Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Crafting: Tatting


I've been on vacation for a few weeks and apparently during that time I've decided to become a tatter! I hit the thrift stores and came across a Coats & Clarks Book No. 124 - Old and New Favorites which originally cost 29 cents. I got my copy for 25 cents! I also picked up a bag of 4 500 yard skeins of vintage thread (all with the same die lot!) for $2.00. 

I had been teaching myself to tat for a few weeks prior to this thrifting discovery so I started right in on the Frosty Flowers Tatted Doily A-347. I really like the design even though I am not sure what I will do with a doily! I finished the first three rounds the first night.

I enjoy tatting. It is simple to learn but you can make a lot of designs. It also seems easy to design your own patterns which is something I've been thinking of doing as there aren't many icicle tatting patterns out there!   

Monday, November 18, 2013

Buffalo Games: The Gathering


Details: Advertised as the 'World's Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle' with 'only 500 pieces - seems like 4000' this puzzle is copyright 1993 by Don Scott Associates, Inc. 

Difficulty: This is a double sided puzzle but the sides are rotated 90 degrees with respect to each other. This puzzle isn't really that hard once you figure out a system of determining which side is 'up' for the piece. The large amount of green in the design made it difficult to determine whether the piece fit or not - thankfully when that happened you could just flip the pieces and use the picture on the other side to determine if the piece fit. It didn't take me longer to complete than a regular 500 piece puzzle would have. It's not significantly more difficult but the design differences challenge the puzzling brain in a fun way.  

Done: 16 November 2013

Cost: 0.25 cents

Obtained: Thrift store

Missing Pieces: One

Size: 15 x 15 

This puzzle isn't mine but was done while visiting a friend. With it's nice picture and sturdy pieces I would love to have this puzzle in my collection!