another bookmark- -nuntium trecesimum nonum

Maybe this is getting boring?

Same pattern (Robin's) and different thread.  I love this color, it looks so Christmas-y to me.

bookmark again -nuntium trecesimum octavum

Here is another bookmark with the same Diamond Braid pattern in a wonderful Lizbeth color, Falling Leaves.

This is again from Robin's book, available here. 

Jane asked if I did well at the fair- I did!  Hugely well!  I think I sold more bookmarks than anything else but the snowflakes were a close second.  This was the fifth year at this fair and I had many repeat customers.  It was interesting because of a snafu, we ended up in a different room.  I had a number of people expressing great relief that they'd found me and that I'd still come.  I have to admit it was quite flattering and a wonderful boost to the ego.  All in all, a great sale for me.  (Not so much for my daughter or sister though- who knows why?)

bookmark - nuntium trecesimum septimum

I recently got an email from a craft fair customer asking if I would have bookmarks at the early November show.  I made four (as asked) and no one asked for them.  I did sell some though.

Here's one from Robin Perfetti's book:

I really do love Robin's patterns and this is no exception.  I found it pleasing to make and it's called Diamond Braid.  Despite my husband's claim of this being the ugliest variegated thread (Lizbeth Jewel), it sold first!

I am delighted that people still read books with actual paper pages.

I do not like it, Sam I am - nuntium trecesimum secundum

Okay, so I am really sold on the Lizbeth Metallic threads.  I'm planning to spend all of my ill-gotten gains on it.  All that is except for the iridescent.

Meh

Why?

Well, for one it just isn't that iridescent.  It's just barely sparkly.  My students would describe it as "meh".  It's ordinary and not worth the extra cost for that.  My white thread is just as interesting.

And for two, it's terrible to tat with it.  I feel I've given the metallics a fair shake and tried several kinds.  They have been pretty darn good to tat with, not exactly like cotton but enough that I'm willing to shell out the big bucks for more.  But not this one, no way, no how.  It fights the whole time and is hard to close - for me!  Other tatters at TCT this past weekend didn't know what I was talking about!  It's comparable to how black thread is just a bit different from other colors. 

I shall spend it all on more Sand Dollar which might be my favorite.  Or Steel Blue.  Or Sea Foam.  or.. or...

And, Robin- I apologize.  I have tatted this snowflake twice.  Muttered about the four picots on the outer rings and how that just isn't as nice and why would it be an even number.  Until - sitting next to Happy Bluebird, I realized that it's supposed to be 5 picots. Seriously, not until the second snowflake, fifth arm.  Duh- Robin would never do that.  Be sure to check out Robin's actual pattern rather than my feeble version.

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

Sand Dollar -nuntium duodetrecesimum

Either I took more for this sample of thread from Diane or the patterns were smaller.    This is Robin Perfetti's Small Snowflake from the Snowflake Variations book.

We had a tatter new to our TCT last month, Doris, and she has a little book of various hand-drawn patterns in it.  I took pictures and made this one.

And this one which caused me NO end of problems including missing the second ring (seriously?) and a lot of finger tatting with about an inch of thread.  (That's what you get for being greedy, Michelle.)

Here are all three.

Steel blue- - nuntium ducentesimum nonagesimum septimum

Here is Robin Perfetti's Noelle in Steel Blue.  This is a lovely color too.  It's so fun to do all of these and strangely rewarding to finish off each sample from Diane.  I wish I could figure out how to accurately photograph the colors, they really are beautiful.

Eclipse -- nuntium ducentesimum nonagesimum quartum

Here's another Lizbeth metallic snowflake.  This one is from Robin Perfetti's Snowflake Pattern Pack and it's called Eclipse.

Lizbeth Metallic Turquoise Blue size 20

One thing that I really like about this metallic thread is that it's VERY easy to untat with it.  I don't know why that top arm is so wonky, I must not have snugged up the chain very well.

Metallic snowflake #2 - nuntium ducentesimum nonagesimum primum

Here's one with Lizbeth Metallic Silver.  It's very pretty in person.

This is Robin Perfetti's First Snowfall and I remember when I first tried it, I had the dickens of a time remembering the large rings below the central ones.  Guess what?  Same problem.  Because I had a limited amount of the precious Lizbeth Metallic, I distatified an arm and a half!  I have put a note on my pattern to watch out for this.  I know several people have said this but the metallic shine doesn't really come through in the photos.  If you are even mildly thinking of trying this thread, go for it!

