Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Blackberry goodness...

Have been spending time with blackberries of late...cobblers, muffins, tonight was a pie...and blackberry jam.  I have 25 jars, 20.5 pints thus far...and I get to make it all in this incredible vintage hotpoint stove...

Friday, July 26, 2013

Embroidering a bit...

Have been doing a bit of embroidery these past few days...a crewel work piece that is lovely but terribly time consuming, and a couple of tea towels as well...one still in progress and in the hoop...

Sunday, July 21, 2013

White as snow...

This beautiful doily was also tatted by my Grandmother...is it not gorgeous!?!  I love how the six sided snowflakes fit together to create this beautiful piece.  It's really spectacular...and as white as snow, even after all these years...



Hoping that I will have more to share with you soon, however, I am traveling with my daughters and parents for the next several weeks.  We are out on Vashon Island in Washington state again.  Internet access is not readily available where we are at on the Island, so it may be sporadic or phone posts....it is quiet there though, so I often get a lot of time for my own tatting...

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Yellow Doily...

Here is another lovely creation of my Grandmother's...I have been traveling the past two days and will be again, but I am "home" in Montana at the moment and Mom had this doily and another tucked away in a drawer here.  They are too lovely not to share...


Not a large doily, only four rounds...but a beautiful little thing in this gorgeous yellow!  This is my Dad's favorite color...so my guess is that this was a gift to him.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Antique lace...

We made a stop on the trip over to the Seattle area at a favorite antique store along the way. This was the only piece of tatting I found, but it is unusual and interesting and only $4...and it came away with me. 

I think it very interesting how the medallions are inset in the linen.  The effect is quite lovely...and would be an interesting way to use a small motif to make a larger piece.








Tatting for baby...

This is something my Grandmother made for my big girl when she was to be born...


It's just gorgeous, I wish now that I had used it and had pictures of her wearing it...but I saved it as it seemed too precious.  I should have pressed it before taking photos...but I wanted to share and lacked the time, better wrinkly than not at all.  The edging is lovely...I think I need to try to replicate it...

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Hawaiian Orchid blooms...

One of the five Orchids that my Mom sent to me from Hawaii, that I shared with you here, has decided to bloom...it's single blossom is simply gorgeous...


These are going to be a continual joy!

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Revised prize...

When I went to pick up my county fair entries, I found that I had won the grand champion ribbon for the entire thread division...really, really excited about that!  Of course, the prize money will go to buy a few tatting books I have been coveting!


What fun it is to win a prize and a big rosette!!!!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Daughter's county fair results...

My Daughter has a lot to be proud of this year...

In Clothing Construction, she received blue, champion, grand champion and state fair qualifier...



In Artistic Clothing (Decorate Your Duds)...Blue, Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, and State Fair Qualifier...


In Cake Decorating (Cupcakes this year) she received blue, champion, and state fair qualifier...


There you have it...those are her 4-H County Fair results!


Monday, July 15, 2013

Daughter's creations...

Here is a look at what went to fair this year for my Daughter's projects... 

Here is what was sewn this year...
This dress had 30+ pieces, took five days of sewing nearly 8 hours a day, 
and lots of Mom's (I am her sewing leader) direction (no tatting or other projects those 5 days for me)
as she sewed her first darts, lining, inter facings, pleats, and zipper...


In Artistic Clothing (Decorate Your Duds) she took two skirts and put them together to create 
the gorgeous skirt you see here...
We had seen a similar item in a Boutique in one of the mountain (tourist) communities near here.

The top is a t-shirt she embellished and ruched the sides and sleeves on...
she learned applique and a couple of different flower making techniques this year as well.


Her 3rd project this year is cake decorating, unit 5, which is cupcakes.  These are so gorgeous...I don't know that the pictures do them justice.  She used melted chocolate to create the butterflies...just beautiful!  She has had fun with this project this year...


Next up, we'll have to show you the outcome at fair...

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

County Fair, my entries...

Well, I will get this over with first...as I expect that some might be led to anticipate more entries from me if I with hold it for long.  With putting in what is probably altogether too much time in my various volunteer activities (church newsletters, 4-H sewing leader, etc.) I have seriously cut into my own creative time...

