Friday, January 8, 2010
Tatting Tea News of the Weird
I was going to hold this until next Tuesday, but decided the odd chuckle or smirk might just lift a few spirits today. Enjoy this specially brewed tatting tea news-of-the-weird from Laughing Squid!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Holy Schemoley! Shuttles
from The Shuttle Shop
The first Tatting Tea Tuesday of 2010 dawns clear, but with high, stinging, cold winds. Another day to hide inside, dreaming of sunflowers. But clever lady Jane starts her first T.I.A.S. of the year today. Hurray!
Having lurked and guessed through a few past T.I.A.S. games, I am quite excited to tat along with this one. So today I sip my new favorite tea – Lord Nelson® Rooibos Vanilla – and enjoy Day 1.
Holey Schemoley, this tea is yummy and isn't the sunflower shuttle a beauty?
On a lark I emailed the Shuttle Shop, asking if they might consider crafting one of these inlaid marvels in purpleheart instead of rosewood. Don't get me wrong, I adore rosewood. My all-time favorite shuttle is made from rosewood. See it here, next to the purpleheart?
Gorgeous woods, both. But a moisture-sucking vortex of doom settles over my house every winter, causing all manner of issues. My eight-foot,-mahogany hall tree has two cracks. I have also lost two rosewood shuttles.
You see, I can't have another one made if this one cracks. I have forgotten the name and address of the manufacturer.
What I do know is that I purchased it in the late 1990s from a vendor at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. His table was located in the main barn and he mainly sold drop spindles. And when I went begging for this replacement, he told me he didn't make shuttles anymore because he didn't sell enough of them. But he agreed to make a replacement one for me. (It was probably the welling tears in my eyes or the pleading tone in my voice, LOL!)
I think he was from Colorado or Wyoming or Montana...or maybe even farther points west.
So, if you have ever seen a rosewood shuttle like this, please let me know. And yes, each year at Sheep and Wool I go trolling spindle vendors with my rosewood shuttle in hand, asking if anyone makes it. So far no luck.
One last Holey Schemoley moment — can you believe I won one of Lace-Lovin' Librarian Diane's handmade shuttles in her new year giveaway? What a delightful surprise! Thank you, Diane! I'm over the moon with excitement. Can't wait to show it off, once it arrives.
Oh and before I forget, Holey Schemoley! A whopping 94% of respondents voted to continue Tatting Tea Tuesday posts in 2010. I'm so glad you (at least 36 of you) are enjoying it as much as I am.
Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.
See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!