Sunday, November 20, 2011

Invalidating Valdani

#20-100 Motif Challenge
Jon's "Mirage" snowflake tatted with #12 Valdani

My jury is in.  I do not like this thread for tatting.  Colours are beautiful, but it is not for me because it is too soft, splits and breaks and is inconsistent in thickness.  It is very difficult to un-tat and I make a lot of errors, so I spent most of my tatting time freeing the knots. I  also found a lot of knots in the balls I have.

I am glad Sis brought the 4 balls for me to try; I appreciate her generous gift, and I  love to experiment with new threads.  So, it was a great experiment.

But I will not use this thread much.  Maybe some tatters out there in Tat-land would like to try some of my thread?  I am considering a giveaway to lessen my stash of thread that I will use infrequently. Stay tuned.

Seen on Frivole's blog
Tatted by Frivole

The one you see above is the motif that Frivole tatted and shows on her blog. I downloaded it because we can't find Orsi's pattern, which she shared somewhere... 

I love this shape and have just begun to tat it in Lizbeth #20. I have a wee bit of Lizbeth left, and it is refreshing to use it after using the floppy Valdani.

18 comments:

  1. I consistently love the colors you choose. I see what you tat and the first thing that catches my eye is the wonderful colors. Keep showing off, and maybe one day my stash will be as pretty as yours.

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  2. It's too bad about the quality of the Valdani, because that colorway on top is gorgeous!

    I agree about the bottom snowflake, too, that shape is really beautiful.

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  3. the valdini looks very heavy, but it still turned out lovely imo :) but I have to say, I love the little turquoise number, very very pretty :X

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  4. I'm always surprised to hear that people have had problems with Lizbeth - perhaps I've been lucky as I've had very, very few. I did have a 'slubby' bit in black the other day but fortunately it was just at the end of loading my shuttle!!! Never particularly annoys me either as I'm so used to adding in threads!!!!

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  5. I still have a few balls of Valdani perle cotton too and don't use it for the same reason. I can embroider or crochet with it however. Your motif still looks nice.

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  6. I wondered how you'd like the Valdani. I've hesitated buying some of the beautiful colors because I also found it difficult to tat with... thought it was just me!

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  7. Oh, I'm sorry it's so fussy because that color is gorgeous and rich! I admire your perseverance!

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  8. Thanks for the input on the Valdini thread. Bought some and was using it after a long absence from needle tatting. I thought that it seemed limp. Now I knot that it's not just me that thinks so. I'm not crazy after all! What a relief!

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  9. This blue variegated Valdani is lovely. Love the combinations of blue and your snowflake looks fab. You did a great job with Orsi's pattern.

    ~umintsuru~

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  10. I like the looks of it... and I love the Orsi motif you did!

    Oh, I'll take the thread off your hands!!! I'm game to try it... hehehe

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  11. Okay.. First off, I think you're snowflake is beautiful!!! I love the colors and think that the final product doesn't show your frustrations... It's gorgeous! :-P

    As far as the Valdani, my first thought was that I'm going to have to try and get my hands on some because The Piney Woods Tatter loves that stuff! It made me think that maybe the difference was needle/shuttle tatting, but then I read Caseymini's comment and I'm not so sure... So, I thought maybe Perle, non-Perle, but Gina quashed that thought (not that I even know if Valdani does non-Perle, LOL). The little hamster in my brain is now just flopping on his wheel... I don't know what to think! LOL.

    Lastly! ROFL! Frivole's post pushed me to try that snowflake as well! I clicked the link that she had in her post to Orsi's blog ( http://spulni-blog.blogspot.com/2010/12/hopehely-snowflake.html ) and tatted from the picture. If you click it, it's diagrammed. I went with a split ring out of the initial ring as well, but went with the counts in that diagram. Unblocked, in LizBeth 20, it measures about 2 1/4" with those numbers and my probably too tight tension. LOL.

    I'm now rambling. Sorry. *Clicking Post Comment Now*

    :-*

    -Stephanie Grace

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  12. Your snowflake is absolutely lovely and if you hadn't said the thread didn't cooperate I'd never have known. You made it work. Karen in OR

    PS Have you heard anything about Angeline recently?

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  13. Phew reading this and everyone elses comments makes me feel a bit better. I bought some valdini a few years ago (a lovely silvery grey) and it's awful to tat with! I had to say a small prayer every time I closed a ring in the hope it wouldn't break. Not just me then! You've done very well to persevere and make something that looks good too!

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  14. Attractive the blue thread!
    joli couleur!

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  15. Karen - About Angeline, I am working on it! It is in Australia and I am trying to find out where!

    Stephanie Grace, I could not find the diagram so I enlarged the photo and added my own stitch count. Thanks for the info!

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  16. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NAQjjiECFM4/TPdlsRUTIRI/AAAAAAAAALU/xfc8Vrq-Ji4/s1600/PC022879.JPG

    From Orsi's blog, aforementioned post: http://spulni-blog.blogspot.com/2010/12/hopehely-snowflake.html

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  17. Karen in OR , Guess what! You're next! I need your mailing address. Please send me an email ASAP and Liyarra will put the book in the mail. Email is in my profile.
    Fox : )

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  18. Sorry the valdani didn't work out for you: I wondered if you'd like it because it is soft. I must have been lucky with my purchases, as I've not noticed problems with the thread consistency. Perhaps the difference is in my tatting with a needle......I don't know. I like to use it when I want a bulkier, chunkier look....such as with some CQing tatting, or on decorative items where a delicate look is not desired.
    Sorry this is late....my satellite connection was down for a week. aack!

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