Friday, August 23, 2013

Frivole and Fox? Face to Face?

Fortuitous - Frivole was in Ontario, not far from my city.

Fabulous Fun - We met up at the Train Station for coffee.

Friends Forever  -  How I feel about that lovely visit!

Yes, indeed. We met up yesterday as Frivole was able to spare an hour out of her very busy travelling schedule to come and have a coffee with me. It was so exciting - you can imagine.

We spoke on the phone only the night before when a plan was conceived that was carried out the next day early in the morning.  It was so much fun and much, much too short a time.

However, we did manage to have a hug and a tat while the talk was fast and furious -  so much to cover in so little time.

I came away with a real-life tatting buddy PLUS a new way to hold my shuttle; I have always had trouble with the second half of the stitch when tatting in the stab-method. Frivole pointed out where I might change it up and it is working! A day and a lot of tatting later and by jove, I think I’ve got it!

Having practiced, I applied the new technique to the Trellis Doily and there is definite improvement for me. My stitches are tighter and the motion I am using is easier on the right hand.

When tatting is learned by the book/video only, it is so important from time to time to to have another tatter looking over your shoulder to offer an opinion and some insight... You just never know what you will learn. I am so grateful!

Trellis Doily - vintage pattern -  from Priscilla #2

You can see the scale here of this piece and how I have cut down the pattern so the centre is quite small.  I believe it will block well enough to display the row of those little bits in the centre circle.

I continued on with the new method of holding the shuttle and applied it here:

Clover Doily by Ellen Staffordtatted with #80 DMC and 
when that ran out,  carried on with Perfect Quilter.

This was challenging as this row tended to ruffle and I had changed from the DMC to the Perfect Quilter, which is quite a bit thicker than the DMC. 


Luckily my order of Perfect Quilter has arrived and I am going to play with some of the new thread as there are 7 more rows to go in this pattern. 

Mixing variegated thread is always a gamble, but there is no option if I want to continue and this was really just an experiment to try out the perfect quilter, so I will tat on. 

There is a lot of discussion about this pattern over at InTatters and I was curious about it, which is another reason for the choice to try with Liyarra’s sample of Perfect Quilter. It is a great pattern, but frills a bit on the row I just finished. Apparently that will work in as the next row is added. I think it is rather pretty!

So, thus far I am pleased and I think the two spools of PQ that I am showing you here will both be suitable for the rest, if they are used strategically.  We shall see.

16 comments:

  1. Everything look so nice, and too to meet and hug!And I was wondering what size thread the perfect quilter was and I guess it's bigger than 80DMC. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. It is a little thicker and much more consistent and very round and smooth. And shiny! : )

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  2. I'm so glad to know that you like the Perfect Quilter thread for tatting. I found some on clearance and mail ordered it for myself. Now I'm eagerly awaiting its arrival!

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    1. Jane, it is just great to work with. Glad you found some as it will soon be impossible to find.

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  3. What fun! Now if you could both manage a trip to the Chicago area, I could round up a whole bunch of tatters to meet you. ;-)

    Your tatting looks terrific, and I am chomping at the bit to work with PQ! I'm being a good girl, though, and finishing up the ball of white Lizbeth before becoming enthralled with another thread.

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    1. Ah, a grand reason to go to Chicago! Haven't been there in decades and have been hankering for a walk in the Windy City! Side trip .... Hmmmmm... : )

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  4. Ooooooh, come to Chicago, Fox, you really should!!!!

    (Love the Clover, by the way)

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  5. Fox - I am rapt that you and Frivole were able to meet finally!! Must have been a fantastic day.

    The doily is looking good. Nearly tempted but I don't know I could cope with all the twirly stitches.....lol

    You rock along and get so much tatting done...can you tell me where you get 1000 hr days from?? xx

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  6. Hi Fox

    Oh hw wonderful both of you meeting up, I would love to meet you just one thing there is this pond in between us, perhaps one day I can get over to see you. In fact I would love to go over to the USA and meet my pen friend and some if the other tatters, Never mind I can dream.
    I think your tatting has improved by the picture and as you say it's good to meet over tatters, I only had books to learn by now it's much easier with video clips, but it was over forty years ago I learnt and still learning new ideas. You never stop learning by the way.
    I love tour trellis mat looking really lovely and the other mat, great colours.
    Have a nice weekend, we have a bank holiday here in the UK this weekend
    Love to Gian
    Margaret

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  7. Your trellis looks great, well done for persisting! How fantastic to have been able to meet up with Frivole in person. Yes, learning from books etc is all very well, but there's nothing like having a real person to help.

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  8. Oh my dear Ladies, you are so lucky!!! :)

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  9. Both doilies look great, but I am drawn to the trellis doily. I wonder if it's the pattern or the colour that caught my eye.(not to mention the fab tatting!)
    So nice that you and Frivole met! so far, I've avoided the PQ---I have too much thread stash already! but I am tempted....... ;-D

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  10. I'm so jealous of your meet up! I have often noticed that other tatters hold the shuttle differently than I do, but I continue tatting the way I originally learned. Can you show the different method? It is wonderful to have that in-person connection for tatting.

    Your trellis doily is looking beautiful. I have not gotten far, but I don't trust myself to cut the pattern down in size. Might have to be a winter project . . .

    I'm staying away from that PQ thread too. Maybe because I need to keep my tatting and my quilting separate somehow? I already have too many hobbies in one room :/

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    1. http://toptattyhead.blogspot.ca/

      Cindy, have a look at Linda's video - the one for beginners. I use her way of holding the thread. Frivole's way is a bit different and I can't do it her way, nor describe it. It is just slightly different using her first finger rather than the pinky to stabilize the thread.

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