Over the years...

 The years passed quickly.  I’m still surprised how long the shuttles lay quiet in the drawer.  There were some tatting accomplishments along the way which were unreported.  This post rewinds to show the final destination for the ‘Edge Without a Cause’.

The edging found a home on my great niece’s christening/baptism gown.

It was a beautiful time for our family.

 

The edge was temporarily affixed to the gown.

My DSL wants to create a different gown with hand made lace throughout.

I hope y’all have a great day.

Pile-O-Knots

Greetings to you all!

Needing a break from the intensity of politics here in the U.S., I’m practicing a television quarantine.  I’ve moved to the second round on the four pass piece for a Christmas stocking. I find a familiar calm in tatting.  

The accompanying picture holds many thoughts.

The small blue case (camera case) was given to me by my father.  He was a kind and gentle man... reminds me of gentle Ben if you are familiar with the fictitious bearded mountain man of the western wilderness.  Early in my life we struggled a lot.  However, I learned he was a powerful man who provided a base for me on which to thrive.  He was one of my greatest supporters through life. 

He and my mom often stopped in Charlotte for a visit. One visit, he was excited to give it to me as a portable kit for my tatting.  It is ideal to hold one project.

We unexpectedly lost Dad To lymphoma in the summer of 2019. As a memorial, I will carry this kit as long as I can.  He was a good man.  In his honor we established the Nance family memorial scholarship at the University of North a Carolina at Charlotte.  We hope to endow the scholarship in the next couple years.  

Helllooooo!? (Echoing)

Yelling into the foggy tatting blog world..... Helllloooooo!! (Echoing)

I’m hoping my tatting world family are still active and nearby.  I’ve missed you!

Many years have passed and life proves full of hurdles and roller coasters.  The ride has been grand!  I’ll share experiences from the past several years along the way.  I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy.

I picked up my shuttles to relieve my mind from the pressures of our world.  It works so well to calm the racing brain.  My first project back was not easy... the pattern was easy enough.  The thread size and color were the challenges.

So, to find a more comfortable process, I went back to the familiar and easy with the icicle pattern I adapted from Bloomqvist & Persson.  

White, larger thread to make another Christmas stocking.  This will hopefully be the finished project in a few weeks.  OK, Make that a couple months...

In other news, I am now a clinical assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the counseling department.  Career is a joy and pleasure for me as I work to teach others to help.  

I love my career!

A small part of our campus with my building on the left.

The official Norm the Niner

Chugging along

Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug.....

What better way to reduce stress than tat a hanky edge.  For me, the repetition of rings and chains is quite therapeutic.  The familiarity of the pattern allows one to breathe in and breathe out drifting in and out of different thoughts and dreams.

A few more days and I will finish the second round of the wedding hanky.

As I noted in a previous post, the corners have been challenging.  I really don't know what I was thinking.  Let's just mark it up to being a bit rusty.  After the first two 'misses', I figured out the clover sequence that works....however, I didn't have the heart to retrotat nor did I want to rip out and discard the work I had completed.  So, on the second round I've been improvising on each of the corners, adding additional doubles here and there.

Just one more corner and I'll be left with the never ending 'frilly' rows.

On another note, last weekend we traveled to the mountains for a quick getaway and ran across these friends...

Until next time,

Peace!

John

Old, New, and Blue

Another project in the WIP pile is this wedding hanky.  The idea that a bride must have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue....this will have all covered except the borrowed piece.  A vintage hanky with newly tatted blue edge will begin as a base for the rest of the piece.  I finished the first round this morning after a year on hold.

I'm a bit rusty on several things as a result of my hiatus with several mistakes on the corners....I have no clue what I was thinking.  AND, I need to review how to join last to first...., other than that, it's fine and DONE.

And another view

And, just a reminder of my plans for this one...

The blue pass is a base for the first round of white rings and chains.  My hope is that I can drop a few rings and chains down each corner to make it quite ruffled.  Any thoughts on this?

As I am a collector, I have a huge stash of vintage hankies.  My goal is to tat a wedding hanky each year.

But, for now, must get ready for another day of jury duty..... (The judge actually warned the jury there was to be no knitting.....he didn't say anything about tatting......). 

Happy Tatting!!

John

Hello to my cyber tatting friends!!

It's been so long since I have been in touch with you all.  I have been nursing my elbow.  The 'gym' injury which might also be tendonitis caused by excessive tatting has healed.

During the winter holidays I picked up my shuttles and tatted a simple snowflake

It felt pretty good so I started a bigger project.  I've been wanting to do another stocking.  So, over the last six months I've been slowly tatting a combined edge for another holiday stocking.  Here is the process and the progress.

