First,
The Cluny:
the improved
midnight-tat version,
(still a long way to go!)
Oh yes, you are all very polite.
Much too polite to alert me to this:
I could not let it rest. I thought I was finished when I re-tatted the cord for the pink dragon. Then I noticed the photograph of the five cords and was stunned to see that twisted spiral in the green cord. No way I could leave that!
Whew!
Finally REALLY finished.
Finally REALLY finished.
Promise - I will not rant about it, but will show you a photo that I took of some regular green "normal thread," pictured above the thread from a ball of Lizbeth green that I used for the Grahamy Dragon. You can form your own opinions. I must be one of the few who received so much of this bad batch in so MANY colours!
Love the clunies (especially in that colorway)
ReplyDeleteLove the new tails - don't you feel better now? I know I do! LOL :-D
Lizbeth thread? :-(
Even with you pointing to it, I had to enlarge it to maximum size to see what you were talking about. I also don't know why you are so dissatisfied with your clunies; I think they are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh, Fox, your standard is so high. Most of us would have settled for the cords, but there you go again... You are a perfectionist and your work shows!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone about your clunies. They look pretty darn good to me. I'll have to post my little scrap piece where I was trying to learn them so you can see. I did the scrap then never did any more. As for the tails -- I never even noticed! All the dragons and their "leashes" look great to me.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your ever-supportive comments, but you must understand that once I fell in love with Elisa's clunies, here:
ReplyDeletehttp://elisadusud.canalblog.com/,
I was toast - how can anyone ever reach that level of cluny perfection? I will be working on my technique for a good long time to come. Go and see. Her work is marvelleous.
♥ Fox
I really can't see the problem with the crinkled thread-- its just a by-product of the winding process. I have not seen any problem with the thread in my work. The wrapping it on the shuttle and tatting with it removes the crinkle effect- except maybe in the tassels. For those you can dampen it a little and straighten it. Of course I have only been tatting for about 16 months so maybe I'm doing something wrong or missing something.
ReplyDeleteWell, you realize she tats them almost exclusively, don't you? That's true dedication. I love her pieces but would not enjoy tatting clunies enough to try to match her.
ReplyDeleteDaggone it! I forgot what I was originally going to comment about!
Oh, remembered - Lizbeth thread - no, you are not the only one. I bought from 3 different sources altho they all wholesale from HH so it doesn't really matter but every ball that I've used more than 25% of has been flawed. The vintage Coats thread I'm using for the ecru tatting has absolutely no flaws like that. No knots, no unraveling. Haven't used enough of the size 40 Lizbeth to know yet, but all my size 20's are pretty, though not what I would call high quality. I've complained both to HH and one of the suppliers and all either wanted to do was give me a free ball of thread, not address the issue. So I gave up. I would not use them for heirloom tatting but I will for other stuff and I could crochet and embroider and stitch needlelace with them, though it's a bit thick for the last two.
ReplyDeleteBeelizabeth, Other high quality and indeed medium quality thread is definitely not like this.
ReplyDeleteThe example of LizbethI have shown you not only splits and twists, it also has knots in it. Many of the balls I have are the same. Bad. This is not normal for thread, and it is unacceptable!
Some folks have not been bothered by a bad lot, but I have been plagued by these problems. Read Gina's comments above, as she has also had issues. I am not just a miserable old crank, for I am not alone in my complaints!
You must make your own conclusions, however. I am just reporting the facts - just the facts, ma'am!
Fox : )
I had a horrible ball in size 40 which split horrendously. But I can recommend the 80, that is just wonderful. Maybe it's a different process, making finer threads - it's strong and silky and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI think your cluny's are lovely and a I didn't see the mistake in the cords either!
ReplyDeletePerfection is always preferred. Great catch and fix. Happy tatting...
ReplyDeleteYou definitely are not alone with the Lizbeth woes.
ReplyDeleteI bought from the preview batch at Palmetto Tat Days in 2008 before Lizbeth hit the general vendors. It was horrible. Barbara at HH was kind enough to replace everyone's lots, telling us to keep the bad batch if we so wished. It would kink up as it was unwound. It was not even good for tassels, cords, or anything else, except trashing.
The replacement batch from HH still had issues, including knots (joints, not continuous thread) in the middle of the ball.
Purchases from Hobby Lobby and other vendors also have the twists and knots and splits/unravels, though not as bad as the debut thread.
I am just dealing with it as it tats up. Frustrating, but what can you. It is available in such luscious colors. At least I am able to purchase it on sale, which alleviates the pain.
And there are soooo many other brands of lovely threads out there for choice.
So, no, Fox, you are not alone in your opinion of Lizbeth.
.
Wow and another wow. You're so good at clunies. I really adore your work because I can not make clunies - I have decided it is not for me to learn either, roflol.
ReplyDeleteVery well done, Fox.
I have had many problems with Lizbeth thread as well; but the colors make me continue to use it. The first ball I bought was nice, & every once in a while I get one that works up fine. However, when I finish the projects I have working with this thread now, I won't be purchasing anymore. If only I could find a white thread that was as white! I don't use white very often, but when I do, I want a true white with a nice shimmer. I haven't found one yet that was as nice as Lizbeth, even if the thread itself doesn't work so well. Finished project is nice though!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I know exactly what you mean about a true white thread with a bit of shimmer. Let me know should you find a good brand of it...
ReplyDeleteFox : )