Tatting on Tuesday

Goodies for Tuesday Tatters meeting

A couple of weeks ago we had our monthly Tuesday Tatters get together, at my place this time.  It gave me an opportunity to use several dishes I rarely get out or even think about.  All of these pieces are from either my grandparents or my husband’s grandparents.  They made for a pretty table with lemon wafer cookies and assorted M&Ms with coffee.  I had hot water ready for tea but decided coffee was just fine.

Tatting on Tuesday with Becky

Becky was the only one that was able to make it this time.  That’s okay, we had fun anyway.  She had some questions that I had plenty of time to answer with no distractions.

Old child’s dress with tatting found at flea market

Becky brought this beautiful infants dress to share.  It was obviously worn, as there were a few stains on it.  Washing it took most of those out.

Detail of tatted neckline and sleeves of old child’s dress

Look at the fine tatting on this!  All the way around the neck and the sleeves holes.  All that tatting and then sewn on.  The thread must be size 100, don’t you think?

Details of tatted hem and insert on old child’s dress

Besides the tatting on the neck, sleeves, and hem, there was also an insert.  Someone spent a lot of time tatting all this and then stitching it on the dress – wow!  All that time and effort in such small thread!  Sad that it ended up in a thrift shop/flea market selling for a couple of dollars.  It is of heirloom quality.  Becky was glad to snatch it up!

It is wonderful to get together with other tatters, though sometimes not much tatting gets done, we’re so busy talking!  Come September I’ll be getting together with a lot more tatters – I’m going to Palmetto Tat Days!  I’m so excited!

“Heirloom” is knitting code for “This pattern is so difficult that you would consider death a relief.  ~Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, At Knit’s End:  Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

The Quote Garden

Flag Day 2016

A little bit of patriotic tatting on Flag Day.   The red, white, and blue M&Ms are nice, too.

“You’re a grand old flag,

You’re a high flying flag,

And forever in peace may you wave.”

by George M. Cohan

Sometimes you get lucky

I took some vacation days recently, not because we were taking a trip or anything but just to have some days off.  I had all kinds of plans on what I was going to do, work on and get done.  Yes, I had plans.

What’s that line – “the best laid plans of mice and men”?   Like usual, most of my plans didn’t work out, though some did in a modified way.

The first day I had off I worked on a few miscellaneous things.   I worked on the blog, fixing things that didn’t import correctly.  There are a lot of posts to go through, many still to go.  I went through a few boxes of items that need to find homes in my new kitchen.  Laundry was washed and folded.  Not a total loss of the day but less done than hoped.

In the evening I was ready to sit down, watch TV, and tat.  Unfortunately, I was not in the middle of any projects that I could do and watch TV at the same time.  I needed a new project but of course I couldn’t remember any of the several I’d been thinking of.  To give myself some ideas I went through my craft room, picking out random items to ignite my imagination – or at least some enthusiasm.  I spread them across the table to analyze for tatting inspiration.

Hmm,  a round doily center.  I’d purchased this quite some time ago but never was moved to make an edging for it.  That day I was inspired by it.  A review of several thread colors led to using Lizbeth size 20 in #159 Easter Eggs.   I gave a little bit of thought to what I was going to tat and started, attaching to the doily as I went.  I did not count the holes to determine the outcome at the finish, I just started.

“Harper” tatted edging © 2016 Wanda Salmans

Sometimes you just get lucky.  I didn’t have to adjust where I attached to the doily by one hole.

“Harper” tatted edging in Lizbeth size 20 in Easter Eggs #159

I’ve made a lot of edgings for runners but rarely for anything else.  I had never attached to a doily or runner in this manner, joining to it as I went.  Normally I make the edging, make the runner to the same width, and attach to it as the last step.  I can’t believe it worked so well!

Though I didn’t plan it as a challenge that is absolutely what it was.  I’m calling this #13 in my current 25 Motif Challenge.  Even if it’s not actually a motif.

I’m delighted how this edging came out and overjoyed at the finished doily.  Sometimes you just get lucky.

“Give luck a chance to happen.” Tom Kite                                        ww.brainyquote.com