Post #100!

Oh my! Can you believe it??? This is my 100th post on this wonderful little blog! Quite an anniversary! And to make things even more amazing...I have close to 40 followers!! That, to me, is awesome! Thanks for checking into my blog everyone. It's been super fun to share my tatting journey with you. I thought it would be cool to take a look at the progress that I've been able to make, thanks to the encouragement from my family and wonderful friends.

Here is a picture of one of my first doilies. I enjoy reverse rings, so this one integrated them quite simply. This doily has been re-homed to upstate New York with our dear friends, the Schirmers as a birthday present. I remember buying the huge roll of size 10, white thread to start out on! I made two large doilies out of that thread and many little pieces. So fun to reminisce.

CELTIC KNOTS!!! Possibly one of my favorites to make. These are tatted up in a size three so there's some bulk to them. All of these little guys are just long, long chains woven into fun shapes and tied.Okay, This is probably the hardest doily I have made so far. It also took me a REALLY long time to finish, but getting all the chains to lie straight was a challenge and a half! The colors turned out really nice though!
So perhaps I can say that I've been there and back again; flipping between needles and shuttles in thick and thin threads of all colors. All I can say at the end of the day is that tatting is such a joy. I love the soothing rhythm after a day of school or work. It can be said that it is somewhat of a lost art, and it's true. Knitting and crocheting look to be common, where finer types of lace, like tatting, bobbin lace, etc. are rare in of themselves. I am blessed to be one of the few to uphold a lovely tradition such as this. So a huge round of applause and standing ovation to all of you, the reader who are sharing with me this little journey. Here's to many more to come!
All my love,
Allison

Tid-Bits and Finishing up

My mom, sister and I went to the Midwest Horse Fair yesterday and had a great time. So what happens when a tatter is in the car for 3 hours??? Tid-Bits, I call 'em! The little flowers to the right are super for car ride projects. The pink flower is going to be the center to another doily/motif (I don't really know what it is yet). The motif to the Left is a new favorite! I'll be doing a bunch of these in the days to come! Well, the weather is too nice to allow me for a longer post! Have a blessed weekend everyone!

P.S. I finally finished the pink doily! See how the rounds create a sort of spinning motion? Cool stuff.

Just Plain Pretty!

I started a pretty doily out of Mary Konior's book and I LOVE it!!! I think I'll be doing quite a few of these. My first attempt, was...well, messy. I'm sure you know how that goes; first tries at a new pattern don't look like tatting at all. Anyway, I chose my new spring orange/yellow/pink variegated and I like the way it's tatting up. I've been busy with my Internship for school so I'm working on smaller projects. ere is another little motif from Konior's Book:
Just a quick note! Time to head off to Computer Class!
Allison

Spring...

Ever seen those spinning wheels in the front yards as your driving by a townhouse? Maybe it's around the Fourth of July or Easter and those little guys are whirling in the wind. To me, that is one of the for sure signs of warm, sunny days. Rightly so, this doily pattern is called 'Pinwheel' by Mary Konior. The photo is a little dark because the thread is a very light yellow. Just in time for the daffodil blooms!



Today was a beautiful day outside; breezy, lots of sun and gardening! But something that is just 'peeping' around the corner! CHICKS! We got 5 more Barred Rocks and 1 Araucana to add to our happy little coop. We have 3 Barred Rocks at the moment and we just love em! These little gals are about a week old and have the cutest 'peep peep peeps.'

Time to hit the hay! I'm soo tired from gardening/ being outside all day.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Allison

Spring Goodies!

As I write this I am awaiting our first thunderstorm of the season. That can only mean one thing: IT'S SPRING IN ILLINOIS! Speaking of Spring, that is the theme of my new thread colors! The Pink/Orange/Yellow color one the far left is gorgeous! I did another 'window' and love how soft the colors are. A pretty, light yellow and a cerulean/aqua blue are solids and the last one reminds me of cotton candy! All from Handy Hands; my favorite tatting supplier!


One other little gadget that I invested in is a short crochet hook with a ring. I'm always loosing my standard crochet hook, so now I've attached a colorful medallion with a tassel that I got from a dear friend in New York. Barbara and I were tatting exchange partners and still keep in touch. We have homeschooling and our faith for common grounds and both enjoy tatting demonstrations. I've never met her, but maybe someday...
It's nice to know that I have tatting buddies all over the country, and the entire globe for that matter!
The brown snowflake is one of those pieces that one can pop out in no time at all. I've already started on another small motif with the 'cotton candy' variegated thread.

By the way, I'm still working on that pink doily. I seriously have a very short attention span when it comes to tatting up new patterns. I love to change patterns and bounce back and forth between colors and sizes. Ah, well, I'm not a lost cause yet! The pink one a nice, simple pattern to work on during a movie.
So, I sign off happy, content, and listening to the rain against the windows. But I have not forgotten what today is and what it stands for. That my Savior and Redeemer was crucified for my sins. A verse that gives me goose-bumps and makes me choke up all at the same time is Luke 22:41 & 42:
"And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
May I never take this day for granted. My Easter blessings to you all!
Allison