KABOOOM! THERE GOES MY COMPUTER

Our home computer blew another hard-drive on Tuesday so I haven't been able to keep in touch with all you fine ladies. I apologize.The computer is quite messed up. Apparently we keep blowing out hard-drives so the service guys are running diagnostics on it and it looks like a motherboard problem...oh joy. So either they'll fix it and we'll have it back my the end of the week or we get a new CPU. We are trusting in our Lord that they are able to fix it because a new computer is really not in the budget. Prayer would be mightily accepted!

I do have quite a lot of tatting news for you though! ...onto a happier note...

• I bought more 'Lizbeth threads from Handy Hands and I just love them! I got the color called 'Jelly Bean' which is a variegated of lime green, orange, magenta, and a light purple. SOooo pretty! I also bought the 'Mocha' brown and it's like chocolate on a thread! There is a slight shimmer to it that makes it so lovely. I have a hankie that is brown and white that I plan to edge and I'm also working a pair of earrings using it and I can't wait to show them to you all!
• Also coming up in August is our Boone County Fair and guess who is showing this year? Yup, yours truely. I tatted up Yarnplayer's "Arches" doily in Lizbeth black and will be showing that in the fair this year along with my hankie that I edged. I'll keep you updated on that but for all of those in northern Illinois stop by! The fair starts on August 11th.
  

Pictures of all my projects will come later! Blessings to you all!
~Allison

Arches of Fun!

I started on Yarnplayer's "Arches" doily the other day and I'm using my black (I love tatting in black, better then I like tatting in white actually) 'Lizbeth thread and by golly, I'm just in love with this thread!!

Anyway, my first attempt was ummm.....a real mess. I had forgotten half of the pattern so the center wound up closing in like a little cup. So, now that I have two mistakes I think I might sew them together so it makes a flower. I'll get creative with it somehow!!

The center of the doily is so elegant. It reminds me of some kind of Spanish lace or something. Wouldn't a small Christmas tree look beautiful covered in these little medallions? With soft twinkle lights? Ah, well, just me day-dreaming. That will be my 'Christmas in July' thought...But the doily itself is coming along at a pretty good clip.

I finished my cluny motif and I'll let you know how our finial class goes on Thursday night! Bye for now!

Cluny Crazy!

At our tatting class last night we worked on clunies! We started off learning the basics on a plastic loom and then we learned how to weave the cluny on our hands. The loom was a great way to learn the basics and get the feel for the fundamentals, but now I prefer to use my hand.




My first cluny barely had any shape and was so little! I'm a very tight tatter/knitter etc. so it was barely a quarter of an inch long! On my second attempt I pulled the wrong thread first, so I was stuck with a giant loop coming out the top. Ah, Well, nobody said the beginnings would be pretty!

Now that I have practiced some and feel a little more confident, I started a pattern this morning. I chose my green and purple 'Lizbeth threads and I have to say that it's coming along pretty well. After doing more and more clunys (Ok, does 'clunys' end with a 'ys' or 'ies'??) I'm starting to get the feel for them and like doing them A LOT!! So I'm going to find a couple more patterns that have clunys in them and give it a whirl. They say that practice makes perfect, so I'll dive in and see where this cluny adventure takes me!

IT CAME!

I got my Handy Hands letter and catalogue yesterday! The newsletter is full of little motifs and I can't wait to try them out. Some of the motifs would look really good as necklace pendents. Now I can put in an order for 2 or 3 tatting kits for my lessons and possibly some 'Lizbeth thread for more jewelry. I was thinking of a brown/carmel color. My mom had a really good idea for my jewelry; to stick with more earth tones. I have some really pretty beads that I can't wait to put onto thread.

Our tatting 3 class started last night and we worked on split rings. Next week will be clunies and the following week we will learn block tatting. Included in this class was the book 'Oh my Stars' by Kaye Judt. This is such a great book because it takes you through many patterns and teaches you new skills as you go. I can't wait to learn how to block tat! and everything else in the book for that matter!

Here is the pattern that we worked on for split rings. It's from Georgia Seitz's website and it's quite a challenge. There are places where you have to reverse the order of your stitches (over hitch first, then under hitch) but you allow the stitches to flip. The effect is like tatting backwards and looks really nice from the front. It's a good thing that Valentines Days is long way off so I'll have time to practice this pattern before I give 'em away. The pink heart needs to be blocked so that it lays more flat, but it's such a pretty pattern. I'm half tempted to try beads on it. Especially in the center ring from the middle picot....we'll see :)

Handy Hands Letter!

I signed up for Handy Hand's Newsletter yesterday and it has shipped! I'm pretty excited! There are so many cool tools and books and thread on their website that I can't wait to buy some new stuff! The last time that our tatting group met Carolyn was edging a hankie in a really pretty variegated Flora green that I might have to purchase one of these days. Speaking of our tatting group, we start our Tatting 3 class this Thursday at Basketcases! (http://www.basketcasesunlimited.com) We'll be learning split rings, cluny leaves, and how to climb out of a ring. I'll let you know how it goes!

My sister had had idea the other day...she does Parelli natural horsemanship with our horses and she wants me to tat her the Parelli Logo.. *as pictured below*

..any thoughts as to how I might do this??? Here is her blog: http://www.leapnhjourney.blogspot.com you should totally check it out!

Blessings for now,

Al <3

"Pleiades" Earring

I've done it again!! More Lizbeth and more beads!! I think that this pair of earrings has to be my favorite. I love the sparkles in the center ball which are really glittery so the pictures doesn't do it much justice. The small, clear beads set it off the center bead pretty well. My mom was very excited to see these so we'll have to share this pair. I've given this one a special name: Pleiades' Dance....allow me to explain....

The Pleiades are actually a bright cluster of stars that can be seen during the fall and winter months here in the Midwest. There are nine stars that make up this cluster, but only seven are highly visible with the naked eye, so they are commonly called the "Seven Sisters." My dad loves to watch the stars and has always taught me and my sister what constellations are where and at what time. I remember the Pleiades being one of the first one's that I could remember the fastest, so there is something special to me just in hearing that name.

Now that we live on the farm we are able to see the stars every night. When we go out to check on the horses for the last time, which is usually around 9:30/10pm, I'll stop and look at the stars and instantly think of my father and also my Heavenly Father. To think that He put everything from the grass to the stars in existance for us and Himself to enjoy makes me feel so loved, overwhelmed actually, almost to the point of tears.

It's intimidating for some people to look at the stars because they feel alone or that we are so small and insignificant, but when I look at the beautiful constellations above me, I feel nothing but joy and gladness because 1) My Heavenly Father loves me so much 2) because my earthly Father means so much to me and I appreciate him beyond belief. LOVE YOU DAD!

Blue and Gold! and Happy Birthday Sarah!

"Fog's Lifting"

I worked on the blue pattern (above) yesterday for a good friend's birthday, only to realize that I think she would like the gold ones I had made better!

So Happy Birthday Sarah! May your memories be golden. :)

I shall call it "Amy"

The Norwegian pattern is going really well. I have two out of four squares done and then I join them all up with a 5th middle motif. I love how the pattern looks, so I think I'll be doing quite a few more Norwegian doilies. Pictures to come!