My artwork 'Nexus of Joy' is now published at Artistonish

 

To learn more, please go to:

https://www.artistonish.com/may2025?AW=AW127248630

Read the magazine via the below link:

https://www.artistonish.com/may2025

My artwork is in Artistonish magazine!

 

I'm so excited to share! My artwork 'Leaves of Lace Garland' is now published at Artistonish - January 2025 magazine via @Biafarin portal. To learn more, please go to: https://www.artistonish.com/january2025?AW=AW127356608 Read the magazine via the below link: https://www.artistonish.com/january2025

Bead&Button show, Stardate, Newcastle

 Still needing finishing, the blue necklace with dichroic glass pendant is tatted in my own hand dyed thread Blue Streak with Lizbeth Wedgewood Dk in the outer round. The pattern is my original "Newcastle" from my book "Tatted Jewelry". The dichroic glass pendant is one I purchased from a local glass artist. To add a finishing touch to the necklace chain, I happily used my new wire wrapping skill to form a matching beaded spiral dangle, thanks to 2 Craftsy courses I've watched recently: Wire-Wrapped Stones, Crystals, and Clusters by Aga Kruk, and Make Your Own Wirework Findings by Lisa Niven Kelly.

 Big item received in the mail this week is the Bead&Button Show class catalog, and guess who has a tatting class listed in it? Yep, that's my name under "Shuttle Tatting Basics"! My beading friends encouraged me this past summer to fill out an application and submit a class, so I did. My class got accepted! It's quite an honor since the Bead&Button Show is the largest consumer bead show in the world. Online registration opens January 6, 2015.

New hand dyed thread batch just added to my Etsy shop is "Stardate". People have asked how I came up with that name; well, the colors just don't resemble anything natural to planet Earth, and I'm a Star Trek fan, so there you are :)

Coming soon in the Winter issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry

Spilling the beans a few days early: a new, original pattern by me will appear in the Winter issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine! It will be on sale beginning December 1st. But, I'm so excited I couldn't wait anymore to tell you all!

There is a bracelet to match the necklace and earrings that is modeled in the magazine. I put a chain on the necklace for the magazine article. The ones pictured here have ribbon attached to wire connectors for a different look, using the same pattern.

The tatting pattern with in-progress photos and a diagram will be in the magazine, I realize that some of my blog readers are not familiar with Belle Armoire Jewelry, but it is a popular jewelry craft magazine here in the USA, and I'm hoping the article will get more people interested in tatting.

"Parakeet"

More vibrant than pastel, these bright greens to medium blue are similar to the coloring of some parakeets. Color idea suggested by the president of the Lighthouse Lacers guild, Sue Anna.

My start on "Boomerang" earrings from the new HDT is seen in the photo above. The boomerang pattern is found in "Marilee's Beaded Tatting Finery" book. Georgia Seitz wrote a very nice review at BellaOnline Tatting. I feel so honored!

By the way, if anyone wants to learn how to shuttle tat in the scenic vacation area of Mineral Point, WI area on May 31st, there are still openings in my Beginning Shuttle Tatting Workshop at Shake Rag Alley, but the class is filling up fast. Register on the Shake Rag Alley website.

A new beaded medallion done

This is the design from the previous post, finished. It's my 2nd attempt, since the first one didn't quite fit together right. I adjusted the stitch count a bit, and now I'm very pleased with the result. A plan to write up the pattern along with another medallion design is in the works.

I happy to announce that I've been accepted into TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List. I'm the first tatter represented there, so I consider it quite an honor. Click to see my TAFA profile.

Bracelet in progress and tatting in the news

This bracelet is not finished yet, but here's a peek at it in progress. I plan on adding a 2nd row to stabilize it so that it won't stretch out of shape when worn.

A happy surprise was in my email this morning - I've been featured in Funky Finds! Click here to read the article.

