Can you believe it is 2026? It hardly seems possible that we have reached another year. I need to start making a list of what I should work on!
I didn't get as many Christmas pickles done as I had hoped, but I did enough.
These were given to only about half of the family at our family Christmas. I didn't get the notes attached to the pickles, but I explained what they were. They were a big hit.
Last year we celebrated with my husband's family before Christmas, in a place I didn't have a chance to give out my ornaments, so they missed out. This year I gave those family members wine cork angels and a few of the hymnal angels instead of the pickles. They were well received.
Wine Cork Angel from 2024
Hymnal Angel from 2020
This year we had an amazing day with family a few days after Christmas, with some extended family members we rarely see. We rented a place with lots of room for visiting and eating. It was so well received that many left talking about doing it again, maybe this summer. What a present!
Less than a week later I spent half the day in a hospital waiting room. My mother had a procedure done while my sister and I spent time visiting and tatting. My tatting was a medallion I started a few weeks ago when I hadn't yet figured out what to do for my Christmas ornament and had only limited thread. I wasn't sure where I was going with it until I got there.
I did have a few false starts, where I went a little way, decided that wasn't working, cut it off and tried again. But I like how this came out. Not bad for not having any idea where this would go. What do you think?
I have a lot of ideas for things to make this next year. I do have a list. I'm just hoping I can keep up the enthusiasm about all of them. Or at least some of them!
What do you have planned for 2026?
"Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas and progress."
Christmas Eve is here! And I'm not really ready yet.
In the last several weeks I've mentioned I have been having trouble coming up with an ornament for Christmas this year. I've had several ideas, but they just haven't worked out to my satisfaction, and I ran out of time.
This is an idea I tried and sent a picture to my sister to ask her opinion about it.
She thought it was cute, maybe a cup?
So, I sent her this.
She recognized it as the mitten I was trying to make.
I was disappointed. If it wasn't easily recognizable, I didn't think I wanted it as my ornament. There were a few changes made after this, but I still wondered if it would be recognized. Maybe if I made a pair each, but that would be more work, and I don't have that much time. Maybe next year.
I put that plan on hold while I tried to think of something else. I've done angels - several times, including last year; I've done snowflakes - always good, but...; I've done trees - nice, but not this year. While we were driving to Colorado to visit our daughter I started looking online for ornament ideas. I found one that our oldest daughter started putting up when her kids were younger, which I'd never heard of before she told us about it.
The Christmas Pickle.
If you haven't heard of it, you may be asking "What is a Christmas Pickle?" According to the Internet, it started in the 1880's maybe when Woolworths was trying to sell glass-blown ornaments in the shapes of fruits and vegetables. How someone came up with the idea of hiding the pickle ornament in the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, I haven't a clue. The idea is that on Christmas morning the first one to find the pickle in the tree gets an extra gift. Or good luck for a year, depending on who's telling the story. A cute blog article about it is found on Good Housekeeping here. You can buy pickle ornaments at stores and online, this one even comes with a cute rhyme. My husband laughed when I read him what I found about it and said I should try it.
After several variations - and a trip to Hobby Lobby - I came up with something I think will work.
I added the word "DILL" so it could be easily identified as a pickle for those who might wonder. I am not fond of dill pickles and would prefer a sweet pickle, but DILL is shorter.
Hmmm - but only by one letter. It wouldn't take much longer to make a SWEET pickle. And I have lots of letters. To get enough of each I bought a pound of letters at Hobby Lobby. It was either that or buy lots of little bags.
My husband is getting a big kick out of these. My sister isn't sure about them. I'm not really sure about them, either, but I keep making them. I plan on attaching a short note with each to explain its purpose. The recipients will either laugh or be confused by them.
Have you ever heard of the Christmas Pickle?
"Tradition lives because young people come along who catch its romance and add new glories to it." - Michael Novak
Christmas will be here in less than a week! Can you believe it?
I have done almost nothing to decorate for Christmas this year. A few miscellaneous ornaments here and there, my table runner, a center piece, that's it. I keep thinking I'll get more out, but it hasn't happened yet.