Now all there is to do is wash, block, and attach it.

Although I think the tendonitis has healed, the elbow still feels a bit tender.  Therefore, I've been going slowly.  Each day I tat for about 1/2 hour.  Not enough...but enough.

In other news.... the year past has been full of good things.  I turned 50.  Still can't believe the time has passed.  We have wonderful neighbors who helped celebrate and are always so gracious.  Here is the evidence.... an impromptu surprise party.

I hope I've been bitten by the tatting bug again because I've missed the tatting community.  It feels good to be in touch with y'all once again.

Until the next entry,
Peace!
John

Finally, A New Project!

Greetings to you all!!

My tatting life is so different these days.  I used to tat about 2-3 hours each day.... Now, it's down to two-three rings and chains.  BUT, I'm tatting!

I have chosen my next project and need a bit of advice.  Mary Konoir is my newest inspiration.  I'm going to tat a piece for my family again.  This time it's a wedding hankie.  I'm going to adapt the Jabot Collar pattern from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns.  Here's the inspiration.

I chose a simple vintage pulled thread hankie for the blank in this project.  This first pass of simple rings and chains will be tatted in a light blue.  I'm hoping the color won't be too overpowering for the remaining white rows.  Your opinions on this will be greatly appreciated!!  I've started the row and will probably continue.  However, plans are to tat a second hankie if the current project turns out well.  I'll begin the jabot pattern on the next row.

Have you tatted this pattern before?  For those who have, were you happy with the outcome?

Also, for the corners, I will be manipulating the pattern again.  My question is, "should I 'drop' the corners the way Mary did for the front of the collar?"  I would only go down about 3 or 4 repeats and then advance to the next side of the hankie.  This would provide added 'frilliness' to the overall lace.

So, I'm hoping my description is clear and you will share your opinions!!

Until next time, Peace!!
John

Baby Bri

Greetings to you all!!

As the clouds are gray and rain is falling outside, I decided to pause and check out the tatting blog world. I really stuggle not being able to tat as much as I'd like so I live vicariously through you. Still doctoring the elbow.

Until I have new projects to show, I'll report on some of the projects I've completed and gifted.

Remember this?...

 





Well, I gifted this bonnet to a coworker (Jan) who became a grandmother for the first time.  She then gifted it to her daughter and granddaughter.

With Jan's permission I want to introduce you to Bri.

 



Her grandmother gifted me this photo.  I really do enjoy receiving photos of my work in context.  Isn't she beautiful.

Well, until the next time, have a wonderful day!!
John

The Prodigal Son Revisited

Wow! It's been almost a year since my last post. I've been unable to tat because of the tendinitis in my right elbow resulting in little blogging info regarding tatting. However, It's been quite a year. Let me try to sum it up quickly...

I had a cancer scare in June of last year...all is clear and there was no cancer.

I broke my foot in September... So, no running for 8 weeks. No tatting, no running....no positive coping mechanisms... So, I ate my way through anxious days.... Gotta love some cookies!

All is well!! I'm running and competing again.

I have always had a fascination for the American Presidency. For those who care about this stuff... And sorry if it offends... I was able to meet our First Lady, Michelle Obama (pictures to follow). I also spontaneously decided to go to the inauguration, drove six hours toward the nation's capital and found a front row spot in the general public section (another pic to follow). Both were amazing experiences I will never forget.

Finally, I have slowly started to tat again. Here is the final product of the "endless edge without a cause".

I believe it will someday be the bottom edge of a christening gown.

The elbow still hurts... I guess it's time for the doctor.

And here are two very important days in my life...
The day before the November elections


Presidential Inauguration 2013

Last Pass Underway

Greetings to you all!

I made a few decisions.

1. The length of the 'edge without a cause' has been determined. It's as long as it's going to get. Not exactly sure in this moment how long that is...but, It's near 4 feet long

2. The combined patterns look like the following...



3. After I finish this edge over the next week and 1/2, I need to take a break.

Embarrassingly, I have tendonitis as a result of tatting.....geesh!

That's a tough one for a guy to admit in public. Therefore, if anyone asks....I got it from heavy lifting in the gym. :-)

I actually do go to the gym frequently and will be working on the strength of my forearms in order to counteract the movement of tatting. Hopefully, I'll be able to tat and strengthen the forearm. Until then.... watch my back....no, really, it's a gym injury.

Have a wonderful day and happy tatting!!
John

Tatting.... but bored...

Greetings to you all!! I've been tatting but have little to show. Sorta. I've got a long rambling post with a few more pictures than usual.