The number of students in my Shuttle Tatting course has been growing by an alarming rate (it reached 1000 in only 2 weeks), so hoping that means there will soon be many new tatters! 

Shuttle Tatting Course now live on Craftsy!

I'm so excited that my Shuttle Tatting course has launched on Craftsy! If you're not familiar with Craftsy, it's the fastest growing craft community on the web, and tatting is there, too!

The advantages to taking a Craftsy course is that it's available to watch whenever you want, as many times as you want. You can ask questions and receive feedback from the instructor and other students. You can post photos of your projects and be inspired by seeing other people's projects.

In my regular live, in-person tatting classes such as held at craft fairs, I can only teach maybe 5 beginners at a time. But, in my online Craftsy course, there is the potential to teach thousands of students - yet, each student can see close-up views in HD quality video and audio to see exactly how the tatting is being done.


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The big mystery project revealed

That's me in the Craftsy studio!

 Earlier this month, in a previous post I told you that I was working on a big project. Now, at last, I can reveal what it is! I have been preparing an Online video course for shuttle tatting to be offered at Craftsy.com!

I spent 3 exciting days (May 21-23) at the Craftsy studio in Denver, Colorado, where their professional crew shot the course in HD-quality video. They've told me that I did a good job of teaching, even though I was a bit nervous when the cameras were rolling. The course will be ready to offer after the editing, which may take several weeks. I really enjoyed working with the friendly folks at Craftsy, and everyone was super nice! I'm thrilled to bits that they wanted to include tatting in their course offerings, and asked me to teach it!

If you're not familiar with how Craftsy courses work, here's a quick summary:

Craftsy courses are much more than just video! While taking a Craftsy course, you can:

•     Ask your instructor questions, upload photos, and get personalized responses
•     Participate in discussions with your classmates
•     Access supporting course materials – including patterns and helpful tips & tricks
•     Bookmark your favorite moments in the video so that you can easily re-watch them and take notes that you can refer back to anytime

 There are a lot of courses on many subjects at Craftsy, including knitting, crocheting, quilting, jewelry making, gardening, couture sewing, cake decorating, and so much more.

The trip itself contained a lot of "firsts" for me: my first time traveling by airplane, the first time having makeup applied by a professional make-up artist, the first time I saw real mountains - the Rocky Mountains, seen in the distance in the photo at bottom, taken just outside the Craftsy studio.

Tatting article in Bead&Button Magazine

 Pages 24 through 26 of the April 2012 issue has a tatted jewelry article written by me! (Doin' the happy dance!)

There are tatting basics plus instructions there for a pair of simple earrings, and photos of some of my other work. Some people may be curious about the green and black pendant. It's essentially the same pattern as 5 Petal Pendant from the Up and Tat 'Em book, with a change to the outer round. I strung seed beads on the shuttle thread, then tatted Ch 2, slide a bead into place, Ch 2, 4 times for each section.

Bragging rights

Screen shot taken 10:30 am

A screen shot of the front page

Hey, this morning my Tatted Jewelry book got #1 spot in the beading and jewelry section of Annie's Attic!

By the way, did you know that Annie's Attic also offers the book as an instant download PDF.

Other sources of the printed book include Handy Hands Tatting, and Lacis. Both of these companies offer International shipping, which Annie's Attic doesn't.  It's also in my Etsy shop, and I'll sign it for you if you ask, otherwise I just slip a small notepaper in with my signature. Currently that's what I've been doing for all my books.

I think you would brag too, if it were your book (happy grin), so get your designs written up, it could be your book next!

Tatted Jewelry at "Loominosity"

Me with my newly published book!

Jewelry displays at the "Loominosity" show

 These photos were all taken at the "Loominosity" Exhibit and Sale, a 4 day event showcasing the artwork of the members of 2 guilds, the Loose Bead Society and the Wisconsin Handweavers. Something tatted can be found in each of the photos.