I attended an Advent program in late November hosted by the LWML, the ladies group of our church. We decorated the tables with Nativity scenes. It's amazing the variety of these scenes, from simple to elaborate.
This one is from the 1960's
Larger, with added fairy lights
All white
Small and elegant
Mine
Each of the members were asked to bring a little something for refreshments. I brought white candy-coated graham crackers.
These came out pretty cute.
The LWML also had their Christmas party a few weeks later. There was singing, refreshments, and a gift exchange of inexpensive tree ornaments. I found a cute, wooden ornament that I added a bit of tatting to.
Gift exchange ornament
I think this came out beautifully! The recipient was quite pleased, which pleased me.
I've tried several different ideas for my Christmas ornament this year. Most are good ideas; they just haven't worked up well. I finally decided on one, which is on the humorous side. Not elegant, not lovely, but kind of cute. My husband is greatly amused by it. Not sure how many I'll get done, but it will be what it is. Which reminds me, I need to get back to it. I'll share next time.
While I have been busy with vacation Bible school issues, my sister, Elaine, has been tatting for Christmas. You know how it is, if you are making Christmas ornaments or gifts, you have to start way early to get them done in time. My sister has been looking over patterns to use for her ornaments for several months already. She decided to use my Christmas Bell pattern for some of them. (I'm very flattered).
Check out these cute bells! She added charms that reflect the interest of the different recipients instead of jingle bells. I love how they look with the charms.
Elaine has also been trying out my Christmas Ornament 2023, which incorporates charms or beads, too. We have been searching through our beads to see what we have between us that she might like to use. The ones she has shown me look great.
Elaine has had time to tat, I've been too busy to do much. After the vacation Bible school - which went great! - I've had other things I have been busy with, keeping me from doing much tatting. I did take the time out to tat a cross for a friend of mine whose father died a couple of weeks ago. Some things are important enough you just take the time to do.
I made my Graduation Cross again. I like the look and it's easy to do.
I'm now doing post-vbs work - making sure all the thank-you notes are written, organizing all the receipts, figuring out what to keep and what to get rid of by recycling or donating, and cleaning up the mess I left of my desk. I'll be sharing pictures soon. Not of the mess, of the vbs decorations, lol!
"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." Dwight D. Eisenhower
We recently replaced the seat in my husband’s old truck. After seeing decorated springs on Pinterest, I convinced my husband to help me take out all of the springs from the old seat so I could play with them. I have had a lot of fun with them!
Spring with snowflake
My versions all have tatting attached in some way. When I told my sister over the phone what I was doing, she could not visualize the concept at all. Once she saw them, she was very enthusiastic about them.
Angel tree
I’ve also made a lot of wings for wine cork angels. And had quite a few people volunteer to give me more corks ☺. Between the angel wings, small snowflakes, and angels, I’ve been very busy tatting and assembling ornaments. I needed tatting done for a craft show my sister and I attended.
Craft show 2024
We did this craft show because we saw how well the vendors did last year. It is not a big show, but it was well attended. The booths were about eight feet wide but only half that wide, making the set-up interesting. Unfortunately, there were very few customers to see our booth. The weather was much warmer than last year, and people just weren’t coming in, let alone shopping. It wasn’t a complete bust but I’m glad it wasn’t an expensive show. We did a good job with what we had.
The good news is I have a lot of angels and springs to give to my family for Christmas! Both the springs and the angels were big hits. And I have a lot of corks to make more angels for next year.
My sister, who started tatting again last year, decorated ball ornaments for family. She has done an amazing job!
Ornament tatted by my sister
I got one, too! Love it!
The pattern for these is from a book my sister bought at Tatting Corner last July, Tatting Christmas Decorations by Bziukiewicz. She has enjoyed this book immensely. She started with the easiest and has begun working on the more complicated ones.
How is your Christmas and holiday tatting going? Have you accomplished what you wanted?
