Tired

I am exceedingly glad to be at the end of this week. The last couple of weeks have been a bit of a mess around here, full of routine destroying tasks and errands. Not that I don't enjoy celebrating things with my children, but I am such an unrepentant creature of habit that this much change just really took it out of me. There is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary on my calendar now until next weekend and I'm quite glad of it.

Yesterday was almost entirely devoted to the children's end of year celebration. We did school quicker and ran errands early so we would be on time and ready for it. They both got all the awards and we also got back some testing information for the oldest proving to her that she is smarter than she thinks she is. Then there was a potluck picnic in the park and when we got home it was collapsing on the couch for all of us. The cat is demonstrating our energy levels perfectly.

I did think about starting a new design, but I just didn't have the get up and go so I just remade the bracelet that just sold and finished up some netflix shows. I feel rather unproductive, but I suppose even I can take a break every now and again. I hope I've got more energy today so that perhaps I can do something worth sharing. Here's to the day.

Well, That's Done

Another day of doing exactly what I set out to do and not a lick more. The morning was schooling followed by errands so I didn't get round to listing the new necklaces until well after lunch, but I did do so. I listed the two color version using the variations, so you can pick you're two colors easily. I also managed to find some old pictures of the necklace I had when I made it the first time, around 5 or 6 years ago so I have more color examples. As with most of the pieces I return to, it's undergone some slight adjustments so I like the pattern better.

I also listed the three color version as a 'sepia edition' without variations because I can't list three. I did note at the bottom of the listing that you can simply note three colors at checkout and where you'd like each.

After I finished those two things, I kind of checked out for a while. I didn't want to make another of them because I dislike having too many pieces on hand in colors that I don't know will sell of not. Sure I'll make endless pieces in black without a thought, but not colors. So I finished watching a netflix series and read some more Sherlock Holmes stories and spent some time with the family in the evening.

Today is going to be another busy, away, day. The kids have their End of Year Celebration which includes kindergarten graduation for the youngest in the early afternoon. I won't have time for anything else then until well after lunch, maybe later. I did sell one piece that needs remaking, so I have a small task on hand, but it's probably all I get round to doing unless I feel that creative spark again soon. I'm finding the end of the school year almost as busy as the holidays this year.

Celtic Triangles

I did just what I set out to do yesterday. Schooling has gotten shorter as we near the end of the year. This is mostly because the kids sometimes did more lessons than they needed to meaning there are few left to stretch until the 11th. Of course that means I have a little more time to my tatting. I got the Celtic triangle pendants listed and then decided to ask for color suggestions for the necklace version.

I was kind of taken aback by some of the suggestions though. As you might have guessed, I am not the biggest fan of color in my work. When I do use color it's very basic and I suppose you could say, not very adventurous. Don't worry I'm not going to start adventuring just because color combinations like orange & pink or green & purple were suggested. I went with the combination suggestions that I liked and thought would fit in with my aesthetic.

I started with the red and black. I remember doing this one back when I made this necklace the first time except the colors were reversed. I figured I can make a couple of combinations and then list it with the color choice options and make it to order that way if they want those adventurous combinations I can make it just for them.

Another suggestion was made to do it in three colors, so I worked this one up in sepia tones. The only problem with listing a custom three color version is that etsy only has two variations to select, so I can't list all three. I may just list it as the sepia and then in the description say that it can be made in any three colors and note them at checkout. It's a clumsier way to do it of course with more room for error, but that was how we all did it before the variation options existed.

I'm going to try to get these listed today, but I also have errands that need running so I'm not sure if I actually will or if I will claim laziness and leave it for another day. I am feeling listless again. I think it might just be the letdown after working so furiously on large orders and birthday celebrations. It's just hard to slow back down again.

From the Past

The thing about days off around here is that the term generally only applies to the other people in the household. No matter how little they manage to do during the day, I still seem to have an endless supply of tasks to tackle. The clothes still need washing, the dishes still need to be unloaded and reloaded into the washer and they all seem to still want to eat and apparently I'm suppose help with that. Then there's my shop that still needs attending to not to mention all the four legged children that think me resting is a sign of weakness.

I managed to finally get everything that I wanted to remake, remade. I still haven't listed them all again though. I like to space out listings to keep the shop looking as fresh as possible. Since I had been so busy with all this remaking I'd been neglecting some of my other online places, Facebook and twitter mostly. Since those are the sort of places where people seem to forget all about you if you're gone for a minute I decided to do a quick giveaway from some of the pieces I had taken out of the shop a while ago on my Facebook page.

