Tatskool's Generosity and Big Heart

 Look at this. 

For Me, Maebh and  Mini Boss.  Can you believe it!  Imagine my surprise when I opened that card. 

Gulp...  Thank you so much Tatskool; I am deeply touched.

Anon,

Tatting Gone Wrong

Yesterday, I found this in my...underwear!

Things have really gotten out of hand!

Anon,

Thank You, Elizabita!

 I went back to work and was presented with an envelope that had been brought in during my absence. Thank you Elizabita! It was so sweet of you to take time to send me your lovely thoughts.  I really appreciate it.

~~***~~

 CAT HAIR COVERS ALL

 I have been looking at all my pictures on this blog and with horror realize that there is a grand dusting of tiny, pale hairs absolutely everywhere.

Maebh says that THE CAT should be taken to a radish patch somewhere in the country, tied to a bush for three nights with a Barbie shoe tied tightly with a chartreuse ribbon around his tail . This measure, she assures me will fix the problem.  Excuse me for my skepticism; but I just don't buy it.

I am not sure what to do about the hair.  I vacuum every other day and mop in-between.  Anything more reeks of fanaticism, to me!  Anyone else battle the hirsute assault of the furred ones?

 #9 Motif Challenge

Fooling around with  Tatskool's Daffodill Dill, which looks lovely against the daisies! Motif is from "Motifs for Marie" by Kaye Judt.

Anon,

One For Each

for The Boss**

#8 Motif Challenge  

Taking a hard , critical look at my stitches, I am pleased to report that suddenly, and I do mean overnight,  my tatting looks as if someone more experienced than I produced it!  

In this very simple motif, one that I did to just finish up the very last of Yarnplayer's Garden Afternoon, which I am crazy- mad about, I saw marked improvement.

Perhaps it happened because I was not trying so hard; perhaps it won't ever happen again. Whatever the reason, I love my tatting in this modest offering.  I hope The Boss is as pleased as I am with it.

For Mini-Boss

#6 and #7 Motif Challenge

The onesie is perfect - soft cotton, size 3 months, for the hot weather to come and  inexpensive.  I knew I would have to do something about that insipid bear ornament, but I wanted to do an ecru edging and the colour of the fabric was what I wanted.

Again, my trusty dollar store beads came in handy and I love the deep rose colour of these.  I used a basic trefoil pattern  I found in The Big Book of Tatting and tried to sew it on more carefully than I usually do.

Sewing was far easier with the new sewing needles I purchased over the weekend, quite by chance. I bought one of those round plastic containers with a gazillion needles, as the ones I have been using are decades old, rusty and bent. It was definitely a timely purchase.  

The new ones are so SHARP!

Maybe the blunt  ends account for why I have been having "sewing issues".  Never good with a sewing needle at the best of times, lately my sewing-on capabilities have been horrific! 

The new needles made a big improvement in the finished product and in my attitude to the finishing part.  The process that was so painful before has suddenly become a non-issue.  

Ain't life grand!

P.S.  Hubris: overweening pride!  Great example in this post!

**I just noticed a HUGE BARE THREAD in the middle of this piece!
So much for the grand improvement!  Silly me.....

Anon,

More for Mini-Boss

 This is going to be sweet and a little Irish, just like the wee Missy; leprechaun lore runs deep on her Grand-daddy's side of the family!

Anon,

"By Jove I think she's got it!"

And a few more tiny motifs...

#4 and #5 Motif Challenge

Now to get into the tatting books to find a pattern for a birthday gift...  I find it difficult to settle on one thing, for there is so much choice.

~~***~~

I was approached by two women in a restaurant recently, asking about what I was doing.  Of course I was sitting there with shuttle in hand, big frown on face, tongue between teeth, totally immersed in my tatting. (Not a pretty sight, I'm sure!)

We talked for a long while and I gave them a card that I always carry - a business card my dear SIL had printed up for me a year ago, when he saw I was handing out my homemade ones that were on plain, very thin paper.  He was horrified!