“Tatting picots calms my rushing mind.” Gloria Nelson, Sparkling Light Creation Studio
Did you all have a merry Christmas? We have had a wonderful Christmas season. We’ve seen a lot of family and friends and created wonderful memories. We even had a bit of snow!
I was able to make as many of my Christmas ornaments for this year as I needed and in plenty of time. Amazing! I didn’t even feel rushed this year. In fact, I got through most of December without feeling pressured, which is pretty amazing. I almost always leave things to the last minute and then feel stressed and anxious. This year I got the gifts purchased early and had the house in good shape for company before the day of the get-togethers. What a wonderful feeling!
My Christmas ornament for 2023 involved beads again. Some were even the same ones! I am very happy with these.
Christmas ornament 2023 with Snowman
These snowman beads were used in the original attempt for ornaments this year. This time the tatting was a bit quicker and the ornaments did not use the bangle bracelets or anything else under the tatting. This made them easier to tat on the go, which I did quite a bit.
I have a variety of beads that I used for these. I made ornaments specific to several family member’s likes. Cats, dogs, penguins, and owls.
Christmas ornament 2023 with penguin
I went through several versions before I settled on my final ornament style. They all were given away – the people receiving them didn’t know I changed my mind! I even did a few that weren’t white.
Christmas ornament 2023 with owls
I made all of the ornaments in size 10 thread so they were big enough and sturdy enough for the beads. I also used Balanced Double Stitches (BDS) for the chains. I had learned this stitch a long time ago but never incorporated it in my tatting before. Then I did a few patterns from Mike Lyon, the Shuttle Commander, and now I seem to use them a lot! Thanks, Mike, for showing me how well they can work in a pattern.
Speaking of patterns, I have finished the pattern for this year’s ornament. For any of you who are interested in trying it, I have added it to My Patterns page (Christmas Ornament 2023).
In a few more days we will say goodbye to the year 2023 and hello to 2024. Are you ready?
Christmas is only days away! Are you done with all your Christmas tatting? I have one more ornament to finish. The good news, it doesn’t take long. I’ve not only been doing tatting for friends and family, I’ve been doing a bit for me, too.
Snowflake 2010
This is my Snowflake 2010. I only tatted this to get the thread off the shuttles. I needed shuttles to tat with size 10 white and this is size 20 white. Yes, I have other shuttles, but these shuttles were right there, I might as well use them, right? You can never have too many snowflakes.
Christmas tree earrings
I have a Christmas shirt that is not a traditional Christmas color and I needed a pair of earrings to go with it. I used Lizbeth thread LizMetallic 323, Christmas Green, to make me a quick pair. These trees don’t take long to make and they are shiny and festive. They worked well with my shirt.
Both of these patterns can be found on My Patterns page here.
I’m finishing up my tatting for Christmas, what about you?
Wishing all of you a wonderful and merry Christmas.
“Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.” – Deborah Whipp
It’s hard to believe Christmas is less than two weeks away. It seems like Thanksgiving was just the other day! I have been busy tatting, but time seems so short! Will I get everything done in time?
Every year I try to make a special ornament for family and close friends. I don’t usually think what they will be until I pick up the shuttles to start. This year I had a vague idea several months ago. I had found some cute beads at JoAnn’s that I just knew would look good in a Christmas ornament, I just didn’t quite know how. I tried a few things.
2023 Christmas ornament 1 try
This ornament is on a bangle bracelet. It is made with size 10 white thread and size 6/0 clear beads. The snowman almost looks like it’s in a snow globe, don’t you think? I like the look, but it took longer to make than I was happy with. I gave it away in a gift exchange with our women’s group at church.
I tried again using a bangle bracelet. It is also made with size 10 white thread and 6/0 clear beads. Without the ribbons, I wasn’t that excited about it, with the ribbons I was much happier. I gave this one to my mom.
Bangle Christmas ornament for Mom
Neither of these has become this season’s ornament. I’ve been working on what I have decided to be the ornament of the year but I’m not sharing that until I have given them out. And I still have a few to go.
The other day before I went to the party for the ladies at church, I realized I didn’t have a pair of earrings that I wanted to wear. I decided to make a simple pair.
