Still here

I'm still here! I haven't been doing anything of interest to the tatting world, unless you count still working on wedding decorations (the same pattern over & over & over & over & over &....). I can't remember if I posted a picture of the finished product or not, but when I get a chance to go back through my older posts, I'll definitely do that. I'm super proud of it. At the moment, every available blocking space in my house is covered in small, star shaped doilies that are waiting to be added to jars (at some point).
It also happens to be summer time, so I haven't been spending much time worried about things inside. I do still tat, just late at night. I do still read everyone's blogs, but usually only early in the mornings while I wait for Little One to wake up.
Speaking of Little One, she'll be competing in her first Peewee Barrels class at the NBHA show this weekend! I'm so excited! Yes, she's just almost 3. Just so happens my life has been blessed with one of the most gentle & loving horses in the history of the world. She was my barrel/trail/goat tying/anything I wanted horse for the first 13 years of her riding career, & now that she'll be 17 in October, my daughter is learning to ride on her. I'm sure she'll move on to bigger, faster horses, but at the moment they're perfect. Wish I had a picture to post of them together! Hmm... Take my camera to the barn today. If you're wondering, NO,I am not putting my toddler on a horse & turning her loose. In PeeWee barrels (at least NBHA) it is totally okay for an adult to lead a child through the pattern, if necessary. Papaw will get the honors this weekend! They'll be trotting through the pattern on a lead line.
What makes it so great is she'll get a ribbon no matter what, because all the kids in peewee get one. :) I'm so excited!!

Very.... well.... plain...

 I actually *have* been tatting this whole time; See?

I had a sorted out version of all that, but I'm not sure where it went.There are five pieces of lace in that pile..... The four that are the same are YarnPlayer's Arches doily.. I love that pattern, but the 4th time in a row, even the best pattern gets a little boring. This is all tatting for my brother's wedding. His fiance is adoreable, & we both at different times found the idea on pinterest. She decided the 5th one, a pattern from a Handy Hands newsletter from... 2004? would be the right one for the idea she had.

This jar is a test run of what it'll look like. We haven't decided whether she wants candles or flowers in them, & there will be raffeta & a wire hanger.... I wish I could remember how to rotate & realign pictures. It has been too long since I've posted pictures, hasn't it?

And this is what I mean by plain. This is knooking... It looks like knitting, but it can be done with a crochet hook & cord. It's alot easier for me. What I meant when I said plain, was yep, another shade of ecru/tan/VANILLA!! lol This is an up close picture of the tan square on a blanket I was working on between tats to keep my hands from locking up on me. There are also chocolate colored squares, & they're about 12"x12". The colors are DH's request. Apparently he needs a blanket to go on his (brown) chair...

Next post I'll show you a picture of the shuttle my brother made me from a deer antler. Maybe some things with slightly more color to them! :)

One Earring

This is totally unrelated to tatting, but I have to share with somebody... Last week I placed an order for a pair of diamond stud earrings from a well known "have everything you need in one spot" web site. I got all excited because I got a really great price for diamonds... They were small & set in sterling silver, so I thought the price was very reasonable. Until yesterday. I open the package & there is ONE earring in the package.... Yes, ONE. Now why would I order ONE earring? Really? I called the company, & the man on the other line said "Are you sure you didn't drop one?" That was the nicest part of the so called "customer service". I eventually - after 40 minutes on the phone explaining myself to person after person - was rewarded a refund (minus my shipping costs). At one point I was even accused of trying to get an extra... Because we all wear THREE earrings....  *sigh* at least now I know, right?

Frustration....

Before I start posting pictures, I should say I'm currently tatting #2 of 20 of YarnPlayer's "Arches" doily. I'm making these all for decorations for my brother's wedding in October, so I have time. However, This (can you see that TTTTTIIINNNNYYYY spec of blood?) can be *very* inconventient when tatting with Ecru thread.

I thought by purchasing tapestry needles in multiple sizes I'd be saving myself this trouble; however, a #26 tapestry needle apparently will stab you like no other!

How bout now? Can you see the tiny spec of blood on my #80 Ecru thread? Just where I finished the round & joined it together? Right there, where to fix it I'd have to amputate the whole round?