So, unbeknownst to me, he ordered cards with a simple graphic, my name, city, phone number and email address. Isn't he something?

The cards have been very useful for giving to people who are interested in tatting.  I tell them about tat-ology and write the site on the card.

I like telling people to go to the blog; from there they can find out a lot about tatting, as there are so many sites available just by going to one blog.  A bit of proselytizing never hurt where tatting is concerned... : )

These cards have been fabulous over the past year.  Really useful. However, the time has come to have new ones made, as I am running low, and I want to have one with tatting info.

I designed a new batch and ordered them yesterday.

Maebh made me do it.

Anon,

Putting Suneeti's Idea to Work!

Is this not a great idea?  Thanks, Suneeti!

T-Shirt For The Boss - my tatting

 This is Suneeti's tatting. Cool, eh?

There seems to be some confusion! (In comments)  The jeans and shirt above are Suneeti's - she showed me what she does with the motifs and I was so impressed I tried it on the NY T-shirt above, for The Boss.

She gave me some #10 thread, which I do not have as I got rid of the last of it after the TAT course.  I never use that size, but realize I have been too hasty in discounting it.

Using this Lizbeth sample for kid's motifs is brilliant!  The motifs are sturdy, and being small, they do not disappear into the fabric of the clothes.

Smaller threads are a bit delicate for jeans and Ts, so I am going to enjoy tatting up springtime motifs for The Boss and Mini-Boss in the heavier thread.

I had originally put the motif on the heart on the front of the shirt, bit it distracted from the famous logo and I did not like it, so it went onto the back.  I like it, but The Boss was NOT impressed!

I should have tatted one instead for The Boss's Little Brother - he might have enjoyed a decoration or two on his 'manly' t-shirt!

I suspect that her nose is out of joint at the arrival of another baby in the family, and a girl at that! It will take more than a tatted  t-shirt to mollify her mood!

~~***~~

Next: Where do you put it all?

You know, the tatting you have no use for, that you cannot bear to throw away and that you have no one to give it to.... Where does it go?

I have kept the pieces I like and can't get rid of in an old cookie tin that took up precious space and was too big.  Imagine my delight ( I am so easily pleased!) when I stumbled across this little number in a dollar store.  Small and just the right size for my goodies.  And only one dollar! 

~~***~~

Lastly: #3 of the Motif Challenge:

I cannot decide if I like making necklaces...  It was a learning thing, but became a tad boooorrrring....I will wear it to work and see if anyone notices.

I am not a necklace wearer, but had it on yesterday and forgot all about it!  I will take this tatting out into the world and see what happens - if anything!

Anon,

A Double Stitch In an East Village Window!

Tatting is truly everywhere!  Look at this! What a find in a dingy, old building in the Village, high up and recessed, but unmistakeably a ring hitch knot!

Back to the beginning;  we started the trek to NYC at the Toronto Island Airport.

In the lounge, Maebh spotted a woman with yarn and knitting needles and insisted on meeting her.

What was I to do?

Jeannette was very friendly and showed Maebh some of her knitting, while her husband asked me if that was tatting that I held in my hand.  An educated gent, it seemed.

 While waiting for the wee one to arrive, I did have a little time to get these done with 

Yarnplayer's Garden Afternoon HDT

These patterns are:

  1) Jennifer Williams' pattern from the Ring of Tatters Magazine 

and 

2) Jon's Enchanter

Motif Challenge #1 and #2

 The boys were well behaved around Maebh.  

Big Brother #2 is a bit confused as to who exactly she is.

Knowing this was a Broadway family,

Maebh lobbied hard for tickets to her favourite musical....

 

She insisted that Big Brother #1 share his Spider-man cookie with her. 

He had no choice.

Anon,

April 2009 - April 2010!

 Anon,

She Has Arrived!

