Over the years I have mentioned that I have a wonderful husband. He recently surprised me again with a couple of new shuttles he made. Not for any special occasion, just because he knows how much I like shuttles!
Oak shuttle front
This is made of oak. We have several pieces of oak handrails which were removed from a local hospital when they made improvements. He randomly will make something from the wood when he’s feeling inspired. That day, he made a shuttle for me.
Oak shuttle post
I love the look and feel of this shuttle! It tats beautifully!
Cherry shuttle back
My husband found a pretty piece of wood in the scrap pile. He’s not sure what it is but believes it may be cherry.
Cherry shuttle front
We may not know the type of wood it is, but it makes a gorgeous shuttle! It also tats very nice. I love working with it.
As he was in the mood to work with shuttles, I brought him the shuttle he made me way back in 2009. I love that he made me this shuttle, but it was so thick I didn’t really care to use it much. I asked if he could thin it down a bit.
2009 Oak shuttle
He did a great job! Unfortunately, thinning it down removed the carving of the date from one side and my initials from the other. I’m thinking of ways the dates can be added back to this shuttle and the others as well.
Back of 2009 oak shuttle
He made the tips on this shuttle a bit different from the others, with one blade shorter than the other. I do like how this loads thread better, but not enough to complain about the others! All of them feel good in my hands. I’ve found my favorite shuttles!
While he was in the woodworking mood he made another piece out of oak. This was done on our CNC machine.
Oak sun
May the sun shine on you to aid in your tatting adventures!
Over the last few months, I have acquired several new shuttles. Four of them are from Middy Clark, of The Knotted Vine. If you haven’t seen her work, please check them out! They are beautiful!
Tatting Corner Cruise 2023 cruise shuttle
Knotical Adventures 2023 shuttle, back
This is the one that Maddy made for the Tatting Corner cruise this summer. Isn’t it beautiful? It tats beautifully, as well.
Celtic Silver Plate Brass Shuttle
This Celtic shuttle is one that I bought from Middy on the cruise. She had brought shuttles with her to sell specifically to those of us cruisers. I haven’t tatted with it yet, but it feels wonderful.
Holiday brass shut
Middly also had several blades for unfinished shuttles. She was offering them to fellow cruisers, to be sent to us after the cruise. I found a couple that spoke to me 🙂 I like this seasonal shuttle. It has the same pattern on the other side as well.
Dragon shuttle
This dragon shuttle is fantastic, isn’t it? I don’t know how Middly does this, but it’s great. If my daughter tatted, she’d be jealous of this one. This one tats as nice as the Ship one. The back of this one does not have the dragon on it.
The Knotted Vine shuttles
I do not get any compensation for mentioning of The Knotted Vine.
I’m still working on patterns for Tatting Corner’s Tat Days this summer. They are about ready to go to the test tatters. Every once in a while, I have to take a break from this or my eyes will cross. I tatted The Tatting Lace Crown by 1001 Nós Frivolité.
Tatting Lace Crown by 1001 Lós Frivolité
I made this with size 10 Lizbeth thread that was left on the shuttle. This worked up quick and easy. It’s very cute. She posted this pattern on Facebook if you’d like to give it a try.
As I tat, both getting ready for Tat Days, and little side projects, I have several beautiful shuttles to choose from. Such hard choices!
“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” Jim Elliot
I have been tatting but nothing I can share. I designed a pattern I hope will be accepted for Tatting Corner’s cruise next year. I have sent it to a couple of test tatters, two for shuttle and one who also needle tats. The shuttle tatting pattern has been approved by the testers, now I’m just waiting on the needle tatter to help me with needle notations. I can’t share this until sometime after the cruise.
Yes, I still have things to share from Tat Days. It was a busy week, from when we left home until we returned.
When we got to the Tatting Corner shop Thursday (7/7) morning my husband immediately started looking for things for me. I had to stop him as I had plans for the auction on Saturday – we couldn’t spend all of our money right away! We did keep a few things he liked and a few things I picked out.