See? One & 1/2 of 20... ten of each size.... :-| I haven't blocked the large one yet, because I'm waiting to see exactly how it'll be used... That & I'd like to have 3 or 4 to fill up my blocking board & so I don't waste my special detergent. What do you think? Do you think I should cut it off & start over? I've already tried dabbing & rinsing to get the blood out & it just won't go away. Sad part is I didn't even realize I'd stabbed myself until I saw the spec on my tatting. So I thought I'd blog while I wait for that to stop & the tatting to dry. *sigh* I wish I could tat with a band-aid on my finger.... I suppose I could mark this one when I'm finished & make sure it is last to be used & that the spot side is the back.
Frustrating, yes?

ok I'm back!

After like 6 months of no computer, I have a good one now & my husband spent like 2 hours installing or connecting or whatever to the wi fi last night. So. I have around 6 months worth of blogs to read & a new computer to learn to work. WooHoo!
I have been tatting... but I haven't been taking pictures because I didn't really have anywhere to put anything; I absolutely despise smartphones (I'm not smart enough to work them) so I don't have one & you can't upload what I have on the phone I have. But I'll take some eventually.
I started working on some projects for my brother's wedding - yep, they're FINALLY getting married!! five years later & Brit will be an "official" member of the family... Like she didn't count already anyway... But that's not till October. I have until then to make 20 of Yarnplayer's "Arches" doily. 10 in size 20 & 10 in size 80 thread. All Ecru. TTTTThhhhhheeeeennnnn they have to be attached to various Mason Jars & some will be candles & some will be just plain flower holders down the aisle. I'll take pictures as things go along I promise. If you're interested in what it'll look like, I got the idea off Pinterest but I can't remember what it was called.
Anyway.... I'm so glad to be back!! I can finally stalk all of you again :)

knooking

I'm still out there somewhere...Maybe...

So hello to you few darlin's who actually read my blog... Believe it or not I've occasionally been stalking on my husband's new smartphone (& decided they call them that because you need some kind of PHD to work them), but it's way too time consuming for me to post from there. So. Here I am! I'm still alive, just still minus the computer :( Hopefully I'll have a new one soon!
I still tat, but not as much as before. I've taken up Knooking, believe it or not, & I LOVE it!! I'm working on a blanket for my couch (if no one claims it before it's finished) & some dishrags for a friend. I picked up that rose garden doily again, & still just don't have the "want to" to finish it.... But I will, or I won't start anything else! So there! :)
Anyway, I'm on a borrowed computer, so it may be a while before I'm back or have any pictures, but I promise I'll be back as soon as possible! I miss my tat friends... I don't have any here in my little world in person, so I NNEEEEDDDD ya'll to feed my addictions!
Hope to "see" you soon!

Dead Computer

I'll be gone for a while... My computer contracted some kind of violent, unhealable disease day before yesterday & has gone on to the world of unused electronics. So now I have to borrow Sister's when I can think of it. So if you don't hear from me in a while, I'm still alive, just gone for a while :( Hope everything goes well for all of you, & I hope to be back soon!

Two days in a ROW!!

I tatted last night for what seemed like a short time, but by the time I was finished, I'd made a whole snowflake (which is rare for me - I never get to finish what I start on the same day)!  It's another from the Vida Sunerman book. It's not as nice to tat as the others, but I think I like the end result. I won't be tatting it again in the near future though. Partly because I don't have anymore danglies that I'd like for the center, & partly because I just did not enjoy tatting the outer round. It took for.ever. for me to get done - from around 8 to almost 11 p.m.... I was waiting for the dryer to get done so I could hang up Husband's work clothes before they had a chance to wrinkle, so I got some good "alone to tat" time.

I like the angel as opposed to the sequin.... Besides I'd never use it otherwise lol Thread is Lizbeth Jellybean #20.

Here are a couple of pictures of the earrings I mentioned yesterday. No beads or sequins, just an earwire on them. I was mostly trying to empty a shuttle after the larger snowflake, but I kind of like them. They look so different done in black. Now "snowflakey" or Christmas-ee at all, I think. Sorry for the pins - I wet them & blocked them & they weren't completely dry yet.

Enjoy your day!!

Camera isn't cooperating....

I was *going* to do a post today about tatting tools. It always interests me to see the tools other people use in their crafts, especially tatting tools. I think I have a relatively small stash & number of tools, but I find that asking, alot of times, shows me something I either need or don't need. But. Since I can't get a picture of my tool bag to take in a way that you can tell it isn't just a yellow blob of stuff I won't. But feel free to show & tell what you keep in your bag. I have a few things in mine all the time, & a few I put in for special occasions. How bout you?
I *do* have a picture or two from my last couple of days' worth of tatting.