Mini-Boss arrived as scheduled, on Friday morning, all 6 pounds, 2 ounces of her!  She is beautiful - rosy cheeks, dark hair - lots of it, a dimple and the daintiest little face I have ever seen!  She is beautiful.  The boys are enamoured with their little sister and the parents are over the moon.

Keeping it all together in that household was you-know-who:

Yup.  Maebh had her hand in events since we left our apartment heading out to the airport... But, more about that later.

I just got home a few hours ago and before I came up to my apartment I collected the mail.  Baffled I looked at the stamp on a package that was in my box.  The stamp was beautiful, but I could not figure out who would be sending me something from... SINGAPORE!

 Just look at this lovely congratulations package that Aileen of  wickedtats sent to me!  I am touched and  amazed at her thoughtfulness.   (How on earth did she get my address?)

Thank you very much, Aileen!

Once again, the world of tatters shows us all its generous, caring heart.

I am sleep-deprived!  There is much more to come!
Stay tuned, kids!

Anon,

Friday...

 Anon,

His Bag is Packed

Yes, Scarlett has arrived and plans are in motion.

After arriving in Canada, with the assistance of many friends, Scarlett was quick to hook up with Feargal and Maebe, and was seen by several observant types at 'The Hair of the Dog', a pub that Maebe has come to enjoy.

 A good meal and  great conversation put the Leps in a fine mood, which was what Scarlett had planned, as she had yet to inform Feargal and Maebh about their imminent separation.

When they returned to La Maison de Meabh, Scarlett sat them down and announced the she and Feargal were to leave very early in the morning for ..........

Feargal had to pack and Maebh sulked in a corner, ranting her displeasure at The Cat, who is still nursing a sore paw from his last encounter with one of Maebh's a fickle manouevers.

They are now fast asleep, turning in early, in preparation for the journey ahead.

Who knows what will happen next ... and where!

Anon,

Update on The Necklace.

 Okay, I am rather bored now.  That was a short-lived attraction!  There will not be a lot of jewelery-making for me.  Maybe the odd thing for gifts and such, as I do not wear anything but the same earrings all the time and one ring.  C'est tout!

#25 Motif Challenge Number Two!

I must thank Jane for her method  Much better than mine once I got used to it - a bit fiddly at first, but it sure works perfectly!

BTW, that shuttle is made of Oak, from the very old church Sally talked about. (parts of which go back to Domesday!)  I am getting a kick out of using it, knowing the history and felling the antiquity.  See, tatting is about more than stitches!

Anon,

Does Everyone Do This and Lep Update

Go through a jewelery phase, I mean.  I assume, because of all the Etsy activity, this is how it begins.  As for me, this is not my forte thus far, but I can see the lure.  Know what I mean?

Here it is so far:

The necklace is growing faster than I thought it would.  I don't know how to keep the beads inside the ring.  The one I am copying - Suneeti's - had the ring larger than the bead, so it floated in the ring.  I believe she put the bead in the ring as she made it, and added it at the beginning of the  non-flip side. She must have had the beads on the shuttle to do this. I can't see how on earth I would put these clunky things on a shuttle!

Leprechaun Update

Feargal and Maebh took themselves to a pet store to get a treat for THE CAT. 

Meabe wanted to make amends for  turning one of THE CAT'S paws into a radish last night. 

They were so excited by the wonderful things available in the store that they forgot to ask the name of the lovely woman who served them.  

Feargal kept looking down her dress...   Maebh called him lewd.

Interested in visiting The Beach, a wonderful part of East Toronto, right on Lake Ontario they found a an old neighbourhood landmark: the Leuty Lifeguard Station.

 

While digging in the sand for buried treasure, Maebh noticed a gentleman she thought looked Irish and accosted him -  just like that.

He was besotted with the Leps and told them that yes, indeed, he was part Irish.  His grandmother lived in -

- a small town in Northern Ireland.

Way to go, Maebh!

Anon.