Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Finger Lakes

Finger Lakes Tatting
Below are pictures of the Finger Lakes tatting workshop. I have completed 2 out of 4 of the projects and will post them next week.  It was a long road trip and enjoyed seeing all the ladies and working on new techniques. It was a hard choice to pick only 4 classes and I think I was in a "daze" most of the time!!
The Heart on a Wood Ring by Carolyn Groves started out very confusing. Once you begin and work through the first two chains it all came together. The first side  after working a chain it all goes through the hole to the back..everything! Then start the ring and continue to the bottom. The next side after working a chain ALL goes through the hole to the front this time. Interesting and I love my new pin!!

Butterfly in your Heart pattern by Nina Libin and taught by Ginny Weathers. My butterfly turned out wimpy but when I sprayed it with water and blocked it out that stiffened it. It works up very quickly once you know how to read the pattern and take the beads from the ring on your hand and the beads from the ball thread. I learned to draw a line through the center of the bead instructions. This helps when adding the beads especially when they are coming from two different places. It worked up quickly and had no problems with the DMC gold metallic thread.

We all love goodie bags!! The beautiful varigated purple thread was hand dyed by Karey but could not find the person who donated the thread. This is the challenge for next year to use all of the thread in a project.

A gift from my tatting angel, Sharon Yonkers. Sharon is a beginner tatter and did a beautiful job on the butterfly. She made a bigger one on the pkg and will attach it to the top round. Very nice scissor caddy with scissors that light up. I enjoyed visiting with Sharon.  

A gift bag from Karey with more beautiful hand dyed thread, Cross stitch kit, felted egg and gorgeous hand dyed bamboo. I might spin some of it and the other use in my cq quilts. It is to drool over....

One of our Angle Tatters passed and her books, threads and shuttles were sold to help another Tatter in need. I love Martha Ess's books. A special Angel saved out this box of threads that I purchased. The last 2 rows are size 8, Valdani Threads made in Romania and the first 2 rows are size 8 DMC. I have been working with these threads this past week on my Crazy Blocks. What a beautiful assortment of threads. Thank You Special Angel for thinking of me!!!


I purchased raffle tickets and won three. On the left is a small car tin filled with EZ bob, 2 shuttles filled and a pattern from Claudette Pomroy. The red heart is the final product.  The coffee cup has a sewing apron with lots of small pockets on the inside and outside. It was filled with threads, shuttle, and clips. Not sure who made this but just love it and sits by my chair. The red heart tin on the right was filled with more shuttles, antique threads and a ball of Lizbeth. Wonderful gifts and love them all.  I am not shuttle poor any more!!!

This is one of the classes I did not take. It is Belle d'Amour by Kaye Judt.


More hand dyed threads from Karey's shop and beautiful charms. Look at the thread and see the cute sheep.

We stopped on our way to ZigZag Shop. I could have spent the whole day there. It was a quilt and tatting store. I have been wanting the Tatted Animals book for a long time and it is well written. Also got a needle threader and 3 beautiful fat quarters. The shop is awesome...

We also stopped at Georgia Seitz's home. She was getting ready to leave for WA tatting convention. It was a short visit but enjoyed every minute. It was a hard choice to pick out the classes and did go around visiting other ladies taking those classes. I learned a lot of new techniques. Will work on the last two projects, Dani's Celtic Claddagh and Martha's Love of Beads Tatted Heart.
I encourage everyone to attend at least one of these tatting workshops around the country. There is a wealth of information you will learn and improve on your tatting.
Thank You Finger Lakes Tatting Group!!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Porcelin Boxes and Thread Catchers


Here are a few Porcelin Boxes with flowers. I tatted around the edges and inside with Lizebeth and Sulky gold thread. They will make nice gifts.


Triangular Thread Catchers are a niffty way  to toss bits of thread, neat waste basket by your side at all times.  Hubby says one can find me at any time because of the "trail of threads"!!  There are two standing up and one is folded for travel. Very easy tutorial from Edna,  http://needlingthings.blogspot.com

Monday, April 9, 2012

Heart Name Tag


The tatted letters are from Lisa Trumble at  http://www.thisntat.com/motifs . Lots of bits of tatting. The edging is  Sabina Madden, http://www.paradisetreasures.com
It is a single shuttle rings and Josephine rings.

Tatting pouch

This is an easy pattern to sew up and holds lots of "stuff"!! It will be used for my tatting when traveling.  The tatting edging is an old pattern from the 1900's that I redesigned for easy tatting with only a shuttle. No chains just rings only.
A few pony beads makes a nice zipper pull.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Heart Block

The Heart that Grew!!


This is one of many heart blocks  that will be put together for a dear friend battling cancer.
I started out with the heart and the yo yo flowers just seamed to grow. Of course you need leaves and a butterfly. The finished lap quilt will be gorgeous!!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Handbag

 Handbag is completed.  This is my favorite handbag pattern by McCall's M5691. Quick, easy and attractive.   The tatting patterns are from.....In the left corner is Kendra Goodnow earring with beads, Nancy Tracey's Eagle, Jane Eborall's seahorse, Karey Solomon's hummingbird, Suzann's blue fan, Mariyas's wavy braid, and Randy Houtz's butterfly. Along with the tatting are crazy quilting stitches, charms and buttons.
 In another post I have acknowledged the designers of the tatting patterns.
Dragon Fly made with Angelina Fibers.

Inside is lined with three pockets in  blue.

The bottom of the handbag I have attached feet. It gives the bag a professional finish.