He knows my name!

My life verse: "I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel." (Isaiah 45:3). For me, "the treasures of darkness" has been the medically-treated depression that I have suffered off and on with for years. More than anything else in my life, I think this has made me realize how much my Savior loves me and has deepened my relationship with God. The "hidden riches of secret places" are my wonderful family and this fabulous craft--tatting! I thank God for both!
I think it is awesome that God knows my name! Did you know that He knows yours?

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Giveaway/My Beloved Tatting Shirt

I am aware some of the links on my blog no longer work.  I am attempting to fix these.
 
 
One of the wonderful tatting memories in my life was sitting down at a table during a Palmettos Tat Days and having Stephanie Wilson lean over and say "I recognize that shirt!  I read your blog."  I have worn that shirt as a light jacket until the shirt is falling apart under the tatting.   I love to drag it out to show the tatting to visitors but can't make myself wear it in public it is in such bad shape.  I would love to transfer everything to a new shirt....but how do I put this....Each piece of tatting was sewn on to survive tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes!  Many designs took longer to sew on than they did to tat!  I think I am going to just put the shirt in the back of my closet and leave it to my granddaughter to deal with when I'm gone. 
 
 
My 150th blog post is approaching--this is 147.  .  (Hopefully I won't repeat last year's track record and will make than two posts this year!)   I would love to publish pictures here on my blog of my patterns that someone else has tatted.  I don't really have many patterns, so I'm going to pull one up from the past. 
 
 
Tat my "Jennifer's Button" pattern (color choice totally up to you.)  Email me at fibrotats@gmail.com or patricialyn@sbcglobal.net.  Please put BLOG in the subject line.   I need your name, home address and a picture (jpg or  PDF) of your tatted motif (it is wise to add your name to the picture) and I will post them on my blog.      The first 30 people sending me a picture or pictures to be posted on my blog will receive a "button" charm.   I would love to see multiple pictures of your multiple motifs but only one charm per person. The giveaway will be over when I have posted my 150th post or am out of my 30 button charms.


Giveaway #2(!!!)  For this post through post 150, I will draw one of the comments, and send that person a special prize.  I will hold my drawing when Giveaway #1 finishes .... that may be before my 150th post.  IF you cannot get the comments to work...send your comment to me at fibrotats@gmail.com or patricialyn@sbcglobal.net.  Please put BLOG in the subject line.  Please put your name in the comment if you are posting anonymously and wish to be included in my giveaway drawing.                               
 

CLICK HERE for a printable PDF of Jennifer's Button

Jennifer's Button

1- ¾ inch 2-hole button
2 shuttles wound CTM (6 yards each) (1(
Round 1
*start
Ring: 10ds attach to button 10ds Cl
Continue joining first six rings to the first button hole and the second six rings to the second button hole until you have 12 chains and 12 rings. Attach the 12th chain to the base of the first ring. Continue to Round 2 -- do not cut and tie.
Round 2
(If you use the magic thread trick, you will want to make arrangements to hide your final ends in this round.)
Chain: 12ds Lj to the base of the next ring of Round 1. Continue all the way around, lj to the base of each ring. Finish the round by joining to the base of ring 1. Continue to Round 3--do not cut and tie. RW
Round 3
SS
“Mock onion ring” Ring 10ds-10ds Cl, Chain 12ds+12ds. Cl
SS
Chain 15ds.
SS Josephine Knot 15(last half of ds only) SS
Chain 15ds. (skip one section and join to next section of motif.)
Continue all around to the final join above Ring 1.
Cut and hide ends.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Where has the time gone?

I cannot believe how the time has flown since I last posted!  

Here is an update on me....

I have now spent over 150 days in the hospital in the last 5 years--almost all of it for pneumonia. I am on 4 liters of oxygen 24/7. I have a large hiatal hernia in which my stomach contents hide.  This hernia is inoperable.  They would have to split my diaphragm to get it out.  One of my doctor's commented "having that surgery "would be a fatal mistake. So, I go to bed semi-healthy and wake up very sick....reflux followed by aspiration (my hiatal hernia has decided to feed my lungs.)   

My weight and the wear and tear pneumonia has put on my lungs has caused some cardiac problems.  In 2020, I had my left knee replaced and in 2021, I had the right knee replaced.  Right rotator cuff (both shoulders were messed up by crutch use) surgery was scheduled three times in 2022 but each time derailed because of hospitalization for pneumonia which required new clearances from my primary, pulmonologist, and cardiologist.  I am still becoming anemic to the point of getting either iron or a blood transfusion which with the help of my iron pills will keep me in the safe zone for a few months.  I have been given an infusion of gamma globulin each month since January 2022 trying to boost my immune system..  I continue dealing with my fibromyalgia and my sleeping disorder.  I get to go to labs, doctor's offices and hospitals but otherwise have basically been isolating since August or September of 2019 (before the pandemic!)

