This one! - nuntium duocentesimum duodequinquagesimum

I should have just gone straight to Joëlle.  This one's available through her Etsy shop, La Cossette.

This is vintage size "tatting thread" which is 70 or maybe 80.  It's a dear little thing.  I had two but on the second one I miscounted the beads.  No problem, I thought, I'll just crush the extra one with my pliers and close the ring.  Can you imagine that crushing the bead was sharp enough that it CUT the core thread.  Into the bin with that one.

Saturday I have 108 very enthusiastic Latin students coming to my school for a day-long Latin event.  That's been keeping me busy.  More on Sunday- I hope.

Not this one either- nuntium duocentesimum quadrigesimum septimum

I like this one but it's way too big for an earring.

On to the next one.  I know what to try- my tried and true favorite designer....Joëlle!

Nope, nope, nope - nuntium duocentesimum quadrigesimum sextum

This is not the butterfly I'm looking for....

dragonfly continuation - nuntium duocentesimum quadrigesimum quintum

I've made two more sets of dragonflies.

Now there a 7 pairs of butterfly earrings.  Several of the threads she chose are variegated so I'm trying to find a pattern that's "long" enough without being too big (even in size 80).  Suggestions?

In October, my darling husband took me to a bed and breakfast in a lovely little town called New Ulm.  We've been there before but the proprietors are great, the rooms nice and the town just charming.  Mostly, we are too far away to do things around the house so it's a vacation.  Very nice and relaxing.  While there, we poked around a bit in the downtown and found a little shop called Nadelknunst.  It looked like a yarn store so we went in (my DH is very patient with this stuff).  The owner asked what I was interested in and I said tatting.  She lit up, told me that they have a lot of tatter in New Ulm, that they offer classes (sure enough, there it was even on the sign) and that the tatting supplies were around the corner.  When I showed interest, she told me anything I wanted would be 50% off!
Here's what I got:

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all that ecru but it was dusty and I couldn't just bear to leave it there.  My husband never lets me near pet stores, animal shelters or anywhere else with animals with big eyes, guess why!  I felt sorry for thread...

I feel a Fox-colored doily coming on.

Store in New Ulm
Nadelkunst
212 Minnesota St
New Ulm, MN 56073
507-354-8708

patriotic dragonflies? - nuntium duocentesimum quadrigesimum quartum

My stepmom recently commissioned me to make several pairs of earrings and snowflakes for her.  The intention was for Christmas presents but that didn't work because I was swamped at school.  She was most gracious about it and still wants me to do them so here goes.

I laid out all of my vintage and non-vintage threads and asked her to choose what colors.  This is one of them for the dragonflies.  The pattern is from Jon Yusoff on this page.

This is a vintage J & P Coats thread, size "tatting cotton", color 162.

Wish I could have made them all today but French curriculum must come first.

Étoile du Nord - nuntium duocentesimum quadrigesimum tertium

Recently (well, not so recently) I test-tatted the Étoile du Nord pattern for Joëlle.  As usual, it's a wonderful pattern.  This one has an unusual method for adding in the beads down the "arms" of the star which I really like.  When finished, both daughters claimed it instantly so I had to make a second. (poor me!)

My execution was better on the second one but it has disappeared into my daughter's bedroom and could need an archeologist to find it again.  I foresee this as a big seller next year.  Interestingly, Étoile du Nord is the motto of Minnesota- completely unrelated though.

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