When I finally took time to try and gather things together to enter, I could only come up with 4 items to take. I, of course, remembered the location of others when already at the fair assisting with the open class registration...but too late at that point.

Here are my entries...I have shown all of these, except the necklace, on this blog previously...


I was pleased with the ribbons I received on all four items.  Blue on the necklace, blue on the childs wrap skirt, blue and reserve champion on the afghan I made for my Rosie Posie (I had to ask her permission to take it), and blue and champion on the Norma Benporath Lace Mat that I borrowed back from Older Daughter.  I was exceedingly pleased with the last, of course!  

Only one tatted entry?  I know, I know...I would have liked to enter something tatted in the thread edging class and there was a jewelry class that tatted jewelry would have fit with in...but I hadn't time to finish either item, perhaps next year!  

Mine was also the only tatted entry, I had hoped there would be more...I know that there are other tatters in the county due to what I have seen at the state fair, but I don't believe the smaller county fair is as popular a venue for people to enter their work.  We did, however, have the highest number of both participants and entries overall that anyone there could remember having in recent memory so that was positive!

Next, I believe, will have to be a showing of Daughter's projects...and then her ribbons after I think.

Bits and Pieces...


Here are the bits and pieces from the J.P. Coats box that I had promised to show a couple of days ago!  It has been a busy couple of days...our county fair commenced on Monday and between working with my Older Daughter to finish her fair projects and volunteering with the open class judging Monday and monitoring the exhibits all day yesterday, I have just been too tired to finish this post!

Here is the first motif...again, I really have no idea where these came from or who the tatter was, but this is a lovely little motif...


Here is the second bit...it still is attached to the ball and a bobbin, perhaps I should/could finish the round at least...it is lovely and delicate...


Lastly, there is a shuttle and a bit of braid...really a lovely little piece of lace, though this one needs cleaned where as the others are pristine...


Always a joy to see and touch such tatted work...I find it both inspiring and a great joy to hold tatting like this.  I also learn a great deal from looking at and being able to touch and examine the work of other tatters, past and present...

Hope you have enjoyed...
Next post...County Fair!  My entries or Daughter's first?  Time will tell...

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Thread Stash...

One of the things that I have been most interested, and amused by (entirely due to my own propensities), is sightings of other's thread accumulations...hence, this post.  

It really came about because I used one of the thread boxes you see below to photograph the wedding crown I shared in yesterdays post and that prompted me to photograph the contents for your amusement and enjoyment.

 


I have the two stacks of boxes you see above, filled with my collection of size 70 vintage threads.  Many of these are from my Grandmother's stash...but some are from e-bay.  I was looking for threads there before my Dad discovered Grandma's stash and sent me a large box of it, much to my delight.  There is more...here and there, mostly portioned out to one project or another.

There is also this little set of drawers...


This was my favorite place for my threads of the moment for quite some time.  I love the drawers that hold my supplies and threads so nicely.  Some size 20 in one drawer, and some of the size 70 that I love in another.  It is not entirely portable though...so, while I still use it, it is not my most favorite any longer.

...and then there are these, the remainder of Grandma's pinks that would not fit in the box, and a box of vintage J.&P. Coats ecru thread that I can no longer remember where I obtained...  


I don't believe it was Grandma's.  I seem to remember that I happened upon it somewhere or that it was given to me by someone who thought I could make use of it.  There are some tatted bits that came with it...but I will continue with that tomorrow.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Wedding Anniversary...and a treasured heirloom.

Today was our wedding anniversary...

It seems the perfect day to share this particular tatted treasure...




My beloved married me, wearing a dress I made myself, a cameo that was my Great Grandmother's on a tatted ribbon, and a bridal crown of tatted lace...

Here it is today...a bit yellowed, likely in need of a careful bath, but much treasured.


The tatting was done by my, also beloved, Grandmother Stella...seen here, at my wedding, with my Grandfather...


...as I said, this one could be shared on no other day!
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