Garden cross and procrastination - nuntium duocentesimum septuagesimum septimum

I'm stalling.  School starts Wednesday and I need a review for 8th grade French.  I have a list but can't quite get myself going. So blogging it is!  : )

I made this cross for Ruth- the receptionist who passed away in the explosion.  It's school colors but somehow it doesn't look as nice as the pattern by Robin Perfetti shows.

Speaking of procrastination, I always seem to find a painting project right before school starts.  This poor bannister languished too long.  The intention was to replace with with an unpainted wooden one but after 23 years of hoping to get to it, I decided to paint it.

 Painting wood seems terrible but condition not worth refinishing.

 That's a lot of painter's tape.

 Looks pretty good, I think.  : )

What is this? - - nuntium duocentesimum undetricesimum

I know some tatters work on things and have other tatters guess what it is but here's a different one.  I was recently looking for something in my tatting stuff and found many things including this.

Does anyone recognize it?  I wonder what it is?  It's certainly not complete or it would be somewhere else, I think.  Is it a butterfly wing?  Is it something I started and did wrong?  I've thrown it away twice now and fished it out of the bin thinking there must be something to it.

And thank you for all the help with round 15.  I've started it and it's going well, if s-l-o-w-l-y!  I'd forgotten how the outer rounds take so much longer!  I am loving working with the size 80 (or tatting crochet size).  I'm actually considering entering this one into the State Fair.

I think next it will be a square doily like Sally's or a concentric rectangle one that Diane and Fox did.  I'm loving those!  Or maybe Robin's coasters...  so many options!

More generosity- nuntium duocentesimum secundum

Even more things have rolled in for the new tatters and let me tell you, they were speechless!  Their grins were completely contagious and we all sat around admiring the goodies and marveling about these most generous encouragers.

Gorgeous ice cream from Eliz 

Fabulous Oren Bayan threads, angels and butterflies from Margaret

And just in case you think I've been slacking, here are last week's snowflakes!

Four of Frivole's Bentley

Hopefully that's the only kind of snow we'll see on the patio for the next several months!

More snow- nuntium duocentesimum

I'm very pleased with myself because I usually plan to make snowflakes all year but don't.  This year I've been better, in fact making and making them.  So periodically I try something new.  I had to chuckle about this one though because Etsy sent me an email suggesting things I might like and I did.  It's Robin Perfetti's Winter Frost.  I chuckle because I already owned it, just hadn't made one.

Not blocked well, is it?

It's quite pleasing to make but my daughter doesn't like it.  She couldn't really give a reason.  (Or didn't want to hurt my feelings?)

Sadly, one of my colleagues had to take a medical leave so I made him this one.  Just my "go-to" cross as usual but I like it.

And thank you to the tatters who have sent or are sending little bits for my new tatters.  Next week we'll meet on Monday and I'm so excited to give them these bits of tatting from you!  (Plus the bonus for me is that I "met" Heidi, a tatter who works just down the street from where I live!  Now she's stuck with me as a new tatting buddy, poor thing!)

Yellow! nuntium centesimum nonagesimum et septimum

I have made snowflakes all fall, probably since October and even though I admire snowflakes in other colors, I find that for selling, these are what are preferred.  So on December 18th I started in YELLOW, a present for my dear alter ego, Ginny.  She liked the present for my friend's wedding in the summer so I thought I would do something similar for Christmas for her.  She is a bright and cheery person so this seemed perfect.  I used Robin's edging again although it took me a while to get into the rhythm of it.

It's Lizbeth and size 20 but the baggie and the label disappeared somewhere.  Color?  Honey?

I decided to use the invisible thread again and the pinning takes longer than the sewing.

But it's well worth the time, rather than hand-sewing- ugh!!!!!

I still don't know why it amazes me that my friends who don't tat would like tatting.  Silly, I know.

Next?  Maybe pink!

nuntium centesimum sexagesimum secundum - I'm sorry, Robin Perfetti

Dear Robin,

You don't know me and probably don't want to.  But i feel it's necessary to apologize for what I have done to your pattern- twice.

Seriously, I can tat better than this.  Maybe I should hold off on the CONE of Lizbeth.

So Robin, I hope you will forgive me and this terrible pun to come...next time, I will make this snowflake (First Snowfall)  PERFETTO.