Tatting Again!!

I taught myself to tatt several years ago, but picked it up again in February of this year after my father passed away and I needed a distraction.  It worked.  An avid knitter, I've put my knitting on hold for a while and am now obsessed with perfecting my tatting.  I found several blogs online that I love, most of which I've included in my "links" section.  When I found the 25 Motif Challenge blog, I decided a challenge was just what I need right now.  So, today I am going to sign up for it and start posting the tatting I've been working on since February.  I've completed so many already this year that it's not going to take me long to get to 25 and don't intend to stop there!

Need to take pictures of everything so I can start posting, but here's one that I do have a picture of.  While I was tatting it I thought about my dad, so it's appropriate that this be my first picture.  It's Large Round Medallion with Cross from Anne Orr's Classic Tatting Patterns, made with Lizbeth No. 20.

This picture was taken before blocking, placed on my project case (thus the other stuff you can see in the background).  Going to work on making my other pictures much prettier.

Just like with my knitting, I have several projects "on the shuttles" right now.  I'm working a few from Anne Orr including her Rectangular Luncheon Set and Large Centerpiece doily.  I've also done several medallions from her books to get me into the swing of things.  I love books and (amongst several others) recentlly bought Mary Konior's Tatting With Visual Patterns and Jon Yusoff's Elegant Tatting Gems. Wonderful books! Jon's medallions are fun to make and are so pretty.  And Mary's book...wow.  I'd been coveting it for a while and found a new copy at Zig-Zag Corner Tatting for $59.95.  I'd love to have her other tatting books if I can ever get my hands on them for a reasonable price.

Right now I'm practicing split rings and want to learn how to succesfully do split chains and SCMRs. I have saved all the how-to materials I can find; just need to practice. 

I've been really enjoying reading everyone's blogs about tatting and hope to make some new online tatting friends!  Comments/feedback/suggestions are always welcome.