Dying thread

Yesterday I got all the supplies I need to dye some tread for tatting. I am going to dye size 10, 20, and 30 threads. I'm so excited. I have done this before and want to create some really cool color combinations.
I have found that hand dyed thread (HDT) is so smooth and nice to tat with.
I will post pictures when I am done.

Tatted stars for auction quilt.

Here are some stars I tatted up for the Finger Lakes Tatting Guild auction quilt. I used several patterns and am sorry that I can't remember all the locations to give credit to the designers.

I hope they look good on the quilt.

Visit to Craft Show

Shawn and I went to the American Craft Council's Craft show in Baltimore today. If you've never heard of it - it's a juried show. I am not sure how some of the vendors got in.

What an experience. I don't actually mean that it was a good thing. First of all, it cost $25 to park, $16 per person to get in and we grabbed a bite - literally - for $21. (3 chicken fingers and a handful of fries x2 and one bottle of iced tea for $21).

It was a huge show. Lots and lots of vendors. Some of the items offered were absolutely beautiful. Way overpriced, but beautiful.

We walked down each isle. There were so many jewelry booths and clothing booths that my eyes started to glaze over when we came upon one of them. We saw one jewelry vendor who was selling button jewelry. A pair of earrings consisting of 2 buttons with thread tied thru the holes hanging from an ear wire for - wait for it - $39. And people were buying them left and right.

There were some beautiful pieces of art. One lady was selling hand embroidered pictures on raw silk. Absoultely beautiful work with amazing results. I bought a mini flower in a frame 2" x 3" for $20. Well worth the price. The artist said that if I send her a picture, she will sew it out for me. She said she doesn't take too many commissioned pieces, but we had a great conversation and she will see what she can do for me.

We saw our favorite pen maker there. He sells hand turned wooden pens. We always purchase from him. He remembered us and gave me a hand crafted needle case/keychain for free with our pen purchase. I will get to see him again in April at another craft festival and buy from him again. He and I have been talking about him making some tatting shuttles for me.

We also saw a lady who makes purses and things from old book covers. So cool. She is going to make me a cover for my nook from my favorite book - Charlotte's Web.

I also bought a little peice of wood that has a secret compartment. I think I visited more woodworking vendors than any other.

Some of the vendors were so friendly and informative. Some just sat in their seats and watched you walk onto and then out of their booths. To each his own.

So anyway, that was our day. Now we are sitting home watching sports. I think it's nap time.

Yarn Stash

I just saw this on Face Book and had to copy it.

I think I need a house for my yarn, thread, beads, floss, fabric, tatting shuttles...etc.

My new tatting student, Bekah's, first projects. She's on her way.

Cheryl 'Pepsii' Riley - How Can You Hurt The One You Love

This song helped me get through when I first left my abuser. It helped me heal.

There is a monologue at the beginning of the song that says "A woman is battered by her husband or boyfriend, in this country, every 15 seconds. Making domestic violence America's most common, but least reported crime. Well Ladies it's time to speak up." I have not been able to locate a YouTube version that has this included.

THE STYLISTICS - YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW

Shawn and my "song".

Shania Twain - You're Still The One

This is one of my favorite songs.

I just saw this on Facebook. It's how I always feel.

Teaching a new tatter is so rewarding

So, today I had the pleasure to begin to teach a young lady to shuttle tat. She's 19 so it's so nice to be able to share this art with a younger generation.

I wrote out a list of things I wanted to teach her. I began with the basics. I don't know if I began to simplisticly, but I reviewed every part of the shuttle.

Here is the first stitches she made:



Within 3 Double stitches she had the flip down. Our lesson lasted for about 3 hours.

 

She learned the following in that 3 hours:

• The parts of a shuttle
• What the shuttle is for
• What the ball thread is for
• The difference in core thread and working thread
• What makes up a double stitch
• How to load a shuttle
• The flip
• How to count stitches
• What a picot is and how to make one
• How to untat or rip out
• How to make a ring
• What happens when you don't flip a stitch in a ring
• How to close a ring
• Reverse work
• How to complete a join
• How to read a pattern
• Abbreviations

 

Phew, I think I'm tired just typing the list.

 

Bekah has some homework to do. I gave her three patterns to complete or attempt to complete before our next lesson.

 

More to come on her lessons.

 



Tatted Star

This is my finished star from Tat-A-Renda's pattern. Johar - A Star. I love the thread I used. It's Lizabeth's size 20 Angel's Love.

Front side/back side tatting

Front side/back side tatting.
What is this?
Well, I had stepped away from tatting for a while due to work and other commitments. I was knitting a lot and just didn't have the time to tat. And by "for a while" I mean several years.
So I am learning that there are a lot of "new" techniques out there.
I recently learned how to do the Catherine Wheel Join. I just love it. So I am doing Jane Eborall's Tat it and See pattern and she has mentioned FS/BS tatting several times.
I looked this technique up online and see a lot of talk about it but no instructions. The only thing I saw that was remotely useful was from Snowgoose and the down join (another technique I need to learn). So I am wondering if it is just simply starting the chains with the second half of the stitch and then do the first half.
I am going to the FInger Lakes Tatting Conference in April and if I haven't learned anything about this technique by then, I will try to learn it then.
If you have info that can help me, please comment below.
It so nice to be back tatting. One of my "adopted" sons said that it looks like my hands are just flying when I pick up my shuttles. that makes me smile.

What do you think

So I have started getting my blog put together. I need some suggestions on what to put on my page and how it looks. I can take constructive criticizm but don't appreciate people being mean.

I am still under construction for now.

Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

I want to start blogging

Hi. I am new to blogging and want to start sharing my love of needle arts. I can do almost any needle or fiber art right now and am always willing to learn. I also want to talk about my life as a domestic violence survivor. I feel that this will give me a good outlet to help others and heal myself.

I use needle arts to cope with the difficulties in my life. I can lose myself in my crafts and not think about the pain I have endured in the past.

I am currently married to my best friend. I have two children and many "adopted" children. My kids are adults and are both amazing. I also have a Pit Bull named D'Artagnan and a cat named Popcorn.

My husband and I ride motorcycles and belong to a Christian motorcycle group.

I am not sure if anyone will even read this, but it will definately help me.

Please let me know if you read it, to let me know that I'm not doing this in vane.