The Joy of Tatting

It is amazing the growth that tatting has has gone through over the years. When you think of how tatting started out as trim and doilies it has sure evolved into an art form that I think has more uses than was ever thought of just 50 years ago. Just take a look at some fellow tatters blogs. We have people creating jewelry, 3 dimension objects like a ginger bread house or chess set, Christmas ornaments just to name a few. Unlike the threads of old we have threads with amazing shades of colour and unique Hand Dyed Threads which blend colours in an amazing way, making sure that the item you are tatting is truly one of a kind. With the wonderful invention of the Internet we now have access to online classes with tatters from around the world and new tatting methods spread across the world in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months. We are also able to share our tatting with an audience that we would not have had access to 20 years ago. Is tatting a dying art? NO WAY it is a growing art and I am very happy to be a tatter at this time when it is progressing so fast. So pick up your shuttles or needles and take part of the tatting revolution. We are growing and we are having a blast. Well I am at least.

All is Well

A special thank you to all who sent prayers and best wishes for Robert as he was going for heart surgery. With great relief and a glad heart I am happy to announce that Robert had his surgery today and it was a success. It amazes me that you can have heart surgery in the morning and by the afternoon feel fine with no pain. I am truly grateful.

Thoughts and Prayers

To everyone who follows my blog I would really appreciate it if you could include my son Robert in your thoughts and your prayers Monday as he under goes heart surgery.I will be sure to let everyone know how he is doing as soon as I am able. Thank you.

My Favorite HDT

I finally managed to get a piece of tatting completed. I have realized that I just cannot put a piece of tatting aside to work on another project. I am the type of person that needs to finish one project before starting another or it drives me crazy. Here is my latest project, a doily, the pattern comes from Traditional Tatting Patterns by Rita Weiss and is called Party Time Doily. It is tatted in Marilee's (YarnPlayers) Tourmaline HDT size 80. This colourway of HDT is my favorite of Marilee's. This is what the thread looks like when it arrives in the skein form. ( Note your skeins will be thinner. These ones are extra big as it was a large order )

This is how it looks when it has been tatted into a doily. Isn't it beautiful.

Here is the new home for the doily. I think it looks perfect under the antique cranberry glass lamp. What a fitting home for a piece of fine lace and it is just that much more special knowing that I was the one who made it. Yes I am proud.

Orchids, Orchids Everywhere

Well I must begin by saying that Gregg and I are big orchid fans among other things. Yesterday was the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada annual Orchid Show.

The funny thing about orchids is that the foliage is usually boring and in some cases down right ugly but they produce flowers whose beauty defies description.

There are two special parts to the show the sale of orchids of every description and displays of orchids whose beauty takes your breath away.

Imagine walking into a room with over 100,000 orchids in bloom ranging in size from 1/4 of an inch to 5 feet tall.

There where so many different types of orchids and they where in every colour

RED

YELLOW

ORANGE

PURPLE

GREEN

PINK

WHITE

I was so taken by the wonderful sights that I took about 100 photographs if you would like to see them the link is here. It made me think it was summer for a couple of hours which was very nice but when we left and the cold wind hit our faces the reality of winter came rushing back.