Christmas earrings
They are not elaborate but still festive and went with the clothes I was wearing. I just love that a few minutes with a shuttle, thread, and a few beads left me with a cute pair of earrings. These are made with size 20 white and little red beads, 10/0 (?). A lovely little gift I gave myself.
I am leaving a gift for you, too. The pattern for the Compass Rose has been added to the My Patterns page.
Will I get everything done in time? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m going to enjoy the doing and not worry about the time. It’s a self-imposed goal anyway. I think I’ll relish the season instead of stressing about it.
What are you tatting for Christmas?
“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things, not the great occasions, give off the greatest glow of happiness.” — Bob Hope
Every year I make a unique ornament for close family and friends. Sometimes it is tatting only, some years other media is incorporated. This year I decorated glass ornaments with sheet music and tatted angels. I shared the idea of it a few weeks ago. Not much changed other than tatting the angels out of size 20 thread instead of size 10.
Glass Christmas ornament for 2022
The hardest part was deciding what to do at the top of the ornament. I worked with greenery and raffia, but doing that took me a long time with each one before I was happy with them. Then I found a spool of gold metallic ribbon. This looked good and was much, much faster! I didn’t redo any of the ones with greenery. When we had our Christmas dinner at our house, I let everyone choose.
Ornaments for Christmas
Before everyone got here I put them in a fabric-lined bowl for a more finished look. They went over very well, each going to a happy home.
Our dinner was the chance to give my daughter her table runner. While making a runner for a lady I know, I ended up making edgings that looked good but had a lot of stitch differences as I figured out what I actually wanted. I thought my oldest daughter might like it, even knowing it wasn’t perfect. She did want it, but finding time to get it to her was an issue. We decided the date of the dinner would be okay, as it is a winter runner, not a Christmas runner.
My daughter’s winter runner
These edgings don’t have the outside row of tatting on them, and I think I like this better. For all that they are not shaped like snowflakes, they look good with the snowman and snowflake material. She sent me a picture of where she put it.
Snowman runner with snowmen
Can you tell that she collects snowmen?
Years ago I gave my mother-in-law a Christmas runner. She had it out all year. My father-in-law gave it back to me after she died and he moved out of the house.
Old Christmas runner
This year I found some fabric that will look wonderful with that green edging. I’m planning to transfer it to the new runner. It makes me happy that she had so much use out of it, but I think it’s time to repurpose the edging.
We, along with most of the US, had a dose of Arctic air this last week. For us here in Kansas, it only lasted about five days, and we only received about an inch of snow. I have seen how hard other areas were hit by this, and feel blessed to have had it so mild. We had another little bit of cold weather Christmas night, along with ice. So glad we didn’t have to go anywhere! It is only the beginning of winter, so I anticipate more of the cold weather is coming, but we will have nice weather through to New Year’s Day (at least, that’s what the weatherman is forecasting, LOL!)
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season! Stay safe and well!
“I happen to love creating handmade ornaments even when I mess up I still have fun.” Hilary Farr
I attended our church ladies’ Bible study group Christmas dinner and gift exchange a couple of weeks ago. Each of us was to bring a gift for a random gift exchange. I tatted a cross bookmark that I put in a book of devotions. And I forgot to take a picture of it! It was my August SR Cross, made in Lizbeth thread HH20-181 Cranberry Bush. It looked good, and the lady who received it was happy with it.
The dinner was good, the company was terrific, and the gifts were fun to see. We all were given three gifts: one from the gift exchange, and two from the hosts. The gift I got from the exchange was a beautiful quilted centerpiece. One of the gifts from the hosts was a cute Christmas tree ornament; the other was a machine-embroidered tea towel.
Gifts from the dinner
The Bible study group wasn’t the only gift exchange I’ve had this year. This last Sunday my side of the family had our Christmas dinner and gift exchange. We play a form of the White Elephant game, with all of us interacting and having a good time. A few of us also give gifts outside of the game, which isn’t required but is a lot of fun. My sister gave all of the ladies hand-embroidered tea towels.
