Who's next?

This hasn't been a good week at all! My mother went to the hospital last Sunday and got out Tuesday, my husband's mother went to the hospital Tuesday and is still there, and then my dad was admitted to the hospital early this morning. I'm hoping that three is enough and that no-one else has to be hospitalized. Enough already!


None of them has turned out to be serious, which is a good thing in all of this. But it makes life very interesting to try and get to everyone and keep up with how they're doing. And my husband and I are working nine hours days five days a week and eight hours both Saturday and Sunday. Somewhere in all of this I think I need a nap!


Before all of this came about I did get a little tatting done. I went to a meeting of Hook Yarn and Needle/Fiber Options a week ago. It is through the county extension office and meets once a month. They were doing some needle tatting but I took my shuttles and made "Heart's Desire" in DMC variegated blue size 8 Pearle. For doing this completely in the midst of several conversations and distractions, I think it turned out very well. I'm counting it as #15 of the 25 Motif Challenge.


They asked me if I'd like to show them how to shuttle tat next month. I agreed, but I'm thinking I will need to give them contact information in case any of them are really interested: the group takes a three month break in the summer! I'm willing to meet with them individually or in a small group elsewhere to help any that want to really learn. I'm planning on making a handout with Internet addresses so they have incentives and support if they want it. I'm also thinking of putting together a DVD of me tatting, both chain and ring. We'll see if I have time to do this between hospital visits!

Decorated shoes

My nephew is the proud daddy of a new baby girl. Today we had a baby shower for her, which is nice that we all got to see the new baby. These are the shoes I decorated for her. The one on the right is what they looked like when I bought them. The other, is of course, what they looked like when I was done.


Which do you think looks better?


Both of my daughters and their babies were there and helped me host the shower. It was a very nice day, lots of conversation and all the babies got passed around. We had it at the local activity center so some husbands came along and were able to play pool and socialize as well.


My husband had to go to work before it was over (I would have, too, except I made arrangements for someone to work for me!) so our daughters, the babies and I had a great afternoon together and then supper out. My oldest had to leave a little quicker than planned because the weather started getting bad. Nothing severe but she - nor I - wanted her to drive in it.


For my next project I'm looking for a nice bookmark pattern. InTatters is having a bookmark exchange in May. I have never done an exchange before, but I think I can handle a bookmark. And then there is the thread choice, maybe harder than the pattern, because of course it has to be just right for the pattern. But that's part of the fun, isn't it?

Lost and found motif #14

Last week I made this motif using a cabone ring in the center. I showed it to my husband and he liked it, too. As it was late we went to bed and the next morning when I got up I couldn't find it!


We looked all over the house and couldn't find it. I looked through all my tatting things, in my chair, on the table, on the floor. My husband looked all over and it just wasn't anywhere! We even looked to see if one of the cats had decided to play with it and dragged it off. No luck.



Friday we went to Nebraska to see our daughter and her family. We had a nice visit with them and came home late Saturday. I sat down in my chair, looked down, and there it was! Just laying there on the floor! How it could be there I don't know.



But it was found, oh boy! I hadn't even jotted down the pattern or taken a picture or scan of it. I was quite relieved. So I can finally post a picture of my motif #14 for the 25 Motif Challenge. I blame this on Krystledawne because I saw her earrings and thought it would be fun to try something with a ring in the middle.

I think I remember how to needle tat...

I got a call from my neighbor yesterday. She's a good friend of mine whom I taught to tat one or two (or ten?) years ago. She hasn't really kept up with it, being busy with lots of other things, but a group that meets at the extension office, Hook Yarn & Needle, were doing some needle tatting and she was going to do some, too. It had been so long since my neighbor had done it she couldn't remember how exactly. So she called for a refresher course.

Okay, I have Needle Tatting, Book No. 2 from Handy Hands somewhere, where did I put it??? Oh, there (why was it in the middle of those Workbaskets?). Okay, now where did I put my needles? In this box? No, there they are, in THIS drawer! Now a ball of thread, open book. Hmm. Yes, that looks familiar. No, no, wrong end... that's better. That's right, and pull through there... Yippee! A ring and a chain, and another ring! I DO remember!

Yes, as soon as she called I had to see if I remembered anything about needle tatting. I only have the book and needles because I thought it would be good to know how - I already knew how to shuttle tat when I got them. And I never did much with them after understanding how it worked, very much enjoying shuttle tatting and not wanting to change. Back when I taught my neighbor we started with a shuttle, which she learned, but she pulled her stitches so tight she could hardly pull the rings closed, so we switched her to the needle. Now, years later we were learning again.

So this afternoon I went across the street and we laughed through a few rings trying to make a butterfly. We didn't get it made because I ran out of time, but we had fun. She now has a better grasp of what she needs to practice. We did talk of some of the Internet sites that have videos of needle tatting, which she is planning to check out.

And of course I'll practice a bit, too, because it was fun. I don't think I'll post a picture of it, at least not what I've done so far. If I end up with something presentable I might post that later - maybe.