I'm working on Three projects. However, there's not been alot of variety in my tatting recently. Here is the most interesting piece of tatting. It's the crown piece for another baby bonnet.





After completing the last bonnet, I wanted to tat and keep a bonnet for my family. So, here is the beginning piece. I really enjoy the richness of the thick piece of lace. In fact, I am finding it difficult to continue tatting the complete bonnet because it would mean altering the flat piece. Tatting Project #1 on hold...

(just a reminder of the finished piece)



So, as a result, Project #2...I decided to pick up the fillet panel and try to get it to a desired length; a length that will match the endless edge. It is desperately boring. chain, chain, chain, chain, chain..... you've got it.



I began thinking... (always dangerous)... with the work I'm putting into the fillet panel, I'd hate for it not to be part of a family piece....so, I started creating in my mind. Here is what I'm thinking.



I placed the fillet over the bonnet piece...now look. Obviously, the piece under the fillet will not be there....I'll be creating another piece of wide lace to match the bonnet. It will be the hem for a christening gown and will match the crown piece of the baby bonnet.

Project #3 What about the endless edge or 'the edge without a cause'? Here is that edge which is my current project...



I decided that the loose form of the current edge needed something different than the fillet panel...so, I'm attaching a familiar two pass edge.



Then, I believe the endless edge will have an end... But, I must ask you all, "how long should an edging be if it has no purpose?" votes please!

All that rambling...I hope you can decipher the content and make sense of it. I'm going to try to be a bit more attentive to your posts as I have missed the blog world! Have a wonderful day!!
John

Deadline Approaches

Greetings to you all!!

I'm learning to be careful not to commit to producing major tatting pieces for expectant mothers and grandmothers....(with a grin)... unless I want the urgency of deadline to guide my tatting endeavors. It's not the recipients who are pressuring me...it my crazy perfectionist self.

I believe I am about finished with my first tatted baby bonnet. There are many comments to be made about this piece.

Here are a few photos of the bonnet as it stands.

Here is a picture of how I presented it to you last...

It took me awhile to figure out how to attach the two pieces of tatting. I began improvising the garden path between the two pieces and occasionally joined where it seemed most appropriate. It caused some gathering... I thought I might snip it out and begin again...until I started to really like the gathering and noticed it looking a bit more 'lacy' and not flat or 'fussy'.

I started in the middle and worked my way out. Because the garden path pattern is asymmetrcal I needed to be a bit creative with the connective work. The back is gathered by a ribbon that can be retied as the baby's head grows. I don't mind the gather either. I will work to perfect the bow and maybe insert a slightly wider ribbon over the top.

In the end, I'm quite happy with the outcome and will probably try to duplicate this one more time.

So, there it is.

Oh, about the shuttle from my Great Aunt Lucy... I actually have a copy of the patent... and now I'm even more interested in the hook. Some of you have shown me a hook pointing out. However, this one hooks back toward the shuttle. I'll try to get a good picture of it and post in the next blog entry.

Until then,
Happy tatting and have a wonderful day!!
john

A Family Treasure

I lost my Aunt Martha this past week who succumbed to cancer. She was a wonderful woman who loved her family. All of us converged onto Northwest Ohio to memorialize and celebrate.... which we do very well.

It is spring in Ohio. The temperatures are warmer and the flowering bulbs are beginning to reach for the sky. The crocuses are out and almost spent for the year. Below you see the wonderful clusters of crocuses in my Aunt Mariann's front yard.

As we sat at the wake on Tuesday, my mother bragged to other family members about her tatting son....(geeeeshhh). Having been self-taught, I never knew whether there were any other tatters in my family. One of our cousins described a shuttle she had from our Great Aunt Lucy Freyenberger (1878-1979). Surprisingly, she stated that she wanted to give it to me. I know how important our family heirlooms are and the traditions that follow them. To my amazement, she handed me a box before the funeral and in it was the shuttle below.

It's a Boye shuttle with a patent date of April 10, 1917. I thought..., "oh, cool another metal Boye shuttle."

But wait, I pulled out the bobbin and was very surprised to find it attached.

I have never seen a shuttle like this and need to research it a bit. Additionally, the point on the shuttle is bent back on itself. I don't know if this was standard, if Great Aunt Lucy bent is intentionally, or if it's been bent over the years of storage.

If you have knowledge of these shuttles, I'd be very interested in learning more.

And one more note....the baby bonnet is finished all but hiding two ends and adding ribbon. I will post something in the next couple days.

Until then, Happy Tatting!
peace,
john