The thread - totally vile.
I will rant about that after I show you the progress:
Because this is now a practice piece and I am considering it a “process” rather than a “product” endeavour, I am ignoring places where it this were a gift, I would redo some of the chain. But it is a learning exercise, and I shall have to wait till the next Fikkert project to raise the bar.
Now. The Lizbeth #80 RANT.
If you follow my tatting, you know how I have had dreadful luck with this thread. As I am only using #80 these days, because I find it the best of the lot, I was really disappointed to see how awful the #80 plum turned out to be.
I have attempted to show you the comparison to the white:
The twist is looser and the thread is way thinner - which doesn’t show up in the photo. You can see the fuzziness and the looser twist of the plum, though.
It is thin - VERY thin - splits like crazy, untwists and twists and is a very inconsistent thickness.
Here it is where it has decided to untwist... I am so unhappy with this thread and it makes the task much more difficult than it needs to be.
I hear ya Oh the trouble I did some quilting thread there :( , and I know it is practice piece but I think the choices of colors are nice that you picked. I do know that you only need to connect to only 4 picots of the motif D to the next motif D and so on, (because it has got to open up or it will pucker) to make circular lay flat. And he tricks you, or forgot to mention that the above this open part between the motif D's an under motif H is a whole an other little connecting crazy chain that is not mentioned or given numbers counts or letters too.
ReplyDeleteYikes! No number counts? I must go take a look... : 0
DeleteNope- all the counts seem to be there. Most are repeats of previous motifs and he gives the added-on chain counts. I can't find anything left out!
DeleteLovely "process"! - Ok, I see the difference. By the way, thanks to you I tried dmc and lizbeth together, they match very well, if it's a problem with a set of lizbeth colours we can change brand, except if one day these big brands would decide to join and produce the same red, the worst. It could help the trick of winding the shuttle from the tail inside the ball.
ReplyDeleteTo wind from inside with Lizbeth, you must wind it off and then re-wind it onto the shuttle again. You cannot get to the inside I have found... : ) Even with wool, I had trouble doing that as I always found myself with a ferocious tangle of yarn and filthy language...
DeleteOr, wind the length required on a holder. Cut. Then start winding from the 'inner', just-cut end ? Would that help ?
DeleteHate it when threads are not consistent or misbehave. I face this problem with white colour - this thread, in the Same brand (Anchor) is Larger than the coloured ones. Go figure ! Can't use them in the same project, unless stitchcounts are altered.
Muskaan, isn’t that what I just said? : ))
DeleteWhat a shame, I thought you had found a thread you liked at last! - I like Lizbeth 80, but did have a horrendous time with one ball of light orange. It must be the dye, perhaps - some have a worse effect on the thread than others. For a practice piece, I think it is looking wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYes, dyes can be hard on the threads... red, navy and black can be awful.
DeleteIf you can find Finca Crochet thread - not the perle cotton - I can recommend that unreservedly. It's beautifully crisp and behaves wonderfully well. I'm using the size 40 just now, I haven't tried any of the pastel colours yet - you could always dye the whites! The perle is lovely of course, and the colours magnificent, but this crochet 40 is a dream.
ReplyDelete“I” could dye the whites? Really? I can just see that disaster in my kitchen... : ))
ReplyDeleteI had been wondering which colour you would choose to outline the resplendent, pristine white motifs & keep it that way. Love your choice & love the process as well as product :-)
ReplyDeleteUgh, I hear you! I've been trying out some various types of thread (sewing threads) just for *fun* and have scared Ruby with the language that escapes my mouth every time the thread breaks. But, I tell myself I learn nothing if I don't try it. I tell myself a lot of things lately ;)
ReplyDelete: ))
DeleteI have had the same problem with Lizbeth threads - knots, slubs, messed-up twist, rough/fuzzy patches that don't allow a ring to close, they're SO rough. I rarely buy Lizbeth now - I am building up a good stash of several other threads. Not so many colors, but there's rarely a knot or a rough spot in the other brands. It's a shame, though. All those lovely colors, and it's just not worth the hassle.
ReplyDeleteSW
Hi Stephanie,
DeleteIt sure is a hassle, but I do like the colours and I was finding the Sulky threads a bit too fine for me, though I like them very much. I wonder what threads you do like. Would like to hear from you about that!
Fox : )
It's a shame when the thread is an issue instead of the tatting itself. Are the chains in 'sets', or how do you work them? Twisted how?
ReplyDeleteThey are sets of 5 half-stitches. Either second or first. I am doing the second half x 5. The directions don't say to put the thread over itself after 5 to separate the stitches, but that is what I am doing. Fikkert call them "spiral" stitches.
DeleteOK. Sounds tricky!
DeleteYour doily is looking outstanding!!! So very beautiful!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope this is the only bad 80 you get since you seem to be doing so well so far! I have had 1 really bad 40 so far and it's just sitting since I fought with it last.
Oh, my... that does look fiddly. I'm not in the mindset for fiddly just now. I'm sorry to read that your thread woes continue. Some day someone will provide the perfect thread... I just know it!
ReplyDeleteI think I found the unnamed chain part and it is called "G" sorry for the false alarm this is crazy huh :)
ReplyDeleteYou would think these companies would listen to their clients and get that thread situation figured out! Have you found a good pair of noise canceling earphones for Mr. G yet? ;)
ReplyDeleteIt may be driving you crazy, but it sure is gorgeous! Love the colors and pattern!