It's Snowing!

 Sort of. I have tatted Harmony of Hearts snowflake from A Veritable Tatted Blizzard. Due to not reading ahead, I ended up with 2 variations of the same flake. I did make 1 change, I used a split chain to go from round 1 to round 2. Note: I started with 4 yards on each shuttle, then ran short of thread on shuttle 2 (lots of chains, no surprise), SLT and still ended up with over a yard of thread on shuttle1. Next iteration, I'm going to use 3 yards on shuttle 1 and 5 yards on shuttle 2.

I'm working on my Solar Flare in silver and round out of thread. This wouldn't be horrible, but there are beads involved. 

I did get my teacher application for Palmetto Tat Days submitted. I'm not 100% happy with the diagrams, though.

UNC winter blood drive was today. I successfully donated. Since I didn't manage to sign up for a volunteer shift I helped with set up last night. The person who usually helps set up the canteen wasn't available so we went off our best memories of the set up (folks who do usually work that station had a good idea how it's supposed to be). So once we were done, I took pictures so we'll have them next year. 

I lost Whamageddon, though.

I ordered maps for Rosemary. She had bought them but needed them printed out. And it's much easier and faster to get them printed on big paper by a print shop than print them on 8.5x11 and then tape them together.

Hanukkah starts at sunset. May your life be filled with light. Yes, I know what's happening in Gaza. What Hamas did was horrible. And Israel's leadership has done some US level horrific actions (Japanese internment camp and Native American Reservation level of horrible), so they don't have clean hands. It's too much to hope that children should be able to be safe, warm, and fed, I guess.

And the so-called Republican leadership in Congress is just embarrassing. They're so busy bickering and yelling things for the social media engagement that they aren't leading. Never mind paying attention to what would actually help their constituents and the nation, that never seems to cross their mind. The closest I've seen is an attitude of 'this is what I want so it must be what everyone wants.'

Oh if you want an idea about the reliability and/or bias of a news source, here's a handy dandy chart.

Post Thanksgiving

 The train ride was lovely. Although there were 2 gents (I use the term loosely) who were apparently unacquainted with the existence of headphones. I mean, when the phone conversation directly in front of me is less intrusive than videos that are 3-4 seats away? Really?

Dad has some more of the pen rings for me, but couldn't find them. He'd also gotten me a six pack of Cheerwine zero 16 oz bottles, and some pistachio nuts. After I got home, I found the rings, under the bag of nuts. 

 C & I went to an outlet mall on Black Friday. Dangerous, we know. Neither one of us has been out shopping on Black Friday in 5-8 years. But he needed jeans and hey, the store was having a 50% off sale. 

I finished writing up the pattern for Solar Flare. I just need to submit it & my teacher application to Palmetto Tat Days by Friday.

 

Transferring photos to my new laptop. I have 81k pictures. I might need to cull some. Or at least organize them better.

Quick (before Thanksgiving post)

 Making progress on my pocket scarf. I really need to figure out how much yarn I used for the 1st pocket to make sure I still have yarn for the 2nd. I only have 1 ball of this yarn so it would be difficult (but not impossible) to get more to finish.

One of our tatting friends is downsizing her book collection so a mutual friend brought a stack of tatting (and knitting) books to the most recent Tri-Tatters meeting. I picked up some to fill gaps in my own collection. I need to take photos of all my books and keep an album of the photos and make a pinterest board of the covers, so I don't lose track of what I already have. If they all had ISBNs I could use one of those library apps.

I'm going to see my parents tomorrow (yay Amtrak). After driving a couple weeks ago, I am so glad to take the train again.

Projects etc

 I had to drive to Greensboro to take care of something for my mom. It emphasized my desire to take the train instead. But the matter is handled and Mom was happy to see me.

I also gave her a recent picture of me and one of me in my Halloween outfit. That was lovely. It seems awfully self-centered to give her photos of myself, but she seems to like that.

I have finished the embroidery on the Kiriki Press squirrel doll. Next step is to sew the back to the front, cut it out, and stuff it. 

Progress also continues on the bun cover in Lizbeth spice cake. I am doing a better job with the front side/back side tatting.

The Online Tatting Class founded by Georgia Seitz is doing ANKARs right now. Which I don't really have an interest in doing. It's pretty enough and I've seen some truly striking pieces, it just doesn't blow my skirt up (as my mom used to say).

I have an idea for a story. I've written maybe a page and a half. It's a 'former Chosen One' story. I also heard about one with a similar idea. Except in that one kid who's been raised as 'The Chosen One to Take Down This Tyrant' is left with no future when someone else gets rid of the tyrant. Unfortunately, I don't have a title.

I've also started a scarf. Hopefully, it will be a pocketed scarf. I'm using Loomhat's instructions.

Halloween and after

 October 30th? Sunny, warm, and almost summery.

October 31st? Cold, damp, and blustery. 

Kind of changed my plans on what I was going to wear. I was going to dress as a Hollywood pirate. Instead, I wore vaguely Renaissance (don't look for accuracy, I'm wearing my rainboots). Alas, my hair would not behave and kept falling down all day.

