Tennessee Maple Leaf

 In October my husband and I took a trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. This is the time of year you hear about how beautiful the fall foliage is. There were trees in full fall colors, there were trees that were still green, and there were trees that were bare. It was beautiful, not as much color as we were expecting, but we weren't disappointed. 

We didn't see as much wildlife as we thought, but we did see some. Like several black bears. This one was on the side of the road as we drove into Gatlinburg. He didn't pay any attention to the traffic.

Everywhere there were signs to not feed the bears, not leave food in your car, and lock your car doors, as bears have figured out how to open car doors. These signs are in town and in the National park. We took them seriously.

I took my tatting with me (of course!) and I actually did a little bit. I was inspired to make a maple leaf in fall colors with Lizbeth 136 Autumn Spice. This is a lovely, variegated thread, just right for making fall leaves. I brought along size 10 to make it easy to see and work with in dim lighting that you may have in hotel rooms, and while we traveled.

Tennessee Maple Leaf 1.0

There are beautiful patterns on the Internet of maple leaves, but I didn't look them up. (There are a lot of tattoos that come up when searching for them!) This is what I came up with while on our trip.

I had made the mistake of leaving home without a hat of any sort, but the weather was cool and windy in some places. Instead of buying a souvenir hat I bought a plain, black one at Walmart. I didn't get the leaf finished in time while we were there, but I added the leaf to it on the way home.

Yes, I made another, different, leaf, made while thinking of how to make the maple leaf. They look pretty good on the hat.

I have written out the pattern, but while verifying the pattern, I decided to change it up a bit. Not much, just a little, this one made in size 20 as I was home. Same Autumn Spice, just smaller thread.

Tennessee Maple Leaf 2.0

The modification gives it a bit more height and makes the stitch counts more consistent. I also made a change in the way the stem is made. I think I'll put both ways on the pattern. Depending on how the rest of the day goes, and if my computer will cooperate, I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of today.

Here at home, we've been enjoying beautiful warm days that don't feel like fall at all. There have been a few cool days, but they don't last long. There were just enough cold nights that the leaves turned color, then fell. Most leaves left on the trees won't be there much longer. The weather man says that it will get much cooler next week, but it's November, we should expect that. 

 

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, but it seems to be coming very fast. Then it will be Advent and Christmas. And I still haven't decided what my Christmas ornament will be this year! I really need to get on it!

Update: I've added Tennessee Maple Leaf pattern to My Patterns page. November 15, 2025

"Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day." –Shira Tamir

Button and Pumpkin

 A few weeks ago, I posted several buttons I had tatted around. I shared one on Facebook, which prompted several people to ask if there was a pattern. Now there is!

I've called this one Button Molly.

I've listed this on the My Patterns page as Button Molly so it would be with other patterns that use buttons.

If you've visited My Patterns page lately, you might have noticed I'm starting to put thumbnail pictures beside the pattern name. It's slow going, but I'm hoping this helps when looking at the patterns. 

My sister is a member of an American Legion Auxiliary that does bingo every few months. The entry fee is usually something like items for the local food bank. Anyone playing brings a white elephant or inexpensive, wrapped item for prizes. For the most recent bingo night I decided to make something I had seen on Pinterest several places, including a site called 'Devine by Designs'. I had what it took to make it, and it looked easy enough, and it was.

Didn't this glass pumpkin come out great? I had picked up the glass from the second hand store a while back. The leaves and twine I picked up from Hobby Lobby when they were half price. The light string I had from a year or two ago. I heard several comments from people once it was opened about how cute it was. I have another glass like this and I'm thinking about making one for me.

The bingo night theme was Halloween, and there were some amazing costumes! Mine was sort of sad because I didn't spend much time and no money on it. I dressed up as a lint catcher. This picture makes me look somewhat demented. I guess that's okay for Halloween.

It is already November, and I haven't yet decided what I'm making for my yearly Christmas ornament for family. I need to get on it!

Do you have your tatting done for Christmas yet?

"Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it's about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves." 

                                                                 Elvis Duran

Kamryn Edging

A little more than two years ago Dana Morse contacted me. She was looking for the 'perfect' edging and found my 'Kamryn' edging and thought it might be the one. She asked if I would share the pattern. I hadn't written it out yet, but she inspired me to do so. After a bit of work, I finished writing out Kamryn.

Kamryn Edging from 2023

I had originally made Kamryn in December 2015 for a runner I was making for a craft show. This shows you how slow I can be writing out patterns!

Kamryn Edging from 2015

About a week ago Dana emailed me again to show me her finished edging. She had made it as mental therapy during the hours she waited while her mom had chemotherapy last year. It kept both of them talking and thinking about their quilting retreat dream house. It came out beautifully!

It looks amazing on this quilted window treatment! 

Dana changed the pattern up a bit so it worked better for her. Looks good to me!

