dictum centesimum tricesimum (130th post) 95 year-old tatter

I made this basket not too long ago but for some weird reason wanted to do it again.  I just wanted to do split chains.  Crazy reason, I'm sure.  (It's from an old Tatsy booklet and the thread is Romanian "macrame", kind of stretchy and weird to work with.

I've been teaching teachers the last three days.  We have a 1:1 ipad initiative but some of the teachers needed or wanted some training first.  I'm no expert but I read some tech blogs and am willing to push buttons until things happen.  The point of this ramble though is one of the teachers brought in some tatting from her family.  Isn't it beautiful?  The picture in the corner has the tatter too.  He tatted this when he was 90 and continued tatting until he was 95!  His name was Aaron Kraft.

And on the other end of the spectrum, here is my younger daughter's first piece with rings and chains.  

And here is tonight's dinner.  We call it English tea with cucumber sandwiches and Earl Grey tea.  I'm sure the English wouldn't recognize it but we love it.  The other sandwiches are egg salad with curry, raisins, carrots and cashews.  

nuntium centesimum vicesimum tertium (123rd post) basket

I really enjoyed making a basket and doing split chains in April and managed this one after Easter.  It's from the same little pamphlet from Tatsy (I got it maybe 20 years ago?) where I made this from.

motif #8

The thread is glorious HDT from Anika who dyed it specially for me for shamrocks but I loved it so much I had to make something else with it too!

On Pinterest (evil, time-sucking invention), I saw this and thought I could do it with my vintage threads from Aunt Rose-E.  My sister, queen of finding everything anyone could ever need, found these large Vlasic pickle jars for me.  But I think I need a 4th one!  Or two smaller ones. 

I'm pleased with this instead of just having them stuffed in a drawer in a closet.  My younger daughter and I had a fun time deciding which colors went where.  She still disagrees...

nuntium centesimum duodevicesimum (118th post) Easter basket

Happy Easter!  Below is a little basket I made for my daughter.  My intention was to make two but time does escape.  I am especially delighted with it as I used multiple split chains and by the end, I think I've got the technique.  By the top of the basket, the split chains are nearly indistinguishable from the regular but I have to work very hard to get the tension right.  So far, I have not stiffened it- sadly I've lost my very expensive container of Fa-Brick - but it's pretty sturdy.  I bought something called Stiffen-Quik by Aleene's but I don't want to change the color so I'm nervous to use it.  The pattern is an old one from Tatsy that I bought maybe 20 years ago that includes three baskets.  The others won't need as many split chains so I'm hesitating!

motif #4 size 20 Lizbeth, Scottish Thistle

motif #5, size 20 Lizbeth white

And this little fellow I made a few weeks ago, I think I saw the pattern on Ambitatterous but that could be a big lie.  If you know the author, please let me know and I will give credit.  (I must get better about this.)

Latin for today:  autoraeda iterum fracta est = The car is broken again.