Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The Bookmark and A Certain Bravery

I know you are awaiting news of  The Giveaway, but Maebh CANNOT be rushed. She and The Cat have been holed up in a cupboard for simply ages, and I am hearing a lot of  animated  mewing and whispers from that quarter.  I expect they shall emerge shortly.

In the meantime, I want to show you the bookmark for my sister's birthday - finished just in time, as she arrives on Thursday. Close.


I am thrilled with it. It looks much richer in real life; it has an old world feel to it, like Victorian front parlours and cut crystal vases.  Krystle was so right; the colours are unexpectedly fetching together.

One thing I am wondering about - and I have emailed Krystle, as it is to hers that I am comparing this - it is not as stiff as hers, though mine is actually a mite smaller, so I don't think it is tatted too loosely.  I pressed it under weight, as I always do, but I might have actually  wet it, rather than just dampened it.  Maybe this caused the softening?
 
Why bravery? 


Well, the small blue heart, added to the photo only because it looked off balance and wrong without something added, did not call for beads. When I tatted the pink one - shown a few days ago, I added one bead at the bottom.

This time, I decided midway through that I wanted three beads, but had not added them at the start. I figured out how to get the beads onto the thread using a dental thingy, and was very puffed up for about five seconds with this little show of bravery and brilliance, when I realized the bead at the top of the cluster was off-centre..

More bravery?  I am getting to it.


The blue heart was intended to be included in the package that Maebh and The Cat are devising. It is far from perfect.  But, I am sending it along because I want to become accustomed to giving  away my tatting, warts-and-all.  I am hard at work overcoming the 'it must perfect' stumbling block. I just want to do my best, and have that be just fine. So, whoever gets the blue heart, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

One last thing:


After all my griping and moaning last year about Cèbèlia, and how I wanted to get rid of it, I panicked, yessiree,  panicked, when I realized I was almost out of white #20!

That white baby bonnet had used up almost an entire ball.  On Sunday, I rushed to the craft shop, realizing I was almost out, as I tatted the edging for Mini-Boss' hat.

That white thread has become my security blanket, especially since I have gone off most of the variegated Lizbeth that I have.  HDT - another matter entirely. With regard to the store bought stuff, I MUST have white Cèbèlia on hand! How neurotic is that!

Anon,

17 comments:

  1. GORGEOUS tatting, Fox! You did a SUPERB job on your sister's bookmark. The colors are striking together. Not surprising that Krystal picked them. She was most likely under the influence of Dr. VonThreadmore.

    How awesome that you added beads on the fly! I think the heart is beautiful!

    The only other thing I buy as neurotically as white Cebelia is bananas! I have plenty of both at any given time.

    :) Ann

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  2. Beautiful! I love that you put the green on the outside.......and I'm so glad you are happy with the color combo! I sent you an email but it got sent back, anyway, I didn't stiffen mine at all or dampen it. I'm at a loss to explain the phenomenon. It might be our stitches are just tensioned differently somehow. I'm baffled!

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  3. Well the bookmark colours are STUNNING. I'll have to try those colours together myself. I love the wee heart too - again the colours are perfect. To get round the bead 'problem' I sometimes just add 10 beads to each shuttle before I start anything. Also I always use two shuttles even for a ring and chain 'event' - again just in case I suddenly want an SR or something right in the middle!!!!

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  4. I really like this bookmark, especially with the emphasis of the colours.

    Where can I get the pattern from?

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  5. I love the way the bookmark turned out. I agree... it looks very rich! The heart looks wonderful! I've found that the people I give my tatting to are so thrilled that I gave them something that obviously took quite a bit of time and effort, that they don't care about the mistakes. I say, give it away when you feel inspired, despite any warts!

    Cebelia was my first must-have thread. Although I don't care to tat with it, it remains my favorite crochet thread, and I always have some on hand!

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  6. I agree with everyone else: that bookmark is simply STUNNING! Do you ever tat exactly the same thing twice? I think you will have to make another bookmark for yourself, because she is PERFECT.
    And as for that sweet little heart...she too is beautiful. I don't see anything wrong with her at all. We have to get over being so critical of our own work. Within reason, have you ever even noticed an imperfection in something that someone has tatted and given to you? Never. I didn't think so!
    And you story about the Cebelia thread...you made me LAUGH; I know exactly what you mean, "security blanket". Funny, isn't it?

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  7. OH wow! I love the bookmark! it came out so pretty... I havent gotten near to finishing mine yet, I started it but was making 2 others also so they are now finished and I will be going back to finishing mine, now I wish I did it in 2 colors because yours came out so pretty! Im sure your sister will love it. And I love your little heart! I think it looks lovely the way it is!!

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  8. The bookmark is gorgeous and the heart is stunning. What imperfection? I don't see it.

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  9. What lovely bookmarks, and the heart is real pretty!

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  10. Cebelia 30 is my must-have - it was the first thread I began tatting with, and it works well for me!

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  11. i can't remember if you told us what the pattern is for your bookmark, it's magnificent, she will love it. I always soak my tatting for blocking and it seems to tighten it.
    The heart is lovely too, not a thing wrong with it.

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  12. Okay, so you have done it. I must learn to shuttle tat. This bookmark is beautiful and while it could be needle tatted it just isn't worth it. Now to find some time and get some shuttles!

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  13. It never ceases to amaze me how a pattern can be very much enhanced by certain color combinations! The bookmark looked familiar, and indeed it is the Lenore English design that she shared on her (former?) website. However, these particular colors REALLY highlight the beauty of the pattern! VERY elegant, and nicely done! So this is ANOTHER item on my 'things to do' list! (*sigh*)

    Always enjoy your blog, your clever writing style, and your tatting 'adventures'. You're another tatter who's hard to keep up with!

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  14. Lovely bookmark! The colors really do look great together. And I think the heart is perfect.

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  15. Thanks Everyone! I gave the bookmark to my sister to take home with her as her BD is not till June. It is all wrapped up, so I have to wait for the reaction!

    Lenore English designed the bookmark.

    ♥ Fox : ))

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