However, I must report that this thread is very, very fine! I do not know what I will do with the silk thread that Snowy sent me, (about #100) since it took me so many hours to tat the Sulky!
Today:
This is the beginning - blue and yellow - very pretty. I decided to do a little motif that happened to have a bunch of mock rings... Bad idea. There is zero tolerance with Sulky for mistakes.
The upside? Working with these colours created a design frenzy. I pulled out threads and beads, putting together everything I need for the next dragon.
Then, I picked another design for the Sulky and tried again:
This time, I promised myself I would not rush; there was no race; I would relax and enjoy the process. Chose this absolutely beautiful sample:
You cannot tell by the photo, but this is magnificent thread - perhaps the nicest, richest colours I have seen in all my tatting experience! Really! It is shiny and metallic copper and brown, rust and gold - just wonderful.
#14 Motif Challenge
I found that by changing from the bobbin shuttle to the post for the skinny thread helped a lot. Still, I found I could not control the size of the picots, the tension and the gaps in the thread consistently. Also, this pattern ends in a way that precipitated my usual dyslexic meltdown. Not pretty. But, the motif is done and I love it! Thanks, Diane, for the opportunity to try this beautiful thread.
I have more Sulky, but will put it away for a while as I am excited to begin the next dragon for Graham:
Coming up... dragon #2
Anon,
In my limited experience working with these threads, I have so far found the King Tut to be easier than the Sulky. I think it is both stronger and smoother. But still a nightmare to untat. The main thing with both of them is to loosen your tension a bit; that way you have less breakage.
ReplyDeleteYour coppery motif came out very pretty. I think it was worth the effort.
Very pretty, Fox! I agree... there is no room for error with the Sulky thread. Maybe that's why it comes on a 500 yard spool! I have retro-tatted with it, but the thread looks a bit frayed. I've been looking high and low for my little blue box of Thread Heaven. I've read on some of the blogs that it's wonderful for thread that needs to be smoothed out a little.
ReplyDeleteI have a set of George Seitz's picot gauges. The smallest one is pretty good with this size thread. I've just been eye-balling for joining picots, and trying to keep them very small. I think I'll try a round tooth pick and see how that works.
Size 100 silk? You are a brave woman! Hmmm... I think I have some Kumihimo silk around here somewhere. Thanks for the idea!
I tried sulky and found it too fine for me on its own. I mixed it with two other thin threads and tatted the three together. It made for some interesting variations, too, as the three threads were different colours. But then, I struggle with 100 thread, too.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to dragon #2!
Oh I can't wait to see the next dragon!!
ReplyDeleteI think the colors in the last 2 sample threads would make a beautiful dragon!!
I have quite a bit to blog about and hopefully I'll get to it today.. I have some new thread to show off too!! LOL
Wow very pretty
ReplyDeleteI think sulky and king tut are lovely colors; but, the thread is too fine for me at my stage of tatting. It seems as thought it would be a good mix with another thread, however. The colors are so yummy. Marie S. tats with Sulky all the time; which is how I came to have a few spools ~ her suggestions. But since I don't have to retrotat as much any more; I might give it another go…xx bj
ReplyDelete