Little red truck tea towel
Last year I started decorating with Christmas decorations in the little red truck theme. She knew this and did my tea towel with the theme. It is so cute!
My birthday is coming up so she also gave me another embroidered gift. Previously, she had given me the runner – which I am supposed to put an edging on – and now she gave me the pillowcases. One day I’ll get to the edging, maybe for both the pillowcases and the runner.
Matching runner and pillowcases
In the previous post, I shared my new pattern, September Angel. This is the 2022 ornament that I am giving to close friends and family. While I’ve been making them I’ve noticed that it wouldn’t take much to make a tree with the pattern. So I tried it.
Christmas Tree 2022
While coming up with the stitch count for this little tree I could see how the angels and the trees might make cute earrings, so I made some of those, too.
Christmas Tree earrings September Angel earrings
I gave these earrings to my daughter. And, again, I was in such a hurry I forgot to take pictures of them. My daughter was very sweet and did a photo shoot with them. They were such cool pictures I had an awful time choosing between them for which ones to use. The earrings came out as well as I hoped they would.
I’ve posted the pattern on the My Patterns page. Unfortunately, when I did that I seem to have broken the links to all the other patterns. This pattern is the only one currently that works. I’m working on the others but won’t get them all fixed tonight. If you’re interested in another pattern but it won’t come up for you, please email me and I’ll get it for you, or try again a bit later.
Here in Kansas, we are expecting an Arctic cold front in a couple of days, along with some snow. How much snow depends are where you are located, anywhere from one to six inches. Listening to the weatherman, it sounds like we won’t have it as bad as a lot of the country. Here, mostly very cold with a few hours of blowing snow. We might even have a white Christmas! We don’t have that every year. I think for the next few days I’ll sit back, tat, and try to stay warm without going outside.
I think I’ll stay in and keep warm while I tat
My husbands’ side of the family is not having the family Christmas until after the 25th. There are some family members that will be gone until after that. The day isn’t as important for gatherings as is the family that will be there. Having it after Christmas is okay by me, it gives me a bit more time to get ready for it.
What are you busy with?
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” — Burton Hills
The pattern for the September Angel is finished! Thank you to my test tatters, Wally and Ada for checking the pattern out for oopsies. And thank you to all those who volunteered to test tat. I appreciate the offer.
September Angel
This angel was done in size 20 Lizbeth thread, making it not very big. It looks good in size 10, but that’s not much bigger. I think a pair of these would make cute earrings, both in size 20 and in a smaller thread.
The pattern has been added to the My Patterns page. Funny story, while trying to put it on the page we lost power. Everything was off for about 15 minutes before coming back on. I was concerned about it going off again, so I delayed turning my computer back on until this morning. I suspect the high winds caused the outage, but I wasn’t sure.
I’ve been contacted by several people who have trouble reading the patterns from their location on Google Docs on their phones. It has something to do with the size of the page that Google Docs doesn’t like. I have not yet gotten it straight, though no one has had trouble seeing them on their computers. If you have trouble, please contact me and I’ll send you the pattern instead of what is on the Docs page.
I’ve been thinking of what my yearly Christmas ornament will be this year. I like the September Angel, but it’s small. I’ve come up with an idea, but it’s not yet ready. What I have tried so far is looking promising.
September Angel on a glass ornament
I have these clear glass ornaments I picked up at Micheal’s a few weeks ago. I cut strips of music, curled them, and put them inside. The greenery at the top could maybe have a bit more, but I like the idea. The angel is in size 10 thread, which looks a bit big to me. I’m going to try it with an angel in size 20, and see if that looks better.
I have a list of things I would like to tat before any of our Christmas get-togethers – one of which is before the 25th – but time is getting tight. If I don’t get them done by then, I might have to hand deliver them when they are.
How are your plans for Christmas coming?
“Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.” Pindar
Wow, I can’t believe it’s been two weeks since Tatting Corner’s Tat Days. I still haven’t finished Pearl as I’ve been busy tatting for several other things, but everything else from Tat Days is done.