Mahogany shuttle
This is a Mahogany shuttle that Jack liked. I’ve already been using it and it tats nicely. The clover shuttle is there for a size reference.
Celic shuttle
This is a redwood Celic shuttle. I thought at first it was a Celtic shuttle, but it’s too wide for that style. I finally looked it up online. Celic is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to Wikipedia, make what you will of that. Google maps show it in the northeast part of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I take it to mean that it is from or like shuttles of that area. I haven’t tried it yet.
I picked up a couple of shuttles from nekonomekoubou. I don’t know that I’ll ever use them but I think they are so cute!
Cat shuttleBird shuttle
Aren’t they gorgeous? My granddaughter loves the cat one. The clover shuttle is there for size comparison. I’m afraid to use them yet, afraid I’d drop them! For now, I’ll just admire them.
On our way to Indiana, we stopped for the night in Hannibal, Missouri, which is the boyhood home of Mark Twain. The area we were in looked intriguing but it was so hot we didn’t feel like getting out to look around. We went to the Riverside Inn where we had a room for the night and didn’t go out again. Our rooms had a view of the Mississippi River and a Mexican restaurant down the stairs and through a door. That was the extent of our exploring that evening. The next morning we did drive through the area but it was too early for most things to be open.
The lighthouse in Hannibal
We had planned to meet with Diane, the Lace-lovin’ Librarian, and her husband for lunch on Wednesday but they had problems with their water well and couldn’t make it. It was disappointing but completely understandable. Instead, we stopped in Springfield, Illinois to see the area where Abraham Lincoln lived just before they went to Washington, DC. Neither Jack nor I had ever been there. We only spent a couple of hours there but it was interesting.
Abe’s house
Lincoln’s house was the only building you had to have a ticket for and go on a guided tour of. The timing wasn’t right for that so we only saw the outside of it, plus the neighborhood. If we get back in Springfield we’ll try to go back again.
On the way home, we went through Vandalia, Illinois, and stopped there for a bit of lunch. We were surprised to notice they have a miniature gateway arch.
Vandalia arch
You can see that it is much smaller than the one in St. Louis, LOL.
Jack was going to turn back and get on the Interstate the same way we got off, but I saw something interesting on the map that I wanted to check out. It was easy to get to and close to the next Interstate entrance.
The Kaskaskia Dragon
The Kaskaskia dragon actually breaths fire, for a few tokens. We didn’t buy any so I didn’t see it breathe fire, but the mouth sure looked like it did.
Kaskaskia DragonVandalia knight
The knight looks like he’s gotten the rough end of the deal.
I don’t recall seeing the sign, but I understand this tourist attraction is to draw people to the Kiskiskia Dragon RV park. I’m not advertising for them, we just enjoyed the dragon.
I’m hoping to have some tatting done by next week that I can share. I still have things to share from Tat Days, like the items I bought at the auction. Let’s see if I can post by next Monday!
“Travel becomes a strategy for accumulating photographs.” Susan Sontag
I’m excited that I am going to Palmetto Tat Days in September! I’ve got my classes chosen and my entrance fee paid, I’ve got my plane tickets and my car rented, and I’ve got my roommate chosen and confirmed (hey, Diane!). I do not have my bags packed – it is three weeks away yet – but I am planning what clothes I will be taking. Now I’m working on getting ready for my classes, which includes finding threads and enough shuttles for all my projects.
I know I have enough shuttles for them all, but where are they?
I’ve gone through drawers, bags, and boxes trying to find them. What I found are multiple projects that I haven’t completed still attached to the shuttles I was working with at the time. Some projects I left alone, others I unwound the thread from the shuttles and wrapped it on bread ties. Quite a few shuttles had thread on them but no work attached. If there was only a small amount of thread I tatted flowers and butterflies to empty them; if there was a significant amount I wound it off onto bread ties. Several projects were in dreadful shape, tangle with other threads. How did they get that way?
