Another BookWorm

I tatted another BookWorm Bookmark based on Dianna Stevens pattern.  You can find the pattern in my post below.

The thread is an unlabeled Manuela.  I loved the colorway wish they hadn't quit making it.

The ruler is a 6" so you can see how long the bookmark is.  The thread tail is all that I had left when I finished.
I started with a full Aerlit bobbin, pulled off about 2' or so to use as for the head chains, and finished finger tatting the last couple rings.  I actually skipped 2 rings so that I was able to finish.

I have been reworking Dianna's pattern so I can start with the lower side of the head, use double-double stitches to strengthen and straighten the neck area ~ do snakes have necks? ~ then using a split ring to start the body.  That way I only have to hide the chain thread end in the split ring, and then the rings thread in the last ring.  Dianna's pattern makes the body starting at the end behind the head and ends at the tail.  Then attaches the head so you have extra ends to hide.

I can see that I have to do another as I should have done a balance split ring instead which would have put the upper head side attached to the body at the top picot instead of at the side where it is right now.

Toot! Toot!

Sherry's TIAS was fun to do and the directions were easy to follow.  Her Picadilly Express is cute, and if you have finished her TIAS, there is a Bonus pattern for 2 more cars to pull behind the engine.

Thanks Sherry for a fun pattern.
This is the blog Sherry set up for us to post our trains in the same place.
You can still join the TIAS and make this pattern.  You can find all the day to day pattern pieces on Sherry's ladyshuttlemaker blog.

Miranda from TattingFool  very kindly asked me to test her Pendant pattern.  It was a nice pattern to follow.  While you did need to cut and tie after each section, it was not difficult. 

Miranda is holding a contest to name this Pendant pattern.  You can learn about it here.

Good night everyone

I went trippin'

Last Thursday my BFF and I went on a trip.  We drove all the way from North Dakota to the East edge of Wisconsin.
I did some tatting during the trip and was able to finish an edging that I have had in as my purse project for the past 2 years up to the last join.  I will have to get it smoothed out and steamed into place so I can do the last join correctly.  I have posted about it before, let me see if I can find it in my Picassa archive....

The thread is Krystle Dawne's Wisteria Lane in size 40.  The pattern is Mary Konior's Beauty Spot
I also tatted a bookmark for one of my grandsons who had a birthday the other day.

The thread is size 40 Lizbeth Jelly Bean (don't know the color number) The pattern is by Diana Stevens and can be found on the wayback machine at http://www.allcrafts.net/crochetsewingcrafts.htm?url=web.archive.org/web/20000824105730/http://www.domesticarts.com/patterns/snake.htm  although as usual I made a few "improvements" to the pattern. I started with the head and ended with the tail so there were no cut and ties except when I finished. Since I was feeling my way abit, I ended up with the head curved off to the side.  I tried using the double double stitch so the chains in the head would be straighter between the body and the eyes.  If I had put the correct number of stitches in the orange side, the head would have been straighter.  I am going to do this again and will correct my stitch count, but this will work very well as is for my grandson.

Now a few pictures from my trip.

 There is an awesome old style chocolate candy shop in Manitowoc Beerntsen's it is amazing the candy is so good. The picture above is from the shop into the booth area as they also serve a simple soup and sandwich lunch.  The woodwork is walnut and the booths each have mirrors with cast iron framing.

 The lunch counter side and some of the candy

The other side of the shop with more of the candy.  All the candy is hand dipped on site.  Check out the link above to see some of it.

We did see some nice fall colors.  Some of the pictures I took as we drove down the highway so the focus isn't as good as I would like.

For some reason it just seems strange to see log buildings in Wisconsin.  The above building is missing it's roof but it just seemed so lonely in the middle of the corn field.

The Silos are different from what I am used to seeing around our neck of the woods ...

... concrete tops.  generally ours have steel tops.