Circle be unbroken
I finished Mary Anna Robinson’s ‘Circle Be Unbroken’ covered cabone ring while we were on the way home. I’m not sure I got it quite right but it looks good, so I’m happy with it. I had fun in Mary Anna’s class. Thanks, Mary Anna!
Dona’s Christmas Stocking
I also finished ‘Dona’s Christmas Stocking’ on the way home. I made at least one wrong join on one side, but it worked out okay when I put the two sides together. I’m not sure I got the fringe at the time quite right, either, but there is an opening at the top, so it came out alright, too. This is very cute. I can see myself making more of these, maybe for my family Christmas ornament this year.
Dorset Button with Tatting #3
I worked on Mike Lyon’s Dorset button on the way home also but didn’t finish it. I actually started the center weaving again, which is still off-center, but it looks better than my first try. I made the picots on the cabone ring waaayy too big, which messed up the sizing on the outside tatting. I’m still happy with it though I’ll try to do better on the next one I make. I’m sure I’ll be doing Dorset buttons again, though I don’t know when.
I have several time-sensitive projects right now so I am waiting to finish Pearl until they are done. I’ve been seeing other people’s mermaids on Facebook, which has me itching to pick her up again, but I must be strong! I WILL finish her, but later.
I’m so excited about next year’s tatting cruise. My sister, who is coming too, and I have been talking about things we’ll need and things we want to do. Yes, it’s next year, but there’s a lot to think about when you haven’t done it before. Some of it we definitely need to start saving for. While I’m writing this post I have Dishnetwork’s Dishscape of a coral reef on the TV, keeping me in the mood for the trip! (A screen saver with sound.)
Dishscape of a coral reef
I am not associated in any way with Dishnetwork and make no income from this mention.
“God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.” William Cowper
Did you all have a wonderful Christmas? I hope you did. We did. We had family get-togethers, presents, a Christmas Eve program, and a wonderful Christmas day. Now we are in that week just before the calendar year changes from 2021 to 2022. Are you ready?
I finally finished the wings for my tree-topper angel, the day after Christmas. But that’s okay, I still have my tree up and the angel is now ready for next year.
Tree-top angel got its wings
I made the wings in Lizbeth # 601 Snow White in size 10. I had wanted to make them in # 602 Natural but I didn’t have any in size 10. I thought the color would go better with the rest of the angel, but this looks okay. I modified my Angel Wings pattern to make the wings come out larger than I made them before. I even stiffened them so they would stand out nicely. I’m very happy with how the whole angel came out.
At Christmas, our families play a white elephant gift exchange game so we don’t have to spend so much on presents, but there are still a few gifts some of us give because we want to anyway. My sister embroiders and always makes something for the women and bakes goodies for each family (the guys and kids don’t complain!) She enjoys embroidering tea towels throughout the year so we all get them at Christmas. The women don’t complain, either. This year they all had gnomes on them.
Gnome tea towel
I love my new tea towel, isn’t it cute? Unlike some, I am not afraid to use the embroidered tea towels my sister gives me. I have them out almost exclusively. She put all that work into them, I’m not leaving them in the drawer!
This year has been unseasonable warm here. We’ve been hearing of snow in some other parts of the country, but here in the middle of the USA we have had warm temperatures and haven’t had any moisture but a few sprinkles in over a month. The weather is supposed to change a bit on New Year’s Day.
Weather forecast for the week before New Year 2021
It’s too far out to know if we really will have any moisture or in what form it will take snow, rain, or ice, or a combination. I’ll take it in whatever form we can get it.
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I don’t, I just review what’s been going on, what I’ve been doing, and consider if I’m going in the direction I want to be going. I do sometimes make a list of tatted things I would like to make, but I usually lose it. As I’m retired now maybe I’ll post that list on the refrigerator and remember to make a few of the items on my wish list. Check back at the end of next year to see how well that goes, LOL!
New Years’ Day is this coming Saturday. Are you ready?
“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.”Nido Qubein
