A Little Something Blue

 It seems like a long time since I posted, doesn't it?  Oh, wait, it has been! Almost a month!

I have been busy, with a little bit of time that involved tatting. 

The senior league pool team that my husband and I belong to has started our 2026-2027 schedule this month. This year, I am the captain of our team. This has taken up more of my time than I thought it would, mostly getting things set up for the year. Once I get the hang of it I probably won't have to spend as much time on it. I can hope.

Back in January I posted about a pair of earrings I made to wear when playing in our tournaments. They weren't bad, but I was sure I could do better. I finally tried again. I like these a bit better.

Pool earrings

These earrings a bit more dense, giving more of the impression I was looking for. I had thought to make them 3D, a full ball, but figured these will work just fine. I didn't quite get the center big enough, so the numbers were attached after the tatting. I'm planning to make a few more pairs of different colors, giving me plenty of opportunities to get that right. 

#2 earrings

These are in a navy blue thread though they look black  This color was chosen because the number 2 balls in our sets are blue. Any other earrings I make like this will also match up to the actual pool balls. I will then have a nice choice to wear to any of the pool matches. 

Now I'm off to do a bit of cleaning, which I keep putting off. I'd rather be tatting.

"A game is great, in my view, only if it can be played happily by a sane person of at least average intelligence for several hours a day for fifty years. Both pool and billiards qualify."
Robert Byrne

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/robert_byrne_909953

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