'Round The Bend With Rayon

#10 Motif Challenge

Suneeti sent me some Rayon thread and I have spent hours trying to tame it.  In the end, I managed this pattern by  Judi Banashek. from Impeccable Tatting.

but not before a lot of this...

I had wanted to tat one of Jon's patterns, but I could not get the rayon to co-operate, 

so I tatted the Banashek instead.  

Thanks, Suneeti!  
It was ... hmmm... interesting tatting with rayon 2-ply.  : ))

One Step Forward , Three Un-tats....

This was so frustrating for me to tat, as I made a fundamental error that I never corrected - the length of the picots in the second row is not long enough.

The threads, Karey Solomon's #30 and Mercer #40 were not the same size, the #30 being larger than the #40!  The slight difference mad the cupping of the second round difficult.  The pattern  is from The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito, which I first saw on Tatting Fool's blog here.

As always, her impeccable tatting inspires me, so I thought I'd give it a go:

Obviously, the picots are much too short:

I also tried it with a different colour around the
outside, but changed my mind.

And so goes the weekend thus far.

Some things made me smile:

A Hearty Little Tat

Designed by Martha Ess

Pattern from Tatting Patterns from Workbasket Magazine
Thread is Finca Perle #16 -  2ply and SKINNY!

This is the third one I have tatted and I finally am comfortable with the pattern.

Now, in the next one, copying one of Tatting Fool's 

latest ventures, I am up to my old tricks:

I have begun the FOURTH go-around.  So far, I am okay.  Seems I STILL do not read the patterns...

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I seem to have been productive this summer.  I looked at the lamp and it is covered with new pieces.  Nothing has been up there long enough to gather dust!

p.s The motifs are simply placed on the lampshade, 
and they stay put - usually - unless really heavy with beads.
That way, I can change them, or re-arrange them at will.

A Success Story

My mom used to say "proud as punch."  That works for me!

This took a bit of concentrating. I am watching the series Boston Legal at night when I tat, and I notice I missed a bit of it while tatting this motif.

Also, no beads!

Umintsuru recommended this book and after a modicum of intimidation, I tried this pattern, following her suggestion.  I am glad I did.

The book is in German, but the translation is not difficult, for there is a page for translations into a few other languages.

I really love the way the patterns are displayed, and I understand the instructions better than any I have come across, That is a big statement from me!

Why?

Jon's #6 Galuh

WHY?

Why was this beautiful motif so hard for me to tat?  

Why has it taken me three days to tat it?
Why did I have to start it FOUR times?
Why did I decide to use beads after I had promised I would concentrate on the tatting?
Why did I have to cut the thread five times?
Why could I not figure the directions out after I had done two motifs?
Why did I not READ THE PATTERN properly the first time?
Why am I taking any of these questions seriously, anyway?  : 0

Ladytats said in a comment to the last post:

... Since you have earned Master Tatter status, I can't imagine that you need to work on your technique as much as you say you do... 

Well, Ladytats, here is a perfect rejoinder to your words.   If I want excellence in tatting, the T.A.T. course was a wonderful place to begin - but that is what it was for a new tatter - a good start.

One can learn any of the techniques quite quickly and with not TOO much difficulty over time, but the perfecting of them - ah, that is an other entire universe. And, after this motif, I am spaced!

Nothing went  smoothly with this pattern.  At the end I managed to sew the thread to my finger and jammed the sewing needle into my hand.  Oh, dear. The perfect end to a thorny tat!

What I love about lace-making is that there is always the next challenge, even before the current one is mastered.  There is always something to improve, always something to learn or re-learn. That is also the frustrating part,  as we all know.


I forgot to add that because there are so many chain joins, I added a half ds at the beginning of the chains to snug up the tatting to the previous ring.  That seemed to work very well as a way of making this soft thread behave without pulling it out of shape by tatting too tightly.  Anyone else do this?

I did use a brand-new-to-me thread for this exercise and I LOVE it!  It is fine - a bit finer than #40, but not a #60.  Maybe a bit finer than that, so the finished tatting is quite small.  It is a bear to un-tat and breaks if you do too much of that - which I did.  Yes, well....  It is a wee bit fuzzy, but has a lovely, silky sheen.  Also, it is soft, but can be tatted tightly to end up holding the shape quite nicely. I am impressed and it was a new experience.

I think I heard about this thread - Finca, #16, from Eliz, a while ago, and since it is very inexpensive, ordered a couple of balls, as I am so pleased at having reduced my thread stash BIG TIME! Thanks Eliz! (I think it's you!)