One got so many compliments that I decided that I had to remake it for the shop again. I used to have a few pieces that used this motif including a two color necklace version. I'm not entirely sure why I stopped using it, maybe because the weaving of the outside row can be fiddly or maybe I got bored. I suppose it doesn't matter now. I'll get it listed as a pendant today and if I'm feeling up to it, I might just recreate the old necklace design as well.

I do have quite a week scheduled up though. There's a doctor's appointment for the child tomorrow and both girls year end celebration on Thursday afternoon. There is still about two and half weeks of schooling left as well. I was hoping to just take a week long nap at that point, but I have jury duty on their last day of school too. No need to think that far ahead though, Celtic triangles and schooling the kids today. That's as far as I need to think right now.

Weekend Recap

It was another super busy weekend around here. Friday was my daughter's birthday and as it's been
our tradition, we headed to the zoo for the day. She was elated to be chosen as a volunteer in the bird show and a little bummed to learn that friends of ours had their baby that same day. She just doesn't like the idea of sharing her birthday, but she had such a good day that I think she let it go. I didn't bring any tatting with me as nothing was really urgently needed, so it was a day without lace.

Saturday was her party which means my day went something like this, cleaning, laundry, dishes, more cleaning, decorating, hosting, cleaning, a quick break to go see a movie with the family and back to more cleaning, dishes and dismantling the decorations. The level of exhausted I reached was epic, also the name of the movie we saw.

Sunday started off completely normal, but I did get an order in the shop, so I actually had some tatting to do. Of course we also managed to go on a walk, get some shopping done and watch a couple of episodes of the new Arrested Development. I remained quite exhausted last night, but stayed up just long enough to see the triple planetary conjunction because space is amazing. It was an odd weekend and of course it's not quite over. The children have the day off school today and the husband is off work as well. I think the plan is to just stay in, relax and recover. It's still a Monday though so here I am, up and ready to start the day. When your alarm clock consists of six cats, sleeping in is never a real option.

Calm

If possible, yesterday was even less eventful than the previous days. There was much tatting, much cleaning and even a little time for a school fossil project, but not much interesting. Well, that's not entirely true I got a message on etsy from a mask maker that I know who had been told by another mask maker that her pictures were stolen by a website purporting to sell them and when she looked she saw some of my photos as well. At first I reacted with the livid nervousness that usually strikes when I have to confront someone, but it settled fairly quickly.

Why did I calm down? Well firstly I couldn't find the website even when I googled their name so it's hard to find. Secondly, while the other mask makers were really worried about them selling knockoffs, I can't even imagine how they would knock off a hand tatted mask with a machine and come up with anything that was remotely similar especially given that none of my pictures lend themselves to that sort of thing. Yes, I know there are those embroidery machine tatting patterns, but they'd still have to design that and they don't strike me as that skilled. Plus they have one of my masks on their best sellers page which leads me to believe that they actually haven't sold anything at all and it's all a scam. The other mask designs all appear to be stolen photos as well and all prices at the real price of their original locations. I'm not certain what the exact scam is, but it's definitely one. The other makers are all sending DMCA notices, so hopefully it won't exist for long anyway.

Today I'll be off with the family at the zoo for the oldest daughter's birthday. I might tat in the car on the way, I might not. I try to let go a little bit for their birthdays and let it be about what they want to do, so I probably won't get anything done. Then I'll have to clean like a madwoman on Saturday morning before the party so everything is presentable around here. Yep, it's going to be another long weekend. Hopefully it's an interesting one as well.

Done

Another day slaving over a...hot tatting needle...okay, maybe not. It does get a little warm though. Wow, that whole sentence just sounds terribly odd, I'm sorry you had to read that. I have good news though. I managed to get everything done yesterday that needed doing.

I worked on the mask I needed to make up until schooling started. After schooling I had to run some errands but upon our return I got out all the findings and put together all the pieces that needed them. Then out came the ironing board and the steam iron and I pressed until everything looked perfect and ready to ship. Then counting and stacking and putting it all in the computer room where I will get it in a box this morning.