I also had a new tatting student come for her first lesson. She was so enthusiastic about learning to tat, she gave me this beautiful felted bag that she made!

Gift from my new tatting student, and her very first tatted chain!

Show schedule and new book

My table at Discovery World last year.

In November and December, there will be 3 shows where I'll be displaying my tatted jewelry and demonstrating tatting. The first coming up is Loominosity November 3 - 6. This is a group effort, so although I will have things on display there all 4 days, I only plan to be demonstrating at that location (New Berlin, Wisconsin) on Thursday, November 3rd, until about 3:30 pm.

The following weekend, November 12 and 13, I will be at the Milwaukee Domes for the Jewelry in the Domes show. I will be at that event both days, sharing a table with the fabulous felt artist, Jan Falk.

Then, December 3 and 4, I expect to have my own booth at the Discovery World Holiday Artisan Market. So busy, busy!

My demo at Loominosity 2010

Some of my tatting in the gift shop.

And, to top it all off, my new book is coming out very soon! It's called  
Tatted Jewelry and you can see a preview at Annie's Attic. That is where you can buy the book (as soon as it's ready). I'm quite happy to have had a book published by a real publisher!
Update: Since Annie's Attic doesn't ship overseas, I'll see what I can do about getting some copies to sell from my blog or Etsy.

Stuff I did this week

 

• I worked on writing up new leaf patterns, but nothing is finished yet.
• I dyed some "Sugar Maple" thread. 
• I went to the Wisconsin State Fair and looked at the craft exhibits, but there wasn't any tatting. (No, I can't enter my own tatting, since I'm considered a "professional crafter" it would be against the rules.)

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Did I mention that I met "Lamb Chop"?

Yes, you read that right - the legendary TV star puppet Lamb Chop!!!!!!! And Mally Lewis, the daughter of Shari Lewis! 

I saw them at a live performance at the fair. It was really exciting for me because I've been a fan of the Shari Lewis TV shows for as long as I can remember, and my kids grew up watching Lamb Chop's Play Along.

And look, I got my picture taken with Lamb Chop and Mally Lewis!

The "secret" revealed 11-18-11

I can tell you now! I'm getting a book published!

NOT self-published, like my previous books, but by a REAL publisher!!! You've heard of Annie's Attic from DRGnetwork? They've informed me that my book, Tatted Jewelry, will go on sale 11-18-11, just in time for Christmas gifts. That's the "secret" I was working on April through June.

2 whole pages

A surprise came in yesterday's mail - my tatting was published in another magazine! Here's a snapshot of the 2 page spread featuring my tatted items in the September/October issue of Belle Armoire, but you'll need to see the actual magazine (coming out next month) in order to get the full effect of this publication's glorious photography. All I did was submit the tatted jewelry through the mail. It got accepted, and their professional photographer took the photos. Wow! They sure do make it look good :-)

You may recognize this tatting from my Beguile Set, which I included in my Up and Tat 'Em book. But, you may ask, "Where is the pattern for the bracelet variation that the model is wearing?"

Well, here's what happened: I finished that particular bracelet quite a long while back, and forgot to take a photo of it before shipping it to the magazine. So, I didn't have the sample on hand while I was writing Up and Tat 'Em, and couldn't remember what I had done.

Treasuries galore

It seems that HDT is becoming a favorite item to include in Treasury selections on Etsy. Just recently my threads have been featured by Caitlin Sainio, Homespun Ireland, and Atelierfrost.

The project I'm currently working on (sorry, no photos yet) is improving the tatted "atom", and getting the directions written down. This is a really tricky design - but I think it's getting there. I really want to do this well and get some tatted up. The manager of the Discovery World gift shop has invited me to have some of my items there on consignment, and gee whiz - what could be more perfect for a science museum gift shop than a tatted atom?

Neck Lace Treasury

PlumpFairy has curated a fantastic Treasury on Etsy called "Neck Lace" that consists entirely of tatted necklaces!

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.

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!