GOING, GOING, GONE
All the tatting shuttles that were delivered last weekend to Jane have now been sold, it's incredible how fast they went, so it is time to make some new ones. "Im in the garage" has been buying wood off e.bay, exotic woods that will look very beautiful when made into shuttles. But there is a little story behind the wood you see below, it has come from America and is cocobolo rosewood and purple heart.
After it was ordered and paid for, the person in America sent an e.mail to say that he was sorry but he had been rushed into hospital for emergency surgery but would post the wood as soon as he could. So we thought, the poor fellow must have had an appendix removed or something like that, so we sent our good wishes for a speedy recovery and said there was no hurry for the package to be sent. However, in due course the parcel did arrive, sadly not in a very good state, the Royal Mail had put a polythene bag around the original package and our first thoughts were, have we lost any of the wood? Delivery was also delayed to our home as we were away visiting family when it arrived on Saturday. In the meantime another e.mail was received from this poor chap to say that the reason he was in hospital was that he had cut his thumb off whilst using the table saw! Yikes!!! No the thumb wasn't in the package, he had it sewn back on again, hence the emergency surgery! And no there was no blood on the wood either! And yes all the wood was enclosed in the re-formed package.
But this wasn't the first consignment of wood ordered on e.bay. I received a phone call two weeks ago from someone in England who had posted a parcel to us, it had arrived safely to our home and was ready to be opened by "im in the garage" when he returned from work. However, this fellow asked if I wouldn't mind opening it because he thought he had sent the wrong item! Too true! When I opened the package there were these plastic strips! Apparently he normally does the cutting and leaves the admin work to someone else, but they were away so he had to do it himself and sent our wood to the person who was meant to receive the plastic. So the fellow who received the wood forwarded his parcel onto us and we sent ours to him. But these bits of plastic were so pretty I almost kept them!
Now here is the vast collection of different woods ready to be made into shuttles, there are about 17 different varieties of wood in this picture some are English woods and others are woods that originate from other parts of the world.
So the excitement grows as we all wait to see how the exotic woods will look when made into tatting shuttles, I think its time to put my order in!
After it was ordered and paid for, the person in America sent an e.mail to say that he was sorry but he had been rushed into hospital for emergency surgery but would post the wood as soon as he could. So we thought, the poor fellow must have had an appendix removed or something like that, so we sent our good wishes for a speedy recovery and said there was no hurry for the package to be sent. However, in due course the parcel did arrive, sadly not in a very good state, the Royal Mail had put a polythene bag around the original package and our first thoughts were, have we lost any of the wood? Delivery was also delayed to our home as we were away visiting family when it arrived on Saturday. In the meantime another e.mail was received from this poor chap to say that the reason he was in hospital was that he had cut his thumb off whilst using the table saw! Yikes!!! No the thumb wasn't in the package, he had it sewn back on again, hence the emergency surgery! And no there was no blood on the wood either! And yes all the wood was enclosed in the re-formed package.
But this wasn't the first consignment of wood ordered on e.bay. I received a phone call two weeks ago from someone in England who had posted a parcel to us, it had arrived safely to our home and was ready to be opened by "im in the garage" when he returned from work. However, this fellow asked if I wouldn't mind opening it because he thought he had sent the wrong item! Too true! When I opened the package there were these plastic strips! Apparently he normally does the cutting and leaves the admin work to someone else, but they were away so he had to do it himself and sent our wood to the person who was meant to receive the plastic. So the fellow who received the wood forwarded his parcel onto us and we sent ours to him. But these bits of plastic were so pretty I almost kept them!
Now here is the vast collection of different woods ready to be made into shuttles, there are about 17 different varieties of wood in this picture some are English woods and others are woods that originate from other parts of the world.
So the excitement grows as we all wait to see how the exotic woods will look when made into tatting shuttles, I think its time to put my order in!
And I can see my ebony shuttle waiting to emerge from one of those gorgeous blocks of dark wood right at the back! What a terrible story about the poor man cutting off his thumb! You will have to sprinkle salt on the wood, or something along those lines, just for luck!
ReplyDeleteMaureen your ebony shuttle has now moved up a stage from those blocks of wood, will take a photo of it this weekend. It was a shock to hear about the accident, just makes you realise how dangerous some of these crafts are! Hopefully tatting doesn't do that much damage!
ReplyDeleteThat is so exciting!