Then I was determined to finish the mask and tatting the rest of the day did just the trick. It too is done, pressed and ready to ship this morning. Of course that doesn't mean I have nothing left to do, not by a long shot. Today will be dedicated to remaking several pieces and getting some housecleaning done. Since we'll be gone tomorrow to the zoo for the child's birthday I won't have much time tomorrow to get much done. I'll save the floors until Saturday morning though, because they will undo their clean almost immediately. I think perhaps I'm telling you more than you have any desire to know about my cleaning habits. Suffice it to say that I will be busy again today.

Another Day

Another day with so little to share, it's barely worth writing. You know me though, can't skip a day. It's habit, routine, obsessive compulsion, I'm not certain which is truer, but I'm compelled to continue. As you can imagine I spent most, well really all of yesterday tatting. It wasn't until early evening that I finally finished the last piece in the large order. So when I was done I opted to take a break for the rest of the day.

Today I have all the finishing work ahead of me. I need to put various clasps and whatnot on the jewelry, press everything and get it all packed up. You might think this is a simple task, and it is, but it is also time consuming when done right. So it will likely not get tackled until after schooling and when it is done it's straight onto the mask that needs making. So I've got my entire day cut out for me. It's one of my larger masks as well, so I probably won't finish it today either. Well, there's a chance, I am in production mode and that tends to increase my speed, but either way today is definitely booked.

Since I seem to be getting things done at a good pace I should actually have time to clean the house before the weekend as well. I was actually kind of getting worried about that. I generally place housework at the bottom of the queue because let's face it, no one is paying me to do that, unlike the tatting. It is the child's birthday party though, so I'm glad I'll have time to put in the effort. Not glad to clean mind you, but it's the right thing to do. Well, I think I've babbled on quite enough for this morning. It's time to get a few things done.

Still Working

It's a damn good thing I'm an efficient multitasker or I would have gone mad yesterday with the sheer amount of tatting I did. I emptied not one, but two balls of thread in the process and there's a third barely hanging on.

I started even before schooling and then was straight back to it afterwards. I thought about tatting during the kids classes, but it really is best to give them as much of my attention as possible, but the rest of the day belonged to lace. I used all that tatting time to catch up shows I was behind on as well as more reading. I've now well over halfway through the Sherlock Holmes cannon and I've even begun to guess the outcomes eariler in the tales. I suppose that's probably because they've been so heavily borrowed from for other stories and shows, but still...it makes me feel smart.

I am down to the last few pieces in the large order though they are the largest ones, so I've got a small chance to finish today. I won't be surprised if I don't though. As long as I can start on the mask ordered on Sunday by Thursday I should have it finished in the time quoted. Once that's done I'll still have a few pieces left to remake, so my days are planned all week. Of course with all this concentration on tatting I've not paid enough attention to the other things happening this week. It's the oldest child's birthday on Friday followed by her party on Saturday, so I need to find time to clean and we'll be off to the zoo on Friday. Then next week we have her doctor's appointment and the kids end of year school celebration even though they're not done will schooling until the 11th of next month. Just writing all this out is making me tired. Well, there's nothing for it but to get on with it, right?

The Grindstone

During schooling Friday morning, the large order I'd already been working on went through. When it was all properly laid out I realized that although it was about the same number of items as the last time they ordered, the pieces this time around were primarily more complex ones. Last time it was tons of earrings, this time tons of large cuff bracelets. As you might imagine I spent most of my weekend hard at work.

On Saturday, we did make a family trip to see the new Star Trek movie and it was a lovely break from the grind. Also, it was a completely gratifying film. Other than the movie and a few quick errands, we were at home and when we were at home I was tatting away. Also, for probably the first time ever, I'm going to need all the time I quoted someone to make their pieces. Why? Because I got another order on Sunday that needs to be made and it's a mask, which means it takes no little time to make itself. I feel like I'm on a serious clock to finish the large order, which has several pieces left in it to make, so I can get to the mask. I even got a third custom order last night, but luckily, it was for a custom ring and I just took a short break to whip that out so it isn't added to the queue.

I know I always say I like being busy, and I really do, but forgive me complaining a little about my
sore shoulder and the fact that I have nothing of import to share with you...oh, wait, I just remembered. Over the weekend the Spun exhibit opened at the Denver Art Museum and the lovely Celtic Katte snapped this photo for me of my ankle corsets on display. I imagine the rest of the display is quite interesting as well, but since I'll never see it, I'll have to live vicariously through others. So here I go, back to the grindstone.

