Tatting and chatting

 Six of us got together at the food court to tat. Lots of talking, but we did get some tatting done, too!

Khomi finished a lovely flower spray.

Some of us will be going to the Tollway Tatters gathering on Saturday, August 19, at the Hinsdale Oasis. Good times!

Tatting with friends

 Each 2nd Monday of the month I go to the mall food court with my tatting. Usually I start out tatting alone, but in a short while my tatting friends show up!

 Ana has been learning many new techniques. Now she's practicing floating rings from chains. It's her first time using 2 shuttles, and she's doing great!

 This French tatting book has many wonderful ideas and excellent photos.

 The reprint of Dora Young's Knotless Tatting. Lots of uses for split chain technique.

Khomi's tatting box; isn't it colorful?

A lovely day in June

 At the June meeting, we all worked on our own projects.

 Ana practiced the single shuttle split ring.

 Barbara continued tatting a pattern she had started with a sunny yellow center.

 Sue Anna worked on the gear earrings from the Bead&Button Show.

 Looking forward to seeing what people will be tatting at the July meeting! 2nd Monday of the month, Mayfair Mall food court.

Projects in February

The start of "Unfolding Heart"

 It was Ana and me by ourselves this month, each tatting jewelry projects. I started a heart in bright red Lizbeth thread and Toho Takumi seed beads.

As far as I got with my tatting at the mall.

Ana came wearing a beautiful handmade bracelet on one hand and a bandage on the other! She wasn't able to bend that finger much, but since it was her shuttle hand she could still tat.

As far as Ana got with her project, a necklace in progress.

Khomi arrived just in time to claim her tatting magazine and to visit!

Lots of tatting going on

2 Marys drove 2 hours to get to this meeting! Ana, Fran, and I were also there.

Mary has done the "Tatter's Across Time" tatting proficiency program, and wow, it shows. She brought some examples of the projects that she tatted from the lessons. 

Lovely vintage tatting was also brought to show, including a baby bonnet (not photographed). I can't remember if these handkerchiefs were vintage or recently edged with tatted lace. (Well, I was excited about seeing so much tatting!)

Ana learned how to tat a split ring at this meeting! She practiced it by tatting a neck cord of split rings for a pendant.

Here are some more projects that people had in progress:

Looking forward to the next meeting on December 12.

Colorful October Fun

A total of 5 tatters got together at this meeting. Sue Anna and I just happened to be wearing earrings tatted from the same pattern! A close up view of her earrings is at left. She made them using the Amoeba Triangle pattern (one of my designs)!

The wooden shuttles were handmade by the Shuttle Brothers.

The 2 newest tatters in our little group, Jill and Mandy, are making amazing progress in practicing double stitches, picots, and joins.

Ana finished her tatting-embellished filigree earrings up to sewing the tails in,

Chocolate pumpkins kept energy levels high. I brought a pair of earrings that I made from an Elizabeth Zipay pattern to offer as a door prize. The winning name drawn from the bag was Sue Anna.

A rare book: A Pattern Book of Tatting written by Mary Konior, was admired by all!  Thanks to Sue Anna for bringing this along so that we could be inspired by the uniquely beautiful designs in it.

September tales

2 new tatters practicing at their first lesson. They both did great!

Ana holding her tatted butterflies.

Ana's tatted butterflies in progress, with her filigree earrings in the background.

After I noticed that Ana and I both had identical scissors, she added a tatted fob to the handle of hers, so now we can tell them apart.

Becky finished a tatted earring. I like her color choices of thread and beads!

I tatted a flower using my new shuttle, which I had purchased from Yorkie Sue at Palmetto Tat Days.

Tatting on a hot August night

 At this meeting we had a tatting beginner, who actually had once learned to tat from her grandmother many years ago, but had forgotten. She made remarks about being "all thumbs", but that is how we all feel when learning a new skill, isn't it? By the end of the meeting she was tatting quite well. She had come with her sister, and I gave them both "homework" of a simple snowflake pattern to practice.

 Ana tatted an embellishment to a butterfly filigree, and plans to finish it as an earring or pendant.

We had a "door prize" of a rare find, an Italian tatting magazine! (This magazine can also be purchased from Handy Hands Tatting.) 

I forgot to do the prize drawing until Khomi had left, but I put her name in the bag along with the other attendees, and Khomi won! So, the magazine will be ready for her at the next meeting, which will be September 12. At that meeting I'll share photos from my trip to Palmetto Tat Days.