Saturday, August 24, 2013

Old Dog, New Tatting Tricks

There are major errors in this because I was so focussed on the change of position of the shuttle and how I use it, that I absolutely lost count of stitches and managed to eliminate a whole ring! 

BUT, I am delighted with the way the tatting looks. The pattern? Forgettaboutit! What do you think? Anyone who follows my Climbing-Up-Tatting-Everest progress might be able to see what has happened here.

Interestingly, I find that muscle memory kicks in every so often, and then I realize I have reverted to the old way. 

I only come to this because suddenly the tatting motion feels all wrong. After only a few days, I am now quite comfortable with the new method, but will suddenly lose it and freeze, completely forgeting how to tat a ds. Confusion exists at this point as to whether I am on the first or second half of the stitch and I must really concentrate to see what has happened. It is a strange feeling.

It is as if I can actually sense the changes in the method being tweaked in my brain. Hopefully, the transition will be finished soon and the new way will be just the way I now tat automatically. The old way now feels very inefficient and awkward when I find myself using it. 

Because I am at another row of Victorian Sets in the Trellis Doily, I want to wait till I am completely comfortable with the shuttles, because the last round, stuck between two methods was really a slog. 

7 comments:

  1. Wow there are a lot of picots in that! You're a lot braver than I am, what with the twisty arms and picots both. :)

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  2. It's not easy to change the way we do things. I've tried to get myself to make the larkshead picot join automatically, but I still find myself making joins in the old way.

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  3. Hi Fox

    Let me tell you I am having a quite laugh, your new way of tatting is proving to look so much better, ok there's a little cock up but for a practice piece all I can say well done, keep up the good work.
    Love to Gian
    Margaret

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  4. I know exactly what you mean. I'd be waiting until that new muscle memory was firmly in place before continuing on the Victorian Trellis doily also. I love the color you're using!

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  5. That's looking good! and I know when I changed how I held the shuttle it was easier on my hands to and I go faster!

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  6. That looks very good Fox. finding ways to make what we do more efficient can be a challenge, but once mastered, so much easier.

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