Working

The order I'm expecting still isn't finalized, but I do have a list of the pieces they want. So rather than sit on my hands and wait, I thought I'd just get to work on them especially since a few of them are some of my more complicated bracelets. As you're aware I rarely write out my patterns so when I remake sold ones I rely on my somewhat spotty memory and photographs which can be troublesome. When I actually have the pieces on hand it's much easier. So along with making the ones needed for the order, I'm going to try and make an additional piece of the hard to make ones before they leave me. Of course that means that I feel the need to work faster so yesterday was just the first of many, nose to the grindstone days.

I felt like I got a lot accomplished, but I think in the end it was only three bracelets. In my defense they were large and more difficult than most of the ones I've designed. Add that to the general frustration I was feeling over the unrelated problem of bloody all day email issues and it was kind of an exhausting day.

I did wake up to my email miraculously righting itself so perhaps it's going to be a great day even though it's basically the same plan for today. I'm just going to continue to make and make and make some more, likely for quite a few more days. It really is a good thing though, isn't it? When I'm busy I feel productive and generally satisfied with myself, so I'll happily get back to work now.

More Things Finished

Well I was half right about about I'd get up to yesterday. I did get the choker completed and listed, though only after stalling for a spell in the morning. It takes me longer to get around to listing things that require I show my face in the photos. I mean when I think of the sheer number of photos of myself I've managed to put online in the last six or so years it turns me all shades of red. Don't even get me started on what I discovered after uploading feet pictures for barefoot sandals...it's disturbing.

So anyway, after that was done I stalled some more. Then I finally got an order in the shop so I remade the sold piece. It was one of my interwoven three color bracelets that are a bit of a pain to make. The pattern itself is pure simplicity, it's the often strange joins I have to make to make it work that cause the difficulty, not to mention making sure I join on the right side. Since they are different colors, if I make a mistake I get those annoying color blips at the joins. At least it gave something to do that I hadn't done in a while.

It wasn't until late in the evening that I heard back from my large order. This one is to the same museum store that my last really big one was to that had the Steampunk show. It still hasn't been finalized, but I expect that some time today. So I'll just get a jump on those pieces. They've ordered multiples of several pieces so I have plenty that will need making in the next week. Of course that also means I will likely be quite boring in the coming days.

That's reminds me that I failed to remind you of something. Quite some time ago I was approached about adding a piece to a textile exhibit at the Denver Museum of Art. The exhibit opened yesterday called, Spun: Adventures in Textiles. I, of course will never get around to see it, but if that's your neck of the woods, I have a pair of barefoot sandals on display with their section on tatting that you can visit for me. I hope to get some picture from them soon and if I do I'll share. That's interesting right?

Finished

Guess what? I stayed on task yesterday. That's right, I did exactly what I said I would do. I tatted until I had both the new bracelet and the matching choker made up and then I read some Sherlock Holmes. I never did get around to any video game playing though.Just not enough hours in the day.

Right after schooling I worked up the final version of the pattern as a bracelet. I made a few changes from the prototype. I increased the stitch count on the upper chains and I added small joining picots for the bottom points. It may not look much different, but it's a bit longer and much sturdier. Since almost everything I make is meant to be worn, it's important that the design not only look good, but also that it can withstand that stretching and pulling well. The way those bottom points were before was fine for decoration, but the would have twisted around when worn without the added stability.

I stopped tatting just long enough to get the bracelet pressed and listed. Luckily this pattern repeats at just the right lengths that I was able to list it as being available in lengths of 6,7, and 8 inches. Right after I got this up I started on the choker version. I completed the tatting on that one as well, but I didn't bother putting the clasp on yet because I knew it wasn't going to get all the way to listed yesterday. I shall leave that task for today.

So today I'll finish up the choker and hopefully get it listed. The shop is going through another, hopefully short, dry spell, so getting new pieces in there is helpful to keep it looking fresh. Then I'm hoping to hear back from a potential order I got word from yesterday. If that happens I'll have more than plenty to do, otherwise I think I'll muck about in the vintage pattern books for inspiration again. Not that the shop 'needs' to be any fuller, but it either that or the video games. At least with the tatting I have something so show for the wasted time.

Lazy Days

What a wandering sort of day I had yesterday. With nothing that 'needed' doing, I did a little bit of everything in a state of near lounging that can only be attributed to the heat. Once schooling was wrapped for the day I lazed about while accomplishing a little here and a little there, never focusing for too long on any one thing.

