Tatting Day, New Shuttles, Giveaway...

I cannot explain what October 24th meant to me this year!!  Sonya--my dear

BRIGITTE, CYNTHIA and SONYA

ME, EMMA and IRENE

friend from Edmond, OK, had planned a tatting event at her house a couple of months earlier, but--I got sick, another tatter had a death in the family...things just didn't work out.  But late in the evening on October 23rd, my "closest-in-distance" tatting friend--Emma picked me up and we headed for Sonya's!  That evening we sat around and chatted and made the necessary Walmart run.  The next morning, Cynthia (my travel-buddy to Finger Lakes and Palmetto's), Irene and Brigitte (made the turtle on my shirt) arrived there at Sonya's.  Everyone had brought the most delicious goodies to eat!!  We sat around and tatted and talked and ate all day long!  We shared patterns, and talked about which pattern books and designers we liked.  Irene and Brigitte shared memories of the late Judi Banashek.  Judi started the Oklahoma Shuttlebugs which meet in Kingfisher OK (too far a distance for me to travel to meet with them on a regular basis.)  Judi also authored several tatting books. Irene (who is a "master" tatter from the T.A.T. program) sat down and very patiently worked with me on some techniques with which I have been having trouble.  She also shared wonderful recollections of Camp Wanna Tat.  (Camp Wanna Tat is one of those things I day-dream about!)  I think everyone was surprised and delighted with goodie bags that I was able to put together with donations from several (!!) companies.  Once again my gratitude goes to Jennifer at Tatting Corner and Nancy at Be-Stitched, CTA, Dentek, DMC, Ernie's Pharmacy, Kreinik, Noble County Yarns, The Blessing, TTCU, Coats, Red Lobster, Nordic Needle and Hamlins for helping me "stuff" the goodie bags!  To add to everyone's "stash", Emma had a shuttle, laminating sheets and containers for everyone and  Sonya had made some beautiful cloth covered boxes that we could place our new treasures in!  After fantastic BBQ (my husband fixed it!) for dinner, we packed up and all headed home.  This was such a special day--Sonya (my dear friend) opening her home, learning one-on-one from Irene, spending time with Emma, Cynthia and Brigitte--it was just a dream of a day!  I think it was fate that it turned into a tatting "day" instead of a tatting "weekend"--the next morning--I came down with pneumonia once again.

One of the people I look forward to seeing at tatting events is Monica Braxton.  Her shuttle was chosen for the Tatting Shuttle Addicts commemorative shuttle this year.  When mine came in the mail this fall there was a surprise--on the back of the one with my name--was this adorable turtle!! Thank you Monica--that was such a sweet surprise!  I love the shuttles--they tat marvelously!  Monica's etsy shop (where she sells shuttles and gorgeous hand-dyed thread) is NAGStudio--Needle Arts Goddess Studio.

I was really overwhelmed with the number of people who left comments on my blog for my 100th Post Giveaway--or who emailed me because blogger wasn't letting them leave comments on my blog!  I made a list, gave everyone a number and ran a random number generator.                                                    
The winner was (drumroll please!) Stephanie Wilson.  I have a lovely memory of meeting Stephanie--I was sitting beside her at Palmettos and she looked over and exclaimed, "I recognize that shirt!  I read your blog!"  She was the first person that I have "met in person" because of my blog!  She is lovely--and has the nicest smile!

I finally got her package in the mail on Friday.  There were some bottle cap containers, a reusable ribbon ( a lot of people are getting these from me for Christmas this year) and the promised bracelet that I made for the Finger Lakes Competition.  then, I

really hope she likes purple!  If not she has a lot of purple things to put in her next tatting exchange with someone!  This is what I finally settled on putting in my giveaway--Except for the Workbaskets, the books were all duplicates of mine (Georgia autographed hers for my giveaway.)  The Workbaskets were my Grandmother's and are the old "booklet" kind-and are all Volume 11.  

Most of the stuff in the picture at the left, people will recognize, except maybe the glass nail file and cover in the middle bottom.  I was given one by a friend during the summer--and LOVE them.  Did you know you can file your nails in both directions with one?  (You aren't supposed to do that with regular emery boards or files, and I always catch myself doing it!)  They also file so, so smoothly...and just little bits at a time.  Okay not tatting related but "girl-talk."  

 This is all stuff that I made.  The cloth things from left to right....a tatting bag, a coaster and a small bag to put in the big bag.  The small bag was sort of an experiment--I'm not sure quite what I like or dislike about it (maybe Stephanie will give me some feedback!)  The beaded things from top to bottom are a needle threader, a striver, a frogger and a scissor fob.  She also got a pretty pair of scissors with a purple cover that didn't make it into the picture.   

 Remember the felt Christmas tree in the last post?  This is what I made from the scraps--a Mom's "keep in you purse and take out when the kids are about to drive everyone crazy" game.  A very old idea with hopefully a new twist.  The fish of course have tiny magnets in them.  The Altoids containers have a double layer of felt covering the bottom and sides to help prevent the magnets sticking to them.  The magnet on on the fishing pole is a magnet for putting on a necklace (I don't know where I read that idea--but it is a great one!).  Then here is the "twist"--These are my directions.  Take turns catching as many fish as you can.  When all the fish are caught--roll the dice and find out who is the BEST FISHERMAN!  1.  Who caught the MOST fish.  2.  Put all the fish head to tail and find out who has the LONGEST LINE of fish.  3.  Who caught the RED fish?  4.  Who caught the most PURPLE fish?  5.  Who caught the LARGEST fish?  6.  Who caught the SMALLEST fish?  (I should have labeled #2--the BIGGEST FISH STORY....)

Hopefully I can continue my review of 2015 Palmetto Tat Days in the next post.