Thread thread everywhere!

What's this? Was it a dream?

No! It was real! Dr. Von Threadmore has done it!
I've awakened to a bounty of, shall we say, inexpertly dyed thread :-) This first batch is made from a small kit of dye that came with the primary colors. So inevitably my first batch was neon rainbows. The colors are unreal! Farther into the process I concocted (Did I say moi? I mean the doctor concocted) some tantilizing tertiary colors.

After the first bout of rinsing I spotted some techniques that need perfecting. The bug has definitely bit though. I'll be ordering a trunkload of white Lizbeth as soon as I can.

And now my friends, I bid you goodnight. I suddenly feel the strangest urge to wear protective gloves........how odd.

In this episode...

......we rejoin Dr. Von Threadmore in her secret Laboratory. All evidence of the mysterious plague has vanished from her hands. However there is not a trace of white thread to be seen anywhwere!

The holiday season may soon be upon her, but snowflakes will have to wait. Unless of course you like snowflakes that look like a parrot.

It has begun.

At night, when the wee ones are drifting off into a deep and peaceful slumber, Dr Von Threadmore slowly brings to life the mysterious lab that once was her kitchen.

Ok, I'll admit that nowhere are you required to wear the safety goggles, but I thought they were cute and it seemed like a good idea.
Here are some of the implements of destruction,

And some of the strange chemicals and concoctions that have made thier home here....

Beware. Experiments of this nature can have a mind of their own. I seem to have contracted some sort of visible skin disease....perhaps The madness is upon me Mwahahahaaaa!!!!

Stay Tuned for more developments from the Mysterious Laboratory of Dr. Von Threadmore.

Mad Scientist

Mwahahaaaaaaa. Today a little box came to my door from Pro Chemical and Dye.

And I've skeined almost all of the white thread available in my house.

I just need to make a run to the store for foam brushes......

What could I possible be up to!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway. Be sure to enter before Nov. 1st. Perhaps if I'm successful in today's scientific endeavor, I'll sweeten the pot Mwahahahahaa~

Prototype

Hello all. I'm currently numb and reeling from another housing dissapointment. This time the bank took TWO MONTHS to decide that, no, they don't want to sell for the price the homeowner approved and is competitive. Sigh, I really liked this house too..... But alas. We pick ourselves up, finish our package of chocolate covered gummy bears, and move on. My agent has bowed out of the biz, so we will be working with a full-time real estate guy now and hopefully he can help us get things rolling in our favor.

I have been able to get both little tykes down for naps in the afternoon lately, and I've had a few Etsy sales that have motivated me to start working of Jewelry again. Here is a prototype--the design works but wasn't quite what I was looking for, but I finished a second one and will list them at a discounted prototype rate. I don't bother with beads when I am testing designs.

If you would enjoy a pair of earrings I've done, please check out my Giveaway! Just leave a comment on the original post. I'll draw a name on November 1st. Of course, you are invited to comment any time. It delights me.

Ode to Ladyshuttlemaker

Many of you out there in blogland are aware of the many talents of the lovely Ladyshuttlemaker. Well go check out her newest innovation, the coolest Hook pen I've ever seen! I must have one, I have a little hook but it gets lost in the big 'ole tatting basket too often. Anyway, I just think she is the coolest chick, and I wish we lived closer because I'm sure we'd make great friends. I really do look up to her, Lord knows what I'd do with my hubby gone for any amount of time. And she can lay hardwood flooring by herself! That's Girl power.

Pictured above you can see another christmas ornament that I finished this week. The pattern belongs to Ladyshuttlemaker.....It's her Chatelaine pattern. Turns out that in size 20 thread, 6 repeats connected around fits perfectly on a 3" styro ball :-)

And finally, do scroll down to the previous post to read about my giveaway. It's my way of spreading the love. Just like Ladyshuttlemaker has been doing giveaways each week. Have I mentioned that I want to be Ladyshuttlemaker when I grow up?

Blogreader appreciation giveaway!