Double alas, the weather kept the trick or treaters away, too. I really look forward to see what they'll wear. There's these 2 girls that I have watched grow up. And there's this 1 toddler I hope to see again (although it's been 4 years and I may not recognize her). 

Luckily, we didn't buy heaps of candy. Not as much to eat or foist off onto others. 

The Saturday after was NC Regional Lace Fall Lace Day. Not that I remembered to take pictures. I met two potential tatters, Karla and Amber. I forgot I had signed up to make the felt hedgehog pincushion. Luckily, Carolyn K reminded me.

I finished it later.

NCRL is considering sending in a bid to host the IOLI convention in 2024. At this point, they're gauging member interest and evaluating what we locals would have to do vs what the national group would be doing.

 

 

More from the Fair

 My partner and I went to the Fair the Monday of the fair. My tablet was almost out of battery power so I took pictures with my phone.

I had my car inspected before we left, which took longer than I expected (meh, it happens). After we grabbed lunch, we went to the Birdman show. Due to the sensitivity of the birds, they are a bit distant from the rest of the fair. We had to ask directions twice to find it.

She kept getting distracted by the nearby steam-powered saw mill

Big and pretty. The name is apparently French for tumbler or acrobat, based on the way the eagle's wings move like a tumbler using a balance pole on a high wire. And apparently the bird occasionally just flips into a barrel roll.

Condors are really, really big.

The show was at the NC Forestry Service exhibits.

Noisy, steam powered sawmill.

Yes, this is a video of the sawmill in action. I don't know what they were cutting, but it smelled like oranges.

This was the Osborne Firefinder, the sighting device used by fire spotters to accurately locate fires, triangulating with other fire spotters. It was part of a display about fire towers.

It was such a pretty sky as the sun started to descend.

And the results are....

 One blue ribbon

 

It's always uncertain about my tatted entries in non-tatting categories. But apparently they judges like this one. I really hope the judges left comments.

This is what surpassed my framed piece (the only one in a tatting category). I've done this pattern, although not 4 of them to make 1 doily. It's so pretty, isn't it? I know the tatter and she's really good.

I really thought my hankie would do better. It's size 80 for goodness sakes. But it's not an original pattern so maybe that eliminated it. On the other hand, they did an absolutely lovely job displaying it.

I'm at the fair. Of course, I have to try some fried food. Unlike my younger years, I didn't eat my way from one side of the fair to the other.

I don't know who made this, I'm not even in this category. But it's such a lovely dress.

This was in the garden competition. This one is my fave.

I made a split ring bracelet. I need to find my jewelry findings. The brown color isn't typical for me but I wanted to do something understated.

My tablet (my main 'camera') was low on power so I took photos with my phone camera, too. I just need to download them. I'll save them for next week. And talk about what I photographed.

State Fair season

 The NC State Fair opens at midday on Thursday, October 12th this year. So by the time this posts, the judging should be over.

First, my only entry in a tatting (plus) category, framed non-threaded needlework, which includes tatting, bobbin lace, etc.

My original design in the mixed media jewelry category, Solar Flare. I need to write this up so I can submit to teach it at Palmetto Tat Days.

Heritage craft, tatting edging on a vintage, embroidered hankie. I also added the butterflies (to cover holes in the hankie). This is before I washed and ironed it.

And ornament, tatted snowflake. I have to find where I got this pattern because I don't remember.

Tri-Tatters met/demo'ed at Mordecai on the 4th. We had 1 new person join and another tatter we hadn't seen in ages was able to tat with us. After, Anitra & I went by the fairgrounds to drop of entries (mine & Martha's). 

I have 2 projects now; another hair bun cover (like my failed doily) and writing out the pattern for Solar Flare and tatting another one. 

It's State Fair Prep season

 So I have been finishing my fair entries. I have 4 to submit, and 3 are done other than some final finishing touches. I won't post pictures until after they've been judged, just in case.

Plus, Mom fell down and got hurt so I've been trying to deal with that. Fortunately, there's multiple trains that run between my town and hers, for a bit more than the gas would cost, and the difference is well worth the hassle I've saved. And Dad has been very supportive by giving me a ride from the train station to see Mom. 

Our Pathfinder game progresses (we're playing Dragon's Demand). We scraped by the last combat by the skin of our teeth (and the generosity of the GM). We went somewhere we shouldn't have and ran into a very nasty fight. We totally misread the clues that said 'beware! stay away!' Oops.

Our 5e game also continues. Still don't really know how the combat works. But we've hit a level the GM likes so maybe we'll stay this level long enough to figure it out.

Chris and I started watching Shakespeare and Hathaway. It's a BBC mystery series set in Stratford upon Avon. Frank Hathaway is a private detective and Lu Shakespeare becomes his partner after investing in the agency. A lot of the episode titles are Shakespeare play references or quotes. They feel like Easter eggs for English Lit majors.