 This is a snowflake from my Vida Sunderman (hope I spelt that right!) book. It's always interesting to me to see what a simple change of color can do to an item. This is called "Trefoil Snowflake" but with black thread & pink beads it doesn't look very "snowy" does it? I made a few pairs of earrings from the leftover black thread, but haven't go pictures of them & the light isn't very good here right now. Maybe later :)

I've never added beads at my joins before, but looking at all Fox's pretty beads made me want to try it. Unfortunately, this is what happened. It's not a very clear picture, but you can see the bend can't you? That's the only #14 crochet hook I happen to have in my possession at the moment. Grr.. But I did get it straightened out a little. Enough to make do until I need enough new supplies to justify the shipping it would cost to get a new one sent to me. My hobby lobby doesn't carry them that small that don't come in a kit & I certainly won't spend $14 for one crochet hook that I only use when I'm using beads or small thread (not that often)!! So I guess I'll just have to be super careful, right?
There are a few other small things in my bag right now, but I don't have pictures of them & likely won't until they're finished. Also in my purse I've got a small star pattern that I'm working on. It's pretty much a memorized thing, & I'm making it until I empty 2 full shuttles & I'll probably move on to something else. They're a gold color I'm no particularly fond of, but I think they'd make good Christmas decorations or crazy quilt add ons. They'll definitely hit my Etsy listings when I get a suitable number. At least they're good enough to keep me busy in the truck back & forth between shows.... Ahh the horse shows....
 I think when I get bored with snowflakes & angels again I might just pick up one of my "resting" WIP's.... Maybe the blue one or the rose garden thing... Well it would have to be one of them because they're the only ones I have that aren't finished.
Back to horse shows.... I'm pretty sure I've never done as poorly as I did at the last one. I actually almost fell off & stopped in the middle of my pattern. Two things I've NEVER done in my life. Back to the drawing board before another show. Seems I've neglected to teach Horse that he can't just sling around a barrel at full speed like a lunatic - he actually runs faster around a barrel than he does between; this causes him to drop his shoulder & slam both of us into them. Yep, that hurts the shins considerably. To look at me you'd think someone beats me with a broom handle from lower knees to upper ankle. I'd forgotten how bad a metal drum feels agains the leg. Fortunately, there aren't any shows until mid Novermber so I have time to work on it. Checking up at the barrels is a must for this little pony apparently... For the sake of my mobility!! I'm also working on picking up some speed. It's not him, it's purely my nerves that make us go so slow. Does anybody have any suggestions to help with anxiety? It's never been this bad & it keeps getting worse. It isn't the horse, it's the people standing around the fence. Though I'd never tell him, it's alot to do with the fact that my Daddy is standing there watching.... He's not critical or hateful.... I guess it's just an exageration of when I was a kid & I always did a little better when he was standing there at the fence... Made me push harder I guess lol Am I a weanie? Why yes, Yes I am! But if ya'll know of any (non-medicinal) helpers with the crazy nerves, I'd appreciate it greatly!
Enjoy your day!

Has it really been over a month??

I looked last night at my posts, & couldn't believe it'd been that long since I posted!! Yeah... Sorry for those of you who read me :) I'll try to be better I promise! It's been such beautiful weather here that I've been outside more than not, & I don't like to tat outside (unless I'm waiting at a race, which I've been doing again BTW)...
Speaking of - I finally went to my first race! Yep... And we placed! We got 2nd place in the 3rd division, which makes no sense when explained to anybody that hasn't ever run divisional barrel races.. NBHA is the big one I can think of. I know other Associations do it too, but that's the one that comes to mind. Anyway. Have been to 2 since then & didn't place, but he ran alright. Still working on speed... Apparently I'm not pushing him as hard as I thought I was. Have to work on that. I'm getting old & sceery is what my sister says :)
On to tatting. Not much to show I'm afraid. Still struggling with that stupid baby bonnet. Ugh. I'll be SO glad when it'd done, & unless I owe you BIG, no more will come off my shuttles. I'd buy them before I'd make another one! Bleh!

 Here's a picture of it in progress... Bleh.. I hope it's supposed to be cupping like it is or I'll never get it blocked & I refuse to start over.

 Side view, so you can see how much it's cupping...