Perhaps there will be some good out of all this.  I bought  summer hat on sale which I will probably never wear as I loathe anything on my head - but I am trying to be good about the sun...

Maybe it works?

And The Winner Is...

The Random Number Generator

announced  #18

Thanks to everybody for playing the game and congratulations to

 Orsi, who must email me right away with her address.  : )

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A Favour from Tat-land -  please!

Tatting Fool and Crazy Mom need to more carefully monitor the night-time computer activities of Squijum and Vader, as I believe Gian has succumbed to peer pressure.  See for yourself...

                                                     

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The socks are done for Mini-boss

Where has the time gone?  Seems as if I just posted pics of The Boss that looked very much like this.

Much easier and very fast to tat a simple pattern for the kids' socks.  No beads this time either.  

I notice that after many washings and wearings, the edgings all look about the same whether they were fancy, beaded or very plain, so if I am not in the mood to pay a lot of attention to tatting, it is best to just enjoy a very easy pattern for a change.

'Adiratna' by Jon

#4 Motif Challenge

 tatted in Tatskool's Hand Dyed Thread  

Yummy!

I promised myself I would try and tat more tastefully.

Uh-huh. If I am to use beads, I will do so with a more  delicate hand.  I think that all the bead-adding keeps me from mastering the ds; focuses on glitz and glamour, missing genuine arrtisry in the act of producing tatted lace. In my opinion.

So, to set myself on this self-imposed journey to seek quality, I have elicited an agreement with myself.  Just a few beads, here and there, till I see some improvement.  I tried to go cold-turkey a few times.  No go.  That tack simply invites failure and we, none of us,  need to do that!

A Discovery While Tatting Ardiratna 

While Adding a Few Beads...

**I lost the photo here!  When I put the bead onto the thread, I  pulled up a large loop  and pulled the chain shuttle through that loop and jockeyed the bead till it was tight to the motif.  THEN I tatted the ring.  Next, I tatted the chain and tightened up that thread holding the bead. 

 I gave up on this border for the socks:

and tried another... uses too much thread:

I am using a #80 thread that Ladytats sent to me.  I must admit that the thin thread is the most comfortable for me these days, though this vintage stuff is fragile and breaks easily.

Worth it though - very pretty colour..  As much as I adore Tatskools threads, tatting with the #20 feels like I have a fistful of sisal! I am enjoying this thread very much.  Thanks, Ladytats!  Should be a pretty sock edging for Mini-Boss.

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If you are still here and reading, and if you have contributed a comment to tat-ology in the past, I invite you to post a comment here.  

I will draw a winner for this book on Sunday evening.  : ))

Za-Za -ZAMRUD!

is another of Jon's from Elegant Tatting Gems.  A delightful book.
Thread by Tatskool,  #40 Rainbow Bright, HDT,
a gift from Suneeti, last year!

Yummy!

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Tatting Fool was talking about what we do with tatting...
I have always used The Lamp.

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I've Been Thinking...
Yesterday, I commented in the comments section:

...I have no answer as the newest ones go on 'The Lamp', and the rest languish in a box in the cupboard. A few lucky ones get given away. We always have this discussion. i wish there was SOMETHING we could do with our work... Maybe a huge travelling tatted throw? Okay! I am going to blog about this tomorrow!...

Well, I had the thought that we in Tat-land could do a travelling something, like Angeline, but a pass-along piece that goes from tatter to tatter, each contibuting a motif.  Has this been done before?  This is not just sending in a motif and having someone put it together, but a growing work of tatting, travelling around the world.

What would we do with the finished item?  It would be great to approach a local paper or Arts Centre and put the idea forward to see if it could garner some interest in tatting as a lace art and as a topical creative force globally!  What say you all?   

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Mini-Boss wii get a new pair of socks.  I tried this pattern that I found in "Tatting Times", Karey Solomon's publication, for the edging.  It is sweet!  Took me way to long to figure it out as I started it at midnight.  Not too clever...

It is too large for the little sock, however, so I will do the edging in the same Lizbeth, but using a Mary Konior pattern.

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And now, a surprise from Suneeti!

(The stamp is already in the mail to Liam.  He loves Telapia!)

I had shamelessely hinted to her that I love some rayon thread she sent me a while back and I posted this on tat-ology:

  Thank you so much, Suneeti.  

By the way, S,  I saw this pretty little condo, in Rosedale, at a wonderful sale price.  I would so love to move there... 

