Shuttles From My Husband

Over the years I have mentioned that I have a wonderful husband. He recently surprised me again with a couple of new shuttles he made. Not for any special occasion, just because he knows how much I like shuttles!

Oak shuttle front

This is made of oak. We have several pieces of oak handrails which were removed from a local hospital when they made improvements. He randomly will make something from the wood when he’s feeling inspired. That day, he made a shuttle for me.

Oak shuttle post

I love the look and feel of this shuttle! It tats beautifully!

Cherry shuttle back

My husband found a pretty piece of wood in the scrap pile. He’s not sure what it is but believes it may be cherry.

Cherry shuttle front

We may not know the type of wood it is, but it makes a gorgeous shuttle! It also tats very nice. I love working with it.

As he was in the mood to work with shuttles, I brought him the shuttle he made me way back in 2009. I love that he made me this shuttle, but it was so thick I didn’t really care to use it much. I asked if he could thin it down a bit.

2009 Oak shuttle

He did a great job! Unfortunately, thinning it down removed the carving of the date from one side and my initials from the other. I’m thinking of ways the dates can be added back to this shuttle and the others as well.

Back of 2009 oak shuttle

He made the tips on this shuttle a bit different from the others, with one blade shorter than the other. I do like how this loads thread better, but not enough to complain about the others! All of them feel good in my hands. I’ve found my favorite shuttles!

While he was in the woodworking mood he made another piece out of oak. This was done on our CNC machine.

Oak sun

May the sun shine on you to aid in your tatting adventures!

Happy Valentine's Day

New Shuttles

Over the last few months, I have acquired several new shuttles. Four of them are from Middy Clark, of The Knotted Vine. If you haven’t seen her work, please check them out! They are beautiful!

Tatting Corner Cruise 2023 cruise shuttle

Knotical Adventures 2023 shuttle, back

This is the one that Maddy made for the Tatting Corner cruise this summer. Isn’t it beautiful? It tats beautifully, as well.

Celtic Silver Plate Brass Shuttle

This Celtic shuttle is one that I bought from Middy on the cruise. She had brought shuttles with her to sell specifically to those of us cruisers. I haven’t tatted with it yet, but it feels wonderful.

Holiday brass shut

Middly also had several blades for unfinished shuttles. She was offering them to fellow cruisers, to be sent to us after the cruise. I found a couple that spoke to me 🙂 I like this seasonal shuttle. It has the same pattern on the other side as well.

Dragon shuttle

This dragon shuttle is fantastic, isn’t it? I don’t know how Middly does this, but it’s great. If my daughter tatted, she’d be jealous of this one. This one tats as nice as the Ship one. The back of this one does not have the dragon on it.

The Knotted Vine shuttles

I do not get any compensation for mentioning of The Knotted Vine.

I’m still working on patterns for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days this summer. They are about ready to go to the test tatters. Every once in a while, I have to take a break from this or my eyes will cross. I tatted The Tatting Lace Crown by 1001 Nós Frivolité.

Tatting Lace Crown by 1001 Lós Frivolité

I made this with size 10 Lizbeth thread that was left on the shuttle. This worked up quick and easy. It’s very cute. She posted this pattern on Facebook if you’d like to give it a try.

As I tat, both getting ready for Tat Days, and little side projects, I have several beautiful shuttles to choose from. Such hard choices!

“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” Jim Elliot

Jubilee Square and Mat

Believe it or not, I finished the pattern! But I had to finish tatting the mat before I published it.

Jubilee mat tatting the edging

This is in Lizbeth thread HH20-601 white in size 20 and measures 5 1/2 inches across. I must have measured it wrong when I did it in 2018 because I got the same dimensions this time!

Jubilee mat 2018

Jubilee mat 2024 with clover

The square mat that I did in 2018 measured 5 1/2 inches across (with the edging). The 2024 mat measures just over 5 1/2 inches. They are made with different thread brands, the 2018 in DMC size 30. You can see there is a bit of a size difference.

I’ve had fun working on this, in between doing a few other patterns. Two patterns are for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days this summer. You’ll have to come to see them – or wait until Tat Days are over. The pattern for Jubilee Square and Mat is up on My Patterns page. Thank you, Kristina Fry, for test-tatting it for me!

Enjoy the pattern!

“Procrastination gives you time to consider divergent ideas, to think in nonlinear ways, to make unexpected leaps.” Adam Grant

2024, A New Year

2024 is here, and it has been cold! And snowy! We’ve had more snow this winter than we’ve had in the entire two previous winters. Now, like most of the country, it is very cold! The thermometer reads 1º F but the windchill is currently -22º F. I think I’ll stay inside. I am glad that my dog doesn’t mind the cold.

Bonnie in the snow

Bonnie is a Corgi/Border Collie mix. She’s a bit taller than a Pembroke Corgi but still has pretty short legs. Getting around in the snow has been a bit of a challenge. She likes it, though.

While staying in the house, I’ve gotten quite a bit of tatting done. I’m working on a couple of patterns I submitted to Lisa Adams at Tatting Corner for her Tat Days in July. They are coming along nicely.

I’ve also been working on writing out the pattern for a square I did back in 2018. It’s been test-tatted but I haven’t quite finished the corrections yet.

Jubilee Square

The previously unnamed square is now Jubilee Square. When joined to other squares it makes a lovely mat. That will also be on the published pattern.

There are several January birthdays that I wanted to recognize with a gift, so made them cross bookmarks. The pattern for the Graduation Bookmark is on ‘My Patterns’ page.

Three Graduation Bookmarks

I’ve also been working on improving my tatting. I recently purchased a Clover Picot Comb so I can make even picots, especially long ones. I’m enjoying this gauge better than I have any other gauge I’ve tried. It’s actually kind of fun. Not that I’ll use it all the time, but when a gauge is needed, this will be my choice.

Using a picot comb

I’ve also been playing with different tatting techniques. Natalie Rogers, on her Tat Your Own Adventures FaceBook page, has put out a tatting-related Bingo game with a PICOT card (instead of BINGO). There are several techniques on it that I have done before but could stand to review and practice. There are also a few that I’ve not done, including the Vapour (or vapor) stitch. I am so glad there are YouTube videos!

Vapour stitch practice

Trying new stitches opens up possibilities for pattern ideas. Thanks, Natalie, for the game!

(There are no links in this post, I receive nothing for mentioning products or services.)

I would have had this post done yesterday but I was way-laid by a book I started. I have to limit the books I read as I have a hard time putting them down until they are finished. Maybe it would be different if they were studious type books, of history, or of learning, but I mostly read stories that entertain me. Which isn’t bad, unless I don’t put them down. The worst of it is that reading a book keeps me from tatting. I do have audiobooks, but there is nothing quite like words on a page.

Do you have tatting plans for the new year? Any books you want to read?

“When you lose yourself in a book the hours grow wings and fly.”— Chloe Thurlow