 Made this cross as a diversion... I needed one. It's from Traditional Tatting Patterns, & it's some of the Cebelia Fox sent me :) It was apparently meant to be worked in smaller thread than #20 because it's supposed to be a bookmark, but it's HUGE. If I ever work it again, it'll be done in either smaller thread or with four "flowers" instead of six on the long arm. It hangs out the edge of an average sized Bible, so that tells you how large a bookmark it'd be. Maybe a wall hanging instead? I'm not sure of that either, because it's so plain... Hmmmm...

 I made *this* a while back, & have been meaning to show it, but haven't. It's Yarnplayer's "Arches" doily, done in some vintage Star varigated thread I got off Ebay a while back. I loved it so much I decided to fram it & keep it for myself... Despite several "I want its"... I adore this pattern & will be doing it again eventually. But this thread just makes it make me happy :)

 Next is something out of my normal area of conversation. These two (above & below) pictures are the phots on the front of two "Star Thread" giveaway pattern sheets I recently came across in a box of yarn a relative gave me. Now... I can crochet, but I'm by no means an expert, & I don't follow the patterns well. I'd rather tat, or make rag rugs, which is a new thing I've picked up, out of old bedsheets. Anyway. If you would like one or both of these patterns for yourself or someone else, I'd be happy to send you the original that I have. I don't have a scanner so I won't be making more than one copy. Anyway. It's first come, first serve, so leave me a comment with a way to contact you & I'll do my best to get it to you. I haven't yet posted them elsewhere, but if no one wants them here, I'll add them to the crochet chat thread over at Intatters. So there you go! Let me know something - I don't need them, but I can't make myself throw them away :)

Enjoy your day! :)

Okay... A *little* progress...

So. With some *very* helpful hints from Judy over at Intatters & StephanieGrace here on Blogger, I decided to give it another go. And this was the result. I did it while Untatter was napping today, so it took me about 2 hours or so. I'm really quite proud of it. It does look somewhat "padded", & it is quite floppy, but I'm altogether positive that that is a result of my lack of practice. A smaller needle & some practice would probably help alot. I do like the fact that my end join wouldn't twist if I'd asked it to. LoL.
Now, working with the needle, I made a couple of observations. Feel free to correct me if you feel like I'm incorrect.
1. It seems to me that while shuttle tatting is a bit more compact, it would be easier to needle tat on the move. Say at the doctor's office, because when you lay your needle down, it doesn't leave a loop of thread hanging to pull & become tangled. I *hate* laying down a ring in progress because it never fails - something always gets tangled up in it, & when I go to untangle the mess, it pulls my ring close enough together to make a mess when I try to loosen it back up. I'd have to be more practiced at it so it didn't take me a year & a half to reverse my work & tie the knot, but it's something I'm thinking about. It also requires (slightly) fewer tools. I might need a needle, & scissors, but with my shuttle, I carry several tools & use them. Hmm..
2. It seems like it'd take alot more practice to be good at. I know alot of you say you learned to needle tat because you couldn't get the flip. But for me, it's SO hard to get the stitches off the needle without twisting them up in a knot! Then I have to tie the knot at the end, which for me is an ongoing challenge of how to turn it the right direction so my next chain doesn't twist. Bleh.
3. I totally see why some people think it's faster, but I don't. A practiced shuttle tatter (even myself) can tat & pull the rings closed with at least the same speed. It just takes practice I suppose. Not that I'm a pro, or awesome, or super fast (actually quite the opposite)
4. I do like the way the chains close up better. Once they're "closed", or off the needle, they're done. No fiddly sliding the stitches back & forth to keep them where you want them.
5. Maybe with more practice I'll change my mind, but all the tying knots at the end of every element seems fiddly to me. Maybe I should practice more.
6. And finally - while I do believe it is useful to know both techniques, I AM a shuttle tatter. For now anyway. Not that I'm permanently putting up the needle, or that I'm looking down my nose... Just that the shuttle is my preferred method. For now.

It's tatting, I can't deny that. And when the needle isn't stuck up in my finger, it's actually enjoyable. I plan on more practice, and I do hope I haven't offended anyone. It is truly (to me) just as complex as using a shuttle. I look at a needle just as you look at a shuttle :)
Off to haul hay for the winter :)

Why I'm a shuttle tatter!

On occasion, I'm inspired to try something different to what I normally do. This happened the other night while doing my normal reading over at Intatters. There was a post asking if anyone else is into Cro Tatting. There are links to both the post & Youtube here and here.

