Perhaps the large soda at breakfast was a mistake because I needed a lot of pit stops. Lunch was at an Iron Skillet and finally, at almost 3 pm, we got to the conference center. Apparently, the 3 pm time was the correct one as registration was still being set up as we arrived (I didn't get a program until Saturday because we arrived before they did, and yes, I'm still giggling about that a little). I was telling Teresa about TIM (at work) and in one of my wide gestures I hit Riet. I hugged her in apology and she forgave me.
After we unloaded the car, Anitra went to the teacher's meeting and I started loading shuttles for class. I wound a few more thread samples (I think that I ended with about a dozen) and a couple more of those fast & easy hearts. Supper was good and it was great to see folks again.
Anitra & I both headed back to the room early after supper as we were both tired. Up bright & early the next morning for breakfast and the vendor room. I spent *cough* dollars right off. Lacemakers was the key vendor this year. Oh wow, they stuff that they carry. In addition to tatting, they have kumihimo, knitting and two things I have never seen: Viking wire knitting and Chinese braiding. I bought a kit for the wire knitting and books for each, the wire knitting & the Chinese braiding.
I spent most of the morning talking and then classes started after lunch. I took block tatted hearts with Martha Ess. She is so nice & I had fun. I finished the Claddagh heart using filament thread and it looks really pretty.
My second class was with Karen Bovard, her split ring & padded tatting heart. Ran into a small problem with the pattern and I need to email her to find out how to get past that point.
The banquet Friday night was delicious and it was a lovely evening. Georgia Seitz auctioned off the first printing of the book that she edited of lace flowers and a chocolate cake, to raise money for the Tat Days scholarships. The scholarships pay for all or part of an attendees room and board at the convention center, fees, etc. So the tatter only has to pay for travel and for shopping. Over the weekend, enough money was raised for 3.5 scholarships.
Anitra & I didn't stay up very late after the banquet. We stayed for the lampwork bead demo. Then we enjoyed some of the tat & chat time before heading off to get some sleep. I had a headache every day but when I woke Saturday morning, I learned that I had not packed my migraine medicine. I blame Hanna for that headache.
Saturday morning was gorgeous; cool, low humidity, just so nice. There was a cheerleader group at the center (lots of kids, age 6- 15, I'd say), a Christian women's auxiliary & a family weekend (for families of children who have or had cancer), so meal times got crowded, especially lunch. Lunch was a zoo. I did get to meet Sandra and Hegla from eTatters, though.
I had Karen first thing Saturday morning and we did her Danish basket weave heart. It's a large pattern so we did not finish during class. Just before lunch, I was in Riet's crystal heart class. It's Jane Eborall's pattern and it's just so cute. I finished one heart & started another with the same thread. I almost finished the 2nd one, was on the last split ring and the thread slipped off the shuttle; but it looked like I still had enough thread to finish. I was attempting to join it to the heart when it started to shred; because the hook that would fit through the heart bead hole was so small it was catching only part of the thread. I finally just put it down.
I finished it after supper, so it just took more patience than I had at that moment. Here's the troublemaker, on my lanyard:
My Saturday afternoon was all one class; Riet again. This was enclosing a circle in tatting without actually joining to the circle. That means you can tat around a disk that doesn't have holes to use as a mobile or ohhh, maybe a pendant for a necklace that I made 10 months ago that desperately needs one. I got to the third round and Riet was really worried that her students wouldn't be satisfied since no one finished. Everyone assured her that we got enough done that we felt that we had mastered the technique.
Saturday night was when they announced the winner of the grand door prize and people traded thread & hearts. I managed to bring home fewer samples than I took. I got one of Martha's hearts. All the hearts that I got are beautiful.
Sunday was breakfast, pack up, check out & travel home. Anitra & I stopped by South of the Border for lunch. I bought a cheap folding fan that I was hoping would at least make it through 3 uses. I pulled it out this morning & it already has a loose place.
Pictures
One of the hearts that I traded (from Barbara H's pattern)
Here's some of the thread, after I had traded some:
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