Party's over, folks.
#10 Motif Challenge
Mary Konior's Sweethearts
(BTW - No rings. This entire piece is tatted CHAINS!)
(BTW - No rings. This entire piece is tatted CHAINS!)
Now, granted, I did have to re-tat, as this was the first attempt at this pattern, and true to form, I made a lot of errors. However, the thread did not show the stitches well in the first instance, and then after they were picked apart a few times... don't ask!
Another thing. When I placed the cut glass pitcher down on the dampened piece to press it, as I always do, I lowered it too heavily and heard a disturbing crunch: the coup de grâce. I had pulverized a bead.
This project tested my love of tatting! Luckily there was no destination for this tatted piece or I might have been upset.
Strangely, I was frustrated, but in a different way, this time. My attitude was more accepting of the capriciousness of the art, how sometimes anything anwhere near perfection is so elusive and unattainable. I believe the Leps have helped me immeasurably with this.
Maebh consulted with The Cat and decreed that the the result looks reasonable from a distance.
I'll take her word for it.
Anon,
Well isn't Maebh a little wonder...the cat's not a bad judge either!
ReplyDeleteI looks really good from where I am sitting....and to an 'ordinary' person it would look outstanding!...which it is.
We are way too critical of ourselves.
Sorry it was such a stinker to tat, but the end result is "wunderbar!"
ReplyDeleteI think these kinds of hearts are fiddly to begin with so tatting a whole bookmark is a remarkable feat in my mind.
ReplyDeletehahahaha....the pitcher pulverized the bead? Sounds like a little frustration vented. I hadn't thought of doing that...pounding on the beads, one by one.....crunch, crunch, crunch...could be very satisfying.
It looks fine. Good job with a tedious process!
For what it's worth, Barbara Foster recently told me that the Lizbeth factory is getting a new machine that will improve the spinning quality. I don't know when it will actually be up and running and the threads made with it hit the market, though.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good reason to not tat with beads to me. I never thought that they might crunch!
ReplyDeleteI think it looks great love the colour, but then Purple is a favourite colour of mine!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePenny-for-your-thoughts: what thread will you tat with now, if you are swearing off Lizbeth?
ReplyDeleteIsdihara,
ReplyDeleteProblem is that I have a lot of Lisbeth. I am going to have to use it - except the stuff that I really cannot.
I also have a ton of Cèbèlia. So, I intermingle these with the lovely HDT's and someday I will get through what I have.
By then, maybe there will have been an redevelopment of the thread industry! It is going to take me a long time to get through this hoard!
Fox of the Vastish Stash : )
That is a nice piece. Instead of pressing it under something heavy, why not pin it out the dampened piece on a blocking board? I use a sheet of styrofoam covered with with parchment paper.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain about the Lizbeth thread quality. I have a few balls that take up valuable space because the twist makes it unusable! A while back, I actually had a ball that the bled color. Good thing I have lots of different threads in lots of different colors.
Your work looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou're right! Gorgeous color and some very nice chain tatting!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering which book this was in? I have her Tatting w/ Visual Patterns.
ReplyDeleteJessica,
DeleteThe pattern is in ' Tatting Patterns."
Fox : )