My second attempt at Jon's "Quantieque" snowflake done in Yarnplayer's "Pizazz" in a size 20. I am happy with this one. It seems to work better with a softer thread than a firmer one like Flora.

I am shuttle tatting the "Hearts Entwined" with my hand made shuttles I got on ebay. I was 3/4 of the way done when I found I made a serious mistake( hours of picking out to fix). I kept dropping my tatting needle I was using to unpick( not a good sign for my hands- my grasp strength is not all that great anyways) so my other option is to cut and re-attach. So I wound the thread on floss winders and set that one away until another day. I think I will try it again with the shuttles with my new thread "Roses" (also from Yarnplayer). I didn't do anything today because my hands have been too cold all day.(When you can't button your sweater you have problems). So tomorrow (wearing gloves to warm hands up) I am going to start shuttle tatting "Hearts Entwined" again!

My ebay shuttles are small and thin enough that I can hold them without too much pressure( part of the problem with regular shuttles for me). But they are not too thin. One is made of wood and shaped like a regular shuttle(eye shape), the other is made of bone also eye shape. They have a little groove on each side to hold thread and holes on opposite sides so you can put thread on them. Because they are natural materials they warm in my hands (when the hands are warm) and because they are less than 1/2 in thick I don't drop them as much! Yeah! There has to be a market out there for people who have hand issues and finding tools they can use to still do the things they enjoy. I have read several tatters who needle tat because they have arthritis and can't hold a shuttle. Maybe they need to try wood shuttles and see if that makes a difference.

Anyway I am enjoying shuttle tatting with something that I don't drop and doesn't hurt to use! ( I went to wood knitting needles-the best thing to use). So when I get this piece done I will share! Only I can only stand to shuttle tat at short bursts so it will take time.

On a happier note people need to check out Esty.com and look at all those beautiful hdt out there. The color combinations Ladyshuttlemaker and Yarnplayer have been putting together are just fabulous! There are other sellers like Heather(don't know her esty store name) and Jane E. that are great too. So much too choose from and so few funds what is a thread junkie suppose to do? Oh well it doesn't hurt to look and enjoy all those colors!

Well I have been typing way too long and need to sign off. But before I do let me say I enjoy reading all those tatting blogs out there. I realize I am not alone and there are other people all around the world who can't have idle hands either! ( Or sit still for very long either!) TaTa for now.