A Giveaway — No Foolin'

For many, April 1st is a day for tomfoolery, pranks and hoaxes. But for tatters it is a day devoted to furthering a lace-making art.

Did you know that April Fools Day is also International Tatting Day?

Many tatters still don't know about our special day. So in the interest of getting the word out far and wide, I am having another giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win this pampering set from New Hands Soaps and Lotions.

Amber Romance Gift Set
NHSL is my twin sister's Etsy shop. In February Igoya prepared a Posh Petals custom set for me to use as a prize. In it was an indulgent combination of chocolate lip balm, champagne and strawberries linen spray and posh petals soap.

As good as that was, this gift set is even better! Amber romance is a warm and mildly aphrodisiac scent with black cherry, creme Anglaise, sandalwood, sensual amber and Egyptian musk.

Included in the prize package is a 6-ounce lotion and two 7.5 ounce bars of long-lasting, handmade soap.

And since we're "partyin' like its our birthday," I'm throwing in a skein of Tatskool's Vanilla Sky hand-dyed thread. Just in time for Easter or Spring tatting projects.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You must leave a valid e-mail address to be eligible for the prize. Comments without valid contact information will not be entered in the drawing.

2. Cut-off date for entries is Wednesday, March 31.

3. Winner will be announced on Thursday, April 1st.

For more chances to win you can

1. post about this giveaway on your blog to qualify for an additional entry.

2. post about this giveaway on Twitter to qualify for an additional entry.

Be sure to add a (2) or (3) to your comment, just like in LadyShuttleMaker's Mondo Monday Giveaways. Kindly include a clickable link or the name of your blog so I may verify your entry. Once verified, you will be added to my giveaway spreadsheet a second or even a third time.

Winner will be chosen via random number generator.

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Wanna see my past posts for International Tatting Day?

2009 - International Tatting Day – No Foolin'

2008 - No Foolin' – International Tatting Day

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Each year in honor of International Tatting Day I sit down to tat with my fish-shaped shuttle. Over the past two years I have searched in vain for a Celtic fish pattern. If anyone finds one please do forward details or a link.

That said, it would be remiss of me not to point out that Jane Eborall offers many wonderful animal patterns for free, including an impressive goldfish in three sizes, small fishy earrings and even a starfish.

Special thanks to Georgia Seitz for making my beloved fish shuttle and Lady Jane for sharing her limitless creative artistry.

If you're still reading, click on this link to read a lovely poem called The Name of a Fish by Faith Shearin.

Now, let's all spread the word about International Tatting Day!

Lion or Lamb? And ♥ for Postie

How did March arrive in your little corner of Tat Land?

Gusting winds mixed with mild sunshine were the order of the day in ce petit coin, rather like a spunky lamb kicking up its heels.

This illustrative cartoon by PBS Stargazer Jack Horkheimer on In Like a Lion and Out Like a Lamb tells the constellatory story behind the old adage.

Whether or not you are a weather watcher, (Say that three times fast.) the early light of Spring is not far off. Lion Winter may not retire quietly, but we may take heart that light is just an equinox away.

Tatting Tea Tuesday
Hot tea has been a steadfast companion these past few days. Today instead of Throat Coat, I sit down with a comforting cuppa Rooibos Vanilla topped off with a splash of chocolate soy milk. Mmmm, so yummy.

Work continues on my ChocoRaspberry nine-sided motif but have decided not to show it until I finish the second round. Test tatting for Heather, the Tarnished Tatter continues too. Can't show you that either, just yet.

What I can show you is an Easter Egg and four goodies that arrived Monday via post.

Easter Egg No 5
© 2004 Forleget Akacia
This is Easter Egg No 5 from Tatted Easter Eggs by Kirsten Wind Hansen, published by Forleget Akacia.  It is tatted in two rounds using one shuttle and ball thread. I chose Lizbeth size 40 in Marble (color 121) for the rings and DMC Cordonnet Special size 40 in Ecru for the chains. The finished egg measures 6 cm by 7 cm or approximately 2 ½ by 2 ¾ inches.

Easter Egg No 5 is motif number nine for my 25 motif challenge. Lizbeth Marble (color 121) is a timeless, masculine colorway. Great for projects with bold, classic tones. It was not on my list of threads to buy, but jumped off the shelf and said, "Take me home!"

♥ for Postie
Postie brought lots of wonderful things yesterday. Three goodies from LadyShuttleMaker:

• a skein of size 50 Treebeard HDT to pair with some Omega size 50 in color 1394 Brown Gray.
• The Exquisite Collection of Tatted Butterflies, volumes I & II

My fingers are itching to try the Treebeard and Brown Gray together, but I must wait until the Omega thread arrives via mail order.

After poring over the butterfly books, I decided I couldn't wait and tatted Twitter last evening in bed. The instructions say it is a good project to use up left over thread on your shuttles. And it is!

Twitter © 2010 Sherry Pence
Twitter was tatted using 2 shuttles wound CTM with Lizbeth size 40 Marble (colorway 121).

Can you believe this wee flutter is the first butterfly I have ever tatted? So charmed was I that I tossed it on the scanner even before finishing off the ends.

Lastly, Postie brought the 40-page booklet entitled, Elgiva Agnes Nicholls, Tatter, Life and Career 1900-1982 by Heather Lickley for the Ring of Tatters.

Tatskool showed me her copy a week or so ago during a video chat and I knew immediately that I HAD to have this book for my tatting reference library.

It is a lovingly recorded and well-researched bit of history, with many previously unpublished photos of Elgiva and her work. If you are a collector, this booklet is a must-have for your library.