The Lace Mat - Round 5

I should be done with this by now, but I'm working on those last little trefoils just a few at a time.  And in the evening spare moments before bed.  It's moving right along.

Except maybe I was working on it too late when my eyes were too tired last night.  See the way I attached this one?

Ugh.  I hate it when I do that, but I'm glad these are small little pieces of tatting to cut off.  I think I should probably work on the last few trefoils earlier in the evening.  

Soon.  But not tonite.  The goblins will be out in full force!  

Happy Halloween  :)

The Lace Mat - Round 4

Almost done!  I just have the trefoils left, and the Lace Mat Tat-Along will be complete. 

 

This is complete through Round 4:

 

 

I've been tatting each round separately, avoiding using split rings to move to the next round.  (Which I couldn't have done anyway, the way I've switched colors, but I maybe could have done it getting to the final trefoils.)   It's OK - I don't mind sewing in all those ends when I get to the final round - at this point I just want to get it finished!  Hopefully it will look much more even when it's blocked - it's a bit wonky and wrinkly now, but I really do love how lacy and pretty it is already.

 

What next?  Maybe snowflakes.  I would never get any cute pumpkins done for Halloween at this point - I tat too slowly!  But, our neighborhood is getting into the Halloween spirit.  This is the greeting you receive on the neighbor's porch: 



 

 Wanna trick-or-treat in my neighborhood?



Muesli Anyone?

Ok, so muesli isn't  really a new thing.  But, it's new for me.  I've always enjoyed oatmeal - with raisins, coconut, nuts, etc.  Good, chewy, old fashioned oatmeal.  But, who wants to cook oatmeal before you run out the door to work?  Not me.  Sometimes I'd make enough for a day or two, but then maybe I didn't want oatmeal the next day.

During my trip to Finland and Sweden this past summer, we ate at three different breakfast buffets.  They each had beautiful breads and cheeses, salmon, cold cuts, fruits, eggs, etc.  But, they also had muesli.  Separate dishes of oats, nuts, dried fruits, yogurt, etc.  I thought that was interesting, and had to have some.  I never thought about eating oatmeal without cooking it!  And none of it was sweetened, mind you.  All natural.  Delicious with yogurt on it.  This has to be a healthy breakfast choice.

Soooooo, since I've been home I've hit the co-op twice for rolled oats, rye flakes, dried cherries, and flax seed.  I've googled recipes, and eaten muesli in milk, muesli in yogurt, muesli in orange juice (really, it's delicious!) muesli soaked for a bit, and muesli heated.  I just love how many different ways you can enjoy it, and it's so easy.  I add some coconut for a little sweetness, and have about 1/4 C. of my mix with whatever I have - milk, juice or yogurt.

I really am Scandinavian, I guess!  I loved the Finnish saunas, and now I'm hooked on muesli too.  If you like oatmeal, try it!

Fair Trade for Tatting?

Mom & I were chatting one day a couple of weeks ago, and she mentioned that she has several small lap quilts/wallhangings that she's made as samples for her local quilt shop.  She didn't know what she would do with them - you know, you can only just have so many.  "Ha!" I said, "I'll take 'em.  I'll just trade you some tatting!" 

Well, I was really only kidding.  It's hardly a fair deal to trade her beautiful quilts, no matter how small, for some of my tatting!  Really.  Look at these perfectly even little stitches:

She does such beautiful work.  In any case, when my youngest returned home from a visit with Grandma, guess what she brought with her?  Sheesh!  A bargain, indeed.

 

I'm not sure that any tatting I could produce would be a fair trade for these beauties!  Snowflakes, perhaps?  A doily or two?  Coasters?  Pillowcases or towels with tatted edgings?  Hhhhhmmmmm.  Probably all of those things!  Any suggestions?

The Lace Mat - Round 3

This Lace Mat Tat-Along is taking me forever - but I'm really loving the process and the pattern, and I think it's turning out quite nicely!  I'm anxious to get working on the 4th round now - hopefully there is tatting time in my weekend future :) 

 

I've been taking my time and trying not to rush to the finish. Rushing is a bad habit, and takes away the enjoyment of working on a pretty piece.  I see so many tatters making so many beautiful things, and I admit it - I'm jealous of those who can sit down and whip up a motif or a pair of earrings in no time.  Someday I will be able to do that, but for now I'm working on it in spare moments here and there, and those "spare" moments are few and far between lately.  My blog reader and Pinterest have me admiring projects far more than working on them!

 

For tonite, I'm enjoying a glass of wine and admiring my progress.  Yep.  No tatting, just admiration for small accomplishments.

 



 

In addition to reading blogs and surfing Pinterest projects, THIS 5 lb. book:

 

 

on a boring very informative subject has been keeping me somewhat entertained occupied.  And tonite we moved from the subject of History to more current public works topics - which means I was relieved of toting this monster around.  Whew!  Haven't been to school in (ahem) several years, so my old brain is pretty stretched.  Another full day of brain enhancing tomorrow, so the Tat-Along project will have to wait for some spare moments yet again.