ReplyDeleteOnce Hubby goes back to work, I'll be in line to purchase one of your beauties. It looks like the hard part is going to be picking out the wood :-)
Those shuttles will be special, indeed! That poor man! I'd have been tempted to keep the plastic also, although I have no idea what I'd do with it... I have no woodworking talent! I love exotic woods, but I'll be pleased as punch when my new cherry shuttle arrives! ; )
ReplyDeleteLooks like someone is going to be very busy in the shop!! Your shuttles are very interesting. When I first started tatting in 1989 I bought a wooden shuttle with a plastic bobbin in the center and it had a metal center to hold the bobbin in. The peg to push out the metal center was a crochet hook with the end cut off. I have one, my Mom has one and Kathy N. has one.
ReplyDeleteI do like this shuttle, and will have to inquire on how much yours will cost. I love the purple heart and ebony woods.
Happy Tatting!
Ooooh, now I want one of the purple ones. No I don't, I want an ebony. No, changed my mind I want an cocobolo rosewood, nah can't make up my mind now. How confusing!!!
ReplyDeleteIn your last photo, what is the name of the light wood on top of a stack around the middle of the photo, the one with the pink-to-rose-colored streaks?
ReplyDeleteOh my, what beguiling exotic woods. Can't wait for my two shuttle to arrive from Jane! One Sycamore and one Walnut. But oh, I wanted to order a Cherry too.
Huge thanks to 'im in the garage! And to you for promoting and testing.
How beautiful! I wish I could have one of each. Wood is such a wonderful medium -- it smells good.
ReplyDeleteActually you are right Bonnie the hard part is going to choose which wood!
ReplyDeleteDiane - I do hope you will be pleased with your cherry shuttle.
Yes Carol things are a bit busy here - Kathy did mention those shuttles, and they are very similar to the ones we are making, I think!
Isdihara I've been in the garage and the wood is actually cherry, never seen such a pink coloured cherry wood before, can't wait to see it made into a shuttle.
Marty I totally agree with you the smell of wood being worked is wonderfull
I agree with Carol! Purple Heart and Ebony...what a lovely set that would be! I was one of the lucky few to buy a pop-a-bobbin shuttle from Jane's Etsy shop (Cherry), and, although I haven't had much tat time this week sadly, I love this shuttle.
ReplyDeleteThe bobbin is easy to remove with the lovely little tool provided, and yet the bobbin is secure enough once assembled not to allow the thread to unwind when dropped. It is the perfect size for my hand, and it is cute to boot.
Sally, I think you will need a waiting list once word gets around!! If you do make a list make sure to put me on it for an Ebony and Purple Heart pair:-)
Oh Dale I've just been in the garage and seen the first of the purple heart and the cocobolo rosewood cut and the wood is fabulous - and so is the ebony.
ReplyDeleteWill you show progress pictures on the shuttles so we can see the beauty in progress????
ReplyDeleteJUST wanted you and Nick to know that I love my Cherry shuttle and will be on the list for both a purple heart and a ebony.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm sure "im n the garage" knows this, but purple heart emits a toxic gas when worked with (in wood making) and one needs to be sure to wear a mask when working with it. My SILove is a master wood worker, also; so he wears his mask (I nattered at him!) when he makes bird's houses from it!
My two favorite features of the Pop a Bobbin are: The tension is so consistent; and it is so easy to use and not "fiddly" to fill the bobbin and insert it in the shuttle.
Thank you so much! Bev XXXX
Wow - what a story - or two, or three!!! I was laughing, then freaking out (poor fellow!), then laughing again - lost packages, missed connections. Goodness me! Quite a bit of drama going on at your house!
ReplyDeleteI truly don't know how your husband is going to keep up with the demand! Just seeing that stack of wood (beautiful as it is!) would have me running for the hills - although he'd probably look for more wood there!! Seeing the delight and excitement about all this has to be very satisfying! It's a winner!!! However, tell him to PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!
Yes Carol hope to show progress pictures, although my camera is not very good - whenever possible I ask Jane to take photos for me but in this case its a bit difficult living so far away!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bev, so pleased you are happy with the shuttle. No we didn't know about the purple heart emitting a toxic gas, it is a new wood to us, the "thumb chap" did say it changed colour though. Wow thanks for this very useful info.
Kathy there is indeed a bit of drama connected with the making of these shuttles! Oh yea I hope he doesn't get too overwelhmed with the demand. Also after hearing about the man loosing his thumb I did then begin to see there was a danger in all this, yes thanks for the warning
I sure like the sound of ebony.....
ReplyDeleteFox : )