How Do You Travel?

How Do You Travel

            How do you travel?  Tatting is so easy to take anywhere, unlike my silversmithing and glass blowing.  Even my knitting and crocheting is hard to take.  A ball of thread and knitting looms; or a large crochet hook with a large ball of thread.  But tatting fits, easily, in a little tin or tatting case.  All you need is a shuttle(s), a little string, a cut-off crochet hook and something to carry it in. 

 

            I have two sizes of cases I use and are always full of tatting projects.  The large case is 4” X 6” and the small one (my favorite) is 3” X 4”.  I usually carry the small case for everyday trips.  The large case holds four small shuttles or two larger ones (Tatsy-size)  and the small case holds two shuttles.  If I’m traveling for a few days and in the mood for Tatsmithing, I’ll load up four shuttles with different metallic threads and pack the large case full of cabs, beads and shuttles.  In the large, back pocket, I’ll put the small case in there with the current piece I’m working on.  That way, things stay neat and tighty, while my husband is driving.

            I had done a “How Do You Travel,” tatting exchange with Aileen (Wicked Nothings) and here is what I sent her:    A large tatting case in a zip-lock (I like my things to stay clean and last forever).  

       In the large case, were cardboard bobbins with thread (stored in the two side pockets in the front.  The middle, front pocket is for the tatting essentials.).  The middle rows are for shuttles.  These two pockets and the middle, front are lined with plastic liners to protect the case….things gotta last forever.  The large, back pocket has the small tatting case.

             The small case had a small, folded up pattern in front and a cardboard bobbin full of thread.  The middle pocket had a rattie shuttle, in one pocket, tatting essentials and a small pocket knife with a scissors, in the other pocket.  The large, back pocket had beads, doo-dads to tat around and floss threaders.  The floss threaders are used to load up beads on the thread and to use the “Magic String Trick” to hide ends.  That way, a needle doesn’t need to be carried around.

            This is how I travel.  Of course, my large case is stuffed full.  So how do you travel?  I would love to hear your story and any tips.

Things for sale on West Pine Creations (cases, shuttles, essentials, patterns and more).