First I decided that I must get some tatting in, so I looked though the vintage Finnish book that has inspired me in the past and found an edging that I felt I could twist to my will. I made up a bracelet prototype, adding onto the design as I went. Once it was done, I posted it about for feedback and since it was generally positive I began on the final piece which I had already determined would need a few more adjustments. Of course about five rings in I realized that I had been miscounting picots and tossed the whole thing to the side to mess with later. Clearly the weather stopped me from a proper level of concentration, at least that's the story I'm sticking to.

I spent the rest of the day oscillating between the puzzle video game I received for Mother's Day and reading more Sherlock Holmes. I really have become quite determined to complete the cannon, sooner rather than later. I'm trying to read them in order and most recently I knocked out the novel, The Hound of The Baskervilles. So far it's the only one that hasn't been chronologically contained within the larger Holmes universe and the only one I was previously familiar with having watched the movie in school...the book is better.

So I'm hoping for a bit more focused of a day today. I will get the final bracelet piece made up and I mean to follow it with a matching choker since the measurements lend themselves well to it. If and only if I manage to stay on task and complete those two things, then I'll allow myself a bit more reading or game playing. Of course the weather promises to stay unseasonably hot so I may still be derailed by that. I will try my level best to stay the course and hopefully I'll have more tatting to show you tomorrow, at least that's the plan.

Weekend Recap

Once again, a long weekend full of things there were not tatting. Though Friday did begin with me finishing my tatted demi gloves. I wasn't actually tatting then either, I was embroidering, so really no tatting at all then. When I got done with all my other Friday business, I cleaned some and then I decided to finish the crochet tank top I had started in black alpaca yarn. So now my break time projects are all done as well.

Saturday was a Lowe's project with the kids in the morning and lots of errands so we wouldn't have to go out much on Sunday. Lot's of shopping and when we were home, lots of cleaning. Seriously, there are too many floors in this place and too many cats to befoul them. The amount of fur around here is utterly ridiculous. It's really too bad there is no way I could ever be comfortable with having a house cleaner because there would certainly be plenty of things I'd be okay not doing anymore. Never going to happen though, it's just too odd and uncomfortable.

Sunday was a lovely Mother's Day around here. The kids and the husband did well picking out gifts and we had both our Mothers and the rest of the family over for a nice BBQ lunch. Even though it was ridiculously hot for this time of year, I think it hit 100º, it was quite pleasant. For once I didn't feel too overwhelmed cleaning up afterward either. I played some new video games, my gifts, and even managed to get some more reading in though still no tatting.

The coming week is pleasantly packed with no extra events, just normal schooling. There are no big tatting projects in queue, in fact there are no, any kind of tatting projects in queue. That's means I need to either figure out what I want to accomplish this week, or ignore it all and just play more video games. I'm leaning toward the later, but you know I can only go so long without tatting, so I guess only time will tell.

Still Working

Day three with nothing of interest to share. Seriously I spent all day yesterday, save for time spent schooling, on those demi gloves. I even managed to mess up once or twice and had to cut out bits and start again. I'm very nearly finished now, but I still have more embroidery to do. The design is simple, but I'm using metallic blending filament which has it's own issues. I have to use it in short lengths because the metallic strip begins to stretch after repeated pulls through the lace and it separate from the other two fibers in the filament. Even tying it off and hiding the ends is a pain the arse. So it takes a long time to do a very little embroidery. The picture is of the last pair I did. I think this go around I've done a little better on it actually, but I'm certainly not going to bother taking new listing photos.

So today I finish up these and then I'm almost all caught up again. I do have a pair of barefoot sandals I could make, but they're already listed as a custom piece, so there's no real rush on that. It's what I'll probably end up doing though...unless something more interesting or pressing presents itself. I do have the house to clean as we're hosting for Mother's Day and I haven't bothered with the floors in a little too long, but I might save that until tomorrow. I also have one last quick meeting with one of the kid's teachers, but that won't take long at all. Here's hoping for something interesting to surprise me today and a lovely weekend ahead. Since I won't see you until Monday, Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there whether your kids be two legged, or four legged, or both.

Umm

I'm afraid we are now at day two without anything interesting to show you. At least today starts without me being nervous. In fact yesterday's incident resolved so pleasantly that I fear I really rather overreacted with stress. Of course if you've been following me for a long time you might remember that things have gone much worse, painfully worse in times past. I'm not going to waste anymore thought on all that old business though.

