A Little Christmas for Tatting Friends

Dena and I were chatting on Skype or Oovoo one day while we read some of our favorite blogs and we saw someone had a knitted mini-stocking.  Update - we found the shuttle stockings on Gina's blog - Threads of a Tatting Goddess on this post.   (Neither of us can remember for the life of us which blog we saw them on or the context - sorry.)  We started talking about the little stockings and how perfectly they would fit a tatting shuttle and since I had a few I knitted years ago I decided to test them out.  

Yep!  They are perfect for covering up and protecting those shuttles that might be prone to scratching - like the blinged shuttles.  Dena suggested I put one in the tatting exchange gift I was preparing, so I knit one and popped it in with that gift.  Then Dena had an even greater idea!  What if I knit a half a dozen more and we gave them out to the folks who read our blog?  

So that's just what we are going to do.  I knit half a dozen in various colors and sizes.  A couple of these will comfortably hold larger shuttles (not Tatsy sized, but Dyamnondwood sized and maybe Starlit).  You do have to be careful with picks and hooks, just put them in with that pointing out the opening and all is well.  The shuttles in this photo are just for size comparison - they are mine and are staying here (except the purple one next to the purple mini sock which is from Anika's shop and is heading out west to live with Dena).

All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post and I'll enter your name in the drawing.  If you prefer a specific mini sock, say that too and maybe a second choice as well.  As I draw names, if your first choice hasn't already been taken, it is yours.  There are six little mini stockings and since we've never had more than ten comments on any one post, you have an excellent chance to win a hand knit mini sock shuttle protector!  I will leave this open until Friday, December 16th - that will give me time to mail the mini socks and have them reach their new homes before Christmas.  I make no guarantees that Santa will stuff them with a shuttle if you hang them by the fireplace with care!

We put up our tree today.  This is the first year that it was really just my husband and I putting it up.  It felt kind of weird.  My younger daughter was here, but after helping drag boxes out of the basement, she abandoned the effort.  It is up now and even has presents under it.  (The strange bottom of this tree is thanks to Phillips new 'cool' lights which I hate but they were the only non-colored lights I could find in the store.)

This shot is for Girl Far From Home - should she read this blog (which would shock me beyond belief.)  When she was little, we used to go to The Festival Of Trees held here in Atlanta as a fundraiser by a children's hospital every year.  There was a 'Secret Santa' shop there where only the kids could go shopping.  A helper would come get the kids, their money and a list of who they needed to buy gifts for and take them through the shop where they would find things for everyone on their list that they could afford.  At the end of the shop, all the presents were wrapped for the kids and then put in a bag so that parents never knew what had been purchased until Christmas Day.  Girl Far From Home has always known how much I love Santa, so when she found these Santa Candles (on a tray complete with snow that I've never used), she knew they were perfect for me.  I think it might be the best present I've ever gotten from her (no, she made me a Christmas album one year that's right up there).  Anyway, both girls always got really great presents for everyone from that Secret Santa Shop.  I'm sad that the Festival is no more.