Sewicked: 2024

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Fish and Lace (sorry it's been 2 weeks)

There is a boat lock in Utrecht (Netherlands) and it's on the fish migration route. So they put in a gate, to admit fish through, but of course they can't keep it open all the time. They noticed predators had gathered to take advantage of trapped fish. To expedite fish passage through the gate, they crowd sourced it. They put a camera on it and when viewers spot a fish, they click on the 'doorbell.' That photos the fish and someone at the dam opens the gate. The lowest watcher count I saw was in the 600s.

Last Thursday, I finally spotted some fish and managed to ring the 'bell.' But the pictures are not good enough for the weekly fish report.

I've been sub'ing in another part of the department. At first, I felt nigh onto useless. I spent a lot of time reading and tatting. This week makes up for it. Lots and lots of work, and I was on my feet most of the afternoon.

Last Saturday was the NCRL spring lace day. I donated a bracelet for a door prize (Marilee Rockley's Beaded Path) and I taught beginning tatting to 4 people.

These are most (but not mine) hedgehogs from the class last NCRL lace day. I gave mine away as a gift, so I didn't bring it.

And we had gaming on Sunday. It was surprisingly chilly and rainy. After Saturday's warmth, it was a real shock. We didn't quite finish Dragon's Demand. We need to level before the end. I didn't take a lot of pictures during the partial eclipse on April 8, but some.

I also found my scrap bag and added some to it.

Sunday, April 07, 2024

Fiber Arts and Food

The danger of visiting the craft store, twice. They had beads on sale, and buttons (2-hole, so I didn't get many of those). I've been working on Beaded Path by Marilee Rockley from her book Tatting with Beads Jewelry. Alas, I put the beads I'm using somewhere safe and now I can't find them.

the thread is crochet cotton, I think the color is called Pinstripe. It's a nice ombre black/grey. I'm using black beads (see sale I mentioned).

C made this for a friend's birthday grill party. DR has a house too small for everyone he wants to invite, so he rents a picnic shelter and we grill and talk. This is the dessert C made. He said it took 15 minutes; marscapone and creme fresh, berries, more marscapone and creme fresh, with a touch of honey, then muddle and heat berries with honey and lime to pour on top. I'm really hoping he's going to make it again.

Buttercups for spring

C asked me to mend his hoodie. It's his emergency 'need to grab something' jacket he keeps in the car. The sleeve seams and cuffs had holes to I did a quick mend with crochet cotton. Yes, it's very visible but he doesn't care and it was quick.

I finally finished the 2nd Fandango and sewed both of them on my scarf to cover the darning.

I have now done 2 weaving something on my mini weaing frame.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Tatting and Trips

I hit the thrift shop and while I was there I found a small (crib maybe) linen sheet and a polka dot cotton in matching color. I'm seeing a blouse, probably linen body and dotted sleeves/trim.

I finished Jane Eborall's Fandango Coaster in Lizbeth 20, Purple Iris Dark and Island Breeze. I got most of it done on the trip to see my parents.

I'm only up to March 8th on the 2024 TTAL (2024 Temperature Tat A Long).

It started out raining when I went to see my parents, I was glad to take the train. This is a view from the platform.

It was pouring rain this morning, plus there was lightning and thunder. Guess it's really spring, huh?

Friday, March 22, 2024

Has it been just a week?

My woven patch is pretty, but to heavy for the scarf. I feared that might be the case. Guess I'll be tatting a motif to cover the darned area.

I am into the 2nd week of my 2024 TTAL. I should have done something to mark February 29th, but I forgot.

Mom got Covid and went to the hospital. Thanks to her vaccinations it was a mild case, no ventilator.

I made another Sand Dollar pendant, this time in Olympus metallic silver.

And isn't this bag cute? Gretchen made them for the Tri-Tatters.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

So much happened

I went to a house party for a friend's birthday. We played games, talked, and ate. Lots of fun. This was off the back porch.

I made progress on the 2024 TTAL. I worked on it during the Fiber Fest demo, but I forgot a key thread and was stumped after February 29th.