I spent all of yesterday immersed in the business of remaking the pieces that are flying out today including the demi gloves that were giving me so much pause. I managed to even finish tatting one of them even improving my methods...I think. I can't really be certain since it had really been too long to remember how I went about construction last time. Either way, I'm making progress and I'll be at it again today to hopefully finish the second glove and start with the embroidery.

I always feel so boring when I'm immersed in remaking. I have nothing new to share unless you want to hear about my day long headache, which I'm fairly certain you do not. So I'll just move along then and thanks for the commiseration yesterday. I try not to go off like that too often, but it is cathartic. Hopefully today will bring something new and interesting.

Sorry About The Rant

I'm running a bit late this morning because I'm a horrible, selfish person. Okay, perhaps I'm being a bit too hard on myself. I felt the need to send a 'please don't sell things made with my patterns' message again. I hate doing it and so I write, delete, write again, ponder, realize that I need to be firm or I'll regret later as more people assume it must be okay if I let that person do it and then I send it immediately wondering if I really should have and now I'm terrified of the response. Seriously it's such a little thing really and it makes me a wreck.

Aside from my general lack of skill in the matter and the time I just don't have, one of the biggest reasons I can't see myself doing a pattern book anytime soon is not having any real control over who would make and sell the pieces. Sure that might not matter one day when my etsy shop isn't my livelihood, but right now that scares me. I'd go crazy if I tried to police that, so if I ever do a book it would have to be things I was no longer making. I do not want to become the crazy lady that gets overheated when someone just makes and posts a picture of something I designed, but I do need to hold the line I drew in the sand and wrote in the patterns, right? It's not too much to ask is it? Gah, I feel like an awful person.

Moving on then. I spent most of yesterday working on the order I have in queue. I'll still be working on it most of today and if I bite the bullet and start remaking the largest piece I sold, I'll be at it for a few days at least. I'm still saving that one until the end though, it's a complicated one with crystals and embroidery at the end, my demi gloves. I fear I should get around to it late today meaning I'll have my head down and ignore much of the world around me while I work. Luckily I do have a prototype on hand so I have something solid to work from, but it's one of my more complicated builds and it's been two years since I made them. I guess I again have my days work cut out for me...for a while.

Baby Bugs

Another tired morning. I have no idea what could possibly be making me more tired than usual, so I'll blame the odd weather. I did manage to get done all that I wanted to yesterday. In fact I managed to go all the way through to the back up plans.

I finished all the pieces that I needed to tat up a little after lunch time because schooling was short and
because the odd weather kept us inside. Then I proceeded to read a little followed more crochet.

Oh, but I forgot what happened around lunchtime. We've kept mantids as pets for years now. It started as a catch and keep, but we long ago graduated to mating them and waiting for the egg cases to hatch out the next Spring. Some years we've bought oothecas and some we just wait patiently to see what last years cases bring. This year we bought some and one just exploded with nymphs. If you've never seen this, it's quite a sight. Most of these have been released to the yard, but we'll keep and attempt to raise a few.

I woke up this morning to a rather large and unexpected order. It contains at least one piece that needs making and a couple I was sure I was never going to sell at this point. So over the next couple of days I'll need to get one piece made and try to make sure I have good enough pictures of the sold pieces so that I can get them remade properly. It's easy to remake things that sell often. Their patterns are actually fairly well committed to memory, but the ones that sit in the shop for months or years before selling are quite another matter. I'll need really clear photos since I never wrote out the patterns. I guess I have my work cut out for me today.

Weekend Recap

I'm actually having a little trouble getting focused this morning. I've had yet another odd, meandering weekend where absolutely no tatting got done. On Friday I was determined to complete my crochet project and I did.It fits nicely, so I went digging through my yarn stash to see if I had anymore suitable yarn and I found some black alpaca in the right thickness. It probably won't hang as nicely as this one which was done with the pattern requested cotton, but I figured it was worth a shot. And because I was asked, the pattern is just the outside tank from a Patons Yarn pattern that was in their most recent newsletter. You do need to sign up to get the free pattern though.

The rest of the weekend was diversions that took longer than we thought they would. On Saturday we went out for an early lunch then a matinee of Iron Man 3, which was a wonderful time, followed by a trip to the comic book shop for free comic book day. That last bit is where our Saturday went off the rail a bit. A short trip stretched to a couple of hours and by the time we left it was time for dinner and then a whole lot of nothing.

