Sometimes Technology Just Sucks!!

Finally ... finally. My 3-year notebook computer DIED the Monday after we got back from TatDays! Don't know why but the motherboard conked out and that makes the 2nd time in about 15 months!

I wound up purchasing a new one and then my online backup service had to restore my files twice!! Their techs worked with me for several evenings until the wee hours each night. I only had to rebuild two weeks of daily stuff that I do but my critical files are back and whole.

Now, I'll be able to get some serious tatting done ... YEAH!! Maybe I can even get pictures posted. Fall is here and almost wish we were going up the Blue Ridge Parkway; I'm betting that the foliage will be beautiful for the next ten or so days.

Home Again ...

Another Palmetto Tatters Guild TatDays Event in the books ... and on-line! In addition to a wonderful slate of teachers with fun and challenging patterns, we went live Friday night to create a World record consisting of the largest number of tatters, at the same time, tatting the same pattern. The recorded video can be found at World Record 23-Sep-2011. In addition to the 62 who were in the room at Toccoa, GA, there were another 65 from all around the world who joined us via FB or U-stream. It was really fun and there are a lot of pictures posted from others on FB and hopefully their blogs.

There were so many new faces this year ... many that I've corresponded with during the last ten or so years. Of course, we always welcome the faces who come every year and want to thank the entire Guild for the planning and hard work that goes into an event like ours. Our international traveler's this year included Riet from The Netherlands and Maria from Mexico.

Also joining us were Tracy and Bill of The Lacemaker from Cortland, OH. Of course they had the latest Lizbeth colors as well as some proto type shuttles that will soon be available (I think) from Handy Hands. They are interesing! In size between a SewMate and a Tatsy, they remind me of overgrown Boye plastic shuttles. They appear to hold a lot of thread!

Will post more later!

Has it really been that long?

It's been a really busy year. Just returned from our monthly Guild meeting in the Columbia, SC area. Lots of cars on the road with flags for the Clemson Tigers (played and beat Auburn) and the USC Gamecocks (played and beat Navy). Lots of folks getting their tailgating needs as well.

Last weekend, we were in Raleigh, NC for DS#1's wedding. DS#2 was the Best Man; he gave a heart-felt speech about the relationship between Lee and LaWanda. LaWanda is a beautiful bride ... I'll have to get some pictures of the edging she wanted me to add to her wedding gown.

Thursday I leave for PTG's 9th Annual Tat Days again this year at Toccoa, GA ... a beautiful venue with great teachers, wonderful food and many tatting friends. DH will be joining me hopefully sometime Friday. He's having to make an emergency meeting in TX because of his j-o-b. That 'thing' always seems to interfere with his vacation plans. He spent half his "vacation" in Montana last June working.

DS#2 graduated from MMI in Orlando FL in August and has moved back home along with the dog he rescued. Chris is a certified motorcycle mechanic in Kawasaki, Suzuki and BMW! In fact, he was the only 'wrench' in BMW for that class. Looking for a position but most of the shops around here are gearing down for the non-riding months. Funny ... DH doesn't park his KLR650 during the winter but he sure gets cold some days!!

More later and hopefully I won't wait so long to post. BTW, Friday, September 23, 2011, Palmetto Tatters Guild on Facebook, 6 to 6:30 EST (USA East Coast). Pattern at 2011 Tat Off Pattern. Comment or Chat with us on Facebook. Let us know your location by country. How far can we reach? We're hoping, with the aid of all the Tatters around the world to set a record for the most tatters SIMULTANEOUSLY tatting the same pattern. We've filled out all the paperwork and have a journalist who is willing to certify to the Guiness people. In the end, it will be up to the Guinness folks to accept our numbers. We're also planning a live broadcast at Streaming PTG Link. Join us if you can and we'll show the world that "TATTING IS NOT A LOST ART."

A Lazy Saturday - Link to Knotless Tatting Technique

Just a lazy day with heat on my neck when I not doing the exercises to correct my posture and relieve some of the pressure on the nerve going down my right arm. DH is home for a week ... the longest since I went to my niece's wedding in July. He's been criss-crossing the southwest, midwest and west coast. I've not be able to keep up with my schedule, much less his. LOL!

I've been doing a lot of catching up with the various on-line newsgroups and forums that I've sorely neglected for a long time. It's been fun to catch up with everyone since my situation with the pinched nerve has adversely affected my own ability sit for more than ten minutes to tat. I've also been putting together some jewelry for Palmetto Tatters to sell at craft shows and fairs after the SC State Fair. That has also been rather slow going as the arm takes a bit of punishment when I manipulate jewelry pliers.

There is always discussion on the use of the Magic Thread to hid ends in our Tatting. The link here
Shuttle Brothers Knotless Technique is the result of a lesson Gina Butler and I received several years ago from the Master himself, Mr. Gary Houtz. I asked and received permission from Gary and Randy to edit a couple of handouts that they used at Camp WannaTat. They've also seen and approved the final edit presented in the link. Gina did a wonderful job with the photographs and Randy's diagrams are pretty easy to follow. Hope you enjoy the information in the technique.

PTG TatDays 2011

Save the Dates: Friday and Saturday, September 23-24, 2011

We'll be back in the beautiful Georgia mountains at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center which is just outside Toccoa. Registration, class rooms, vending, and sleeping (what? who sleeps at TatDays?) rooms are all in the same building with the Dining Hall just a short walk. The Dining Hall overlooks a beautiful little lake; here's a picture GBCC Dining Hall.

There are a number of small sitting areas throughout the building that were certainly well used this year. I'm sure they will be well-used in 2011. The theme is "Tatting in a Winter Wonderland" so I hope everyone will submit their logo ideas whenever the call for the logo contest is put out on the official website: Palmetto Tatters Guild.

There will also be a call for teachers on the website. Certainly hope to see you there.

Items from 2010 PTG TatDays

I wasn't happy with the Garnets & Grapes pendant after I had redone the earrings so I re-tatted the pendant and mounted it to small pin-back. Final steaming is yet to occur but I'm better pleased with these results.

I've ordered more garnet rounds with one of my sisters in mind since her birthday is also in January. Nina's designs are so lovely and appear to be really difficult but they are quite easy once you study the unique terminology she uses for some of the component descriptions.

I've also completed over the past week the Half Ring Braid Bracelet kit from Martha Ess. It was fun to work this piece of jewelery as well. I ran out of thread in Martha's kit to complete a pair of Patti Duff's easy earrings and sent Martha an SOS very late one evening. She was still up and answered me very quickly. I checked my thread inventory and l had that manufacturer color and size in my stash. Then I had to check some of my extraneous beads because I was 20 short (ten for each earring) for the pattern I wanted to use (didn't want to make a design change at this point). I found some very similarly finished beads in my miscellaneous bottle of beads but I managed to get this set completed.

Nina's Garnets & Grapes

I worked on the Pendant from Nina Libin's Garnets & Grapes pattern this week as I was able. It hasn't been steamed yet to really complete the piece. I will also need to determine whether I will wear it as a brooch or as a pendant from a chain around my neck. The picture was not taken with my better camera but it will be a pretty piece when I finish it. I also need to re-tat the accompanying earrings ... maybe over the long weekend.