Testing almost complete.....

Well, we bought a new Galaxy 2 tablet complete with keyboard. My hubby really put it through its paces. This morning, I am testing the keyboard and how well things work with blogger. So far there are a few issues but nothing that doesn't have a work around for. Now on with the blog entry.

It has been quite a while since I had anything to post for you all. Today I will journey the hour and a half to Sedalia to meet with some fellow tatters. I found out that they had been doing demonstrations at the state fair. Unfortunately most of the fair was over by the time I found out  because of coming back from my son's BMT graduation. I was invited to come and meet with them. 

Today I thought I would post a couple of pictures for you to see. They are of some of my shuttle collection. These are ones that I find either difficult to use or have some defect that prevents me from using them effectively. I found a couple of display cases and with some tatting and cotton backing, you have a hanging wall display:

They are varied and beautiful. I recently discovered the "detach-a-spool". I want more of these! Unlike the modern Bates metal, it has no edges that will catch the threads.

That is all for now. Hope to post again soon.

Happy tatting.

Arial - Tatting Faerie

Tatting Pocket design......

I am finally awake and healthy again. The house is very quiet without anyone else running around interrupting my thinking. Even though I am still trying to clean up from the last two weeks, my brain is running a mile-a-minute with some new ideas. Right now it is not tatting related directly but a place to carry our very portable project. I was sent a "pocket" many years ago that I would really like to try and recreate with my own spin. This pocket was made up of several squares of material but I would like to recreate it with as few extra cuts as possible. When finished the "pocket" would end up as a 3 inch square. My question for you (my wonderful readers) is what sort of lining should I use that would keep the points of the shuttles or mini crochet hooks from poking through? It would need to be something thin enough to sew through yet sturdy enough to keep the points in place. My immediate goal is to have something which travels well and can be put into a pencil case (currently available at Walmart cheap because of school sales). The case size is approximately 8" x 3 1/2"  which is perfect for travelling. I would like more of these pockets to store extra materials in to keep things from getting all jumbled up and tied in knots. The advantage of the pockets would be that I could just grab the pocket with the most current project in for quick trips or set up several projects to take on the longer trips to occupy those very long times of waiting in lines.

Here is the promised image of the finds from the Florida trip! The shuttles are from an antique shop we ran across not far from where we were staying. The silver shuttle is a "detach a spool" which I like much better than the more modern shuttles of similar type as there are no metal pieces to snag the threads. The black shuttles I have found more commonly but these are unusual in the fact that they are nearly perfect as in "gapless" at the tips from years of use. These items were included with an accompanying article about a local tatter who tried to keep tatting alive in her area. I will dedicate a later post to this lovely lady when I get things more settled here. The wooden shuttle is more of a netting shuttle as the size of the gaps were for holding larger threads in mending things like fishing nets. I also ran across a shop that teaches both beading and tatting, though their tatting teacher just moved from the area. So the beads and cone of thread was purchased from that shop. The cone contains 2000 yards of size 30 thread. (I do see plenty of thread dyeing in my future with this one.)

Guess I had better go so that I can plan what I want to do for the rest of the day. I look forward to hearing from you with regard to the lining.

Happy tatting!

Arial - Tatting Faerie

Finally home for a while!

I am happy to say that my very busy summer is finally over! The last two weeks were the worst. The first of those two weeks was family vacation. While it was pleasant and enjoyable, the weather made it unbearable because of the heat and humidity. I did find some goodies that I will share with you when I get photos. The second week involved my son's graduation from basic training at Lackland AFB. Given that this was deep in the heart of Texas, the temps were even hotter. This has left me severely sick. I have been unable to eat much for the last few days. I hope to be over this soon and will post some pictures.

So with a few days of rest and I will post new pictures soon.

Happy Tatting
Arial - Tatting Faerie

Been one of those days ...

Started out just trying to upgrade my computer to the latest operating system. That was yesterday! So this evening my computer teaching husband is trying to find a work-around so that it works. Bless him as he is trying to resurrect my poor computer. Nothing ever goes as planned when it comes to things like this. I am reduced to updating my blog with my iPod and a tiny keyboard. No photos or tatting today.

Hope your tatting is happier than mine.
Arial - Tatting Faerie

A bit disappointed.....

As you may remember a few posts ago, I gave away 4 books for an exchange of tatting supplies or what not. Here is the post where I mentioned the winners. I received wonderful gifts from two of the recipients but have yet to receive anything from the other two. I am hoping that it is just a matter of being delayed in either mailing the package or just a delay along its journey to my home. I will not name the ones responsible as that would be too much of an embarrassment for them and I am NOT into embarrassing anyone. The ones who sent items in response and have already privately received grateful reply from me know just how happy I am with what they sent. I am already planning a couple of projects with what was sent but will be posting it much later when the process is done.


