Tatting Again

What a truly lovely day. The day before it had reached 105º, but yesterday it was cool and windy all day. I had nearly every window in the house flung open to suck in all the cool. On top of that I got a message on etsy inquiring about customizing a mask with different crystals. After responding and assuming that it would go the way of most questions, the customer made the purchase! I know I shouldn't be so excited, but this is my first non-pattern sale in weeks and my largest piece sold in an even longer length of time.

So after schooling, instead of making bobbin lace, I still don't have a good verb for that, I got to tatting. First I had to plan out the crystals for the design. I used the opportunity to show the kids real world math application. I'm not certain they appreciated it, but I can't stop teaching all the time. I hadn't made this mask in so long that I made more that one mistake that required me to go back and fix something. That just means it's slower going than usual. I just started the second round of it when I had to wrap it up to make dinner. I cannot tell you how happy I am to be tatting and to have gotten an actual lace order in the shop. Business has been so abysmal lately that the only thing keeping me from complaining here about my stress level everyday has been focusing on making bobbin lace. It will continue to do so as I've no illusions that this is anything but an aberration from the norm. It would be nice if it were the beginning of a sea change, but I'll just keep on as is.

The kids have their end of year celebration today even though there is still five more days of school. That event should take up a mighty chunk of the day. The rest of it should be working on this mask. Any free time and it's back to the big bobbin lace piece. It is nice to have so much in queue to get done. I guess I really do hope there's change in the air. I much prefer making things to go to good homes, than for my own growing pile of useless lace.