Meet me at midnight~ and bring the lovely Cebelia with you. Have her wear only Black. Something very soft and fuzzy and kinda giving that might just snap with a tiny bit of coaxing...... Yah... Bring Cebelia in black....
Argh........ There I was last night. Up at twelve a.m. and tatting up a new storm. Thought I'd give Black Magic - the bookmark in Mary Konior's book, Tatting with Visual Patterns, a go.
Using the above-mentioned thread, being very tired and finding the pattern really tricky, I worked myself into a right state! The yarn was not co-operating either. It was fuzzing and twisting and it was impossible to see the stitches.
I see what Suzanne (http://morduededentelle.wordpress.com/) said a while back about Cebelia. Perhaps I will have to rethink my opinion. Too bad if I do - I have a lot of colours!
The clunies were easy compared to this! Why I found it so difficult, I can only attribute to my dyslexia, which kicks in big time every so often - like last night. Like with this pattern. Something about when not to turn the work and the SLT. There is only a diagram, so I found it frustrating.
Anyone done this who can enlighten me as to when you are supposed to turn the work??
Then, this morning I was taking kitty to the vet for his check-up and picked up my mail on the way to the car. There was a package from Martha Ess and an envelope from Yarnplayer.
Obviously, I was happy about what the mailman had delivered and looked forward to getting home to open my mail. On the way to the car, with a heavy cat carrier, a handbag and another bag, I mailed my letters into the street. Literally. Yes, just dropped them on the pavement and drove away.
Luckily, when I returned, I noticed a suspiciously familiar looking envelope in the street and realized I had better retrieve what was now lying flattened all over the road. There were bills and other stuff there, too.
there had been no wind, so I was able to find all my mail, but the Hearts book, sadly is no longer pristine and I like my books to be pristine when I first get them. I like it a lot. When they are not fresh and new looking and smelling I get ornery....
Look at what happened to the book. A dumb car drove over it! The front is nearly okay, but the pebbles went through a few pages of text in the back. Grrrr.
The thread survived and is fine and GORGEOUS.Roses and Scarlet, by Yarnplayer.
Maybe the message is to get some shut-eye. Tonight I will limit the tatting to an hout or so. Right.~Fox ~
~Aspiring Adept of TATROMANCY (magical meanderings with rings, chains and picots) ~
I believe TattingChic is the master of the Black Magic pattern. I seem to recall that this is her favorite bookmark pattern. I've never been able to get it right myself.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about wanting your books in pristine condition. I spilled coffee on my Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior within 15 minutes of receiving it. I bought another copy and gave the coffee stained one to my mom, who didn't mind the coffee at all!
I can't wait to see what you do with your new thread... it's beautiful!
Sorry to laugh at your dispair but you described it so humorously!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, black magic is tricky. Pay attention to ring A. The number of stitches between all picots is the same so it doesn't matter if you reverse work or not but it does in subsequent Ring A's. You reverse work for the small rings and again after the small ring for the chain. You always continue in the same direction with the chains but after joins into the picots, they end up facing each other and you join again. When you make those small rings, also join to the chain meeting at the base of the ring. When you make the small rings, start with the number on the bottom, like 5-3-3, because where you start the small ring faces the big ring.
I had a tendency to forget to tat the small ring until I got to the side where the chain joins the picot of the small ring - so I would ofen just tat the ring from that spot and join where it was originally supposed to start, but you have to pay attention to the stitch count facing the big ring as appposed to the chain. Once you get into the rhythm of it, it is easier, but black thread is really hard to see stitches to count. You might try tatting it in a lighter color so you can see it better and then tat again in black once you are familiar with the pattern.
Hope this helps!
:-)
HI, I love that Black Magic Pattern! It is so elegant. I have never tatted it, I don't have the book, but my Mom does, sooo... I'll have to borrow it and try this one out.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your abused mail. You were so lucky that there was no wind too. Have fun tatting hearts.
Lovely HDT too. Love this color!!
Happy Tatting!
Awww, I'm so sorry about your book! It took me quite a bit of undoing knots and picking out stitches to learn not to tat past about 11pm. Oh, and I am certain that tattingchic has done that bookmark before, You might try her for some help :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, I don't know what I'll do with all the beautiful HDT that I have ordered and am SAVING - for - what?? I guess this is a stash. I never had one for knitting. Now, I understand.....
ReplyDeleteI laughed when I read about your book..... I would have done the same! Coffee - ugh.... I couldn't have looked at the book in that condition!!!
Fox : )
Gina,
So glad you found it amusing!
Thank you so much for your description of how to do this. I found it most helpful and am starting the thing over - for the fourth or fifth or eighth time....but who's counting?
: )) Fox
Hi Carol,
I know - I was sooo lucky it wasn't raining or windy.
Thanks for stopping by!
Fox : )
Krystle,
I'm afraid I'm a glutton for punishment - it is past 12 again and I am still at it!!
Fox : )
It was only on my fifth run through Black Magic that I was able to execute the pattern perfectly, and I have an initial false start in my pattern file that looks a lot like yours. This pattern is a little tricky, but definitely worth the extra effort.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about your mail catastrophe! It's a good thing your mail didn't dissappear forever. Just think....now you have a great story to tell!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, Thanks for the encouraging word!
ReplyDeleteI am on about my eighth try and I think I have the rhythm now. Finally!
It is a beautiful pattern and I will persist.
: ) Fox
Lady ShuttleMaker,
Its all grist for the mill! You are right - it makes for a fun tale.
But, I wish my poor book didn't have so many dents!! I must remember its the content I should keep my eye on, not the appearance!
Thanks for the visit. Fox : )
What a bummer about the book! I think that would irritate me, too!
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the Black Magic pattern! It's my fave! :)
I'm not as good at explaining tatting in words as I am at showing someone in person! I tend to turn things around 'til it works, LOL!
Hi TattingChic,
ReplyDeleteI can see why it is your fave. It is a beautiful pattern. I am finally getting the hang of it....lots of turning around!
Fox : ))