Tatted "atoms"

 Handmade lace, beads, and science. All cool stuff.

When tatting a 6 shuttle pattern like my "atom", that's when the lesser used shuttles in a tatter's collection feel needed :)

The reason for 6 shuttles, is to allow the "orbits" of the "electrons" to cross over each other. Each orbital path is tatted as a separate chain. Only 1 pair of shuttles is in use at any one time. To minimize tangling, I've learned to keep the threads not in current use wound up onto their shuttles. I hadn't yet learned that trick at the time when I wrote up the pattern :)

The "atom" pattern is definitely not for beginners, but experienced tatters may enjoy the challenge. It's in my Up and Tat 'Em book.

By the way, it's supposed to be a Lithium atom.

Tatting with friends at Hinsdale

 There were 8 of us gathered, but I only managed to get a photo of 4 of us "Tollway Tatters" together. Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane has more photos on her blog!

 Diane showed us her elegant silver shuttle and a shuttle case from Janemactats.

 Diane's doily that she made from a pattern in Tatted Treasures by Jan Stawasz shown with the "Grandfather Clock" that she received from Battatter.

 Sue's beautiful dangles that she tatted onto rings and added cross charms.

Sue's gorgeous sun-catcher tatted with sparkly beads and hand dyed thread.
There were a lot more amazing things to see including some of Diane's shuttle collection and handmade bags from Barb, but these are all the pictures that I managed to take. More visiting than tatting got done today :)

Off Topic: Concert

A medley of the season's last concert of the community orchestra that I played cello in this past year.
So, here's your chance to see me play the cello :)

We are players of all levels, and just play for fun, so the music's not highly polished, but people seem to enjoy it anyway. The conductor of our group is Veronica Chairez, and she's very talented and super-nice!

I'm posting the video here to help it get more views and likes, to build self-confidence for the people in the orchestra.

Photos from Greater Milwaukee Tatting Guild meeting

 At our May meeting we had a new tatter join us. Here I am (I'm wearing the "Craftsy" shirt) helping her learn the double stitch.

 The new tatter's very first double stitch! The girl is a natural!

 Here's her first tatted ring! An amazing accomplishment for someone who never tatted before.

 Some of our happy group. Next month there may be more, as a passerby became so interested in what we were doing, she signed up to be notified of our next meeting.

By the way, our group now has a leader's assistant, Ana (in the blue shirt). She'll take my place (helping new tatters and passing out "goodie bags") if I'm not able to make it to a guild meeting.

Beautiful work, not yet blocked, by Heather, a very prolific tatter.

Slowly getting my "Nouveau" pattern written

Just a peek at an in-progress photo for my "Nouveau" earrings design. I did some tweaking on the original so it would hang together more securely. Several requests came in for the pattern, so that prioritized it on my "to do list". As it's an earrings, necklace, and bracelet set, it'll take a while to finish all of it, but I wanted to show that I have done some work on it.

The sample is shown in my current favorite, scrumptious shade of aqua beads, combined with size 20 Lizbeth in very pale yellow #612. It's summer-y! I'll need to do a whole set in this combo.

You may recall my original black Nouveau necklace:

So, in between other commitments, I'll be writing up the pattern, taking in-progress photos, and trying to get it to be easy enough for other tatters to follow, although like many of my designs, it's a challenge.

Tatting video: reverse work, join, chain, and ring

It was quiet in the house yesterday, and so a good opportunity to make another tatting video. I intended to make a video showing how to tat a chain, but it turned out showing quite a few basics.

It shows the way I tat, which is a little different, but the "flip" of the double stitches is the same anyway. I used "Lizbeth" thread size 3 for the demo.

The background music is "Adirondack" provided by SmartSound.

Working on tatted false plait for earrings

Inspired by Gina's "False Plait" instructions, I decided to use it as an extension for a long dangle earring.
I also played with some interweaving in the flower, using a Celtic shuttle, but that will have to wait for another post.

A busy couple of weeks for me, since I'm playing my cello in several community orchestra concerts, as well as at church next Sunday for children receiving First Communion.

June 29th I'm teaching 2 classes at Shake Rag Alley. The beginning tatting class is already full! But there's room in the Intermediate Tatting with Beads class. The location is a gorgeous, scenic, tourist-y spot in southern Wisconsin, definitely a vacation destination so there is lots to do there other than just the tatting class.