Shuttles found
During my quest, I found this cute little box with compartments. I think it is part of a tackle box that was never used. Yet. Seems perfect for three Clover shuttles and one Aerlit shuttle with spare bobbins.
Box just right for shuttles and bobbins
I expect I’ve found enough shuttles for my trip now. 🙂
As I was searching for my shuttles I kept humming a tune without really noticing what it was. When I stopped and thought about it I realized it was “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” I couldn’t resist re-writing it a bit. It doesn’t have the emotional feelings of the original, or circle ’round to the beginning again as the original does, but this did keep circling around in my head.
Where Have All My Shuttles Gone?
Where have all my shuttles gone? Long time passing Where have all my shuttles gone? Long time ago Where have all my shuttles gone? Gone for projects every one When will I ever learn? When will I ever learn? Where have all my projects gone? Long time passing Where have all my projects gone? Long time ago Where have all my projects gone? Hidden in boxes every one When will I ever learn? When will I ever learn?
Original song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” by Pete Seeger
A member of Craftree.com was lucky enough to pick up a few tatting items from a friend, one of which was a Lael Morgan tatting shuttle. The shuttles were made in the 1970s and are not very common. I do not have one.
Lael Morgan shuttle
It was mentioned in the comments that Lael Morgan had a website, which I visited. I found that she is an author. Not surprising for a person who had a patent for a tatting shuttle she had written a book on tatting. Lace-Lovin’ Diane wrote about it on her blog a few years ago.
Tatting book by Lael Morgan
But that wasn’t the only book she wrote. She wrote at least nine other books as well. There was only the one that was about tatting, the others were much different. There is even one on earthquake survival. A lot of the books are about Alaska or people from or living in Alaska. Including “Good Time Girls.”
Non-fiction book by Lael Morgan
My husband traveled to Alaska last year and brought home this book. I didn’t realize the author knew anything about tatting until the conversation on Craftree. I haven’t read it yet, it’s been borrowed by my brother-in-law. I will definitely be reading through it when it comes back home. I want to find out if there is any mention of tatting in it.
Have you read any of Lael Morgan’s books? Do you have one of her shuttles?
“Historically, Alaska is a place that has attracted those fed up with conventionality.” Bill O’Reilly brainyquote.com
Congratulations Kathy! Email me at the address in my profile with your address and I’ll send you your wonderful prize package!
Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered the drawing. I have really had fun coming up with what to put in the prize package. The biggest problem – from my end – was when to stop adding stuff! I kept thinking “this would be cool to put in” or “that really fits the theme” and a few hundred other thoughts. I finally had to tell myself “enough already!” LOL! Kathy, I hope you enjoy the package as much as I have enjoyed putting it together and givin’ it out!
I’ve also been enjoying making my next bookmark. Last week I asked for a suggestion of a good one to make. Gina suggested using ‘Pumpkins on a Vine’ by Heidi Sunday for a fall themed one, and Isdihara gave me the link to the pattern, so I gave it a try.
I think I got a little carried away – it’s like “Pumpkins on a Tangled Vine” now. This is definitely a one-of-a-kind bookmark. The outsides are per the pattern except that I added the turns to come back down. Then I had to figure out how to connect the two sides together so I started adding the pumpkins down the middle. That made it look kind of like a pumpkin ladder so I started a little free-form tatting up and down the sides. Then I had to come up with a bottom that didn’t look like it had just been whacked off at random. Just look at the pumpkin patch that grew up out of all that! I’m very happy with this. It’s a bit three-dimensional because of the way the vines climb around, very textured. I stayed up late finishing this because I just had to see how it was going to end. Thank you, Heidi, for the wonderful pattern, and Gina and Isdihara for the inspiration and help finding the pattern. This was fun!
Oh, it’s made with Lizbeth size 20 in 694 (Harvest Orange Med) and 684 (Leaf Green Med). I’m counting this as #13 of my second 25 Motif Challenge. How appropriate for October, hey?
