May those who love us, love us;
And for those who don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts;
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles,
So we will know them by their limping!
🙂
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/2009/02/irish-blessings-for-luck.aspx?p=7#0aPyHZH9ASLklDlm.99
Grape Pizzaz anyway.
I spent most of Tuesday in a waiting room while my mother underwent a medical procedure. It was supposed to be at 9:30 A.M. but of course they want the patient there early. I arrived at 8:30 A.M, a little late to see her as they took her to the back at 8:00 A.M.
And then we waited. And waited. And waited. They finally started the procedure at 12:10 P.M.
Then we waited some more while the procedure was done. Which took two hours.
Then we waited some more while she was in recovery.
I have been making a few bookmarks to refill my gift supply. Most recently it has been the Graduation bookmark in Lizbeth Grape Pizzaz size 20. I’d finished one in it and begun another. This thread is what I had in my purse Tuesday morning. The only thread I had in my purse.
Finishing the cross was the first thing I tatted in the waiting room. I could have done another one – or two, or three – during the wait but I chose to do other things.
Tatting around the button was because, um, I had the button. The butterflies and flowers as small things I make when there isn’t much thread left on the shuttles. I use these on letters and notes to brighten them up 🙂 A clear glass gem from the bottom of my tatting bag became an Ice Drop. Thanks to Diane for having the information on her blog to refresh my memory on how to make them!
I took quite a few breaks from tatting during the waiting for lack of a strategy for the day. If I’d had a large project with me a lot could have been accomplished. Alas, I didn’t have much of a plan for tatting, so was unprepared. How odd of me. This was not a surprise procedure, I should have had a better plan.
The good news is my mother is doing well. She’ll have to take things easy for a while, but she is at home where she can be comfortable.
I have found several UFOs I should work on. I’ve also started a list of things I want to tat. Hmm, which will it be?
“Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect!”
I usually keep several tatted bookmarks on hand for small gifts to go inside cards. These are for condolences, just-because, (forgotten) birthdays, or other special occasions. Recently I’ve found I don’t have any bookmarks made. Oops, I need to get busy!
I made my ‘Branson’ bookmark in Lizbeth Caribbean size 20. This one is easy to do while a passenger in the car on the way to work. I already had one shuttle which needed to be emptied so I can count it as finishing up a project, right?
I found a partially done bookmark to work on next. The pattern is from one of my Alaska bookmarks. The picture makes it look like a variegated thread though it is not. Unfortunately, I lost the ball of the thread for this. I’m almost done but both shuttles are too low on thread to finish. Back in the UFO (Un-Finished Object) drawer.
I told myself I would work on UFOs before starting new projects. But I really need to stock up on bookmarks. Maybe I have another unfinished bookmark somewhere. I’ll have to look. If not, I’ll just have to start another project and finish it so as not to add to the UFOs.
The ‘Branson’ bookmark pattern can be found on my Pattern Page. I have not written out the Alaska bookmark.
“I just got out of the hospital.
I was in a speed-reading accident.
I hit a bookmark.” Steve Write
At work the other day I was waiting on decisions to be made and changes to be done by a couple of other people. I was listening and doing my part in the job but only so many people can fit in one small area at a time. While standing there I noticed a few thin wires on the floor that had been the tail of some cable or other. As they hadn’t quite made it to the trash yet I picked them up and started fiddling with them instead of throwing them away. Noticing the size, color and length I tried tatting with them.
I made the ring on the right first, then a smaller ring that didn’t close. With another couple of scrap wires, one green the other white, I made the rings with the chain between. I even joined the rings though I had not left a picot. There was still a lot of white wire left which I wound around the wire tails of the first two rings. I did not try tatting that part, my fingers were already feeling the strain of working with wire.
No, I did not use a shuttle to work with the wire, I finger tatted it. The shuttle is only for reference to the size of the wire tatting. The wire is about 24 gauge but due to the stiffness does not tat small. I made the white chain using direct tatting but the rings I did normally.
I knew that tatting with wire could be done; I’ve tried before but never with coated wire. It was challenging but fun. I don’t think I’d want to make any large project out of it though – talk about hard on the hands!
“Nobody is bored when he is trying to make something that is beautiful, or to discover something that is true.” William Ralph Inge www.brainyquote.com
A couple of weeks ago my mother wore a hat that she had picked up at a garage sale. It had a feather wrapped around it as a hat band, which was okay but she wanted something different. She took a hatband that I had made a long time ago and put it over the top of the feather. She liked this a lot better so we removed the feather.
I’m not sure when I tatted this hatband but it was at least 20 years ago. I believe I made it with Kreinik thread but I can’t tell you what color number. I know it is not blended with another thread. I remember it was not as easy to work with as cotton thread.
I have made several hatbands for my parents. My dad especially liked the ones made out of this kind of shiny thread. I don’t remember if I followed someone else’s pattern or did this one on my own. It’s not that complicated a pattern, it could be either one. It would make a pretty bookmark, wouldn’t it?
“And all your future lies beneath your hat.” John Oldham https://www.brainyquote.com