At the moment, I can't afford to purchase the set of CroTat hooks they sell at Handy Hands for right at $34, especially on something I"m not sure I'll even enjoy. So, I searched through all my crochet hooks & couldn't find anything that would work. I tried. So... At this point, I thought "well, at least I can brush up on my needle tatting skills until I can find a hook that'll work"....Right....

This is my needle tatting. After 3 hours of trying, this is all I got. That cute little ring on the bottom there? That's supposed to be a chain. What I didn't take a photo of was the miles of thread bits & the first joint of my index finger that looks like a pin cushion. Bleh.Maybe it isn't worth it to me because I can use my shuttles instead... Eh...
Methinks I'll just shuttle tat rings & bare thread, then crochet over it if I want them both together. I've already picked out a picture of a rings only doily I plan to try this out on. Shuttles are wound, all is right in the world again.... :) Hats off to you people who can use the needle!!!
Enjoy your day!

For once....

All my dishes are done, all the bills are paid for the week. My floors are mopped, & my bathroom is clean. All my laundry is even washed, folded, AND put away....Untatter is watching "Word World", so she doesn't have any interest in Mommy - unless I choose to bring out my tatting bag.

So I can't do that, despite having nothing else to keep my hands busy. So. I'm talking to you about the things I've been doing.

This is the beginnings of my new carry around tatting bag. It's not sewn together yet, just laid up there. It's scraps from a pair of jeans that finally gave up the ghost when I put my foot in the stirrup to get on my horse the other day... Yeah, my drawers were showing. Fortunately, I was at home & no one saw! The light part is where I made my pocket. I wanted the outside of the denim showing inside the pocket.

 This is the crochet "outside" of my bag. I'm not a good sewer, or a great crocheter, but I can muddle my way through a few basic stitches, one being the double crochet. That's what this is done in. I had this yarn laying around the house. Found it under the bed a month or so ago when I was looking for something else & have been pondering what to do with it. I honestly thought I'd either used up or given away all my yarn, but I have a bag of this stuff - it amounts to about 4 skeins! Eek! I like it though... It's a nice, soft, denimy color of blue & white, & it seems pretty strong. Survived the Untatter tug of war last night.... When I get the last piece made to cover up the inside pocket, I have a swatch made that I'm going to sew to the back outside to put maybe a pattern in. I'm thinking it needs a pretty button or something on the outside, aren't you?? :)

 This is my tatting project in the works.  Yep, it's blue too. I'm alot like Lace Lovin Librarian in that I love blue. I always have. Can't control myself, sometimes it just shows up. I'm not sure if this will be a table cloths, a runner, or just a big square doily.

 It works up in individual motifs, & since I don't know split rings or chains, I have to cut & tie them each. But I don't mind. I actually kind of enjoy finishing each one & checking it out before I move on to the next. It was meant to be worked as four of the motifs, & be around 5"x5".... But I did the four & decided I wanted to do more. The plan originally was to work until I got tired of it or until I finished that ball of thread, then decide what I wanted to do with it. It's Lizbeth, so I figure I'll be able to get more. It was a break from the Rose Garden doily, & from the snowflakes & angels. I get bored easily nowdays. I think it's this time of year - I'd rather be outside, but sometimes it's just too hot to have Untatter outside for long periods of time.

This is the pattern. It's by Cherie Wheeler, if your screen won't show that up. I've had it for ages & never even tried it. I'm glad I finally looked at it & thought "oh this will be easy enough for me" :) If anybody wants it, I can send you a link. The web address shows up on my printout. It was a free pattern. Thank goodness for those generous people who design & post!!
I've also been riding every chance I get. I'm hoping by January (when the new NBHA season starts) I'll be ready enough to join again & start racing. I've missed it so much! It's been almost 5 years since I turned a can in competition & I never really realized how much a part of me it was until I got on another good horse. I've had horses in that time - one mare I'll have until she goes to heaven; I just can't really ride her anymore, & a less than great one I'm glad is gone... Even if I did lose money when I sold her, it was worth it - but none that truly touched my heart like Chico has done. No, I didn't name him. It's a part of the registered name he had when Daddy decided we matched. My father has this way of doing things so you don't realize it until it's already done... He asked me to ride this horse as a favor to him.  A month later, the papers were transfered & he was mine - or I was his, depending on who you ask! I'd have never taken a horse from him for nothing. Haven't done that since Melody (I've had her 15 years), the mare I'll always keep.  Much less one of the quality... Well now I'm bragging. Let's just leave it at I don't deserve it, but I have a wonderful father that still looks after me even though I'm almost 26 & have a small family of my own. He is truly a blessing that I thank God for every single day. Enough mushy stuff.
I've also been searching thread online. They've discontinued my favorite (Flora), and so I've been kind of searching here & there for something else nice. I use Lizbeth, but it's kind of hit or miss in the quality I've been able to find. Even when I order from Handy Hands, some of it is just.... not right. It could very well be just my taste in thread, but I just don't care for it. I love the colors, but I just don't care for the thread. So now, I'm asking if any of you have any suggestions. What kind of thread do you favor??? :)
Enjoy your day!