Now on to the gettin’! About a week ago I was on the Handy Hands website admiring all the books – okay, drooling over some of the books – and I mentioned to my husband that I really would like this book. And he replied “Why don’t you get it? Birthday, Christmas – something’s coming up pretty soon.” So I did.
This is a wonderful book, full of enough pictures of gorgeous shuttles to make any shuttle-tatter drool. Pam has done a lot of work looking into the history of shuttles and shuttle making and put it together for the rest of us. Wow! If you are interested at all in the history of shuttle making, or would like to see a lot of ways people have added “bling” to their shuttles, and you get the chance, check out this book!
But the gettin’s not done! I also picked me up a few Clover shuttles – as I was making an order anyway, right? And then of course I had to personalize them a little bit. It seems everyone is dressing up their shuttles right now – and it’s such fun! Of course, the new book has a lot of inspiration in it, too!
This blue one was pretty easy – I just added a little fingernail bling*, then sealed it. Makes for a fancy-looking shuttle in a very quick time!
And then I touched up one with material. Cutting out the shape of the shuttle was a little bit of work – my scissors seems to have developed a dull spot, just where I cut the most! But I succeeded! I think it came out very well! These are pictures of both sides of the same shuttle.
Here I thought I wasn’t much of an orange fan – but I’ll take this shuttle anytime!
Over the next few weeks I suppose I’ll be working mostly on snowflakes and other Christmas goodies. Can you believe it’s almost November already? And I realize that I’m way behind on all those things I try to do for Christmas gifts. I have quite a list of things I want to do and my time is getting short. So I’ll sit here this Tuesday morning, sip a little hot tea (mint!), wind my pretty new shuttles and get started on more of that givin’ stuff.
May all of you have a fun and safe Halloween and find a little time for tatting!
*Fingernail bling – those little decals you can get to jazz up your fingernails.*
This is the shuttle my husband made for me for Christmas. So why haven’t I posted about it yet? Well, it wasn’t quite done. He hadn’t gotten the engraving or the finish on until last week. And then my picture wouldn’t post right. But here it is at last!The shuttle is made from oak, and the point is very sharp. It has a rather tall post in it, and overall it is a little thicker than most of the shuttles I’m used to tatting with. It has the year on one side (2009) and my initials on the other. When I added some thread to give it a try we found out the points were a little too tight and had to be sanded down just a touch. I’ll have to get used to the added height but it will hold a lot of thread.
Isn’t my hubby such a sweetie? I do believe I’ll keep him another 30 years.
If you remember from last week, I had trouble posting a picture. I finally just used another picture because I couldn’t get the other one to sit straight, it was rotated 90 degrees. The engraving isn’t quite as readable in this picture, but you can see it.
I’m wondering if part of the problem wasn’t my camera. The computer couldn’t even recognize the camera was connected last week and had a tendency to shut off. I thought it was just me not doing something right, but it was the camera. We took it in to see what was wrong and they sent it out for repair. It’s not supposed to be back until next week. I’m hoping for an early return but I’m not holding my breath.
I’m working on an exchange piece for Intatters. We’re doing pendants. I’ve not really done jewelry, so we’ll see how it comes out. I haven’t decided on a pattern yet. I’ll probably try to use beads, which I don’t use much of, but I think it will really help on a pendant. I’ll share what I come up with after it’s received by whomever I’m set up with. Let’s hope my camera is back by then!!
I didn’t get much tatting done this Tatting Tea Tuesday because I did something I very rarely do – I slept late! Very late. I had a bad night last night, nothing bad, just not able to sleep. When I finally got to sleep it was after 4:30 AM or so. This doesn’t happen often, which is good, but it makes for a very short day when it happens. I hoping tonight is better!
On the 4th of July my husband and I went on a little day trip, just the two of us. We left all the housework and home projects behind and headed off to have a day of fun.
First we visited Coronado Heights. This is a hill named after Francisco Vasquez de Coronado for his visit to Kansas in 1541 looking for gold. This is the castle at the top. It was built in the 30’s along with a freestanding fireplace and picnic tables around the summit.