Almost a year ago, I had just stumbled on a few tatting blogs. I don't even remember how I found them, but once I saw the community unfolding I had to jump in. And now, I've been Tat-blogging and enjoying your friendship for 100 posts! You guys have been there through the birth of my second baby, the opening of my Etsy shop, and many laughs and trials along the way. I feel like my group of friends has grown rich this past year, and I am eternally thankful for all the support and fun that you, the readers of this blog, bring. So, in honor of all you fabulous folks who keep me encouraged in a craft I love, I am giving away this pair of earrings. The design is called "Spanish Dancer" and they are tatted with Lizbeth Boysenberry Dk.

To enter this giveaway, please comment on this post. I will randomly choose a name on Nov. 1st. Please be sure your contact info is available to me, leave an email addy or a link to your blog so I can contact the winner. One other thing. I won't require it, but I would encourage you to consider this a Pay It Forward giveaway if you win. Just pass along the love to other bloggy friends sometime.

So, if you stop by here now and again, leave a comment. I'd love to meet any lurkers who hang around here! Again, I appreciate you all.

Happy Blogging!

Well, it's orange.

Here is Ruth Perry's Celtic pumpkin folks,

However something went wrong in the leaf department I fear. Unless I just grow pumpkins with unusually large leaves.

I feel successful in weaving the knot, however I'm not pleased enough with it to bother with the ends. This one is headed to the little tin of bits I keep for my darling 2yr old to play with while I tat. She likes to sort them and show them to daddy.

Right now I'm off to try again at that pumpkin. The next post will be number 100!

Krystle

97!

97 posts people! Almost to 100, and that seems to be some sort of milestone in tat land. Sigh, I suppose I shall host a giveaway..... it's what all the cool bloggers do. No, I'd love to do a giveaway! Let me see what I can come up with in the next three posts. I'd be honored to pass along a gift to honor all of you who read and comment and encourage (and sometimes enable :-).

The other milestone of one year blogging (and one year since I picked up my long dormant shuttles) is soon to arrive in January, but I don't think I'll wait that long to give a goodie. Maybe I'll do another one then. Who knows!

Anyway, stay tuned for the 100th posts and something fabulous.....

The invasion has begun....

Yes it's true, the christmas balls have landed.

One down, and like 20 more to go.....I really don't know how many actually! I should count..

The thread is one of the newer Lizbeth colorways. Springtime...or Spring flowers, or something like that. The pattern is from Needle Tatting with Style. Oh how I do enjoy a colorful christmas tree! I have all sorts of ornaments from when I was little, and now hubby and I have of course collected some over past years. It's a beautiful mishmash of colors and styles. There is a part of me that enjoys the trees that are all co-ordinated and fancy-matchy, but the sentimental part of me rises up and beats that whole concept back into submission very quickly. My eldest is almost 3, and is more able to sit and participate in a craft.....so I envision many glitter/popsiclestick/eggcarton ornaments this year.

Speaking of participation,

Here is the little tatter in action. She has claimed the green Sew mate as hers, comes up to me when I tat and says "Where my shuddow?"

I'm feeling "Listy"

To continue the theme of the last post,


I've made another list.


This is my tatting "to-do" list.


In no particular order-

• Learn Block tatting.
• Finish TAT phase 1
• Make a pink pendant that was requested by a friend.
• Make a lanyard for my lace guild name tag
• Make it to the online class tomorrow! I've not made it since it resumed!
• Make pattern diagrams for my earrings
• Learn Maltese rings! I don't yet have a use for them, but I'm sure I will someday.
• Cover nine bazillion ornaments for christmas

So what about you? What's on your tatting to-do list?

Christmas list.

I thought it might be apropriate, since tatting is one of the less commonly known arts, to post a small wish-list of items that would make apropriate gifts.....for me of course. :-) My dear husband has to deal with our anniversary, Christmas, and my birthday all within about 30 days. I like to drop him a hint just to help him out of course.

First up is this lovely handmade shuttle by Mr Cua, inlaid with golden mother of pearl. Absolutely scrumptious. I've recently held one similar to this, and it seems like it would be perfect to tat with. Available from Handy Hands.

Next up, handmade shuttles from David Reed Smith in the following woods- Pommele Sapele, Sycamore, or Walnut. The 2 inch size with wooden spike please.....and be sure to order early as they are custom made.

