"Teenybopper" hand dyed

It's shaded pinks, aqua, and some minty green. To me, this color combo evokes a feeling of carefree innocence and optimism.

Hardly even an atom...

...a tatted atom. Before you jump to the conclusion that I'm developing "mad scientist" tendencies, let me explain. Just a few weeks ago I discovered that there was something called Atomic Style, and, well, I sort of think it's cool! Find out more at the Atomic Addiction blog.

As soon as I saw a drawing of an atom, I thought, "Hey, that shouldn't be much trouble to tat." I was wrong! Designing a tatted atom presented several major difficulties: positioning the tatted chains to look like they are orbiting the center "nucleus", getting the orbits to cross each other, placing the "electrons" to appear as though they are orbiting, and curving the chains to form a recognizable "atom" shape.

So far, this is my best effort, and it's still sort of sloppy, with no good hiding places for the 6 ends involved. I sewed them into the chains near the center. But, on the plus side, it does give the impression of an atom, I think.

So far I've done "50s" colors of pink and aqua with shiny silver beads, then I tried a mocha brown with brass and added picots around the "electrons" to give it more of an early 20th century look. Not that any of these would have been tatted in any of those time periods - that wasn't the style of tatting done back then. So, as usual, I'm just doing my own thing here - 21st century tatting!

St. Patrick's Day Treasury

My tatted shamrock was chosen by ILoveYoYo for her St. Patrick's Day treasury on Etsy! This is the celtic knot shamrock that was inspired by the wonderful patterns designed by Rozella Linden. Check them out!

Here is an Irish blessing for you:

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Tatting class with a view

What a lovely spot for a tatting class, inside the Radisson Hotel Racine Harbourwalk. I had 5 beginners, and they all worked very hard on learning the "flip". I managed to cover the double stitch, picots, chains, rings, normal joins, and lock joins within the 3 hours allotted for the class. One thing I wish I had done, is to have several samples of the class project available in various stages of completion. I think that would have helped the students understand the construction better. After that came a very delicious lunch! Then, some relaxing time spent in the open beading room with the other LBS retreat participants. The wonderful organizers gave each of the instructors a gift bag stuffed full of goodies! Mine included the book Picot Lace by Sandy Forrington. It looks like a tatting book, but actually it is beads that are sewn together in formations to resemble tatting. Not beaded tatting - just beads arranged to look like tatting. I have never seen this book before, and am very happy to have it. For sure it will give me still more ideas to think about!

Rope Trick

This "rope trick" is something I'm going to show my students at tatting class. It may help the beginners to understand that the tatting knot slides over a core, that the roles of "knot" and "core" can change, and prepare them for the concept of the "flip".

I hope the LBS Spring Retreat students will like what they are getting in their kits. (Anyhow, it's what they're getting, regardless - LOL.) I put in a 2-pack of tatting shuttles, 2 colors of heavy size 3 practice thread, some white cordonnet size 10, some HDT size 10, a size 12 crochet hook, a size 16 crochet hook, a floss threader, an embroidery needle, and enough beads and findings to complete 2 "Lacy Treasure" pendants, along with the pattern. I'll bring along a variety of tatting books and samples of my own tatting for them to see as well.

Spring Treasury

What a nice surprise was in my Inbox this morning - Rosengarten has featured one of my HDT's in her "Spring Party" treasury on Etsy!

Today I'm going to dye another "Leafy" batch of greens. I was hoping to get it done yesterday, but it seems that always someone in the family has to be driven somewhere, someone needs a lunch made, someone needs help filling out forms, etc. Family first!