Gimme Some Zen!

#16 Motif Challenge

Enough With The Beads Already!

That old lady who lives in my brain has been muttering these words at me for weeks.  I should heed her.  I have said it before;  I am trying very hard to get myself to pay attention. The beads are getting in the way of real, concentrated improvement.  It would be far more productive to omit the procrastination - for that is what the bead obsession is, I think, and just focus on perfecting the stitches. 

I am so stubborn - my own worst critic and enemy to boot.

One positive thing that has happened suddenly is the improvement of all-over tension.

The first tatting I handled in real life are some snowflakes that Jon sent me over a year ago.  I take them out from time to time and marvel at the perfect stitches and at the rigidity of the motifs.  Well -  more and more, as I compare my efforts to hers, I notice that mine are definitely ...and suddenly ( take note, all new tatters) firming up beautifully.  No more floppy motifs.

That is the funny thing about improvement... all of a sudden you see that things are better, but you were unaware f the subtle changes going on, bit by little bit as you struggled along, frustrated by the seeming lack of any progress.

The right shuttle helps. The pretty Georgia Seitz one, which I got because of its slender shape and lack of a pick is very good, but not as good as my all time fave for tallies  - the Inox  plastic mock tortoise shell.  Love the feel of this one and it glides very easily  through the hand loom you use to weave the cluny leaves.

I must be a very boring person - who would bother to do this?  Tissue paper alone would have sufficed.  I know it will be appreciated, but really, fox, get a life!






Anon,