The Prep Begins

I was asked in November to submit a proposal to teach at Tatting Corner's 3rd Annual Tat Days in July 2020. Shockenling enough, all three 'class' proposals were accepted by Lisa and Kaye with one of the classes, Technique Toolbox, to be morphed into multi-teacher session(s). The other two classes will be Beginning Tatting (shuttle or needle) and Reading & Converting Patterns. Thank you Lisa for the invitation to teach and I hope everyone has a good time. There is also a fantastic line-up of teachers: Kaye Judt, MaryAnna Robinson, Shelley Perreault, Mike Lyon, Carolyn Craig, K Boniface and Sharon Fawns. More information will be forthcoming at Tatting Corner.

Haven't taught beginners in a very long time so it's time to dig out some of the handouts I've used previously as well as some really simple patterns, especially where hiding ends isn't necessary. I'll also dig through some of my stash of "completed" projects for some examples of my first attempts to tat with a shuttle. Believe me, there were some really AWFUL pieces but I was so proud that I finally got the flip and the double stitch would transfer for both halves. I will also have to spend quite a bit of time needle tatting as I do not do it very often although it would help prevent RSS from constant shuttle tatting.

I am really excited about the Reading & Converting Patterns 'class' although I anticipate that it will be more of a dialog session where everyone can share. Permission has also been granted to use materials from Georgia Seitz' online class materials. While going through some of the myriad boxes of tatting stuff we moved from North Carolina, I even found conversion notes from the Summer of 1982. The story behind this is that at the time, I only had the DMC Tatting and Coats Learn to booklets in my library. My personal library has increased now to over 400 PUBLISHED books and booklets, magazines and newsletters/bulletins. We won't even talk about all the electronic patterns I now have. Seems to go along with all the thread I have in my stash ... currently in three locations in the house and two separate stashes in the garage.

I was searching for other ideas/patterns and there was nothing in the bookstores in Amarillo, TX (where we lived before moving to NC in 1988) to purchase with tatting patterns contained within. However I was in the library one day to return some books when I decided to check the card catalog (yes, this was really old school). Lo and behold, Elgiva Nicholls' Tatting: Technique & History was on the shelves.

Although the library branch had a copier, it was out of service. Ever resourceful, I checked the diaper bag (Lee, our older son was about 6 months old) and found a steno book with a few blank pages and I found a pen in my purse. So I stood there and scribbled down some notes and a quick diagram from the instructions and picture while rocking Lee in the car carrier with my foot. I remember the librarian and patrons giving me dirty looks when Lee began to awaken and was fussy. Amazingly enough, the scribbles still make sense to me now.

I need to start putting materials together for handouts for the classes. I was also sent a doily pattern by RandyH (Shuttle Brother #2). He has been going back through notes and diagrams and writing instructions for items he and Shuttle Brother #1 have been gathering for 10+ years. I do have my plane tickets purchased and my hotel reservations made. Between now and July, I also plan to attend Camp WannaTat (Flathead Lake, MT) as well as Shuttlebirds Workshop (Idaho Falls, ID). A very busy 2020 on the horizon ... and that doesn't take into account preparation for Palmetto Tatters 18th Tat Days overy Labor Day.

I'm registrar again this year as well as Chair for the Vending room. I have all my spreadsheets/databases ready to go (I did that in early November). Call for teachers should be out soon as well as a call for logo submissions. Tatting theme for the Guild's 18th Tat Days is Tatting the Rainbow. I even have a couple of ideas for something for the tatting display ... just hope I get time to get it done.

More ornaments in the works

Although it’s been a while since I posted, I have been working on more Ice Drops, Snowflakes and finally an Angel. The angel was inspired by a brooch that I have from Bobbie Demmer’s collection. I won the pin at CWT but didn’t really like the tassels although they do seem ethereal.

I chose instead to add more of a skirt/robe that is more substantial. The skirt was inspired by Monica Hahn’s Angel #2 from DMC’s Festive Tatting. In size 20, the overall length is 4.5” (~12 mm) tall and 3.75” (~9 mm) wide. It was tatted in two pieces. Because this was a tat as I went with no notes to work from other than what was in my head, there were a lot of retro tats but I didn’t have to resort to the scissors until it was time to cut away from my shuttles to tie the ends together securely and then hide them.

I have also realized (AGAIN, duh!!) that I really, really like tatting with a cordonnet thread rather some of the threads that had been given to me by others. The angel and some of the snowflakes I've been doing the last six or so weeks were from a ball of Aunt Lydia size 20 thread. It is NOT mercerized well and is only a 3-cord twist. It is just barely smooth enough with which to tat using a shuttle.