purse. This is a small purse and just my style. I loaded it up with my personal items and gave it a test run and guess what? It's my new favorite purse!
I just LOVE it!
In the beginning I thought this one would be a give away, but nope, I'm going to be selfish and keep it all to myself and I couldn't be more delighted.
The tatting on this purse is in size 80 thread. The gorgeous brown thread belonged to my great grandmother and was given to me recently by a great aunt along with one of her shuttles. So it makes this purse extra special.
I attached the tatting to the purse by carefully sewing it with invisible thread. Talk about a pain in the tush, but well worth it in the end.

This morning is the first day since the dog attack that I actually feel some improvement in the healing of my hand. Today marks one week since the incidence and I think it is safe to show you a picture of the hand taken this morning.

I didn't sleep well last night because it was itching all night long. Does that mean it's healing? Anyway, I have a little hope today that I will be able to get back to my projects soon. Not being able to do pottery for a week has left me a bit depressed. Our Flight doctor is coming over today to take a look at it which is a relief. My other injuries such as road rash and bruising are actually bothering me more now.

Tatting treasures from trash

If you didn't know, Sharon started a new challenge which I glady joined. I just love challenges of any kind. The link is on the right side of this page.
Anyway, because of the recent dog attack that has left my right hand damaged, I haven't been able to get a whole lot done the last few days. But I did pick up the tatting and stubbornly plodded on. I tatted these original butterflies and made up a flower pattern on the fly. What would normally have taken a couple of hours has taken me two full days. The tatting is terrible, because my tensioning is out the window and I had to stop every few stitches because of the pain. But anyway, I am thankful that I am tatting at all and hoping it will all heal up soon.
I can envision a lot more to come for this purse. This is just a start.

Oh and I found out after the fact that the attacking dog was a mastiff! I wasn't exagerating when I said it was big.

Ta da!

I managed to block this last night. My biggest fear was bleeding all over it but that didn't happen. I am still in pain but today it doesn't seem as bad as it did last night....probably because all the bleeding has stopped. I will not be able to work for awhile but I am getting pretty good at typing with my left hand so I might try to get a lot of computer work done over the next few days.

I was going to put this edging on a hanky but soon realized that it would be a hanky I would never use, so I got loftier ideas and designed a doily for it. Can we just say that this took foooooreeever to make.
I'm calling it the "big" project because of what it involved and not so much the size of it. Especially since this is done in size 80 thread.
This is the most technical piece of lace I have designed to date. Of course the edging took 5 shuttles but there is also a lot more involved in this piece including, split rings, mock picots, split chains, encapsulation, tatting over tails, down joins and a crazy technique I made up but pretty sure have not invented.
I did all the technically "right" things when making this which has spawned some deep thinking such as; Is it really worth it to spend 5 minutes on a split chain to jump out of a round rather than 5 seconds to cut and tie and hide the ends later???
I am still pondering that.
Also when working with as many different colors as I tend to, some of those techniques will not work.
But anyway, here it is. I hope you like it!

I was attacked by a dog...(frowny face)

O.k. so I am on pain killers right now and my right hand is hamburger so typing this is a challenge.
Basically I took my dog for a bike ride this evening and this large dog ran out of its yard and started chasing us. I was yelling at it to go home when it started to attack my dog and caused me to crash my bike in the middle of the road.
So here I am lying under my bike with the leash attached to my left arm while my dog and this dog are fighting. I was going pretty fast when I went down because I was trying to get us away from the attacking dog. My dog is a 70 pound dog and this dog made her look small. Anyway, the owner finally came out and got her dog. I left a lot of skin back on the road. Pretty much my whole right arm is scraped up along with my knee. My 1965 vintage bike is pretty banged up and I am overall pretty shaken.
The owner apologized and said she would take care of the damage done to my bike.
What a nightmare.
Fortunately my dog is o.k.
Unfortunately I will be out of commission for awhile. I can't do pottery and I don't think I can tat right now either. What on earth am I going to do with myself?
I finished my "big" tatting project right before the bike ride. So if I can get it blocked I will try to post it soon. I guess it depends on how I am feeling tomorrow.
I was going to post a pic of my wounds, but I don't want to gross anyone out.
so instead here is a picture of my girl.