Because of my sleeping disorder, I fall asleep without warning.  If I am tatting, there is a good chance that I will continue tatting in my sleep...Let's put it this way, I make complicated knots in my thread that in no way enhance the tatting that was being done when awake.  I spend a lot of time picking out what I don't remember putting in.  

Sarah and Josh were some of my Christian Youth in Action kids years ago.  This doily is going
to be an Anniversary present, because it was not finished as the wedding present that I intended it to be.  The pattern is by Selma Marin (one of the editors of the old Workbasket magazine) it is called Queen Anns Lace.  It is done in Lizbeth size 20 in their wedding colors - Navy and Burgundy.   It is probably one of the most challenging projects that I have done--and it has nothing to do with the pattern--instead it was the dark dark colors of the thread making it difficult to count stitches and more grueling to remove the knots made during my naps..       

This is your official invite to join the LaceMakers Guild of Oklahoma's Lace Embrace!  This free, open to the public event will be October 7, 2023 (the first Saturday in October).  I can only tell you what I know from past Lace Embraces....There have been vendors, free classes and free presentations.  There are prizes for contests, great goodie bags, and make it/take it workshops.  Lunch is usually served at that location -a good value for about $5.  This year Lace Embrace will be held at a mall and as I have not been to a meeting since (I can't remember when), I cannot tell you what has changed.  If you are interested and would like more information--please contact me at patricialyn@sbcglobal.net and I will send you a copy of the special newsletters that are sent out pre and post Lace Embrace.

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Crochet Hooks and their Caps

It is now 2022.

  I have some very weird feelings about that.

      A) I have been isolated due to my low immune system since August or September of 2019—that means first off that my “social life” consists of the only places I go (medical labs, doctor’s offices and hospitals *yes, I am trying NOT to catch covid in any form.)   

     B)  I am feeling rather sharp and intelligent IF I can tell you what day of the week it is—please don’t ask the date!  C)  When I have to write a date, I must catch and force myself to start the year with a 20 and not 19__  __.

 

I was recently looking at Miranda’s blog     http://tattingfool.blogspot.com/    Back in September of 2015, she was lamenting losing caps to her crochet hooks and possible replacements.  She also was looking for ways to make the lids “stay on” when not in use.  I thought I would share my solution(s) to these problems.  

       I find that oxygen tubing makes great crochet hook covers.  Cut longer than the hook so the hook can never push through to unexpectedly snag other objects (usually bare flesh!).  I am supposed to change my 50 feet of tubing once a month--this is the oxygen tubing that I drag around my house like some kind of house pet that refuses to stay out from under your feet and who you swear makes its own knots in itself overnight -- 50 feet would make a lot of crochet hook covers!! 

       I tat a leash connecting my hook to its cap.  I make the leash long enough that the cap can be taken off (this is an important step!)  This means the leash will have a lot of excess line or “slack” in it. 

        Also, on your tatted leash insert a lobster claw and a place on the leash to attach it, so that the “slack” is taken up.  Now the lid cannot be removed or lost until the lobster claw is undone.

This crochet hook has a metal bell shaped jewelry finding glued onto the cap with e600 glue.  Also, my thread ends are hidden under there.  On the end of the crochet hook, I glued another of these metal bell shapes only I “flattened” it by smashing it with my thumb on the table surface.  The lobster claw hooks into one of the split rings to secure the cap.  This is one of the nice crochet hooks with corian handles that Lisa carries in a variety of colors at Tatting Corner you can see them here 

https://tattingcorner.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=16&referrer=CNWR_30711492117529



This wooden crochet hook’s cap is glued to the flat bottom side of the turtle beads that lie against it.  The ring that the lobster claw catches is a covered metal split ring.  The leash is held onto the wooden crochet hook by closing the beginning rings around the smallest part of the wood.