Totally Tatting Unrelated

But I had to share it anyway! Last night, I took the Horse to a practice jackpot barrel race... Nothing major, not a big prize or alot of people there. But he did FANTASTIC!! I didn't enter the jackpot, I just practiced beforehand... He isn't quite speedy enough for the whole "fast" thing yet, but he does have another gear under there.... Right now I'd say we're in about... Ohhhh 4th... Now 5th will be a whole nother level that I don't think I'm quite up to yet. But ohhhh it was wonderful... People complimenting his style of turning, how easy he went through, his tempermant, & (I swear he understood because his head got bigger & he was all perky) yes, his looks. I've always thought he was gorgeous, but everybody else says he's just plain... Which is true of his color, he's bay all over (brown for you unhorsey people). One little tiny white strip around his hoof on the right front.  That's it. But ohhh I'm so happy!! They have this jackpot on 1st & 3rd Friday nights around here, & next time we go, I'm pretty sure he'll have all his gears ready to go... Woohoo!!

What I've been up to...

I haven't had much tatting time the last few days. I've been outside - it's been less than 90 degrees here for the last 3 days!!! Much as I love it, I'm afraid it means fall is coming, which is followed by.... oh.... winter... ohhh the pain... :( But. I did get a few little things done, & I'm about to start on something pretty big I think. For me anyway.

 This is the start of my Christmas stuff.... Ornaments & so on. Last year I waited until October to get started & almost didn't. I finished my last ornament on the 24th of December! So this year I thought I'd move it up a notch. None of these are blocked or starched... They're actually how I layed them as I finished them the other night when I was tatting. The star is from a scan of an old Workbasket Magazine that I don't have. See how that top angel looks a little wonky? I wonder if I can fix that with starch & pinning??

 This... Well I'm not sure what to call it, but it started out because I saw... I believe it was Gina's post about rings off of picots on another ring. I didn't do mine exactly like the video (I kind of did a lock join on both sides of the ring...), but I kind of like it. I did it in white thread because that's what I had on the shuttle in my bag at the moment, & it kind of looks like a random snowflake... I don't know that I'll make a bunch of them for CHristmas, but I'm pretty sure I'll use it for something, someday...

This... OH.... I'm not sure why, but I just absolutely adore this angel! Both of my angels in this post are from the book "15 Tiny Tatted Angels". Funny to me how mine look so different than the book. But I just love this one particular angel. I plan on tatting them all, between now & Christmas, as each one only takes me about 20 minutes to make. But isn't she just darling?
In other news - after all these years of searching for those plastic pins to use as stitch keepers, I found them. I was so excited I posted about them. And yet, the FIRST time I go to actually USE one, the stupid thing BROKE! Went to clasp it and it BROKE. As you can imagine, I am disappointed. Very. I grabbed another one from the pack & it didn't break, but at this point, I'm sure glad I didn't get rid of all my coil-less safety pins! At the rate I'm going there won't be any left. That one was broken when I went to the living room to clear up my tatting mess before Untatter got up this morning. *sigh* Live & learn...
I'm also planning on taking the Horse to a jackpot race this weekend. Finally, I know!!! I'm very excited. We may not actually run in the jackpot, but we're going down early & paying so I can ride & practice in the arena beforehand. Depending on how well he behaves, we may run, may not. For those of you that don't know, he's only left home once since he came to live at my Daddy's when he was 6 months old. He's now 4 years, 5 months old. In my defense, a horse has to be 2 before you can ride them without causing some kind of damage to their joints, ligaments, tendons, & bones. After that is another solid month of riding, then (at my house) back out to pasture to grow & mature until they're 3. Now, in Chico's case, he belonged to Daddy when he came here. Daddy rode him about 5 times & turned him back out. He's alot better than I am with horses. On his 3rd Birthday, Daddy got him out & rode him twice over the span of a month. Then one night he says "why don't you ride him, Randa?".... Being dumb & forgetting he'd only been ridden 7 times, I did it. I like "broke" horses, folks, I'm not ashamed to say it. But it was magic.... He couldn't neck rein or back or sidepass, but it was pure magic. I was in love and haven't looked back since. Yes, he's the same horse that gave me the (still somewhat) numb hand, but it was an accident & that kind of crap happens when you ride any horse... But now... Now he's a product of my abilities & I'm VERY proud of him. Barrel racing is a hard thing to learn correctly, if you don't want a horse that "blows up"... Or looses his ever lovin' mind in lamen's terms. I like to think I've done a good enough job on his foundation. Not to mention he's just a great little horse. Anyway, I know you're bored to tears at this point, so I'll just say WOOHOOO GO ME! There, I tooted my own horn :)
Enjoy your day!

