Finishing Up ~ Beginning Anew

"D. L." could mean Done at Last ~ but it's my friend's initials.


. . . and, A new, flat shuttle from Grizzlymountainarts & Dave!

Believe it or not! I have finished one of the bags with items tatted last year. No, not the denim bag yet; that is next. But I did finish the lighter colored bag that has a recycling emblem with Luther's Rose in the center...from OldLutheran.com. I found I had enough critters and bits and motif to adorn TWO bags...so my friend Donna will get this one...and the other one is for............not telling (right now) She reads the blog once in a whaile. I will take a photo of the completed bag and post it soon.

Added to my flat shuttle collection. I had bought two and was terribly disappointed with the primitive, pedestrian workmanship. BUT the new shuttle came from Dave at Grizzlymountainarts and it is his wonderful, professional craftsmanship. I love this as it's made from recycled wooden window blind. The soaring bird reminds me of freedom of spirit...and the birds that swoop outside my window up here on the ridge. I will miss the view when we move back to California, or possibly Arizona. Here it is then...the new flat shuttle.

Managed to get all four of my round robin bookmarks completed, put in envelopes and ready for DH to mail at the correct date~ The first one was well received ~ although it did have a mistake, Barb loved it! As soon as all four have been sent, I'll repost the Round Robin photos.

Butterfly Ascending is an Adaptation of Mary Konier's easy 'leaf' pattern and an edging by Rosemarie Peel from her new book (mentioned in an earlier post). The center was tatted with Tuffi Fruti silk, by Ladyshuttlemaker. The border was tatted with Yarnplayer's Lavender Orchid Medium (I love those colors). Thread size #30. When Marileee sent me a sample of Tutti Fruti, it really didn't turn me on as a color. But as one tats with this silk, it comes to life and shows off beautifully! Of course, I had to order a few skeins immediately, it's waiting patiently to be unwound. Barb, too, received enough of a sample to do a simple motif...silk thread is soooo lush, smooth and tats so beautifully.

Marilee had sent me a sample of her Cobalt; and, I learned she actually hadn't done a great deal of the color ~ so next time she will, and I've ordered some in advance. She kindly sent me another 25 yards and it has become the fourth bookmark..from Big Book of Tatting, with white ribbon insert. I can't show it as yet, because it's not been mailed to the last person on my round robin list.....but watch the Round Robin Heading and it will show up! :>)

I, like others, am a bit shy about sending my work out or even posting photos. For one thing, sometimes you feel really good and the work just flows..and everything works just right. Other times, you try to be perfect and loose tension and the thread knots, and you retro tat...you know, one of those days? Well on the day of the first bookmark, I was hurrying and didn't read the note in the pattern which said, "this pattern tends to curve." So an inch in, I discovered it did indeed want to curve; and, I caught it and from then on made the connecting picots a bit longer. Then it was nice and straight. But I was too far into it to cut the offensive part off ~ I was using HD silkThread...didn't want to sacrifice that~ Well, look at it this way, Barb has a story to tell with her bookmark, and it was a learning curve for me (lets all groan together, now).

Have begun a round doily (my first doily, I know!). I decided on "Sheep May Safely Graze"; a design my Karey Solomon. Plan to have it mounted and framed. There is a quote from a Bach Cantata #208, which I will embroider on the bottom of the presentation. I'm using HDThreads and carefully choosing the colors I want to use. I'm not hurrying with this piece..because it is for a very special person. I may have it finished by the end of summer (I'm also working on the table runner, remember that one?).

This is how I've begun March ~ productively and proactively. I hope you are able to finish your goals, also. I know it 'sounds' like a lot...but remember all the pieces for the bags were already tatting within the last year...it did take me the better part of Tuesday to sew all the bit upon the bag! And had I realized I could make the bookmarks in plenty of time, I might have taken a bit longer with them. My daughter, Kristen, arrives March 11, so I know I'll be busy with her tatting lessons and a good visit after a year of being apart. The youngest daughter has mounted a campaign to get us relocated back to East Sacramento. We have a St. Patrick's Potluck coming at Church so the next few weeks may be, indeed, busy up on the ridge.