"SHUTTLE FLUFF!!"

That's going to be my new swear word.

So, while we're still waiting for those silkworms to awaken from their cocoon comas. (Hasn't it been too long? It feels like it's been too long. The cocoons aren't even moving or kicking or giving me any signs of promise...)

Anyway, time on my hands to do something really stupid. I spun up a couple of hobby store craft fluffs and loaded the resulting yarn onto a tatting shuttle.

Now,  I have about 14 hours of total tatting experience under my belt. I'm at that initial stage in the learning curve where one paces around mumbling, "crummy lighting" while trying to undo crazy-tight miniature doll house sized knots. And yet, already I can say with confidence that if ever I am called upon to teach or demonstrate tatting it will not be with a craft fluff.

The above front sample is about 2 craft fuffs worth of "jingle lace".

Let me simply say that if you are interested in tatting go ahead and splurge on some real cotton. Might as well get 100%  super-combed and gas-singed Egyptian cotton (the Corinthian leather of the cotton boll world). I am halfway serious. It's really nice stuff! Here's a good resource. (Fast shipping and friendly extras.)

So, If I can't yet watch beautiful silkworms flutter forth into the final stage of the silkworm cycle, which should be any day now unless all 100 of them said, "ShUTtLe FLuFf! I just can't be bothered with coming outta here."...while I'm waiting I'll just make fluttery insects out of my tatting motif mistakes:

Butterfly Boo Boo

(I could create an entire entemology display of motif mistakes.)