Palmettos Tat Days Part 4

Okay  here is Palmetto part 4....since 5 and 6 got published during the last few minutes!

After a delicious breakfast that revived my poor brain a little I started my next two-session class--once again by Erin Holloway Moseley.  This one was Phil the Phish and the Phishbowl for Phil.  This was such a unique concept!!!  I love it.

I did change mine a little.  Erin's Phishbowl had the lace edging placed vertically on a 3 1/4 inch glass ornament.  I placed my horizontally thinking it looked more realistically like a fishbowl that way.  I chose to use a 4 inch ornament to give the fish a little more room to peak out under the lace edging.  The plastic ornament change happened after I got home -- I took the ornament to show someone and the glass broke!  I have made many tatted beaded ornaments over the years, and all of them had the tatting and beading as a cover that slipped over the glass ornament, and could be put on another ornament if that one broke.  This phishbowl edging is glued onto the ornamnet--so you really don't want to have to replace it--thus my switch to plastic.  I also removed the picots from one of the lace edgings--they were decorative, and I really thought a "smooth" edge would look nicer.  None of these changes are criticisms of Erin's wonderful pattern in any way--they are just personal preferences!

I loved this ornament so much that it became my Christmas ornament for the grandchildren and nieces and nephews this year!  If I ever get my blog caught up, I may show you the different color combinations that I did.

Sherry Townsend (*)

 A few comments....Sherry Townsend was Erin's helper for each class.  They were both prepared with examples of the class project.  I loved that they were very knowledgeable about where you might come to a "snag" working the pattern.  When that happened they also knew how to explain in easily understood directions how to "fix" what you were working on.  Sherry had a prize for the first person in each class to finish their project--I don't know who won them, but whoever you are--I'm jealous!

I have an undiagnosed sleeping disorder--not narcolepsy (if you have narcolepsy, you sleep all night and then drop off during the day) but falling asleep during the day caused by sleep deprivation.  The dr's have not been able to get me to sleep a "full" night's sleep.  Knowing I was going to be in Erin's class for 4 sessions, I told Sherry and her what might happen.  I am so glad I did--the only time that I fell asleep during a class was in the last session with Erin and Sherry kindly woke me up.  I have fallen asleep many times in public-and missed the event that I wanted to attend because the people around me (also kindly) thought "I needed the sleep" and as a result did not wake me.

Last comment about these two classes--"Phil" is Erin's brother!  I wonder he thinks it is a good or bad thing to have a tatted fish named after you?

My Silent Auction "

Melissa Deputy

Right before lunch, the Silent Auction closed.  One of the fun things about the Palmettos is the silent auction!  There is all of this--"eye candy" of wonderful things that are put out to bid on.  There are antiques linens and old needlework magazines, wonderful tatting books-current and out of print, tatting tools and thread, and then the things that are not craft related--home decorations, etc.  More stuff is donated right up to the close of the auction...so wandering through the Silent Auction room to see what was new to look at was a favorite thing of mine to do during breaks in the schedule.  Another neat thing was getting to know Melissa Deputy a little better.  She was "in charge" of the Silent Auction room, and did a wonderful job!  Melissa is an "internet" friend--I met her through a Christmas exchange.  I finally did place a bid on two books that were "grouped" together.  As I was really watching my money this trip-I almost didn't bid...but I really wanted them so I "gave in.  When the Silent Auction was over, you gave your number (each person bid with a secret number, not their name) to Melissa at one door of the auction room--she told you whether you had won or not--winning numbers got slips of paper to take to the cashier in the vending room.  Once you had paid for your items, you took the slip to the other door of the auction room where someone brought you your "prize."  The silent auction gets all kinds of brownie points from me for their excellent displays and organization at the close of the Silent Auction.

My next and sadly last class at Palmettos was the Daisy Mae Bracelet with Carol Lowe.  Talk about knowing a pattern inside and out--she and her assistant Tina Norman (Tina is her sister-in-law) had many, many examples of the bracelet made with different sizes of thread and a variety of beads!  This was a very easy pattern for me because I have had a lot of experience putting rings in beads and on picots (which is what this pattern used.)  My learning experience in this class was two-fold.   The first was that Carol had on many of her samples, covered the split ring finding or ring that the clasp attached to with thread.  I had never covered a ring--especially a tiny ring with tatting.  That was a real challenge for me particularly doing it neatly.  The other thing was that I really enjoyed observing how Carol instructed and worked with those pupil who had no beading experience and needed help.  She was so patient and friendly, all the time describing and often demonstrating what needed to be done. **I didn't get enough beads in my kit to make a comfortably fitting bracelet and Carol very kindly sent me some more by mail--with a lovely tatted card!--above and beyond what you would expect!!!.

(*) Photos are courtesy of Palmettos Tatting Guild

Next:  Saturday Night's activities.