Five Things.

   First. I'm going to get the angry part out of my post. Every day I read through my "follow" list, normally to no ill effect. Normally I'm in as good a mood (if not better) when I'm finished as I was when I started. Not so tonight. Tonight, I read Michelle's post. As I sit here typing this, there are literally tears in my eyes. I didn't know the man in her post, and I've never met Michelle in person. But it infuriates me that so many lives have been cut short for something so... I don't know what to call it. I'm not anti war. I'm not anti military. It just... Hurts. For him, for his family, for Michelle, and for the literally THOUSANDS of other people who have been injured - emotionally, physically, directly, & indirectly - by the goings on all those thousands of miles away. I saw a movie once, or read a book... I don't remember.... Anyway, in the "whatever", someone said "Young men fight battles that old men started, while the old men sit at home, warm in their beds, thinking they've done the world some great favor"... And it's true. An old man (or several old men in this case) started something that may never finish. How many lives is enough? I don't know what else to say. I just needed to get that off my chest. I'm sorry to those I offend, but I can't help how I feel any more than you can.

     Second. Now that I've said my piece on that. On to what I now call "Stupid Butterfly". I started trying to make this butterfly from Big Book of Tatting (yes, still on that book) as a distraction while I make the Rose Garden piece. All I can say is this is where I quit, and one of us has to be stupid, so it's the butterfly. Really, did you think I'd call myself stupid? I wish my camera would pick up the colors... It's altin basak & it's all kinds of shades of pinks & oranges & yellows... with white...

   Third. Yesterday, after my trip to the doctor (just a normal thing, nothing wrong), I went to Hobby Lobby. It's normally a 40 minute trip one way, so I don't get to go that often. I found my plastic pins! Some of you are members at Intatters, & may have seen the post by CarolIvy about her strivers, where.... I wish I could remember who was talking about her plastic pins. She wasn't the first person I'd seen that used those instead of regular or unrolled safety pins for blocks, patterns starting with chains, etc., but I'd never seen any in any store. I googled, searched, asked... Never found any. But I literally knocked them off the hook in the needlework aisle at Hobby Lobby yesterday. I also got all this stuff for right at $10!!! Not alot of people tat in my area apparently, & I got that pack of Clover Shuttles for $1.99. They didn't have a sticker, & if you're familiar with HL, you know that's how they ring things up. Every time I go they have ONE pack. I always get it, even though it's usually a different price every time. They guess. I explained on more than one occasion that I usually give around $3.50 for them, but they always mark them less. So I don't feel bad. Would you? :) I got the Aunt Lydia's to try out for my Christmas snowflakes... It was like $2 a roll, so I won't feel bad if I hate it, or if I mess up the tatting trying out sparkles - which I plan on doing this year. Also, the charms were 50% off.... So I grabbed a few to stick inside my snowflakes, or crosses, or whatever I decide.

 

   Fourth. I thought I was the ONLY person in the WORLD that was particular about my scissors!!!!Fox recently acquired a new set, and while reading the comments section, I noticed that Margaret said,..... "I hope you enjoy your sissors, mine are lovely and would not be without them, woo be tide anyone using them for anything other than thread." I get made fun of by my family & people who try to "borrow" my scissors all the time, so it makes me feel a little better to know I'm not the only one. Mine aren't Gingher, but I love them all the same.

