Needle Tatting and other Nonsense

The days are really beginning to run together as the holidays sneak up on me. I think perhaps that is a side effect of completing the shopping so early. I really stopped thinking about it, at least in the way that affects me and my family, instead focusing on the store. I means, yikes...it's just over a week away until Christmas. Sorry about that, it's just an external realization and this is the place that those spill out into the open.

I spent most of the day focused on remaking sold pieces and I've basically caught up save for a few I really have no interest in remaking right now. So as afternoon rolled around and it became clear that I wasn't going to get many if any more orders for the day, I opted to crochet. Yes, I am aware that sounds odd. Before I discovered tatting I both knitted and crocheted all the time and had since my teen years. I found tatting when I had bored of those for a time, but it was turning tatting into a job that left no time to pursue those crafts any longer. Every so often when things are slow, I'll pull out a hook or needles and let my muscle memory remind my how to move the yarn.

I had purchased a pattern for this neck warmer I saw on etsy with an interesting stitch I'd not tried before. That's what this is the beginning of. I still have plenty of yarn about so I got started with some black alpaca. It's definitely going to take a spell before I finish as it's pretty slow getting any length with the scales, but it's fairly simple, keeps my hands moving and gives me a break from tatting. I will of course pause to work on the shop should that be needed, but if the last five years have taught me anything, January is a slow, slow month. That means it's perfect for side projects and maybe even another tatted art piece for the shop. You know, if inspiration hits. That's all still a couple of weeks away though, so rather than speed toward it, I'll just let it come. I hope that you all have a nice weekend.