Now for tatting items, I don't have it finished yet. But in going through my books recently getting ready for the annual vacation next week I came across an inspirational pattern that I felt I could use to decorate my candles that I was talking about in another post HERE. I am happy with the way it is turning out so far but I have already come up with a couple of ideas for improvements to further stabilize the pattern when I put it around the candle. When I finally get around to finishing the project and posting a picture, I wonder if you would be so kind as to tell me if you think that someone might actually purchase the lace for the article intended or would I need to sell the complete candle and project. There would be the additional cost of the candle itself and I am not sure someone would pay additionally for something they should be able to get locally themselves.


So this Friday begins our annual fall vacation. We will be journeying to central Florida for the whole week. I have a lot of my tatting books now in electronic format so that I can take my library with me and read on my tablet. Nice thing about having this tablet is that I can also take regular books with me as well. Over the last year I have been very slowly scanning my books so that I can put them into PDF format for easy reading. Having things in this format will also allow me to print off the specific diagram for a pattern so that I can use it over and over again. These printouts I put into a regular 3x5 photo album which can be purchased at Walmart. This allows me to keep at hand projects that I find quick and easy as well as adaptable to other purposes such as hatbands, book marks or simple doilies. 


Well, guess you have heard enough from me for now. I do appreciate everyone of you who take the time to come and visit my blog. Let us see what the rest of the day will send my way. I do hope to post some while I am away. I am told that our vacation condo has access to wifi.


Happy Tatting
Arial - Tatting Faerie

On a pattern search.....

I have begun a pattern search for something unique to wrap around my very plain pillar candles. They are not the kind you light that have flame but the LED flameless pillars pictured below. These candles range from $10 to $20 depending upon the size that is purchased. I have bought several and received several more as gifts.

I don't need a specific pattern, just an example of the pattern. I am looking for something ruffled. The main band I will design to fit around the candle but the ruffle will come off of that. I have ideas for the flat design to use around the candle. There are rounds and squares and diamonds enough to use for dressing up the candle but I though that a ruffle would be good for those who really like to use lace. 


I am currently in between patterns for the test tatting that I have been doing and also continuing to work on the tea rose project that will be done by the end of September. I have several ideas for necklaces floating around in my head as well. I  will work on how to tat with beads and such. I admit that is one thing that I have avoided in the 20 plus years that I have been tatting. But that will end soon because of this items that I want to design. I just don't want to lose the tatting to all the beading.


Enough rambling for now. Today is ahead, and I want to try to stay cool today since we will be working on our 33rd day of temperatures over 100 this summer.


Happy tatting
Arial - Tatting Faerie

Tatting going on....

But nothing I can really talk about "yet". Once I am free to post again about the tatting I am doing right now I will. This will also include the pictures that go along with each piece. All I can say is that I am having fun putting these patterns together. You will enjoy the book once it comes out. 


Vacation time is just around the corner and I hope to get something of my own done while I am gone. I will be doing most of the driving just because I enjoy it. But when I take a break from driving and let someone else drive, I will be pulling out the shuttles to do some work. 


Oh, as a result of working on test tatting, I came up with a use for a cheap photo album. I can't post yet (again) but I have printed out the diagram in a size that fits perfectly into one sleeve of the album. I may yet do this with several other favorite patterns so I have a portable pattern book. I am always on the lookout for some nifty idea that will let me take my "portable" craft with me without taking up so much room. I have begun scanning some of my favorite patterns to get ready for the upcoming vacation so I have a good selection with me. I have also been looking at the electronic books that I have with diagrams and selecting from them as well for this new book. :D


I am jealous of those of you who are going to the various tatter days around the country. Maybe someday I can get enough income together that I can attend at least one. Being stuck in the middle of the country, there is nothing close enough for me to attend on a regular basis. Have fun, and I am anxious to hear from everyone how it all goes.


I want to thank all who jumped to my rescue in my last post with regard to my mother. Her care is stepped up to level three, which means she is confined to the facility but is still able to care for herself with encouragement. She is able to simple needle work without much guidance. That was the reason for looking for simple patterns that she can do. I hit on the idea of building pictures from simple elements being added as she completes the previous one. I have not yet started this but I have plenty of  line art now to get the job done. Thank you so much for helping out.


That is all for now. I need to finish this current project today and wait for the next. 


Happy tatting!


Arial - Tatting Faerie