So...

No pictures today... Just a post to let ya'll know (all 4 of you:) That I'm still here.
You know I finished MPD, & you know I was planning on adding it to a rather plain purse I got for almost nothing....... But it's still on the blocking board. I've managed to rip the seams out of the inside of the purse, but I just haven't made myself take the time to measure out the center & start sewing it on. I'm seriously burnt out on that doily & just can't stand to look at it right now. But I will finish it eventually! I will!
I'm still making flowers for bobby pins, but I'm pretty burnt out on them too. I still haven't sold one. They've been relegated to the bag in my purse for now, & today I plan on changing that out, too. I did sell a necklace I'd made, but it wasn't online - it was to a woman at a gas station here in town. She bought the one I made for Sister, right off her neck! So now I have to break out the black thread & beads & made Sister another one, just like the old one, only better because I've learned a few tricks since then...Good for her I guess :)
Does anybody have the book "Traditional Tatting Patterns"?? It's edited by Rita Weiss. I've done a couple of things from this book, no problemo. But I got it in my head I wanted to tat "Tatted Trio" on page 36. If you have this book please comment, please I'm begging. Or if you know somebody that's done this doily or if  you even have any advice for me! I picked the large one, because it has 2 star flower things in it instead of just the one. The directions are the same as the small one until you get to the eleventh round - not that I made it that far. I've made it to the 3rd round & the stupid thing just will NOT lay right. I wouldn't call it "cupping", so much as I'd call it a smushed mess! I've adjusted picots, stitch count, tension, number of chains.... I've blocked it, wet & dry, starched it, screamed at it, thrown it away & started over, threw it against the wall (to the detriment of my poor broken tipped sew mate....)
But I just can not get it to lay straight like it should! Help! I really want to make this doily. Really I do. But at this point, the 3 rounds finished are on the blocking board, & I've moved on to something else. Something that's probably just as bad an idea. When Untatter goes down for her nap, I'll be starting YarnPlayer's Arches doily. In some very vintage Star thread, in size 80 varigated purple. I'm not even totally sure where I came up with this thread, but I have 2 1/2 balls of it.... I've never done anything this big in 80.... nothing bigger than justa minor doodle... Wish me luck! And help! :)
Also - if anyone knows how I could come into posession of one of those darling tatting presses that seem to be floating around it would be much appreciated if you'd let me know. My "i want" button has been lighting up alot here lately, & mostly to do with those. I hear there's a pattern to make my own, but if any of you had seen my actual sewing abilities, you would laugh at that suggestion!
Enjoy your day