I forgot to mention yesterday that Sid the Scintillating Slug made his first appearance at dinner on Thursday evening. As the theme was flower gardens and there are always pests in gardens, it was interesting to see several slugs turning up in people's salads. How they managed to survive two flights and several weeks without food in my luggage is anybody's guess!!! Perhaps I'm now classed as a pest too! The pattern for Sid is on the Palmetto Tat Days CD.
Friday again dawned with beautiful weather. We went to breakfast - what a huge choice of things to eat including grits (not sure about those still!!). After breakfast I found out that unfortunately the vending room had opened - this was fatal for me as there were so many goodies on sale. I bought some threads and then found some fine crochet hooks on sale by Georgia (AKA) Seitz which had been shortened and had a hole and split ring through them. I'd been looking for hooks like this for ages so (as I invariably lose things) I bought two!!! I managed to get my mucky mitts on a CD with all the patterns on for my old mucker back in the UK - you know the one who rides around London on a broomstick!!!! All the teachers were given one so I'd already got mine!!
A fabulous talk was being given in one of the classrooms by Karey on how to dye threads. Unfortunately I missed the beginning as I was still letting the moths out of my purse in the vending room. Next was lunch followed by my first lesson - the Fantasy Flower.
I planned to teach the unbeaded version of this as the weaving of the picots is quite intricate but not complicated. I'd not realised that a lot of tatters didn't hide their ends in their start rings so this was added into the lesson. I think the lesson went quite well although it would be interesting to know the feedback on this.
During teacher orientation we were told we could 'sneak' into other teacher's lessons when we had free time. I took the opportunity to go into Mimi Dillman's class on the Cluny Tatted Kite. I'll admit freely that I've never really wanted/needed to learn the cluny but as a result of this excellently taught class I'm now very happy with the technique and can see it becoming part of future designs - once I can make them neatly. Thanks, Mimi, I really enjoyed this class. By the way I caught Mark having a 'private' session with Mimi on clunies too at some point during the latter part of the weekend!!!
After classes it was time for a change of clothes. Oh, forgot to mention that all teachers were given a blue tshirt to wear for classes with the logo on. I won the teacher's competition to design the logo for these and it was fantastic to see my work displayed on everybody's chests!!!
Now it was time for the banquet. The room was cosy and intimate but with plenty of room to move. The speeches were hilarious with Georgia also giving a very interesting talk about the history of tatting. Awards were given out for the competition pieces and I got a shuttle with 'my' logo on it. (I actually got all blue ribbons, except one, with two 99% and one 100% for my pieces!) which I was thrilled about. AKA also auctioned a very special shuttle with a fairy on for the Palmetto tatters and this raised a lot of money for their scholarship fund. Riet was given a family of sock monkeys, previous teachers received a bag of flour (don't ask!!!). All sorts of fun and frivolity went on throughout the dinner which was delicious.
Afterwards there was the tat off. I missed the start as I was showing somebody a technique but arrived when it was in progress. I won't tell you who won!!! Oh, OK, I will. It was Mark. His speed is fantastic and he just keeps his nose down and 'goes for broke'.
Later in the evening Riet led the 'night owls' lesson in which everybody was taught a Dutch song. I didn't spoil things by singing and ruining it - I don't 'do' singing and Nick would tell you why if you asked!!!
Bedtime and a few moments back in the room to make sure all my lessons for the next day were ready.
Friday again dawned with beautiful weather. We went to breakfast - what a huge choice of things to eat including grits (not sure about those still!!). After breakfast I found out that unfortunately the vending room had opened - this was fatal for me as there were so many goodies on sale. I bought some threads and then found some fine crochet hooks on sale by Georgia (AKA) Seitz which had been shortened and had a hole and split ring through them. I'd been looking for hooks like this for ages so (as I invariably lose things) I bought two!!! I managed to get my mucky mitts on a CD with all the patterns on for my old mucker back in the UK - you know the one who rides around London on a broomstick!!!! All the teachers were given one so I'd already got mine!!
A fabulous talk was being given in one of the classrooms by Karey on how to dye threads. Unfortunately I missed the beginning as I was still letting the moths out of my purse in the vending room. Next was lunch followed by my first lesson - the Fantasy Flower.
I planned to teach the unbeaded version of this as the weaving of the picots is quite intricate but not complicated. I'd not realised that a lot of tatters didn't hide their ends in their start rings so this was added into the lesson. I think the lesson went quite well although it would be interesting to know the feedback on this.
During teacher orientation we were told we could 'sneak' into other teacher's lessons when we had free time. I took the opportunity to go into Mimi Dillman's class on the Cluny Tatted Kite. I'll admit freely that I've never really wanted/needed to learn the cluny but as a result of this excellently taught class I'm now very happy with the technique and can see it becoming part of future designs - once I can make them neatly. Thanks, Mimi, I really enjoyed this class. By the way I caught Mark having a 'private' session with Mimi on clunies too at some point during the latter part of the weekend!!!
After classes it was time for a change of clothes. Oh, forgot to mention that all teachers were given a blue tshirt to wear for classes with the logo on. I won the teacher's competition to design the logo for these and it was fantastic to see my work displayed on everybody's chests!!!
Now it was time for the banquet. The room was cosy and intimate but with plenty of room to move. The speeches were hilarious with Georgia also giving a very interesting talk about the history of tatting. Awards were given out for the competition pieces and I got a shuttle with 'my' logo on it. (I actually got all blue ribbons, except one, with two 99% and one 100% for my pieces!) which I was thrilled about. AKA also auctioned a very special shuttle with a fairy on for the Palmetto tatters and this raised a lot of money for their scholarship fund. Riet was given a family of sock monkeys, previous teachers received a bag of flour (don't ask!!!). All sorts of fun and frivolity went on throughout the dinner which was delicious.
Afterwards there was the tat off. I missed the start as I was showing somebody a technique but arrived when it was in progress. I won't tell you who won!!! Oh, OK, I will. It was Mark. His speed is fantastic and he just keeps his nose down and 'goes for broke'.
Later in the evening Riet led the 'night owls' lesson in which everybody was taught a Dutch song. I didn't spoil things by singing and ruining it - I don't 'do' singing and Nick would tell you why if you asked!!!
Bedtime and a few moments back in the room to make sure all my lessons for the next day were ready.
Does sound like you all had a 'little bit' of fun. Thanks a bunch for telling us so much detail, now we have to wait with our mouths open ready to drool over the CD. Come on Palmetto tatters make the CD available real soon. Loved last years one.
ReplyDeleteNext installment please Jane. Hope you took some photos to show when you get home.
Your words have inspired me to write my own Tat Days report. You were smart to break it down like this. Much easier to write.
ReplyDelete