Finger Lakes 2016--Part 3

“Classes and Confessions”

I’m not sure where to start….Confession #1, (This one is not really Finger Lakes related!)  For a long time, “Blogger” has mystified me and the whole process has been trial and error.  My husband, who teaches programming classes, Office (Computer programs) Classes, and Computer Repair—knows quote: “nothing about blogs.”  Enter the wonderful, extremely patient and giving, Muskaan (she has a fantastic blog, FULL of wonderful tatting knowledge, patterns and tips—http://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.in/) who contacted me via email and politely told me that she couldn’t find a link to any of my pdf’s.  I wrote back and told her I had NO idea how to post a pdf to my blog.  She replied, step by step, telling me how to post a pdf and offering further assistance, should I need it.  The information scared me a little—my knowledge of the computer is based on a little bit of word processing and some easy graphics work, so I waited until my very busy husband had time to sit down with Muskaan’s email.  After he locked me out of blogger for a short time, by changing my password when he opened a new google account when I already had one….he figured out how to show me how to post a pdf to my account!  So….hopefully all the links on the right hand side of my blog will now actually take you to a real pdf!  (If they don’t, please let me know!)    THANK YOU SO MUCH MUSKAAN!!!!!!!!

Jennifer Williams' Patterns

A Little History--

pattern by Bina Madden

Back in October, I was playing with Celtic Knotted Picots (I had taken a class at Finger Lakes several years before from Bina Madden, who developed this technique) and with Catherine Wheel Joins--I had finally “learned” them, when I was doing Jane Eborall’s baby buggy TIAS ,and wanted to make sure I hadn’t forgotten them.  All this playing turned into a little edging which I scanned and sent to Karey.  I really had no intention of teaching, but thought maybe someone more experienced would teach it.  When I learned that I would be teaching it, I panicked!  I worked several motifs trying to perfect my techniques.  These motifs can be found on Bina Madden's Paradise Treasures website  http://www.paradisetreasures.com/index.html and on Jennifer Williams' website http://www.cariad-tatting.co.uk/.  

 I developed the pattern “Their Five Year Mission” and some photo tutorials for the Celtic Knotted Picot and my “allegory” about Catherine Wheel Joins trying to come up with an easy way to teach the two techniques. 

This is the final version of the edging. and the pdf is available CLICK HERE

I named it Wandering through the Woods edging, because of all the ins, outs, overs and arounds the pattern makes—I could imagine the Teddy Bears at their picnic wandering through the woods like Billy from Family Circus in this cartoon.

 (Jeff Keane kindly gave me permission to use this cartoon from 8/2/09 for my class.) 

 

 I panicked after some of my test tatters had problems with the Catherine Wheel Join.  So I prepared kits so I could give my students a choice if they wanted to learn the techniques with size 3 thread, on a small project before they started on a long edging that would “show” progress.  The thread alone, looked a little lonesome, so I “filled” the kits with some things that I thought might make the conference easier for them.  It turns out, I had a very easy class to teach for my first class—only three students.    I thoroughly enjoyed teaching!  I had been dreading not getting to take a class during this session, but had a blast instead!

Saturday Afternoon’s Class

I think I have mentioned in this blog, that I have a sleeping disorder.  It makes my life crazy!! I haven’t driven in years (grrr!)  Everyone at our church knows that the thud they hear is my Bible or a hymnal that has slid off my lap when I am asleep.  I have actually gone to sleep sitting in front of a large group of 4-6 graders while teaching my Vacation Bible School Lesson, and standing in front of my teenage CYIA students lecturing.   I get an average of 3-5 hours of sleep a night—when I sleep.  I often am up all night long.  I have not in the past “napped” intentionally during the day…but most days do so, either uncontrolled “blinking in and out” or unplanned actual sleeping for 10-15 minutes.  On our trip, I got a lot of sleep!  I have been a car sleeper since I was a child—and will sleep almost every time I get in the car, short or long trip.  (Many people have joked that my husband needs to put me in the car and drive around for a few hours every night!)  I do see a sleep specialist, who I have “mystified”.  I slept well most of the nights on the trip, including well over six hours the night before!  I was so excited to get to go to Randy Houtz’s Split/Self-Closing Mock Ring Bear Edging Class.  I had sent in my Teacher’s Registration the day after I got it in the mail, hoping to get the teachers and classes that I wanted.  I had my thread and shuttles wound and ready to go….Confession #2   I honestly do not remember ANYTHING from this class other than people waking me up and telling me that I was getting ready to fall out of my chair.  I think if I had a gun to my head, I could not have stayed awake! (I only got three double stitches done during the whole class!)   a)  It was rude to Randy!  -I apologize again!!  b)  If I had known, someone else could have had my seat in the class and have taken advantage of some great teaching.  C) I’m sure it made some of my other fellow students uncomfortable — I do know I worried some of them.

Confession #3—I have not done the Split/Self-Closing Mock Ring Bear edging at all.  Instead I purchased the Shuttle Brother’s book, "Tatting Gr-8 Baubles, Bugs and Blossoms" and worked the Hedgehog Bauble! (I added ears, and his feet still need blocked/stiffened.)  The Lacemakers Guild of Oklahoma’s “Lace Embrace” day will be October 1st this year in Bartlesville, Ok..  The theme is “Seasons of Lace:  Autumn”.  Someone mentioned a hedgehog they had seen on Pinterest made with autumn leaves.  Hedgehogs immediately became the “unofficial symbol” for this year’s Lace Embrace.  So this little hedgehog is my attempt at not procrastinating!  Please contact me if you would like more information about this free lace event with vendors and classes.

Finger Lakes 2016 Part 4
 Sunday’s Confessions and Classes  – Soon!