I’m not sure if it is vanity or not that I want people to come to my website, find information they can use, and possibly give me feedback on what they may or may not have found to be interesting/informative/worthwhile.  I guess the bottom line is that I am a slight bit of an extrovert and because of this, I crave social interaction.

Regardless of my motive, I have a large amount of information related to tatting (& some other lacemaking/needlework techniques) on my website that I want utilized.  So I thought I would use my blog posts as a way to gently point to the content on my website:  www.TheShuttleSmith.com

My website main page features two main items:

1. the menu bar in which I have all my information in ‘pages’ archived permanently.
2. My blog posts….which are uploaded periodically.

Since I like to read and learn about other people (especially tatters!) I thought I would share things about myself.  That is why I have an ABOUT THE SHUTTLESMITH  page on my menu bar.  I just updated it by adding a picture of my tatted motorcycle and a photo of my ‘real’ motorcycle (also red–just don’t relate my choice of motorcycle color & me to the state football team that most Nebraskans are fanatical about!) and how I enjoy traveling to tatting events.

Here’s a direct link to that page:   ABOUT THE SHUTTLESMITH 

I am happy to announce that I have successfully traversed a new computer frontier and have created an Etsy store for my tatting books and shuttle.

My store name is: theshuttlesmith

A direct link is:  www.etsy.com/shop/theshuttlesmith

I have my five tatting books and over 20 glass/enamel tatting shuttles there. I have many different colors to choose from (tatting shuttles that is).

A little while ago, I came across a box of ‘stuff’ in my studio and found my Tatting Shuttle Winder collection.  I use center-post tatting shuttles and these shuttle winders are made for them.  I had gobs of Boye plastic ones & have recently discovered the joys of the Handy Hands Moonlit shuttles (they holds lots of thread).  I occasionally use one of my shuttle winders when I’m at home and tatting in my favorite spot.  Usually my tatting is done is small spurts of time while I’m at work (breaks) or waiting for something to happern—I don’t carry a shuttle winder with me.

In future posts I’ll give you close ups of these shuttle winders and what I know about them.  The one on the left is handmade by a local tatter.  I’m ashamed that I don’t know her name.  But what I intend to do is find out more info to share with you all, possibly find out if she is still selling these beauties so that you all may purchase and enjoy one too.

If anyone has any information on the second one from the left (the dark brown wood one) please email me at k.bovard@yahoo.com so that I can share with everyone in the future.

I’m actually kinda embarrassed that I have 2 of the same shuttle winders (the right 2).  That’s from a bygone era in which I had the expendable cash to buy almost anything I wanted and didn’t even realize I was buying duplicates!

tattrldy left a new comment on my post “Tatting & the train“:

This still sounds like a great way to take a trip. One day we are going to do it! When both my husband and I have vacation 🙂

I was going to just leave a reply but thought I would express further my appreciation for train traveling and how it relates to my tatting.

Keep in mind that I live in Omaha, Nebraska and am traveling to Grand Junction, Colorado. Not only is this trip 800 miles long, but it has two interesting portions of travel:

1. Traveling from Omaha, NE to Denver, CO–about 500 miles of mind-numbing interestate travel through the river valley of Nebraska (which is quite flat) and then traveling through the high plains of eastern Colorado. One of the few great points about traveling this area in a personal vehicle is stopping in a tiny town called Paxton, Nebraska which has a very interesting restaurant/tourist attraction called Ole’s Big Game Cafe. Check it out here: olesbiggame.com It is truly one of those little travel secrets.
2. Traveling from Denver, CO to Grand Junction–about 300 miles of breath-taking scenery through the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Keep in mind that this is still interestate travel which can be nerve-racking in that there can be alot of traffic including many trucks while navigating steep ascents & descents. But there is also another factor involved in this section of travel–that being weather, namely snow. My husband and I have already experienced this once last May when we left Grand Junction, CO in our truck wearing shorts and sandals because the weather was so beautiful only to end up in very scary/hairy snowstorms in the mountains and high plains.

May snowstorm while driving through the Rocky Mountains—going into the Eisenhower Tunnel at the Continental Divide in Colorado…it was just as scary on the other side of the Continental Divide, all the way into Denver and beyond.

So, with that introduction to traveling from Omaha to Grand Junction I will discuss my recommendation to travel via train:

I get on the train in Omaha, Nebraska at 11 pm. I immediately settle down to sleep–I take along a blanket and pillow. When I awake in the daylight hours we are in Denver where we have a bit of a get-off-the-train break & I get one of the most delicious coffee lattes (Pig Train Coffee Co.) I have ever tasted in the newly remodeled Denver Grand Central Station. Even if you aren’t thirsty or hungry, DO just wander into the station…it is quite wonderful. From Denver on, I am fully awake and taking advantage of the most beautiful scenery possible!!! The climb up and out of Denver is nothing more that spectacular. If possible, park yourself in the Vista Car. If you are lucky there may be volunteer tourist guides in the Vista Car, talking about the history, flora, fauna and geologic & man-made points of interest along the way (& there are alot!). At first the Vista Car can be a bit crowded, but eventually everyone goes back to their assigned seat or sleeping berths and I can find a seat. The Vista Car allows you to see up and out alot better that the regular, coach cars. As an added bonus, you usually get to talk to people. Turns out I really am my father’s daughter….I love to talk to people!! In the Vista Car, there are tables that seat 4. You are encouraged/suggested/actually they demand that you share the table seats. This is OK with me–a chance to meet and learn about someone else. Of course, just the fact that we are traveling on a train means that everyone has a destination reason and story to tell. OF COURSE I HAVE MY TATTING WITH ME!! The tatting seems to be a great ice-breaker to get someone to start talking. Of course you get the “My grandmother used to do that” and the “I wouldn’t have the patience to do that” comments, but despite what they think of my artform (yes! artform!) conversation has been started and I get to learn about someone new. For many years I thought I was an introvert….I was wrong about that! All the time I’m ‘extroverting’ in the Vista Car, my husband is getting to do what he enjoys doing in the Coach Car–napping, reading, watching movies, with the side bonus of he doesn’t have to listen to me talk for awhile–it’s a win-win travel arrangement. Even when I’m not actively talking to someone, I love to people-watch. You know everyone is coming from or going to somewhere special–whether they want to or not. Everyone has an active story on the train. Of course, there is also the whole scenery, scenery, scenery issue—lots and lots of the most beautiful mountains, canyons, meadows, rivers, valleys in the country, if not world. The train goes through some regions where there are no roads, thus the scenery is unique. Of course, for US (tatters!) the added bonus is we get to relax and tat while enjoying all this scenery!!! No worries about road conditions, where to get gas, driving fatigue, etc.

Our travel companions, Phil and Sheryl enjoying their time on the train. Seats are quite spacious & recline quite a ways and include leg rests. There is lots of room to store your stuff above you (unlike the crowded conditons on an airplane).