Batman Blogs!

Today we have guest blogger, Vicki Batman. Vicki is a friend of mine and writes such fun, witty stories. I know you'll enjoy them. If you'd like to be entered in a drawing for a copy of my as yet to be released Blaze--Intoxicating--just leave a comment and I'll draw a name tomorrow.

Here's Vicki:

Crafty Confession


I write all the time. Most writers have incorporated personal elements into their books, like knitting, cooking, dog training, etc. And I've done some of it, too--cake decorating, candy making, beaded jewelry, needlepoint. The work becomes more personal and relevant.

Recently, I was reading my newspaper (yep, still get the paper one) when a paragraph in a column caught my eye: classes on cheese making.

The blurb made the class sound intriguing. I wanted to sign up, but I wanted to check with my girlfriend cause we all know groups are more fun.

I told my friend I had to try something new. She said she wanted to as well. I mentioned reading about the cheese class and she liked that idea. Then she suggested checking on knitting and crochet classes at a local shop. We agreed to research, print out information, and consult.

We found the cheese class had been filled. Rats. So was the Adirondack basket weaving class. Double rats. Then I found tatting.

Tatting? What the heck is that?

Tatting is a method of making lace using a shuttle and thread with one hand and manipulating it around thread looped around the fingers on the other hand. Wikipedia has this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatting


Yikes, you're thinking. That looks harder than those string-finger games we played as kids.

I grew up with tatting. Sigh. My grandmother made incredible stuff, and it adorned my clothes, pillowcases, even the christening gown my sisters and I once wore. Bow down to the master.

Around age 11, Grandmother travelled with my family on a vacation. I sat in the way back of the family station wagon, and she sat in front of me in the middle seat. She tatted away, a lot of the time without looking. When she caught me watching her, she asked if I wanted to learn. I said sure. It didn't look that complicated. She slowed down her hand magic and said, "Under, over, pull. Over, under, pull."

I watched and watched and watched...




Yeah, I never did get the hang of it. And this rankled me all my life because I don't like to give up on anything. So when the class opportunity came up, I thought what the heck and signed on. My friend went too.

I didn't have high hopes based on that long ago venture. However, our teacher was patient, and, thanks to modern technology, a step-by-step DVD accompanied the book. With tons of practice, I learned to manipulate my fingers better and began to make loops. Then I moved into making a string of loops. Okay, they are six inches apart and I'm gonna have to get out the book again to fix that. But it's better than nothing--right?

Geez. Maybe tatting isn't meant for me.

And there's my crafty confession.

So what hobby/craft/workshop have you tried and wasn't very successful at? (Come on. I won't tell!)


Vicki Batman is still not-so good at tatting and has taken up crochet because everyone says it is easier.

Find "I Believe," her sexy novella with a touch of magic, at:
https://www.nobleromance.com/Books?author=159

Find Vicki at: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com/ OR at: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com/