I finally have to face it. I'm addicted to... Thread!

The first color picture her is LadyShuttleMaker's Victorian Valentine and Marina in size 20 6 strand cotton.

This is Yarnplayers 'Stardate' in size 20 and 40.

I have several skeins of this one. It is Yarnplayer's 'Nectarine' showing size 20 and 80.

Yes! I finally found a copy of Mary Konior's "Tatting Patterns" that wasn't an 'arm and leg' price. This brings my collection to 3 of her books. The tatting world will forever be indebted to her for all her contributions. As many have heard Mary passed on earlier this month. My prayers are with her family.

Here is 'Norman' done! I had so much fun with Jane Erborall's TIAS . Learned alot and have to make 'Norman' over with bigger bead for eye and no picots between split rings!( I didn't try for picots they just appeared-got to work on that!) Norm is done in size 20 thread and measures about4 inches tall. He would make a nice book marker by pearl tatting were you join a length and finish off with a 'chick' at the end. Pattern for Norman and his family are at Jane Erborall"s website. http:// janeeborall.blogspot.com/ can direct to the right spot.

And yes it is sad but true! I'm addicted to hdt thread. No matter how hard I resist Yarnplayer and LadyShuttle Maker have to go and bring out their brushes and the next thing I know I'm confirming purchases!LOL. Is there a cure for this "disease"? I hope not! I know there is SO much hdt out there and there isn't enough free money to have it all. I have plans for mine and right now am happy I have it. My new goals for me will let me indulge in my passion for tatting and get healthy too. I'll let you know how it works.

Day 5 and all is well....

Here is my day 5 of Jane E.'s TIAS. Since it looks like the picture I 'm thinking I did it right!

Here is my second guess. I have been to South Australia, but never saw one of these in the wild. I saw Kangaroos and other Aussie animals in the wild, but missed this. If you don't think this how about picture #3?!

OK so it is a strange looking snowman, but it could work right?! Well this is just too fun and I really have enjoyed alot of the other people's guesses. :)

Days 1-4 TIAS together

Becki chicken in one of her fav colors for Halloween back at her college days with her friend 'Bunny'. Maybe she is Jane E's inspiration for her TIAS?! What you think.

Days 1-4 together. If you flip the pic I think it being to look like.....

It has been great seeing all the different colors people are using. I personally picked my daughters fav colors (green and orange) to do this as I think I'll mail it to her when done! I think she will at least like the colors.Lol. :)

Monday Monday....

Happy Monday! For those of you who like giveaways if you haven't stopped by LadySuttleMaker's blog do not delay she is having a giveaway! At http://ladyshuttlemaker.blogspot.com/ .

The above pic is my day 3 TIAS. It is done in hdt thread size 20? and is a burnt orange color. Not sure were I go this but I think I used it for crocheting a giant butterfly.

Well I hope all is well and that the rest of the week is good for you! :)

Happy Snow Day and day 2 TIAS!

Happy 9 " of snow! And I did my day 2 of Jane's TIAS! Pic is of it and I couldn't tell you what it is even if my life depended on it because I have no clue. Had a great day tatting and spending time with my Sweetie. Have a safe and great weekend! :)

New HDT and Day 1 TIAS Done!

Yes I got some lovely hdt from Marilee. I picked it up from the post today. It is Yarnplayer's new color 'Celery' and I got several skeins.

You can see it tats like a dream in this picture. I had one of those 'ah ha' moments( actually I re-read the directions) and it actually worked!lol. Funny how just reading how you are suppose to do something it just turns out that way.

This last pic was my first attempt at Jane Eborall (http://janeeborall.blogspot.com/ ) new TIAS. Visit her blog and there is a link to instructions and TIAS pattern. For those who don't know what a TIAS is = Tat It And See. You get a piece of the total pattern and then see if you can figure of what it is. But Jane doesn't want you to spoil it by telling everyone. Just tell her. A link to her email is there also so you can share, ask questions and guess. The middle pic is my day 1 done in 'Celery' size 20. I liked how the 'Celery' POPS out at you better than the original one done in Lizbeth thread 'Angel Love' size 20.

I had fun with this so far and see lots of room for improvement.I appreciate talented people who can come up with such fun ideas. I can see them in strange colors, but don't have much more of an imagination to invent. I'll have to get more comfortable with it. I'd like to do a whole bird themed idea. There are patterns for Parrots, but none that I found for the smallest member of the Snell Parrot group- Budgies(also know as parakeets). Maybe someday.... Well have a great week, me I'm personally doing a 'Snow Day' dance because I really hate driving a school bus when there is alot of snow falling. Illinois there is a joke about snow removal, they wait until it stops snowing to plow! Yes it is as fun to drive in as it sounds-not! :)

A few pics of Wrangell Alaska.

The second pic is Rainbow falls in Wrangell where the stairs that tried to take out Becki is. This was the cliff she tried to go over. She has a bruise. The first pic is a tree root at Petroglyph Beach in Wrangell. Wrangell has about 3 state parks in the area, and has a well known glacier.

The next pic is downtown Wrangell. Looks alot like downtown Antioch! Except we don't have any mountains or an Ocean near us. And we have alot more snow!lol.

This is Becki hiding in a tree root at Rainbow Falls Park. All these pics are courtesy of the Bec and her friend Tasha.

Well doesn't that just make you want to take your next vacation to Alaska? With the scenery Becki has I don't think she will ever come back to boring Illinois. And who could blame her! Just a side note Metlakatla Alaska is 40 degrees at this writing, Antioch Illinois is 8 degrees. It is true, Northern Illinois weather is more server than parts of Alaska. Why do people live here again?

Hope you enjoyed the pic I know I did. :)

Happy New Year!

SCMR Snowflake pattern by Sally Magill of 'The Ring Of Tatters' done in size 20 htd 'Night Wind' by Yarnplayer(aka Marilee Rockely).

It is a brand new year and a time to reflect how to make this a better year. First, I need to remember the things that are truly important in my life-like family and friends. Then take more time to let them know and less time complaining. Second, I need to hone my tatting skills and work on more challenging things so I learn to be better. I need to do this for me and the small group of people who want to learn to tat from me. And one of the things I am working on today was SCMR.

I was given one of these scmr snowflakes from Sharon Fawns for my thread exchange.(It now hangs on my tree). And though I understood how scmr are done I hadn't tried them in a pattern before. When I got Sharon's lovely gift, I knew I had to try it and the above picture is my first attempt. I will make more because they go quickly and are fun to do.

On a different theme- Becki has been having fun visiting her friend in Wrangle Alaska and seeing the sights. She had to mention slipping on the steps at Rainbow Falls and have her feet dangling over a cliff. She thought it was funny,(I wouldn't have classified it that way-but hey I'm just her mom) and had a good laugh. She said it felt weird having her legs dangle in mid air. OK so maybe I said thank you Lord for NOT letting her get killed as she told me that. All in all she has had a wonderful time and seen so awesome scenery. I'll see if Bec will let use some of her pics to share with you all.

I have been battling a sinus infection this break so my tatting adventures have been very few. Wednesday evening I spent about 2 hours working with a friend who wants to learn to tat, on doing the ds. She finally got the 'flip' and wanted to jump for joy when she made her first ring. It was exciting and next Wednesday we are going to learn the picot and try joining rings together. I left her with homework, we will see how she does. She was very excited to learn and I have another person who tats already so maybe we can have our own little group. It amazes me how many people think of tatting as a dying art. First I'm not dead and neither is tatting! I'll keep tatting wherever I go hope it sparks interest!

I hope this new year is prosperous for everyone and may you and yous be safe.