This past Sunday was Fatima Day and we went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help near Green Bay. This is a very reverent place.
We were able to attend the Rosary and Holy Hour while we were there.  Afterwards I was able to take a few pictures

 A grotto of Our Lady of Fatima and the 3 children who saw her. 

 A Statue of Our Lady of Good Help.  The apparitions have been approved by the Catholic Church as authentic, and worthy of belief, but we are not required  to believe in them.

One of the outdoor Stations of the Cross.

This last picture is of a sunrise over Lake Michigan from the window of the bedroom where I stayed.  The trees and grasses that you can see is the edge of the bluff above the shore of the lake.  The bright flare above the cloud layer is a plume from something on the Michigan shore across the lake.  The sunrise the day before had been even more awesome, but I had left my camera in the car so missed that one.

The drive is about 9 hours if you don't stop for gas or to stretch your legs.

Now time for bed.

Look what I got!

I have been on a trip for the past several days. 
Today was my first day back at work.
This was delivered to me today.

This past Sunday Farmguy and I  celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary.

Thanks kids and grandkids for the lovely flowers. They are wonderful.  Such pretty colors.

TIAS Days 4&5, a surprise in the mail & canning

After I finished tatting Day 3, my motif cupped.  Sherry posted in response to several tatters that the motif should lay flat. I considered starting over, but was able to stretch the chains enough so the flower shape laid flat.
Tonight I was able to sit and catch up with Days 4 & 5

I have no idea yet what this is, but it sure is an interesting shape. 

Several weeks ago a package showed up in the mail, I wasn't expecting anything and when I opened it, a dear friend had sent me a very nice linen square with a pretty Prairie Rose embroidered on it.  The Prairie Rose is the state flower of North Dakota.  They grow wild in places on our farm and in uncultivated areas all over the state. 

As you can see it is about 8" square with raw edges.  I need to decide how to hem it, a plain hem, or one done with what is called Hem stitching, so there are holes to join to.  Also, do I leave it square, or trim it round or oval.

The thread in the corner is Perfect Quilter Prairie Sage

I think it is the perfect color for an edging, but what edging? simple and narrow? or intricate and wide?  Any and all opinions are welcome as to shape for the linen piece and also the type of edging.

what have a been doing this week?, not much tatting, but this is how I have spent my evenings.


Sunday night I started an 18qrt roaster of tomatoes, while that got started, I peeled and chopped 20 onions and 20 cloves of garlic added that to the roaster along with some parsley and basil.  I let it cook all night long.  I also had enough cucumbers picked to pack 4 half gal jars of refrigerator dill pickles.  I now have 5 half gal jars in my fridge.

Monday night I cubed 6lbs of venison and beef and browned the meat. I then ran all the tomato mix through a sieve to remove the skins. I put about 7 qrts of the tomato pulp/juice in with the meat and some more spices and let it cook for about 3 hours ~ Chili.  The rest of the tomatoes - 6 qrts went in the fridge to make tomato soup.

Tuesday night I canned 7 qrts of chili and put 2 qrts in the fridge for eating.  Farmguy had some for both noon meal and supper and said it was good. Yeah!

Tonight I canned 14 pints of Tomato soup base.  This is a really nice recipe from my grandmother. It is condensed and thickened so when you want to have tomato soup you heat a pint up to a boil, add 2 cups milk, then heat again to serving temp. 

This coming Sunday I will be demonstrating Tatting at Uff Da dayz in Rutland ND again. Eveyone is welcome to come and experience some good food, good crafts, sillyness - there are pig races - a parade and good times. The nearby Coteau des Prairies Lodge nearby is a wonderful place to stay.

Speaking of this coming Sunday the weather service has predicted a low of 30 degrees over night. If that is the case, and how can the National Weather Service be trusted when the gov has shut down??? But if they are telling the truth, then we will have to cover the tomatoes.  They have been bearing and ripening quite well this year as opposed to last year, so I don't think we will be putting up the hoop house.