I'd also love to have one from The Shuttle Shop. Original style with point, in Tulipwood, with the lace engraving art design.

I'd also adore a copy of this book from Handy Hands.

This one as well, the only place I've seen it recently is at Zigzag corner's website.

Thread of course would make a superb stocking stuffer. My favorites are hand-dyed threads available on ETSY from Lady Shuttlemaker and Yarnplayer. Anything in a size 20.

And of course if this is all too confusing, a gift certificate from Handy Hands would always do :-)

(special note for hubby- I've linked all the pictures to make things easy, just click a photo to go right to the apropriate place. Aren't I the nicest wife?)

Can you guess?

Any idea what I've been up to this week?

Not meant to be?

Do you ever encounter a situation or goal that seems unwilling to come together the way you had hoped? Take this situation with myself and the Krazy Kat Fiberhaus. It is a semi-local shop, out of the way enough to warrant planning a visit while we were in the area. I contacted the owner and was informed that they carry a small supply of tatting shuttles and threads, in addition to their selection of embroidery threads. So, along with our trip to the childrens museum yesterday, we had planned a quick stop there so I could check them out. Well, the Google directions I had printed sent me to an old address, thus eating away all the time available for browsing. Bummer. So, I decided I would try again another day. However, after finding out that my evening meeting had been cancelled, I decided to take the girls out as I had to go to the post office to drop off an etsy order. I printed the proper directions and we were on our way. We found the place easily and checked out a few other shops while we were there. The Krazy Kat is a nicely stocked shop, admittedly they don't have much in the way of tatting......but no one does really. They do have more than Joann for sure. They even had a play area set up in the back for my darling two year old! So I frolicked among the racks of thread for about ten minutes untill I heard the call of the wild...."mama? Poo-poo!" So I asked for the restroom and took the toddler in to do her biz. Now, mind you, she calls everything poo-poo still. And she has been fully toilet trained all summer. We had never had an accident. (take not of the past tense of the previous sentence.....) Well, there in the potty room of the Krazy Kat Fiberhaus, my darling missed the toilet and pooed all over her undies and jeans. and the floor.

Mortified was I! The diaper bag of course was conveniently located in the car around the block. So we cleaned up, used almost a whole pack of the poor lady's baby wipes, made our small purchase and headed out to the car. I don't think I need to explain how the rest of the story went.

So you see, my calm trip to meander the thread selection was met with chaos at every turn. Just like my attempts at the Spinning Wheel pattern....don't ask me why I insist on doing it with the tiny threads lately. This is round two. I made it farther, this time with silk. I made the same mistake as last time, and I tried to retro-tat. I succeded in making a knot, getting frustrated, and cutting the whole thing off. Pppffft.

I think I need another dose of "sense of accomplishment", so I may lay this to rest and start something else for the time being.

Calling all those with P.A.S!

So the last post was my own confession of Pattern Aquisition Syndrome. I'm calling on all of you who will admit the same addictive tendencies to help me find some good christmas ball patterns. I've just ordered some 3 inch satin balls from Handy Hands, and I need some inspiration for covering them! So, if you know of a good pattern, would you kindly share the link? Thanks! I'll probably post the same APB on Intatters as well.

-Krystle

Theraputic sorting

Lately I've been feeling a bit out of sorts, so I thought maybe sorting out the ENORMOUS amount of patterns I've collected might in some way make me feel a little more sorted as well. And it actually worked that evening! Surrounded by piles of paper I felt at peace lol. Hi my name is Krystle and I have Pattern Aquisition Syndrome.

Off in the background of the picture, you might be able to see my littlest one sleeping in her pink chair. She is a happy little clam. However, she is a little clam who is going cold turkey off of the pacifier. Little princess has decided that she will NOT latch on to nurse unless the milk is already coming out. Those of you who have breastfed will understand why this can become problematic. So, to entice her to help me out with the situation, the binky has gone bye-bye. Needless to say the house has been a little less than quiet...... however, she is taking the whole thing better than I had anticipated. Such are the adventures of childrearing!