I showed extraordinary control and only bought a few vintage buttons, a mini-loom, and a speedweave loom. Here's our table at the Carolina Fiber Fest (yes, I asked permission 1st)

The NC Museum of Art has a new exhibit, as of March 2nd, To Take Shape and Meaning, Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art. It is incredible. I went on opening day because they had artists there and one is a friend so I wanted to see her. I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures of the dancers. These are just a sample of the exhibits; where all the artists are from, 2 pieces with information about the artist. The man standing next to the portrait is the artist.

Before going, I printed out directions, despite having driven by it several times, cause I am directionally challenged. And the directions sent me through a residential area, to a complete dead end. And it was a recent one, there were trees! Luckily, I do have a 'smart' phone and used GPS to get back on track.

There was also a pop-up market. I resisted temptation, mostly. I bought 1 small packet of tea. But I got her contact info, she's a local tea blender. And she has one that is no caffeine blend that smells, and tastes, like coffee.

I forgot about the outdoor exhibit spaces. I took a couple pictures of this one, a mirror spiral path/maze. It was after 4 pm when I stopped by so the light was incredible.

My favorite scarf, the one with 86" of tatted edging, got torn. I darned it, but didn't really like the darn so I covered it with tatting on both sides. Then I found another, larger tear. I've darned it, but I'm trying to decide if I'll do more tatting over it or something else (I do have that new mini loom).

I've started a patch, here it is, in case I like it. Now that it's in progress, I have my doubts. It's much denser than the scarf. It's size 10 crochet cotton and perle 5 cotton weft.

My scrap bag in progress (from Karey Solomon's Bring on the Buttons)

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Progress & Pins (February 18th-much delayed)

Someone (mentioning no names) can't find her straight pins (I'm from the US SE, 'pens' and 'pins' are homophones, so I have to distinguish between them), so she ordered some so she could block a tatting project. Except, she drastically underestimated how many she needed and had to go to the store to buy more. Mentioning no names. FYI, here's the project, mostly pinned.

2024 Temperature Tat A Long continues. I didn't get more than a couple days done on Saturday because the train was shakier than I expected (they were moving!) and I couldn't take care of the ends.

Here's the sashiko sample project I did in the class I took in Craft Habit. I haven't washed away the markings yet.

I am also making progress on the 1922 hat pattern (Needlework Magazine) that's the group project in The Online Tatting Class, founded by Georgia Setz.

And if anyone has a couple hundred dollars to spare, I'd love this dress (size 4x).

Monday, January 29, 2024

Quick post

3 rows of square tatted motifs, with partial of 4th row at top. Motifs alternate square set and on-point. They are two colors, inner and outer to show low temperature and high temperature. A stitch marker on the left one shows where next motif should go

Through January 24th

Square tatted motifs, 1st 2 set on square and subsequent rows alternate set square & on-point. Rows are 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, & 5 motifs wide. 1st motif is metallic thread. Other squares are 2 colors, inner & outer.

2024 TTAL through January 24

I almost forgot. Tri-tatters met yesterday. Lovely meeting, not 100% successful for me.

Got 1 day of my shawl done, then realized I had loaded the wrong color for the subsequent day. Worked on it t today. Still had issues, but progress was made.

square tatted motifs set alternating square and on-point. Most have 1 color in center and differnt outer round. Last one is all orange

2024 TTAL progress (Jan 25+)

Portion of temperature shawl, showing Jan 25 joined above Jan 24.

That is the wrong placement for Jan 25

Didn't have the loaded shuttles to work on Richard's helix bracelet.

Didn't have the pins to block the bun cover.

Suddenly realized I had joined in the wrong place of round 9 of the Handsome Hat. Have to retro-tat 9 chains and 9 lock joins.

Tried to make a pair of earrings. Last ring went cattywampus.

Did untangle size 80 thread barf.

13 balls of size 80 thread in various colors, each with a strand going to a mess of tangled thread in the center.

That center mess is thread barf (size 80)

13 incomplete balls of size 80 tatting thread, plus 1 sample, grouped

All untangled