Tatted Turtle from Brigette

I was blessed to get to go to the Palmetto Tatting Conference in 2011.  I bought a blue chambray (my husband says very light denim) shirt that I proudly wear with the Palmetto's logo on it because I was so cold one day.  I have proudly worn it and it has started many conversations about tatting, even if I don't have my shuttles out.

Did you know you can join the Palmetto Tatting Guild by sending them a tatted butterfly each year? 

In January of 2012, the online tatting class led by Georgia Seitz did this Emmy Liebert edging.  The thread is Lizbeth 20, color 133-Razzle Dazzle.  (I talked about this in the post dated Jan. 19, 2012.)  I applied this edging to both cuffs of the shirt.

Later, I added this Quatrain edging by the tatter known as Frivole.  The pattern is available here http://leblogdefrivole.blogspot.com/p/patterns.html   It was tatted in Lizbeth 20, color 111-Cotton Candy.  I applied 21 inches of this edging to the seam on the back yoke of the shirt.

I met Brigette (blog: tattingandbeading.blogspot.com ) when I got to attend an Oklahoma Shuttle Bugs meeting in 2010.  She is a lovely lady, inside and out.  She is also a fantastic tatter!!  I've gotten to spend a little more time with her over the years.  For the next two years at the Lacemakers Guild of Oklahoma's big lace day--Lace Embrace, Brigette and I teamed up for the tatting olympics in synchronized tatting--we came in second both years!  After sharing a hotel room with Brigette for a tatting workshop, she made me this absolutely adorable turtle (I collect turtles.)

It took forever, with my hand inside the shirt pocket, but I got it sewed on.  When I sew something--and I sew everything down every picot, every join, and usually I put a stitch in every 3 to 5 stitches.  It usually takes longer to applique my tatting than it did to tat it in the first place.

Brigitte shared the pattern with me, and I've tracked down the designer of the pattern, Gail Owens.  Gail has given me permission to for me to post the pattern here on my blog.  If you would like a printable pdf of the pattern CLICK HERE

Brigitte's button turtle started it all!  This summer, I got a "bee in my bonnet" to make some other motifs with buttons and put on the shirt.  Over the next few posts, I'd like to show them to you--now that I have them sewn on.