My Lucky Day

Three nice things in one day, now how often does that happen.

Firstly I was sitting at my computer eating my breakfast...as everybody does! First post that I saw was from Gina telling me that I had won her April draw in her 5th Anniversary year extravaganza.

I can now tell you that I have had my fingers so tightly crossed since I put my name in her hat that I was beginning to wonder if I could keep it up for a whole year. I knew that it would be worth it as having a piece of someone else's tatting is worth suffering for...especially when it's from someone as nice as Gina.....there that should have buttered her up enough to make sure I get something spectacular!!!!

Well that kept me on top of the world until the postman came and then my cup began to run over....with not one but two items.

First to be opened was a little box from Ladyshuttlemaker Sherry Pence. My curiosity had finally got the better of me and I had ordered one of her ceramic shuttles. I knew it would look gorgeous but would it work a a tatting shuttle!!!

I have played with clay both hand built and on the wheel in a couple of evening classes a long while ago. I was so taken with it that I used to bring lumps of clay home to make more than I could do in a class. I longed to have a kiln of my own.
The teacher was so pleased that someone as so keen that she fired all my things and my house is still littered with them...how could I throw them away.

But making a tatting shuttle out of a material that has no spring in it,now that is a challenge indeed.

I can now tell you that she has succeeded.....magnificently. I now have a fully working state of the art, one of a kind, unique tatting shuttle. It even has a pick, all I have to do now is to make sure that I don't drop it!!



Don't you just love the matching Clover shuttles!! and now the lovely orangey one from Sherry. It makes a lovely tinkling sound when you pull the thread through one end.



Here is the edging by Jane Eborall made in trial pieces in Flora 10 and Flora 20 and then in my own hand dyed Coats 40. The colours are Pumpkin Juice and Apple Greens....don't you just love being able to name your own colours!!

This edging is made in one pass using Jane's continuous thread join and is quite easy once you get the hang of it but does need some concentration with all the rings coming off rings. This is a work in progress..or is it!!

So what was the third nice thing you all want to know...don't you??

After looking forward to getting my hands on Martha Ess's new book Holidays on the block...see previous posts for info about it, didn't the book get lost in the post!
It must have travelled several times round the world in the month it took to cross the big pond.

But hurrah! it's here at last and is well worth the wait. It's a big selection box of non fattening patterns! I can't even begin to decide which are my favorites or which to do first, but I'll let you into a little secret...I have dyed some threads that will be perfect for a bat and an eagle.

I explored the book and drooled over the designs and it was along time before I got to the acknowledgments page where I knew Martha would have said thanks for to her test tatters. All of a sudden something else caught my eye and my mouth fell open........
Martha has dedicated the book to ME!!!

Pause while I read it again to make sure it is not some other person with a name similar to mine....nope it really is me!

Martha says that it was my enquiry at an opportune moment that led her to start tatting 'block critters'.
I remember that moment well, it was back in 2005 when I wrote to her to ask if I could teach her block tatted bumble bee to my group. She generously said yes and remarked that she had forgotten all about the little bee.
I think this was the first block tatting that we did and it was an instant hit.
I often like to send a photo to the designers of what we tat and Martha says that their smiling faces make her day...they make my day too!

Can't show you their smiling faces as I haven't asked their permission but I can show you the little critters that they made and were so proud of.



It is so nice to think that all those lovely block tatted patterns were spawned from this little enquiry.

Thank you so much Martha, I am honoured more than I can say and so pleased to have you as my friend.