Friday, June 22, 2012

Nose to the Ground Stone 2


Another Friday night progress report on my beginning Torchon bobbin lace lessons.  This is lesson 2, take 2, where we added more colors and observed how they traveled.  I did it!  I finished within 7 days.

Ready to prep lesson three -- a diamond strip with spiders.  But I won't get farther than the pricking until after the Independence Day holiday (in the US).

Color me happy, in lavender, variegated pinks and green!


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Aerlit Shuttle Excitement Builds

Exhaling a huge sigh of relief after reading Jane Eborall's post, titled "Fantastic Shuttle News" --  because I also have been testing the Aerlit shuttle prototypes for Handy Hands.

Imagine me (figuratively, but sometimes literally) sitting on my hands so as not to "spill the beans" about these soon-to-be-released bobbin shuttles.

The one thing I kept saying during testing was that since I had never held one of the original Aero England shuttles in my hands, I couldn't be sure the prototypes were as good as "the real McCoy."

So when Barbara Foster told me that she had sent Jane Eborall a set of the most recent (black plastic) prototypes I waited with bated breath to hear her thoughts.

The news I have been waiting for is here!  Jane compares the latest prototypes with her "real McCoy" Aero England shuttles.  YIPPEE!!!

Now the excitement is starting to become real.  Not just hopeful hype.  And Handy Hands really is planning to sell them in a wide range of colors.

The first color is for the shuttle and the second color is for the bobbin.

NOTE - Because I know how savvy you are, please note that the color names on the images (if you can see them) are only placeholder identifiers.








See why this is getting exciting?  Look at all those pretty colors!  And if these shuttles perform as well as the pinnacles of perfection we all have heard about (and only a few still have the luxury of owning or using), then we should get excited to try them for ourselves.

And Jane is absolutely right, it is high time bobbin shuttle lovers have more color variety at their fingertips.  No more soggy, grey shuttles day-in and day-out.  What exciting times we live in!



Sunday, June 17, 2012

Motif #14 Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom


Georgia Seitz posted this adorable pattern designed by Anita Barry, President of my local lace guild. Great job, Anita! 

Anyone who would like to make some for the Palmetto Tat Days scholarship quilt, please use size 30 or smaller thread.  Georgia needs blossoms the size of a nickel, or less than 2 cm (or about 3/4").


This charming cherry blossom was tatted in Lizbeth®20 Pink Parade and measures 3 cm (or 1 3/16").  The inner ring is made with Hakelgarn 20 White.  It is too large for the scholarship quilt.

Darn, I will just have to keep it for myself.

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Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom © 2012 Anita Barry 2012
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2012/abarrycherryblossom.pdf

Cherry Blossom © 2011 Jane Eborall
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2011/janecherryblossom.jpg

PattD's Cherry Blossom http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2012/pattydcheryblossom.jpg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Call for Strings of Josephine Rings
In related news, Georgia Seitz also needs small Josephine rings for the same fundraiser quilt project.

The Josephine rings should be tatted in size 30 to 40 -- about 8-10 half stitches in each, tatted in a string of rings with little to no space between them to use for greenery and leaves.

They will be used rather like Helma did in the green section of this photo:

http://www.occhi.de/Kunstgalerie/Helma_Siepmann/Fruhling/Sommerlandschaft/Sommerlandschaft_gross.jpg

Georgia also needs strings of rings with lots of picots such as Helma used in this picture:

http://www.occhi.de/Kunstgalerie/Helma_Siepmann/Fruhling/Herbstwald/Herbstwald_gross.jpg

For this she needs soft yellow colors, some in white and deepest pink or raspberry tone.

Please mail to:
Georgia Seitz
1227 CR 1760 E
Greenup IL 62428 USA

The Online Tatting Class is on recess. Special event in July watch for news.