Monday, November 22, 2010

Failed Flurry, Floundering Focus

Not pretty.  Bit of a tantrum.  I have been bleating about tatting Jane's'  lovely Flurry Snowflake for a while now, and I did give it my best, but I cannot get through this pattern.  Sorry Jane!  I shall try another time when I am not so stressed. ( I cracked a tooth last night!)  (I re-read this, and it seems as if the tatting caused the crack!  Not so - it was a soft sandwich in fact!  Not even toasted!  The old filling flaw had nothing to do with stress or tatting.  Thought I'd clear that up!)

Instead I turned to this Maple Leaf pattern of Karey's, that I have wanted to do again, as I had trouble with it  the first time, and have been meaning to plot it out.on a magnified diagram:


It makes all the difference.  I had no trouble this time except for another unrelated problem - nothing to do with the pattern.

It was the beads.

You know how I love to play with beads.  Well, some patterns just are not suited for them - at least not in the way I was using them.  This was such a pattern.  I found that there was too much distortion of the shape  with the roll tatting.  I gave up and started again sans bling.  It was pretty... but just did not work.


The finished leaf is being pressed under my Criminal Code as I write and should be sufficiently smooshed by the morning!  I will post it sometime tomorrow.

Oh yes, another thing: I realized after the fact that the light green beginning circle looks weird.  It should have been dark green  -  bad planning, design-wise.  Live and learn...

That green thread is #40 Mercer  from TypsTatting and the green is #40 Coron,  from Umintsuru.

♥Thanks, you two♥!

I seem to be at a tatting crossroad.  I am so uninspired.  I have even set up an Etsy account, but am not really turned on about that venture at all.  I do not know what is next in this tatting adventure, but I do know I have not thought of the next thing yet.  

I am bored, but not by tatting, but by the process of tatting something and then putting it on the ever-growing pile of stuff I have done, work that I have accomplished.  There seems to be no meaning to any of it... Such ennui...  Maybe this too shall pass....

8 comments:

  1. Fox,
    Just relax & don't be so hard on yourself. You are learning, aren't you? I mean it in a good way. You are learning what colors you like together & which ones you don't. Here's an off the wall question. Is there any way that you can blow up Jane's flurry so you can see it easy like you did the maple leaf? You might have a trick doing that, that works great for you to do them much easier & less stress. Fox, relax & breath. It's ok to put things down & pick them up later too. You will work out what you want to make. Your work is very beautiful & enjoyed by many others. As for not knowing where venture is going, when the time is right you will. It's ok not to sell on Esty too. So don't stress over it. Just enjoy tatting cause that's what you do the best & your work shows the love & joy you get from making things. Smile, you have alot to be proud of. Look at all those you help & have helped with their tatting. Smile!

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  2. I hope you get out of your funk soon! I threw out another snowflake last night... size 80 that looked awful!

    I had an idea for thread winders... they're a mess!

    I'm still having fun with decoupaged shuttles, but after looking at two I purchased on eBay a while back, I realize that my decoupage leaves a lot to be desired.

    I think it's time for both of us to de-funk! Whadda ya say pal? ; )

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  3. I go through phases where the inspiration is overwhelming and my mind trips over itself trying to get the ideas at least noted....and then I have to turn elsewhere for awhile. Am doing a lot of knitting, crochet, embroidery and needlelace right now. I like having a different focus. When I come back to tatting, I feel inspired again.

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  4. Fox! You are not the only one to be uninspired I also am in a tatting funk so that is why I am doing some knitting and crocheting. But then also I have too as I need to make stuff for the new grandbabies, and of course socks for me.

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  5. BSOTF,Diane,Gina and TypsTatting, Your comments ROCK!!!

    Because you all took the time to write such great words, I shall now sleep soundly. Thank you.

    M, I tried knitting The Boss some socks - it is painful! They are 3/4 done and I grit my teeth when I pick up the needles, as I really do not enjoy knitting any more, though I still love teaching it. Maybe that is why I cracked my tooth?? I really only want to tat. That is the problem I think. Maybe I will take the camera for a few walks... Photography might be the answer... It has been in the past. Thanks.

    ♥♥♥ Fox : )

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  6. You'll get your fizz back Fox! Might be the time of the year also. When things get really hectic, I begin to question WHY I spend so much of my time doing this or that. I'm so busy and harried that I forget that the answer is simple - because I like it!

    I think your idea of hitting the bricks with your camera is brilliant! The world is an inspiring place and photography can be so relaxing. Take a favorite motif with you - maybe you will run across an unusual way to showcase it.

    :) Ann

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  7. The ennui stems from the glaringly obvious fact, which personally I haven't yet rationalised, that tatting, in and of itself...is not USEFUL!!
    I approach it as I would a complicated jigsaw puzzle - to be figured out, and thought about and achieved - but in the end, you have to accept that it is for your own pleasure and distraction only.
    I suppose it is the reason I keep on knitting - and crocheting - the fruits of those labours are requested and appreciated by the family. I have to be able to justify the use of my time....I enjoy the tatting I do, and if it becomes tedious, I stop and do something else.

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  8. Did you crack a tooth because you were so stressed? Careful, girl! ;-D

    I remember when I went through the uninspired, bored, etc phase (and yes, it was just that). I put my tatting away for awhile (I will not tell you how long as I don't want to discourage you :-P) Needless to say, it did pass and I'm back to my old tatting self.

    We still love you, no matter if you need to take a tatting sabbatical... even if you can't design or work up other patterns right now. Actually, I would say that you deserve a break - so go, pamper yourself... head to the spa! Get Hand Massages!!!

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