Finally! Something I'm happy with :-)

I've recently taken a year or more away from tatting, and trying to get back into the rhythm of it was getting frustrating......I was inconsistent with the shuttle, and I for some reason wasn't happy with my needle tatting results either. So, I attempted a doily by Iris Niebach, and made several fatal flaws, it didn't get finished. I tried a Celtic doily and something horribly wrong, it turned out all ruffled so I didn't bother with the final round. So I pulled out a few bookmark patterns and decided to start small and uncomplicated. This pattern is from "Tatted Bookmarks" put out by Handy Hands, the pattern is by Sandy Scales. It's the first piece that I'm really proud of since I picked it up again. Shuttle tatted with Flora size 20, I lost the tag so I'm not sure about the color. I don't think I like the flora thread in size 10, but the 20 is great. I need more colors! In my endeavor to be thrifty, I got a few colors of crochet cotton from Joann, and it's actually doing better than I thought. Perhaps it's me just being more patient! I really think I just needed some success. After the online tatting class on Monday I tried some new techniques too, the little dragon below is for practicing split rings and Single Shuttle Split Rings. He was fun and encouraging. Georgia even put him up on the website! It's so helpful to connect with other tatters and feel the comraderie!

This second bookmark is one I just finished, in fact it's still a little damp from the spray starch. It also needs a tassle I think. It is described as "Two colored bookmark adapted from edging in Tatting Doilies & Edgings, edited by Rita Weiss. Edging #1 on page 23." I need to see if I can't go back and find the person who posted it, I can't figure out how to get to her page again, so if it's yours or you know whose it is, let me know! Anyway, I love it too, and I think I'm feeling more confident. I got a new Iris Niebach book in the mail today, "tatted doilies" and I'm just mesmerised! I might just give one a try. New shuttles too! They are the "sew mate" clear ones from Handy Hands. I love that they are clear and you can see the amount of thread left. They are a bit bigger than my clovers. I've decided to pretty much chuck my bobbin shuttles, never had good luck with them. If anyone wants them, there are 3 of the white susan bates "aero" type with black bobbins, if you'd like to trade something let me know! I have two metal ones I'll never use either.

Happy tatting!

UPDATE!-----I found her! the pattern for the spiral bookmark belongs to-Regina A. Brummett. here is her lovely blog! http://threadsofatattinggoddess.blogspot.com/ Thank you
regina!