Tatting Adventures and more

I love having time to do my crafting but I also have time for exploration both with DH and alone. Last week, after a lunch meeting with my oily friends, I went driving around Ennis Lake (which is still partially frozen over). One of my favorite spots is on the southeast side of the lake looking towards the Tobacco Root Mountains. There is a an old fireplace where a cabin once stood and it looked a bit strange. When I took a second look, I realized it was a Bald Eagle. I grabbed my cell phone and snapped a picture. Unfortunately the picture doesn't do the magnificent creature justice.

I also go exploring with DH and one day, we decided to drive over to West Yellowstone as our roads in Ennis were clear and US287 to the South was clear. HOWEVER ... when we made the turn towards the east near Raynalds Pass, the conditions changed somewhat abruptly with snow and ice on the highway. Both Quake Lake and Hebgen Lakes are frozen over completely. Snowmobilers were out on Hebgen and folks were ice fishing. The picture is of Quake Lake as we were heading back to Ennis after visiting Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone. The area with all the snow on the mountain side is the slide area of the Aug 1959 earthquake that created the lake.

Now to the important stuff. I'm participating in both an exchange and a tat-a-long in a couple of Facebook groups as well as JaneE's 2018 Tat It And See (TIAS). I've also done some edging pieces and small motifs for the PTG 2018 Fundraising Quilt and am sending back to Georgia Seitz today or tomorrow.

FB Just Tatting - 1Q2018 Exchange - "Seasons" Coasters

FB Tatting - 1Q2018 - Tat-a-Long
Flora 50 thread from B.Demmer's stash

PTG 2018 Quilt block - edging samples and motifs

Through Day 9 of the TIAS, I sent this off to Jane earlier today. I figure it will be one of Jane's "people" but I need a few more clues as to specifics.

With the exception of the Tat-a-Long, all other threads are Lizbeth 20. I also have some pink threads on order from Tatting Corner. Pinks are not typically colors I have in my stash so it gave me an excuse to order for the TatAMonumentInPink initiative by Canarithy. It's a nice little motif that doesn't take all that long to do a single one. If I forget to put in magic threads or filament loops, it takes me longer to sew in the ends. I hope to get 10 or 15 completed before I need to mail to Belgium. There are three together in the center of the quilt block picture above.

Variation on a theme

Playing with my block tatted heart pattern. I used DOUBLE-DOUBLE stitches (ala Elgiva Nicolls) in the heart center. This is also known as a balanced double stitch (BDS) as taught by Ruth Perry.

The above picture is the result on the left (but was not taken against a flat surface); the original is on the right. I haven't really decided which I prefer. I also varied the picot sizes but only finger blocked the resultant medallion.

This piece is only one of the items I'll be sending back to AKTatter (Georgia Seitz) to decorate a patch for Palmetto Tatter's Guild 2018 Fund-Raising Quilt. I've completed a GR-8 inspired butterfly and a length of hen & chicks edging in the same thread. Since the piece of pieced fabric I have has lavenders, turquoise, oranges and yellows, I've also decided to include a length of edging in my favorite edging, Mary Konior's Curds & Whey. I'll grab a picture of the piece before I send back to Georgia. {Poor baby, she's had an awful case of influenza this season}.

WIP Spencer 1925 Centerpiece

I love this pattern. This is the third time I’ve tatted it. The first one was in size 80 white and the second was in size 30 Cebelia. This one is size 40 DMC cordonnet and has been blocked yet. When completed, this will be placed onto the octagonal table that we have; the table was given to DH's parents around Christmas 1933.

I plan to add sorrento bars (sometimes known in lacemaking as spiders) in the open spaces between the medallions and the mignonette work of row 9. The picture shows the medallion round of row 10 in progress. I have “only” 3 more rounds after the current one. Then, joy oh joy, blocking will have to be done in earnest!

We had a visitor come into the golf village where we live the other day. It appears to me to be a yearling. A friend who lives in Ennis itself stated that she thought this one may be the older sibling to the calf and mother that are roaming around Ennis. I just haven't seen the mother yet.