Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Crash of the Copycat

I liked the pattern of Myra Piper's that I saw so beautifully tatted on Wendy's blog here, that I just had to see what it would look like in Heather's Sweet Peppermint #30 HDT.

 #23 Motif Challenge

Big disappointment!!  I knew the HDT would be too busy looking , but it is my tatting that is dreadful! I have to start concentrating on the stitches and and leaving the beads alone till I get a more consistent appearance.  All the picots are the wrong size and  I had to re-tat a million times.  BAD.

Everything I touch these days seems to end up messed up.  Got to go back to the basics, I think.

This is what was left when I finished.  I seem to be good at estimating the thread I need, if nothing else!

I had wanted to tat the centre piece in Suneeti's red metallic, but it kept breaking - too many cloverleafs for it to handle, so after three tries I gave up.  Might have looked even worse with the sparkly bit.

Then, another mishap.

How many beads do you think are in the little container?  I know there are about two-hundred-thousand, because that is how many I picked up from the floor last night.  Maybe three-hundred- thousand...

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People always ask if I block, which I do not.  I am afraid of where all those pins might end up. Also, blocking reminds me of knitting and sewing, both not pleasant things for me,  Especially sewing.

Very infrequently will I steam it with an iron.  I am just too lazy to get the iron out.

Usually I will just dampen the piece and press it using my trusty weights.  Usually this works very well.

Lastly, I have five more repeats and then out comes the sewing-up needle...

16 comments:

  1. humm if you have a hand vaccum, put a panty hose over it and suck up the beads...that way you get a lot of beads and not one at a time. OR get wide masking tape and pick them up that way.
    Must be something in the air. I was flying along with the necklace I’m working on and all of a sudden, nothing went right. So I just put it away for a day.
    Also, any hints on how to get rings closed with doubled thread (one is silver metallic the other is silk). Making me crazy.... xxxx bj

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  2. No, BJ! No vacuum! I wanted to save all those beads and I need them to be clean! Hard enough to have them with no dust when picked up by hand, but going through the junk from the vacuum? No thanks! Fox : )

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  3. Fox, I think you you misunderstood what BJ was saying. The beads don't go into the vacuum bag, the nylon hosiery keeps them all right there at the nozzle. Turn off vacuum and the beads are handily in their own little sock.

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  4. I`m not glad that you have had a bad go at things lately. But I am glad that the bad things do not included opening of skin or fingers with hooks!!

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  5. I really like your Sweet Peppermint motif! :)
    You may think I am crazy, but it's really pretty!!!
    I understand picking up the beads cuz' each time I use those crazy tiny purple beads they drive me nuts as they keep jumping off the computer desk and then I have to search all over the area near the desk to find them(luckily I have only had to search for up to 3 at a time).
    I can't wait to see how beautiful that gorgeous edging makes a hanky look! :)

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  6. Thanks, C.T! I really am addled these days - can't tat and obviously cannot think either! Makes perfect sense - only one little problem.

    How do you spell nylon hosiery? I haven't had that in my possession for decades! : )

    Thanks to both of you for the tip.
    ♥ Fox

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  7. BJ, That metallic thread, if it won't budge is not going to close!

    You can put two threads together as I described, but unfortunately, if one is metallic, the method may or may not work. Sounds like the latter scenario for you : (
    ♥ Fox

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  8. What if you did a solid color for the rings and the lovely peppermint for the chains?
    I think it looks good enough to eat!

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  9. I think the pretty pattern gets lost in the peppermint, though I do like the colour. Your hanky will be gorgeous! I love the edging!

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  10. Oh, you are sooooo hard on yourself!

    I would, however, be snarky about dumping three-hundred-thousand beads on the floor too :)

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  11. No, you need a two-year-old; best bead-picking-up aid there is! no matter HOW careful I am, the twins always manage to find the rest!.
    I quite like that motif; I think perhaps it's a colour that does not photograph well, because I can "see" it in front of me, and I was admiring the tube of beads and the enticing skein of thread yesterday.

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  12. I agree. You are too hard on yourself. Simple is sometimes very difficult. I have resigned myself to tatting the snowflakes in white but beads can still add that little sparkle. What to do with spilled beads? Don't cry over it, there are more in your stash or in the shop.

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  13. Hi Fox,

    You are being too hard on yourself, your doliy is lovely although I can see what you mean. I am like you I go down on the carpet and pick up the beads by hand. I know the more you try and not drop them the more they go on the floor.
    Have a nice day.
    Margaret

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  14. Hmmmmm..... Sounds to me like someone's pretty hard on them self. Just sayin....

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  15. I thought of you today, when I wanted to see what my partially finished tatted necklace would look like in the mirror and I knocked the box over...
    I hardly ever tat with beads, but am determined to do this project. I even untatted a ring and chain element when I went wrong, something I am much too lazy to attempt generally.
    If I ever finish it I promise to show you. :)

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  16. Snowy! What a way to be remembered! I just know you will get it finished! I await your reveal!
    ♥ Fox

    **You Guys!
    I am NOT being hard on myself! I am just being honest. I am not a whiner, nor do I look for sympathy and coddling. Not that kind'a gal! I see there are big problems with my technique, which is why I began to blog in the first place - to watch my tatting progress. So, I am using the tool I created to correct OBVIOUS errors!

    You are all very kind, but much too polite! Leave that to us Canadians!
    Love and kisses, ♥
    Fox the Brutal ; ))

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