More Places to Shop, and New Metallic Thread!

April 2, 2018

If there was a day to dread, April 1 would be it.  Not because it was Easter Sunday (gotta love Easter, it's just a nice feeling) and it was also International Tatting Day, which you just gotta love if you're a tatter!  No, April 1 is also April Fool's Day.  Mr. Tatter, to whom I will soon have been married for 12 years, loves to play jokes on me.  I sometimes think the only reason he married me was so he would have a permanent straight man/person. I am glad this year I didn't have to see him until late as our shifts for work didn't allow us to see each other until either quite late or very early.  We both enjoy our sleep, so getting up to make me his April Fool this year didn't happen, and he was too pooped after work to make me his stooge (yay!).  It's all good.  He usually makes me laugh til I cry, and that's good for anyone.

On a tatty note, I ordered up some new metallic tatting threads that arrived yesterday, and more pattern books.  I have pattern books I've not yet looked at, but if you asked me what my favourite is, I can't say I have one.  I'm addicted to tatting, so I love 'em all!

I made a couple of little doo-dads called "Ice Drops" with my newest metallic Violet thread to celebrate International Tatting Day.  I like this one I'm showing you because it shows off the "sparkle" on the thread a bit better.  Ain't it purdy?

As threads go, it's a bit stiffer and a bit more coarse than I'm accustomed to using. I usually stick with Size 20 Lizbeth because I like the variety of colours and it's easily available.  Their colour consistency is fairly even between balls, which I like very much.  You're not falling into the "what dye lot is this" pit at the bottom of which you usually find yourself when knitting and are only 1/2 skein short of finishing that beautiful sweater you swore you had enough yarn to complete!  Been there, done that, burned the tee-shirt.

Speaking of supplies, I have another two for my list.  First up is L'Atéliér de Pénélope, which I'm very excited to list as my first contact for supplies in the Province of Quebec. It's located just outside lovely Quebec City.  I was so pleased to find this nice lady (whose name is Patricia, by the way) as I have a new tatter in that area looking for help with shuttle tatting.  See folks?  THIS is why I'm doing this!!  Connection!!! I hope it works out for them both.

I digress.  The website for L'Atéliér de Pénélope is at http://www.latelierdepenelope.com, and she does offer online shopping.  If you use Google and arrive at her shop, you may need to translate into whatever language you want, but the site is very well laid-out and easy to navigate.  The shop itself is located at 1368B St.Jacques Street, L'Ancienne-Lorette, QC G2E 2X1, the phone number is 418-634-0050, and the email address for the shop is info@latelierdepenelope.com.  The lovely lady I spoke with was Patricia.  If you're in the area, be sure to stop in and say "bonjour!"  Directions for their shop are provided on the shop's website below the address.

Next up is The Twisted Barn just outside of Rocky Mountain House, AB.  Now, they don't do online shopping but if you email them, or phone Shirley (the lady that runs the store), she is very familiar with tatting and can tell you all about what they have. She sent me a picture of inside her store.  Look at all these juicy colours of Lizbeth thread!  She said she carries all available sizes and colours in that line, and she does sell tatting tools, too, so make sure, when you're in the area, to drop in and have a look.  Directions to her shop are on her website in the sidebar on the left of your screen.

Everything you need to contact these fine folks is on their website at http://www.twistedbarn.ca/. They are actually in a barn, and it's painted bright red so you can't miss it. I'm definitely putting it on my list of places to visit if I get to Alberta any time soon.  I'm hoping the end of May, but I'm only planning at this stage.  Let's hope!

I think that's it for today, but I think that's enough!  I hope to have more info to add soon.  Oh, before I go, please contact Gloria Nelson (one of the mentors at the right of the screen here) and subscribe to her monthly newsletter, "Tatting Together".  Yes, she is predominantly a needle tatter, but I've seen her work and it's exquisite.  She has notes in her newsletters that are very helpful for both needle and shuttle tatters, and she usually includes a pattern that's not hard at all.

Anyway, happy belated Easter, Joyeuses Pâques, Felices Pascuas, Gelukkig Pasen, Frohe Ostern, Maligayang Pasko ng Pagkabuhay,Selamat Paskah,Счастливой Пасхи, Gelukkige Paasfees and in all the million other language I would love to put on here but just don't have room.

Happy Tatting!