 

Health-wise—Here is the good news!  In November of 2020 I had my right knee replaced.  In April 2021, I had the left knee replaced.  Which means that I am no longer “one with my recliner!”  I appreciated the walking aids (crutches, walker, cane) that I used during my surgery recoveries, but they have abused my right shoulder to the point where it may be the next surgery.  Although I have fought bronchitis and pneumonia every month since—I have not been hospitalized since May of 2021 (7 months is a record when you consider I have been hospitalized over 100 days in the last 4 years!)  Bad news is I’m not sure my lungs are on board with the let’s stay out of the hospital, let’s get healthy idea.  I have a chronic cough (deep, brassy and rattling) and audible wheezing as I breathe in and out that can clear a waiting room in just a few minutes.  Cold weather’s arriving has brought back one of my favorite games and pastimes—It is called “Keep your oxygen tubing off the floor furnace”  this is a bonus game after you have mastered “Can you get your oxygen tubing unsnarled from under chair legs, people’s feet, recliner handles, etc…before it’s too late to make it to the restroom?”  I have been anemic off and on since college.  In the last fifteen years or so, I have occasionally reached the point of needing blood transfusions   In June, they were able to cauterize some bleeding blood vessels in my small intestine.  I thought “Well, got that one taken care of” Think again!  Apparently, these vessels grow back and are still close enough to the surface that they can develop new leaks.  Getting iron through IV’s as well as gamma globulin once a month ( I think that may be what is keeping me healthy enough to stay home instead of heading to the ER every time I turn around) has been a different kind of blessing.  Blood draws are usually ok…but I am a (VERY) hard stick for an IV….so I now have a port!  (New knees, the port—start the Bionic Woman music). 

My sleep disorder still causes me trouble when I am tatting but my friend Mary Anna has challenged me to complete my T.A.T. Level 2 course.  Currently I am attempting as well to do Jane’s TIAS (Day 1 was 1 ring and 3 split rings…I think it must have taken me about 45 minutes because I kept falling asleep and I “tat” in my sleep.  See those quotation marks around the word “tat”—those are not recognizable double stitches, I have created a few new techniques, most of which the world would not want to learn (and almost all are on the difficult level as far as removing stitches go.

My husband is planning on retiring after 40 years of teaching in May.  Earl and I have two sons.  Our oldest son will soon be celebrating his 15th wedding anniversary to my daughter-in-love.  They have three boys (12, 8 and 6)  Our youngest son just got married, so I have a new daughter-in-love and a granddaughter is coming right around the corner!

2022—you are weird but you are a welcome grand adventure!   


 

 

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Tiny Wedding Gift

Wow!  I had a dr. look at me today and tell me I haven't looked this good in several years!

I am now on 4 liters of oxygen 24/7.  Enlarged lymph nodes in my lung and a hiatel henia are pressing on my airway. COPD + CHF = the worst of the bad news.  The great news is I have had some GI bleeders cauterized (6 unit of blood since November of  '20), both knees have been replaced (the right in November '20 and the left in April of '21 and I've had a port inserted (blood draws are difficult, IV starts are almost impossible) and I am getting infusions of gamaglobulin to help my ailing immune system    I am a walking symptom and have had 17 covid tests (if they are testing for brain cells -- I lost those a long time ago!) and 2 antibody tests--all negative!!  I have stayed as isolated as possible (but my husband is a public school teacher and is in and out of the house multiple times daily) and I have had both my immunizations. Now that I am mobile--it is time to quit being "one with my recliner" and get healthier!!  (The only thing good about over 100 days in the hospital in less than four years is the change of scenery!)  

Some friends have decided they are going to get married--after being together for at least ten years... They don't want a bunch of fuss--are not even inviting family...they just have reached a time in their lives where they want to make things "legal."  My husband is to do the non-ceremony...

Well, I wanted her to have something "bride-like" and remembered something I had seen from a company "Better Than Buttons".  They make a long safety pin  with dips in it which holds four charms for a bride.

I decided to throw something similar together.  I put these all on a lobster claw hook so it can be hooked onto her bra, or onto a necklace or buttonhole.....   There is a silver dime (another wedding tradition) for something OLD, my tatted dime holder for something NEW, a nice blue bead for something BLUE, and a red rose bead that was my mother's for something BORROWED (I will GIVE her this after the wedding in case she wishes to pass it on some day).  

The thread was Iridescent one of the Lizbeth metallic threads.  I have not used these a lot but they are so very, very pretty.  They come in 18 beautiful colors!.   Link to the Lizbeth metallic threads at Tatting Corner    https://tattingcorner.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_88&referrer=CNWR_30711492117529 

Yellow picots are tiny joining picots.

Red picots are larger picots

Empty blue picot is a temporary picot made with the core thread to aid in closing the ring.  I usually stick a safely pin on these to hold them open until I intentionally close the ring.  I use the method that Jane Eborall has so fantastically taught/described and illustrated here  

http://www.janeeborall.freeservers.com/DimpleRing.pdf