Got, Bought or Won.

I have just arrived back home from the 10th Annual Tat Days in Cambridge Ontario Canada. I got, bought or won a hanky, 1 picot set, 1 hand carved hook, 2 balls thread, 2 HDT, 2 roommates, 5 shuttles, 12 pattern books, bags of beads, loose patterns and techniques, a whole sac of tools, tealight holder and many new friends. 

The weekend began with my arrival at the KW airport where there was a tatter to pick me up. Below is the sign Jane K. made for me, Bernice's Shuttle.

We had planned to go out for dinner with the ladies from Denmark and the UK so off we all went along with our host Jane K. We all got to talking so much we were the last to leave in the restaurant, we pulled out our tatting back at the hotel and continued chatting long into the evening. 

Friday morning many more tatters had arrived and I was invited to go off to Lens Mills a large fabric store nearby, I enjoyed it and found a few things to put in my suitcase.  Registration began on Friday afternoon and I was first through the doors, and an hour later taking a class from Judith Connors (AUS) and Jane Eborall (UK) sitting in the class. The fun had only just begun.  I soon learned that I cannot talk, listen to jokes, take instruction and tat at the same time. Oh things did get better by Saturday afternoon and Sunday I actually finished a project.  I also took additional classes from Jennifer Williams (Wales) and Georgia Seitz (USA).  Linda (UK) was kind enough to show me pearl tatting and Georgia come by to show both of us another way of doing it, tatters are the best.

Much to my surprise Karey Solomon was at the event selling her HDT and books, one which I've had my eye on for some time.  I met so many nice ladies and  didn't blow my budget.

I would encourage all tatters to attend a tat and chat in your area and if you have the opportunity to attend a conference like I did, do it at least once.

Happy tatting. 

Needlecases

Just a sample of some needlecases I have made.  I learned to do these from the book Beaded Needlecases by Jeannie Might.

An Aunt of mine really liked these and her husband was a carpenter so he was able to make me some wooden cases to bead around.  These are the longer needlecases in the picture. The needlecase on the right was made for my mom who loved carousel horses.  I just don't bead as much as I used to. I am slowly incorporating beads into my tatting.

Almost half around

Almost half around this row and eager to finish to get back to the "Big One".  You tat a banner of hearts separately and it is recommended not to close into a circle but wait for the connecting round. I really like the hearts pattern round the edge of this doily. The pattern can be found here.  

The last of this years canning has been completed and I just finished up 11 quarts and 2 pints of pears.  It is not my husbands favorite so these are all mine, although I did promise a jar to my sister.  I used the glass lids and rubber rings, these look so pretty in the cupboard as I remove the metal bands to store. It is a little tricky to use glass lids and I wouldn't recommend it to someone just starting out canning as there are newer and easier ways.

Hearts Doily Rows 4 and 5

It might be hard to see these last two rows, they are full of picots in contrast to the only joining picots in the previous rows.  Next is a band of hearts and then finally a joining round.  I am doing the round of hearts in the rust color.  The doily in Hakelgarn  20 currently measures 11 inches (27 cm).   

I've been busy doing up some gifts and below is one of my favorite snowflakes, It is from Tatting by Penelope Book 3, picture on page 4 and directions on page 14.  I plan to put it on a Thank You Card.  I have actually tatted this once before and in my earnest to tat this I learned to do split chains and my first split ring was done on this pattern. This snowflake is done with a soft embroidery thread measures 4 inches (10 cm), point to point. I made slight modifications from the original pattern.

 

Crocheted Beaded Bags

Some years ago I started making these little beaded bags.  Made with size 11 beads and crochet cotton, pearle or size 10. I use mine to keep jewelry in when travelling.  It would be easy to adjust the size of the bag to accommodate a shuttle and small ball of thread or just a shuttle.  The picture below only shows what I have left as I have given many away.

They were based on the patterns and techniques found in Margaret Snouffer's book Crocheted Beaded Bags which I purchased at a local bead store.  I have also made a small evening bag using the same techniques.

Salsa Weekend

It's a holiday Monday here in Canada "Labour Day" and the day was full of labour. Saturday the tomatoes were purchased and peeled and cored, then set overnight.  On Sunday I chopped onions and peppers, a few hot ones and cooked up the salsa. I pulled out the canner and processed 17 quarts,  I hope it lasts a while as it takes a long time to complete.  

Today Monday, I canned up the leftover tomatoes and now have nine quarts of canned tomatoes.

I have a box of apples that my sister dropped off so applesauce, apple crisp and apple pies may be in my near future.

Just a little bit of tatting was done.  These little angels done in "Ricamo Ancora" part of the vintage thread gifted a few weeks ago. 

Hearts Doily Row 3

Don't look too close, I had to repair in two spots as I had extra set of chain stitches in them.  Then there were eight ends to hide.

I went ahead with the rust color and it looks great, I will use yellow for the next two rows and then a row of rust hearts to finish off.

I am also working the Big Monster JS Doily but row 12 has been quite the struggle.  Miscounting and the size 10 tires me out so I make more mistakes.  Seems I go backwards more that frontwards so I have put it aside again.