Thank you! - - nuntium trecesimum vicesimum sextum

Well, well- that was a pleasant surprise!  Thank you all who took the time to write and tell me your thoughts about blog vs. Instagram vs. Facebook.  I really appreciate your input and shall continue my meager blogging.  (and the instagram too).  I have a FB account and am a member of several groups but honestly I don't look much because I find FB to be such a rabbit hole.  I go to see tatting patterns and next thing I know it's an hour later and I'm watching videos about Kate Middleton's shoes.  I mean really, who has time for that!

So back to blogging.
Here a snowflake that I've never tried despite owning the book Festive Tatting for 20+ years.  It's never appealed to me from the book but Diane's looked so nice, I thought I'd give it a whirl.  Sadly mine is about as inspiring as the one in the book.

Maybe I should have blocked it instead of the quick iron method.  I'll be interested to see if anyone buys it at the first craft fair.

Again thank you for taking the time to write!  I appreciate each one of you and think of you as friends.  The first 25 years of tatting was such a lonely thing, now I feel I have encouragers and inspiration everywhere!

getting old - nuntium trecesimum quattuordecimum

For the life of me, I can't remember where this pattern is from.  Maybe Robin Perfetti?  I made this with a little Diamant thread.  I can't remember where I got the thread either but I know Diane got me there!

I wish I could take a better picture because this one just shines!

Bits and bobs and a another "almost done" - - nuntium trecesimum primum

I've been making these little cuties with the ends of bobbins.  As you can see, I'm not much of a judge of how much thread is needed.

And here's further proof.  I wanted to try Robin Perfetti's Ice Dance variation (Thank you, Robin!) and used the rest of Diane's mysterious much-thinner-than-Lizbeth-metallic-but-still-very-nice thread.

Sigh!  Diane, will you send me three arm lengths?  (I'll bring your favorite beverage next year to the TCT!)  It's on a skinny longer spool and it was in a set of other threads... SIM STJ-C037H3

Diane to the rescue aka Metallic snowflake #3 - nuntium ducentesimum nonagesimum secundum

Thank goodness for Diane, the Lace Lovin' Librarian!  I greedily tried to make a second flake from the Lizbeth Metallic Rose which she kindly shared with me and ran out!  So in a complete fit "need to complete it", I requested two more arm-lengths so I could complete Frivole's Le Flocon Frivole.  And Diane being the kind person she is, got it instantly in the post.

I trimmed that offending bit of thread after the photo!

Whew, I don't know how long I could have lived with that incomplete flake.

Thanks, Diane.  I'll sleep easier now.

Argh - nuntium ducentesimum duodenonagesimum

At our TCT retreat, Diana shared a lot of her thread with us.   I've been using the Lizbeth metallic to see if I want to order some for the "season".  I've been making things but unwilling to photograph them until they are blocked (ironed).  I thought I had enough for a second flake from the lovely Rose color but I guess not.

As metallic threads go, this is very nice.  It still kinks a bit and I have to be careful to tat a tiny bit more loosely or the rings don't close but all in all. It's pretty good.

That is my completely unsolicited opinion.... : )

peacock ice drop - nuntium ducentesimum octogesimum septimum

At our TCT retreat, Diane the Lace Lovin' Librarian was most generous.  She shared many things including thread, thread and thread; beads and even patterns.  Through her encouragement, I tried some SLon beading thread with Shelley Perrault's pattern and a peacock bead.  Because the SLon is so thin, I had to modify it on the outside.  I think it turned out okay.

I wound both bobbins full and I think I have enough to do another one.  I have another bead so why not?  : )