Whingeing ahead: maybe it's my Southern upbringing, but is it really hard to wave or say hi as you come into the office in the morning? If you're on your phone, then no, I don't expect a verbal greeting, but a half-hearted wave at least? Yes, I'm talkative, but unless I have something I need to tell you, I won't stop you to chat. I just want acknowledgment of my existence. Studies prove that people are more willing to do things for people they like. So, help me like you more.

(oops, meant to hit publish on Oct 4)

Confronted by ducks while getting take out

Relapse

 It was shorter today, but shooter alert again. 

I am making progress on my bun cover trial (my 1st doily, turned covering for my bun). I tatted the original in 1998 so I have had to count stitches. Since this is a trial, to make sure I counted right, and to see if I can climb out of the rounds (eliminating cutting and tying). 

I went to see my parents on Saturday (yay train). Dad was available to give me a ride, which makes the train viable. And the weather was so dark and stormy, I was glad I wasn't driving.

Recovering

It's been over a week. Work had us out for 2 days. Then holiday weekend with gaming plans. Unfortunately the GM got sick so it was cancelled. 

I finished the size 80 edging (finally). Now I need to find the safe place I put the hankie. 

I finished the bottle holder (from a few years ago). Looks good and works well. It's a Sharren Morgan pattern I started a few Palmetto Tat Days ago. I asked her for help and she was able to figure out my next step. 

I spilled Cheerwine Zero on my '1st doily', aka my bun cover. I made it over 20 years ago and I hadn't realized how dingy it had gotten. Now it had a red/pink stain. I soaked it overnight in Oxyclean, then put it in a lingerie bag to wash with the rest of the laundry. I should block it I suppose. On the other hand, it's really clean and white now. 

Yesterday I was called for jury duty. I took a couple books (Women's Work:The First 20,000 Years Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times and Blades in the Dark) plus my tatting and a new ebook. I've almost finished Women's Work (it's pretty good, albeit Eurocentric), plus onto point 5 of my second attempt of Karey's Beaded Celtic Constitutional. I stopped there as I spotted I had missed the beads in a beaded join earlier in the work. 

My 'jury duty pay' almost paid for lunch. Before tip. Oh well, I got paid to read and tat. Back to the office tomorrow.

Not much to say (August 31)

 It made national news and I don't want to talk about it.

Here's my card. I finally located and took a picture.

Tat Days! Or What I Did that Weekend

 Palmetto Tat Days was August 18-20 and was in Lake Junaluska, in the Lambuth Inn. Still pretty.

I only took 4 of the scheduled classes. Two were strictly technique; tatting with wire and one on picots (from Kelli Slack's How Well Do You Know Your Picots?). Two were part project and part technique. Karey Solomon's Beaded Celtic Constitutional uses a lot of onion rings and Celtic shuttles, both of which I need to practice. Richard Embry's Pearl Tatting with Graduated Picots Bookmark is lots of pearl tatting plus using a picot comb. I need the pearl tatting practice and I just learned how to use the comb in the picot class.

There was also a notecard class Thursday night. She had kits with the metallic floss already threaded. She brought the pre-printed (she printed them) and pierced cards and all we had to do was sew around the edges, color the flowers, etc if we wanted do and then add flowers and beads with glue. She does them all the time and here's the examples she brought.

(I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of the card I made)

I might send the card I made to Lucille. I think she's appreciate it.

Karey had a tatting class at the same time, involving floating chains. I'm going to have to try the patterns. 

I need to tighten my wire tatting a little bit. It's never going to be as tight as thread of course, but mine is quite loose. I went ahead and bought a pack of assorted wire. I might add a flower or two to a card.

My first attempt at the Celtic piece turned out tight enough Karey said not to bother with the 2nd round. I'm tatting a second one, but with 6 points (in Evergreen size 20 again) to see if that makes a difference because I like the looks of the 2nd round.

Melanie Cervi gave a presentation on vintage tatting/ textiles for the early bird class.She had some lovely examples. 

Alas, I didn't get a picture of it. I only got 1 picture of a slide from her presentation.

I also consulted with Sharren Morgan about her bottle holder. I've gotten to the strap part and couldn't figure out what to do next (and couldn't find my pattern). I just need to end the strap I have in progress, then start a strap from one of the two remaining attachment points, join it to the strap already made, and continue to join to the last attachment point. I'm low on thread though. I might have to substitute some of the size 10 I bought for the bookmark class.

The picot class blew my mind. I learned about 3 I had never heard of, a false picot, and learned the name of one I'd done before. I got Kelli's book (of the same name), plus her book in rings, chains, and joins. She also taught us how to use a picot comb. I'd watched her video on it but I really needed to see someone do it.

Richard's bookmark I did not complete until after I got home. I got to the 1st wing (and messed it up) but did a better job on the 2nd one. It looks like a serpentine dragon to me so I added a breath weapon.

So many pretty tatted things. Here's the show off table. I don't know who made what (though I bet the Wizard of Oz group is by Martha Ess, she just came out with a new book).

Oh, and look at these 3d printed accessories (available for purchase)

 

Look at the pretty shuttle I was unable to resist.