some pics from my trip

I had a really great time on my trip.  in fact some of it was overload.
we had a guided walking tour of downtown Charleston which was very interesting.  we happened to be the only ones in that particular group so a 2 hour tour turned into a 3 hour tour with lots of information.  here are a couple of pictures from the tour

Rainbow Row

 

good example of what is called a "single house"

They built houses only 1 room deep so the breezes could blow through better to keep the houses cooler. This house is now a business.

we also spent some time walking through the blocks long open air market they have in downtown Charleston.  I bought some sweetgrass trivets.  I love the sweetgrass baskets that many of the artisans make, but can't afford the prices.  I understand their need to price their work, but my pockets just aren't that deep.  

On Saturday I bummed a ride from Theresa to the Palmetto Tatters monthly meeting.  We had a great time on the ride, it is about 1.5 hrs between Goose Creek and the Lexington county Museum where the group meets. we had no difficulty finding things to talk about.  I have yet to meet a Tatter that isn't an instant friend. Thanks Theresa for the ride and conversation.
This is the snowflake using the Lock Chain technique that was taught at the meeting.

not the greatest example of tension but, I had a lot of fun talking and sharing.

Thanksgiving evening, we made a trip to a park on James Island to the Festival of Lights.

******my computer shut off on me last night.  I was able to grab these from my online picture album, so am going to post this much this morning while at work.  The rest of the stuff and the tatting I wanted to show, will have to wait until after work tonight.

Hi Honey, I'm home!

Home again,
Home again,
Jiggity Jig.

well, I am finally home, and have some show and tell, but you will have to be patient just a bit longer.
I will get to it very soon, but going to bed tonight. very busy here and at work the next couple of days.
see you again soon.

Happy Day

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

quicky post

I just wanted to say thank you to the ladies of the Palmetto Tatters for being so welcoming and just a really great bunch.

And a very special thank you to Theresa for the ride to and from the meeting.  I had a great time.  Thank you so much.

pictures to come after I return home next monday.

Thanks again Ladies!!

information only, no pictures

I have been doing some tatting for Georgia Seitz ~ samples for the Emmy Liebert project.   but no pictures to show you.

just an update,  I will be leaving tomorrow for Charleston SC area.   woo hoo!!

and a really fun time will be had with the Palmetto tatters monthly meeting.  I have never been able to attend their annual seminars, but I will be able to attend this month's meeting.  They are so generous to allow me to "crash" their get-together.  My shuttles are wound and I am ready to go.

so.  All of you have fun,  I will not be back home until the end of the month. I am taking much tatting thread with me so I can work on my Christmas Tatting.    

See you in December after I get back from my trip. 

Thanks Veterans

I'm at work, so sneaking the time to post this.


I tatted this last night while watching the pressure canner as it canned the stew meat from the 2 deer.  got 5 qrts.

Looking for some feedback on a set of earrings.

point to point this is 1"

 The scan isn't the greatest, it is off white with pearl beads and of course the background on the scanner is white, so had to lay my sweater over it. Also the bead in the center caused the blurring in the center as it raised the tatting above the bed.

The thread is antique Clark's big ball Size 50 and the beads are Mill Hill Antique glass in a pearl finish. The bead in the center is a bicone.

The pattern is Elizabeth Zipay's Tiny Tatted Snowflakes that I bought in her Etsy shop.

The thread is a 3 cord, and I think it is too flimsy. Also for a size 50 it seems to tat closer to a size 70-80, which I am going to try next as it might be crisper and hold it's shape better.  Obviously my technique leaves a bit to be desired, the rings and chains are not as close together as they should be.

what do you think?  leave out the center clear glass bicone?  (I don't have any bigger pearls in the off white color.)      Use picots and  less beads on the points? 

thanks for any ideas you can give me.

Christmas tatting

While I can't show you exactly what I am tatting as many of the recipients read this blog, I can show you a bit about what I am doing.

all threads are size 20,
colors and manufacture are... starting from the top,

Lizabeth Vineyard Harvest
Manuela  Gold
Lizabeth Denim
Flora Blue & White varigated
Manuela(?)  (old no label)
Lizabeth Autumn apple Pie
Lizabeth Fruit Fizz
Lizabeth Pink Cocoa
Manuela   (no label)
Lizabeth Ocean Sunset
Lizabeth Juicy Watermelon
Manuela (no label)

The tatting is a pattern that is available in the book Tatting by Tatsy and you see about 1/3 of what I am making, that is all I will say about that for now.

The shuttle is a Pop-a-Bobbin ~ I love them. they are really great, if you have a chance to get one from Jane Eborall's etsy shop, please do so.  you can keep track of when they are for sale be reading either her blog, or her sister Sally's blog as it is actually Sally's dh  "I'm in the garage" who makes them.

I picked up the little bells at the Nordic Needle in Fargo ND

whatever I am making, I will need to make about 2 doz.

on the home front, we have gotten 2 of the 3 deer we have licenses for so far this fall.
I bbqed the ribs from the doe on friday and half the ribs from the buck on saturday, and on sunday stripped the meat off the bones and this is the result, 5 quarts of meat canned. (on the right below)

The jars on the left are the last of the tomatoes, yellow, red and black krim, so they are multi-hued.
The neighbor brought over his ribs tonight, they are soaking in the cooler with the rest of ours, and will be bbqed tomorrow night.

If you remember, I have blogged previously about the Tattler Reusable canning lids, I have used them for most of my canning this year, both water bath and pressure canner.  So far so good, I have only opened 1 jar of peaches, and they were great.  I didn't have any more failures then I have had with the metal lids, but I have a large supply of the metal lids so have been using them as well.  If you are interested, I would recommend the Tattler lids. They work just as well and in the long run are cheaper then the metal lids.  The only thing I would like, is to be able to buy some of the rings occasionally without having to buy the metal lids with them.  I reuse my rings many times, as you can see, I remove them from the jars for storage, but over time they do rust. 

well, time for bed, it is after midnight.
have a great day tomorrow, whatever you have to do, and hopefully there is some time for tatting.

some tatting to share ~ updated

I have some tatting to share
the first is a pair of earrings that I made. based on a pair that I received many years ago in an exchange.  I no longer remember who I received the originals from.  They were made in size 80 thread with very small beads.  I love them and wear them quite often.
these are made with size 40 thread so that I could use some small pearls that I had on hand.  Size 80 thread would have been too small.  The thread is DMC Cordennet Special.  I tatted these this past Sunday evening.

they measure just over 1" long as they are now

I still have much to learn about taking pictures with my new camera.  the focus still isn't what I would like for close up .

the second bit of tatting that I want to show you I finished Sunday afternoon during the Vikings/Carolina game. (Yeah Vikings!)

The thread is Marilee Rockley's Green & Gold HDT in size 40.  The pattern is Tatted Winter Star by Susanne Schwenke.  The pattern is available at Interweave.  This is of course in the colors of the Green Bay Packers football team as it is going to my best friend B who grew up in WI and roots for them.

I tatted this without doing a cut and tie.  I used a Split Chain and Split Ring to move from the 1st round to the 2nd round.  If anyone needs help with that, please let me know, and I can give you the directions.

you should have heard us the week before. we were at her house, she was yelling at the Packers and I was yelling at the Vikings.  One of her grandkids was there and exclaimed.  "This house is too noisy, it hurts my ears."  we had to laugh.

I have more tatting that I have been working on, but they are Christmas presents, and I know that some of the intended recipients occasionally read this blog, so can't show you what I am working on at this time.