It's been quiet around here

This is the longest I have gone without a posting. I apologize for that but I am working on something big and it is taking me longer than I thought. I am hoping to have it done by this weekend as I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Today I treated myself and went to the zoo. I love animals and nature so much. I love zoos, I think they are a great way to educate people and it is a wonderful place for families. However, I felt conflicted the whole time about the caged animals...especially the large cats who seemed very unhappy. And on the other hand I think some of the animals are perfectly content to not have to worry about gathering food and protecting themselves.
Anyway, the highlight for me was the butterfly exhibit. Yes I do love me some butterflies. I use real butterflies as inspiration for my tatted butterfly patterns, so I took several pictures today. You've seen a very small sampling of my butterfly designs but I have many more I've been keeping under my hat. 19 to date.
Here is a close up picture I took today. I've never seen a butterfly face this close. It is very interesting.

After the zoo, I walked through a rose garden. It was a perfect day for weather and I really needed to get out of the house and away from my projects for awhile.

This one smelled really nice too!
No pics of tatting today, but I think my next post will certainly make up for it!
Stay tuned.

Lilacs Edging Sampler...You decide

More lilacs. I took Sharon's suggestion and threw in some picots. I also played around with the leaves and made some dimpled rings. So what do you think? Picot's or no picots, dimpled rings or no dimpled rings? In one of the flower bunches I even left off the 7th "tip" ring to see what that would look like.
Well, it's been a long roller coaster ride of a week. I am going to settle down, watch me a murder mystery and have a glass of vino!

Small Honors

Well, I checked my inbox this morning to find that I have been selected to be featured in one of Etsy's Treasuries.....not once but twice! YAY!
Treasury
Please visit it and leave a comment if you would. That will help the treasury move up the list of treasuries and help give more exposure to these artists.
You will recognize my shuttles. And my Celedon bowl (the first item) is from my MadMadPotter shop.
It is a treasury to honor Idaho artists!
What a great way to start the day!

Where all the shuttles are going. Part II

I have been updating this map in a previous post, but since that post is buried among all the others I thought I would revisit it here.
I still have a long way to go to reach my goal of a shuttle in every state, but it is also nice to see my progress thus far. I also have shuttles in Canada, England, Wales, Australia and most recently Japan. YAY!

Clusters of what? And the cutest litte girl ever!

My mother's favorite flowers are lilacs. So I thought I would design an edging of lilacs for her. This is what I came up with. Looking at it, it is probably obvious to you...(but not to me at first) that it looks a lot like grapes. Ha! I can't get away from the grape theme. Anyway, this is a simple two shuttle pattern. Substitute a nice grapey color and add clover-style leaves instead of single leaves and voila!
For those terrified of 5 shuttle tatting, here is my two shuttle version of the grape edging!
I mentioned in a previous post that I thought this would look nice in white so I tested that and here it is.

I do like this, but unfortunately the grape leaves seem to get lost in the clusters.

Anyhow, I will try to make these patterns available in book form and/or in my Etsy shop in the future. I have been having so much fun designing patterns and I am trying to ride the creative wave as long as I can, but it's devouring all my time. Unfortunately, my pottery has been suffering and pottery is what puts the "butter on the bread" in my house. So I need to re-prioritize a bit.
Awww, who am I kidding? If I cut out a few more hours of sleep I think I can fit it all in...

Almost forgot... I had the privilege of doing this custom shuttle for a client. Doesn't this little sweetheart just make your heart melt? This shuttle will be a father's day gift to the grandfather of the little girl pictured.