Muskaan's 2026 DAL (Design-A-Long)

 

Muskaan, of muskaan's T*I*P*S, started a Design-A-Long recently, challenging anyone who wanted to join to add a round - or two - to a base she created. I needed an inspiration and this fit the bill. The base can be found on this post of muskaan's blog.

I used thread that I already had on several shuttles I like how well they look together. This could be used as part a a mat, maybe shorten the chains of the middle by a stitch, so they have more of a straight side. 

V1 of Muskaan's 2026 DAL Challenge

One of our grandsons stayed with us this summer. But with school starting soon, he had to go home. We met our daughter about halfway between their house and ours instead of ether having to drive the entire way in one day. I made a couple of crosses for my stash then decided to do another of the DAL.

V2 of Muskaan's 2026 DAL Challenge

Isn't it amazing how the outside round changes the look of the center from the first one? Some of that is not using two colors on the outside, but the last round did pull the chains into a more pointed look than the first one. 

Both versions of the DAL challenge

When I first compared the two side-by-side. I was surprised by the difference in size. Then I realized the red thread in version 1 probably wasn't size 20. I would have noticed it right away if the two colors were reversed, as the stitch count would have been different. I don't mind, I like it anyway.

The people that have joined the challenge have posted their versions of this on Muskaan's Facebook page if you'd like to check them out. Or if you'd like to join the fun! I hope you are all up for new challenges!

Some of you that live here in the states might have noticed it's a bit hot out. We were extremely happy to have air conditioning in the car, as well as seat coolers! (That's cool air on the seat and the seat back).

It was a bit warm!

"The more you practice tolerating discomfort, the more confidence you'll gain in your ability to accept new challenges."    Amy Morin

Happy 4th of July, 2026!

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare ,and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

A Plan For Stars

 It's Memorial Day weekend already! Kids are out of school and summer has unofficially started. We've been out working in the yard, as we have been blessed with cooler weather and had a bit of rain in the last few days (yay!) We'll be out to the cemeteries on Monday to put out flowers on the graves. Thankfully, none of our family died while on active duty in the military, but we have always decorated graves of many of our relatives on the holiday weekend, even those that never served. It is always amazing to see the cemeteries on Memorial Day, so many flags, flowers, and people. 

I have started on a bit of patriotic tatting, though it is nowhere close to being done. 

A plan for stars

I think it was last year that I picked up this runner of stars on a navy blue background. All the edges are plain, just asking for a bit of tatting. White starts attached with red thread is my plan. I have a pattern for the stars, but not the red part. I've been doing a lot of thinking about it, and kind of have a plan. While I'm thinking about the red part I've been tatting the stars. They are the center of a motif I made back in October of 2013. 

If all goes well, the runner will be done by Flag Day, June 14. If not by then, certainly by July 4th.

Remembering those who gave all

The Season For Crosses

Spring is definitely the season for crosses, Mother's Day and graduations being the main two, and there seems to be a lot of birthdays as well. Cross bookmarks in cards is my go-to answer for small gifts that are easily given in cards for whatever event they are needed. 

Cards and Crosses

This year our church has seven high schoolers graduating from three different area high schools. The small crosses I've been tatting lately made excellent small gifts for them. I had eight made thinking this was enough for my mom for Mother's Day and the grads. But Thursday I realized I wanted to give my sister, daughters, and nieces each one for Mother's Day as well. I had enough for that, but not enough left to give to the graduates on Sunday morning. So I had to get busy and make more. 

Mother's Cross

My mother was thrilled to see that the cross I gave her was a match for the card. This was a happy coincident, that I had a cross made that went so well with a card I picked up a after tatting it. The other's also liked their crosses. 

Graduation crosses

I was able to tat enough crosses for all the graduates as well by finishing the last one Sunday morning before leaving for church. As usual, the hardest part was hiding the ends. No matter the method, it isn't as fun as the actual tatting. 

Others that received crosses in the last two weeks were a woman who was confirmed in our church, and the daughter of a friend of ours who died; our families attended the same church for many years. 

I think I've made 16 or 17 crosses in the last month, and I've given them all away. I had better start making more, they seem to be going fast. 

Happy Mother's Day to all of you! I hope all of you have had a marvelous day!

"A mother's arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them."      Victor Hugo

Tatting To Stay Awake

 This last weekend I traveled with several ladies of our congregation to the 2026 Kansas District LWML Convention. (LWML used to stand for Lutheran Women Missionary League, now it's Lutheran Women in Mission.) There were 288 persons in attendance, including the women, some husbands, some pastors, and speakers. The convention is a large business meeting, along with mission activities, leadership seminars, Bible studies, worship services, as well as a lot of visiting with women from all over the state of Kansas. This year it was held in Manhattan, KS, about 90 minutes from our home church. There were nine of us from our church, five of us traveling in one van. 

Small crosses tatted at the convention

This time I did tat while traveling. I sat in the third row of the van, making conversation with the others somewhat limiting. Travel time one way was about right for tatting one cross except for hiding the ends. I also did some tatting during the business meetings. I wasn't a voting delegate so some of the items on the agenda didn't involve me, making it a great time to tat. During the times when people were presenting the descriptions of their proposed mission projects it also worked well to be tatting. 

There was that one time where I wasn't paying enough attention to my tatting while I listened. Can you tell which one I was working on?

I went to the convention with a few crosses already made, and I gave away two of them. One young woman came up to me to express how excited she was to see someone tatting. She said it had been awhile since she had her needles out. Unfortunately, I was being called away at that time and couldn't speak long. I gave her a cross and a card with my blog name before I had to run. I couldn't find her later. I hope she contacts me so we can talk more. 

The weekend was inspiring and fun; it was wonderful to meet up with old friends and make new ones. We were all tired by the time we got home, and looking forward to sleeping in our own beds.