Sunday started out normal, but then I got a text from my sister telling me her washing machine was broken and I of course offered the use of ours. This meant a house full of my nieces and nephews and the entire afternoon was given over to chatting and I never once picked up a tatting needle. Luckily Friday night also brought a couple of sales in the store so I do have a few things that need remaking today. Yes, I'm aware that I could have worked on them over the weekend, but I didn't. Lately I've managed to claim back my weekends from tatting unless I have orders that need making. As much as I really do love tatting, it's nice to do a little something different with the weekend whether it be adventuring with the family, more reading or just a different fiber art. I think the change lets my brain relax a bit.

So today I'll get back to work and remake what needs it. Maybe more tatting tasks will come to me later, or maybe I'll go back to crochet, or Sherlock Holmes. I now have a plan for the day, a backup plan and another backup plan. At least I won't be bored.

Work To Do

The stars must have aligned because while I was doing schooling yesterday morning I got a message asking for a necklace in a custom length. It was just what I needed, something that actually needed to get done.

After schooling I put my head down and got to work. Normally this necklace takes at least a full day to make, but I think I was just so ready to get to work I knocked the whole thing out by late afternoon. It still needs it's hardware and a good pressing so it won't go out to its new owner until tomorrow morning, but the bulk of the work is done. It felt good to be tatting with purpose again instead of just doodling with no direction at all.

I even had time to get back to the crochet piece. It is coming along nicely as well. I think I may be working too quickly though because the finger I wrap the working yarn over was getting a little rope burned. Of course it looks fine this morning, so I suppose it was just rope irritation and I'm just not used to it anymore.

Personally I'm hoping for the same sort of day to occur today. A tatting task to be handed to me followed by some time to crochet. I think I should be able to knock out this project before the weekend is out either way.

Before I forget, if you happen to be in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina area, my work is part of the Steamworks: Art, Stories, and Adornments show at the Ackland Museum store starting May 10th. I am of course nowhere near there so I can't tell you much else about it, except that I know several of the other artisans from my various Internet adventures and they are all incredibly talented. I guess that's the end of this week. Here's hoping the next one is more adventurous.

Different Direction

Unfortunately May did not begin with a bang as I'd hoped. There was no orders or requests. I didn't suddenly have a great idea that I went straight to work on. No, none of that. I did put forth the effort to list the new motif as a pendant, so at least that's done.

At lunch time I was requested to run errands. I decided that since I was going to be out anyway that I would stop by the craft store and pick up the yarn I would need for a free pattern I got in my email. I get a ton of craft emails as you might image and they are largely ignored. This time I was in possession of the rare combination of liking a pattern i could actually use as well as having a bit of extra time on my hands. Even better, the required yarn turned out to be on clearance.

Upon retuning home, I closed my computer, determined not to dwell on the slow nature of the shop and started crocheting. It's a neat spider web kind of pattern so it's working up quite quickly. That is exactly what I needed. Something to not only keep me busy, but also to give me a sense of accomplishment with visible progress.

I'm just going to keep working on this project today. Sure, I'll stop if the shop suddenly springs back to life, but otherwise, I'm enjoying the small change of pace. I guess sometimes you have to stop walking into a wall and just walk in a different direction until you find a better way around.

More Motifs

I was not granted any new tasks yesterday, so once schooling and the morning walk were out of the way, it was a whole lot of nothing around here. Okay, that's not entirely true. There was laundry and dishes and after staring at the motif from yesterday for a while, I tried a few more iterations of it. A few were tossed right in the waste basket as they were compete failures, but there couple were interesting enough to share.

The top one is the version that I think will actually make it into the shop whenever I get around to it. The only real change there was the outside chains are now zig-zag chains. I find that they are stiffer and hold their shape better which works well for a longer chain. The bottom one I did because someone on Facebook noted that the original motif was reminiscent of a Celtic cross so I thought I'd expand on that and see if I could get even closer. I'm not in love with it, but perhaps with a few tweaks it too may make it to the shop.

I didn't do much else with it that's worth sharing. In fact I didn't do much else at all yesterday. I mostly played catch up with recorded shows. In fact I only managed to read one Sherlock Holmes story and that was during schooling while the oldest read her novel. It was a completely lazy end to the month. Here we are at the start of a new one though and I sure hope it begins well and stays busy.