The Lizbeth size 20 Honey Drizzle that she made it in look amazing with the quilt. Love it!

This is hung in their quilting retreat dream house, which has been open since February. The Quilted Bee Retreat House is in Hammond, Louisiana. If you would like to know more about it check out their Facebook page, where Dana gives a virtual walk-through of the house. It looks very inviting, and I'm not even a quilter!

For those who would like to try Kamryn, I've added it to the My Patterns page.

I'm still having trouble with the vector program I use for writing out patterns, but I have been getting a little bit done, a little bit at a time. I'll take what I can get.

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use."

 Earl Nightingale

Gifts and Things

 Recently, I participated in a secret "get mugged" exchange with the ladies from the devotions group I'm in. Each of us filled out a short questionnaire about likes and allergies and such, then drew names. The gift was built around a mug, tumbler, or cup, and then a few miscellaneous things, nothing very expensive. Until the time of the exchange, the recipient did not know who the gift would be from. 

I drew a lady whose favorite color was green but did not specify a specific shade. Along with a few other items, such as large dark chocolate candy bar, I made a cross bookmark in two shades of green from my pattern, Split Ring Cross to include in the gift. 

We had just finished a book on Philippians, so I included this cute notebook, as well as a pretty cup, the chocolate, and a few miscellaneous items.

The day of the exchange I put everything in a gift bag and away I went. Without the bookmark or the notebook. I had to give them to her later. This was a week later after church service when everyone was busy going home. She didn't have time to look at it, I'm hoping she likes it.

I've been doing a lot of running around lately, with some time to tat but not anything that takes concentration. I've started taking a few buttons with me to tat around as I go places. They are easy, don't take up much space, can be done in any color, and can be used later.

I've been trying to decide what I'm doing for Christmas ornaments this year but haven't come up with an answer yet. My sister is already working on hers, and they look great! I think my problem is I always try and come up with a new pattern of some sort. This takes a bit longer than using something that is already out there. I guess it's only October. I still have time, right?

The Lacemakers Guild of Oklahoma had a Lace Embrace event October 4. As it is only a few hours away I had hoped to go this year. Their theme was "Teatime with Lace and Pearls." My sister and I even had our hats picked out - what's a tea party with pearls but no hats? But it was not to be. Family things came up for both of us, making it impossible for us to go. It sounded like so much fun! I love the theme! I'll be looking for it next year. If you'd like to see what they did at the event, check out their Facebook page.

We have had a lot of moisture this year, and milder temperatures than the last several years. We've had so much rain that my plants - and the weeds - have bloomed more and longer than I've ever seen them! I had seven or eight Hen and Chicks plants bloom, and one is still blooming!

Up until a few years ago I didn't even know they bloomed! I guess I'm doing something right.

Can you believe that October is half over? The year has flown by. I haven't done any fall tatting at all yet. I may or may not get any done, I should be working on Christmas stuff. Let's see what I end up doing.

"Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up."  Allen Klein

Another Use for Tatting

 I don't know about you, but I've been asked (usually by those who don't craft) what do you do with tatting? You know, the little things like doodads, ice drops, the little bits and pieces that use new - to - you techniques but look cute, that type of thing. Kind of like the sea turtle I designed for the Tatting Corner cruise a couple of years ago. It's cute and fun to make but doesn't exactly shout what it might be used for.  There are some people that think everything must have a purpose - besides being fun to make. My husband came up with something for it.

When my husband retired a couple of years ago, he joined the local senior pool (billiards) league where they play 8-ball. The only ball you have to call the pocket on is the 8 ball. Up until this year you had to not only call the pocket but mark it with something. My husband has been using one of my sea turtles as his pocket marker. Even though you only have to call the pocket now, making sure your opponent knows where you plan to put it - most still use something to mark it as well. So, he still carries it in his pocket and uses it to mark where he plans to put the 8 ball. 

For the last year and a half, I've been taking score for the local club. I have listened to my husband tell other players about his turtle and that I made it. It's fun to listen to. 

This summer I decided to join the league as a player. I've been practicing since June and have participated in the first two tournaments this fall. The first tournament I used a quarter to mark my pocket - the couple of times I needed to. Last week during the second tournament I hadn't yet remembered to take anything to mark pockets, but I had a thought. I had my tatting bag in my purse (of course!) and decided to use a shuttle.

It worked great! I actually had to use it several times, too! I also demonstrated how it is used when I was asked about what it was. 

I've been giving some thought to making something specific to use as a marker for myself, but I haven't figured out just what I want. Until then, I'll keep using a shuttle. I'm hoping I have to use it a lot more!

What unusual things have you used tatting for?

"Miniature golf, like billiards, is a game of angles. And, like billiards, most of the fun is in pretending you know what the hell you're doing. The worse you do, the more you have to laugh."

                                                                                                              Victor LaValle