Maple Leaf

It's been 2 months since I've had anything to show. I had to take a leave of absence from tatting to work on a volunteer project. When I was able to return, sadly I found it was difficult to get my tatting flow back.

I started with a project that was clearly beyond my level of knowledge, so after 3 failed attempts, I put it aside until I can research the techniques a bit more. Next came Ellen's paperclips. Her designs are always fun for me and they are fast and easy. Which means I can make alot of them in a bit of time here and there so I usually have something tatted to gave away. I give them away so quickly that I forget to blog about them.

From the paperclips I went to the maple leaf pattern which was a big hit in our tatting community a few weeks ago. After a failed attempt (I made an error at the beginning and noticed it towards the middle, so there was no point to finishing it, LOL), I started over. This is the result.

It is made using a size 30 thread, variegated, DMC I think. Previously I had decided that I was going to get into the habit of front side/back side tatting. I am happy that it is now second nature for me and I was able to do it on this leaf without thinking about it twice.

That's all I've got for now.

Happy Tatting,

Bonnie

Great Uncle Francis

Back in March of '08 I introduced you to my Great Uncle Francis, better known here as GUF. I was saddened to learn of his passing on Thursday, July 11th, 2 days after his 96th Birthday.

Those who visit here know that I haven't tatted anything worth showing lately, I have just been to busy. But every other month or so I would send him and GAM (Great Aunt Myrtle) a piece of tatting or a picture of something I had made. Not to long ago, I was feeling sad that I had been to busy to tat lately and hadn't sent them a note in quite awhile. I quickly made up one of Ellen's Spring Baskets, paperclipless, and sewed it onto a notecard and mailed it to them. (I'm not sure when I mailed it to even know if it got to them before GUF became ill on Tuesday.)

My brother, Jack who lives in Ohio, recently went to OK to visit GUF & GAM. A few weeks later he was here to visit us. While he was here he shared with me some pictures that he'd taken of them. They both wore smiles and I could tell they were happy that he was there.

Until I started tatting I didn't communicate with them other than at Christmas, however we bonded over the last year or so because of tatting. You may remember that I showed you the 2 shuttles he made years ago and recently sent to me. I will forever hold them dear to me, as well as the hand written letters I received, that I'm sure were alot of work for him.

It has been more years than I could even begin to count to say when the last time I saw them in person was, probably some time before I got married, so more than 25 years. But the thing is if it wasn't for GUF and his work I wouldn't have known what tatting was. So ........

GUF, Thank You!

When I get to heaven I hope God allows me to remember some of my Earthly life, so I can spend time there with those who touched my life here on Earth.

As I wrote that it made me think of all of the HDT I have in my stash. When my time on Earth is done, it would mean nothing to my family laying there in it's beautiful skein form.
*** Note to self, what are you waiting for, Girl, life is short. :-)

Happy Tatting,

Bonnie

Blog Post Comments?

I have just spent 2 hours going thru my google reader posts (I actively read 141 blogs .... currently .... I enjoy adding new friends) and leaving comments. I still have 108 posts to go. But it brings up a question ........

I review your posts and comment when I can, but most I am unable to at the time, so I save the posts and do a marathon of comments. However, I usually can't come up with anything cleaver to say, especially that hasn't already been said, so it's something simple like "beautiful" or "nice work", etc. So my question is.... what are your feelings on comments? I for one enjoy knowing that you were here visiting so even if it's just a hello comment or something of that sort, I enjoy it. Do you?

Please comment with your thoughts on this ......... :-)

Mother's Day 2009

My Mother and Father are traveling home today from my sister, Nancy's, college graduation in Boise, ID. That is the only reason I won't get to talk to her today, but I will call her tomorrow evening when they return home.

This was our Mother's Day gift to her this year.

close up

It was tatted using DMC white Cordonnet thread, size 80. The pattern is from "Tatted Handkerchiefs".

Because I do not live close to my mother I need to rely on the US Postal Service to get my card to her. As I do every year I went to the card store early and searched until I found the perfect one. Some years I have to search different stores until I find just the right one. But this year I found the card at the first store I checked. It was perfect because it said my feelings just as if I'd written them myself, but when I cried right there in the store, then I knew for sure.

This time finding the card was the easy part. Making the gift not so easy. But really only because tatting in size 80 thread is a struggle for me, the patterns in this book are diagrammed very nicely. (no written directions)

I'm sure my mother will enjoy it and I know she will understand the hours of love that went into making it special ......... just for her.

To My Mother

Happy Mother's Day, Mommsetta!

I love you with all of my heart! ~ Bonnie

An extra special greeting ......

Happy Mother's Day, Anita!

I hope your day is filled with love and that you spend it making memories.

I know your boys love you.

To all Mothers everywhere

I wish you each a "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!"

Happy Tatting, Happy Life,

Bonnie

Another Spinning Wheel Glass Mat

When I posted my original Spinning Wheel Glass Mat here, Marge asked about the error. Now that I have made another error free one to show you, I feel comfortable showing the error. Note how in 1 of the set of squares there is only 2 picots, there should be 3 like in the rest of the motif.



So Sad. However here is a corrected one.

See all picots present and accounted for :-) It is done in Marilee's HDT - Vibrato, size 30. I started work on this right after the first Spinning Wheel Glass Mat fiasco and completed it a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed the pattern alot more the second time around, but can't say that I'm eager to make as many as my Friend - Diane, Lace Lovin' Librarian.


Happy Tatting, World,


Bonnie