The views from the top are spectacular. You can see for miles in all directions over the farm/ranch land that surround it. This picture is looking south from one of the picnic tables. The day was partly cloudy and breezy which made it an excellent day for a visit in July. We’d both been here before but not since we were kids.
Then we went a little farther north and visited Mushroom Rock State Park. This first picture is what it looks like as we drive up. If you can make it out in the center of the picture the top of one of the ‘mushroom’ rocks is visible. In the distance you can see what the area around the park looks like.
These pictures are of my husband and I with some of the large rocks that the place is named for. Who would have thought to find rocks like this in Kansas?
My husband took these pictures by setting the timer on the camera and then running to be with me by/on the rocks. (That was fun to watch!)
It’s has been wet so far this summer so it was very green. This made for a very pleasant visit. It can get pretty dry over the summer.
And then we drove to Salina to check out a few of the antique stores there. We’re not big into antiquing, but enjoy it once in awhile.
I found this box in one of the stores. I think it was a jewelry box, but it may have been a sewing box. I have decided it is a tatting project box. It is to sit next to my chair to hold shuttles and notions in the drawers and current threads and projects in the top. I’ve been looking for something of this nature for quite some time, so I couldn’t very well leave it there, could I?
And then, in a store across the street I actually found two shuttles. One of the owners mentioned that shuttles are usually snapped up almost as soon as they put them out. So I got lucky!
The white one has no markings on it that I could tell. The store owner had no information about either of them, other than they were tatting shuttles. She was quite surprised that I tatted and commented about it being a “lost art.” She didn’t even know how shuttles were used or what it signified if the ends were close together. Both shuttles have some thread on them, and they definitely “click”!
The black one has a trademark name on it. Can you make it out? I had a lot of trouble taking a picture where the name is readable.
The name on the black one is “Gloria” with ‘trade’ on one side and ‘mark’ on the other. I don’t think I’ve heard of that before. Anyone know when or where it was made?
They were both in the same display box, so were for sale by the same seller. The white one has definitely been used quite a bit – it’s just a little warped where the finger and thumb would be positioned. The black one also looks used but not to that extent. What a find!
All around it was a great day. We had fun hiking around two wonderful sites on a beautiful day and then found some treasures to take home with us. We finished off the day at home with our feet up, sipping on root beer floats.
I could do with a few more days as nice as this one!
So this is how I added a little more art to my wall. The doily and shuttle picture is to the left of these shuttles and snowflakes. The backgrounds for all of these are unfinished wood pieces from Hobby Lobby covered with silk material that matches the colors in my livingroom curtains. The shuttles are sitting on a ribbon that is glued on the back of the wood only.
The top shuttle is an old plastic shuttle that I picked up at an antique shop about 10 years ago. The points are in bad shape and not really usable to tat with. The middle shuttle is wood from a place in Washington state called Blue Bird shuttles, I think. It was the first shuttle I bought other than Susan Bates plastic or Clover shuttles 15 (?) years ago. I’m not that fond of tatting with it because the pick is a little thicker than I like (and I see it’s sitting a little looser than the others, I’ll have to fix that). The bottom one is a buffalo horn shuttle picked up at a sewing/craft shop in Lawrence, KS about 1999. It’s very slick and likes to slip out of my hands when tatting. The way they are mounted I could get them down easily if I wanted to use them.
The snowflakes are glued to the material. They were on the Christmas tree this year. The top two are my designs, both several years old. The bottom one I’m sure is a pattern I found in a book, but I don’t remember where. If anyone recognizes it, please let me know so I can give credit to the designer. (Editor’s Note 1/17/09: Kathy Niklewicz, a sharp-eyed tatter, recognized that this motif came from ‘The Complete Book of Tatting’ by Rebecca Jones. Thanks Kathy!)
The picture with these pieces make a nice grouping of mixed media. What do you think?