   Fifth. This is where I am on it.... And so far, working it like an assembly line (flower center, flower, vines) seems to be the most efficient way of doing things; but I *am* getting bored. I'm also working on an edging for another shirt for Untatter. Pics of that when it's on the shirt...Someday. When this is done, I'm planning on starting up my Christmas ornaments & things of that nature for the year. I hate that I'll be starting in August, but last year I ran out of time! So wish me luck there....

Pictures....

So today I'm posting pictures. I kinda feel bad I haven't posted any in so long :) I haven't been working on much except that evil needle case that I'm temprorarily shelving until more research is completed.... Ugh...
Anyway -

 This isn't really anything big, but believe it or not I've gotten more compliments on it than anything I've ever done - I got this shirt on clearance for Untatter ($2.50) right before her birthday, & decided it was just too plain.... Had the motif laying around in the "what to do with it" box. If anybody can tell me how to rotate a darn picture, I'd love a comment about that - sometimes I just have to rotate my camera! Urgh...

 The motif.... I sewed it down on only the chains, leaving the picots loose, & used the actual motif thread to sew it down. It works pretty well that way.. .Thanks, whoever told me to do that! It's Lizbeth #20, don't remember the number, but I really like the color - teal, turquoise, or something :)

 This is three motifs in the Rose Garden Doily, from Big Book of Tatting... I think I maybe showed you one motif before, & I've since completed 2 more motifs; but you get the idea.

And this, just because I'm pretty sure I didn't post about it before, is my Pop-a-Bobbin... Cherry wood. Like alot of people over at Intatters, I had some trouble with the length of the hook, but I learned to use it. I showed it to my Daddy one day, & he said he could fix it & he so did! He didn't change the hook, he just shortened it & made the groove a little deeper & smoother with something like a dremel tool... Now I absolutely adore this shuttle.... To the point I'm considering getting another one, when Husband goes back to work. He's worked 3 days in the last 3 weeks, & I don't work out of the home. Can ya'll imagine how broke we are?? :)

Still block tatting

I also posted over at Intatters yesterday about my blocks.... I didn't get very many ideas, but I did get a few suggestions. One was to put VSP's ever so often, which will stabilize my chains.... I'm going to try that.
Also, I'm planning on trying the idea Bri from Bri's Bits - which would be the simplest, now that I think about it : make the felt inside first, then sew the tatting to that once it's done.... Very forgiving, very logical. That explains why I didn't think of it on my own! :)
Enjoy your day!

Idea in the Works... Opinions & Suggestions Most Welcome!

I've been searching on Etsy, Ebay, Artfire, & pretty much the Google Universe for a new sewing box/project bag/container for WIPs... I had in mind exactly what I wanted, but haven't been able to find it. And all of a sudden, I had *another* idea!
When you search "project bag" on Etsy, there comes up alot of patterns, fabric, & other things not really what I was wanting. But also, there are needle cases. Like little wallets of varying size & shape. Now at the moment my needles are in their original (somewhat tattered) cardboard cases in my stash box. I keep the one I'm using tucked down in a ball of inactive thread in my project bag. Not very safe, not very stable, & I have to hunt for it more than I use it. So I was perusing these little cases, thinking how neat it would be to have either one of them, or one of the hand turned, hand burned little jars also available.Then it hit me -
MAKE ONE SILLY!!! So I ho'ed & hummed around here, seeking inspiration. And now i have this idea - I want to make the outside out of block tatting, then put a piece of felt on the inside. Maybe fix a button or snap to it, but that'll come later. At the moment I want the outside done before I worry about findings, fasteners, insides, or decorations.
But I need help! Here's what I have - After making a few blocks of 6x6 stitches, I realized it would take forever to attach them. So I realized that a box of 20 rows of 20 stitches would make one side. Then another of the same side would make another. Joined together, they would be the perfect size. Problem solved. Except how on earth am I supposed to make a block that big? I tried 3 different times last night & can't get it to come up right. The chains just won't fit together like a regular, nice square block. Grr... So I was thinking I might try 4 blocks of 10x10.... But then, how on earth do I join them together? It looks wonky if I sew them together....
SO - I'm not gone off the world, I'm just working on this project. I still have the flower doily going, but this is consuming my whole brain right now.... Could ya'll please help me out?? :)
Enjoy your day!