 : ))

Tears and Triumph

Only to you out there in Tatland, you who know exactly how I felt when I burst into tears in frustration because I could NOT figure out how to end the motif. Only to you tender-hearted tatters would I dare to admit to this emotional outburst, all because of a couple of rings and chains!

Jon's Kencana in Lizbeth #40

I ran into the same exasperation when ending Mary Konior's 'Glass Mat'. Every time I tat it I have the same problem. Same with Vinnie's 'Spring Doily'.  Get the picture?

Well, at the end of 'Kencana' - a delightful motif in Jon's new Snowflake book, I hit that proverbial wall.  I just could not figure out how to close the circle.

Maybe next time I will try the coloured markers on the diagram...

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The good news is that I only started this ONCE!  Amazing and true.  Only one go-around and it was done.  Other than the meltdown at the finale, this went really smoothly and was a delight to tat.  Jon is a master of design and I love every single pattern I have ever done of hers - but one.  And that I is a secret I am keeping!

Daisies And Butterflies

The bookmark pattern is designed by Ladytats, now finished, is ready for The Boss, now six and reading up a storm.. I think she is ready for her first bookmark. May as well be a lovely tatted one!

#1 Motif Challenge


Thread? Why of course this is 'Rainbow Bright' Hand-Dyed Thread from Tatskool!

Into The Garbage - And Out Again

At two in the morning last night I could not sleep because I kept seeing the contents under my kitchen sink, in the garbage, to which  the tatting had been condemned.

Before this development, the blue-green thread version that was so pretty turned out to be IMPOSSIBLE to tat with.

It was sticky, floppy, fuzzy and breakable - every bad thing that thread can be, all wrapped up in such beautiful, saturated colour.  I could not go on, even though I had prepared to do all four squares, having even completed all four centres.

I had seen Frivole’s absolutley gorgeous 4-repeat square, and was inspired to try it in the blue/green, and then in frustration switched to Lizbeth.

Ultimitely, I got so vexed with the pattern and made so many mistakes that I thought, “The hell with it,” and was ready to call it quits.  No longer was it fun.  Into the trash it went.

Perhaps, you all know me well by now.  I could not be beaten down by a mere tatting pattern…could I?  So, up out of bed and mucking about in the garbage, I decided I would finish it any way I could, mistakes and all.


The challenge this time was simply completion. That’s right.  No perfect picots, well formed chains.  Just a finished motif times four.

That was not easy to do.  I make such a point of trying to tat as well as I can that blitzing along just to get it done goes against the grain - badly.  But there was something to be learned and so I persevered and finished.


Although the thing is a mess, I am glad I finished it, stuck with a design I got to hate, worked through my dyslexic difficulties in the joins and get to look at something that is complete. Ah, what we learn about ourselves when in Tat-land... 


I learned something new with this next piece as well.This is from the pattern for the bookmark that Ladytats sent me and I seem to recall her writing something somewhere a while ago about not making knots in the mock picots, because you don’t have to.  I believe it was Ladytats…

At any rate, it all made sense to me as I began this piece and I did not do a ds, but simply left a length of thread as the mock picot after a split ring and voîla!  It works beautifully!  A new trick under my belt!

AND, my new scissors arrived.  What a joy.  For anyone curious, Gingher are terrific still, and also relatively  inexpensive Though they are now made in Italy and have lost some of their previous prestige, I think they are as good as they ever were.  My opinion is based on these:   : )

Bree's Sassy "Shaded Sun"

 Gina's said:

I got to tat Bri's doily and used size 20 Coates variegated and size 20 Lizbeth dark purple. It's easy to tat but I had to pay attention and make sure I joined in the right places.

Well, it's not a difficult piece to be sure, but I had terrible trouble in the beginning!  I found it fiddly and a bit challenging to tat, but really only because I was trying to do what the pattern did NOT say to do!  There you have it:  my confession. I cannot follow directions!

My version of Bree's motif in #40 Lizbeth and Milford:

#24 Motif Challenge

Shaded Sun is a neat pattern.  Isn't it pretty?

I had trouble with the thread twisting on the longish chains, but I find that always happens with Lizbeth.

Thanks, Bree! I am so glad I got to test-tat it and will try it again in other colours, this time following the directions as they appear!

Eight, Not Seven...

 I took the sage advice.

Here is the finished corrected motif:

Also from this book:

I like this book!

A final note.  

Something Happened:

: )