Last Row

After 22 inches, the edge...

Ending 16 - One More To Go

Penultimate Renulek Row 16

Wow. Getting there!

Loving Rita's shuttles!

Thank you, Diane, for 

your enthusiasm.

😊

Lightening Speed

Yes! Almost at Row 16, the penultimate row. That seems so quick, after months of lolygagging.  That word is for you, Nin! 😂.)

Here I am, a few motifs back:

Rita's large, smooth and wonderful shuttles have certainly made the process easier. As a bobbin-tatter, I am surprised this is going so well. The shuttles hold a ton of thread, so I don't have to keep rewinding, which is also a time-saver.

Newly Obsessed

I have completed even more than this and also - ta-da- had to apply the scissors! The row looked weird in one place and finally I realized I had tatted an extra motif. See what happens when you do not move like a snail!

The good news is that I managed to fix it easily and without any emotional or physical trauma whatsoever. Bonus.

Back to work...

Speedy!

Not fooling around!

Row 15

Failure Averted

I had firmly decided; a) never to finish the piece; b) to throw it away so as to never see it again; or c) to give it to Little Boss unfinished, with the last three rows left off. Those were my only choices.

Then, in a moment of serendipitous sanity, I questioned what it was that was so bothering me about this tatting misadventure; I realized a number of things.

At nearly twenty inches in diameter, I had not missed beading on any row, and I was absolutely fed up with beading; I was done with it!

Also, I was fretting that I would very soon run out of the beads, before the end.

Frustrated with the tension of my shuttles, I determined that the bobbins had become quite loose.

The only upside was that the piece is very pretty and also, I had not perforated a finger with all that hook work! Do you remember in the past all my macabre tatting injuries! The memories still cause me to cringe and shudder!

Upon contemplating these factors, I came to a conclusion. I would forge on and finish, making a few necessary adjustments before picking up the shuttles again,

The shuttles would be larger to hold more thread so I didn't have to reload every few inches and they could not spin! 

So, I am using a new Moonlit, kindly sent to me be my friend, Denise. Forgive me, Denise, but I un-blinged it, as the stickers caught the thread! However, that shuttle was just the one I needed. 

Next, I have put away the beading hook and all traces of lilac beads. The finished piece will be just fine without beads in the last three rows. My secret is safe with you and no one in the real world will ever notice!

The solution seems to have worked as I have tatted many inches in one night as you can see here:

With luck, it shouldn't take me long to finish now. 

I am so looking forward to tatting Frivole's newest star. It looks positively minuscule!

Fun With Frivole

Look what came in the mail!

One Shuttle: front and back

 Quelle surprise! That Frivole makes such beautiful shuttles and one with a zentangle on it is wonderful.

She will make you one for you with one of my designs on it, if you are so inclined - or one of yours if you want!

I had to search my files to see which tile she had used... Sneaky!  She uploaded pics from my Instagram site! Clever Miss!

This shuttle is definitely an effective inducement to tat!

Thank you, Frivole!

Not On Jane's List?

Oh, really? I guess I have not posted enough or gotten very far on this piece and tatters have lost interest! I've been eliminated from the blog list! Woe is me!

Well, I am happy to say I have now completed Row 14, and this doily now measures over 18". Progress. AND, the ruffling has just about disappeared; bonus.

Even Muskaan said that she has never known me to take so long to finish a pattern. Zentangle has really usurped my spare time, I'm afraid. I have become truly obsessed. However, my trusty shuttles are always nearby, ready to spring into action whenever I lay down my pen!

It would be great if I finished by the end of the month, but - sigh- that may not be in the cards. I'll give it a go, though.

The Frill Is Gone

Almost not ruffley! 

Row 14 and it is looking grand! 

I love it. 

😊👍🏻

It is very dark  outside today and I cannot get a good, well-lit shot of this; 

it is becoming more and more difficult to capture both size and colour. 

It really is very nice in "real life."

Checking it out!

Shuttle Support

I'm glad I tat. This has saved my sanity for the past 24 hours. I am still glued to CNN.

This Canadian is very sad today. But tatting away, I get to deal with it.

Hopeful

Maybe the ruffling will work itself out. This row makes me feel that maybe it will. So far.

Patterns and the Picayune

I am fed up.

This is the first time I have used my blog to write a retort to what I am constantly seeing about copying tatting designs.

This is the first time I have responded to online complaints by tatters whining about patterns and designs being stolen: stolen and sold.

I am fed up with reading rubbish about copying from those who know little or nothing about what is allowed and what is not.

If in doubt, speak with your solicitor. Lawyers are the experts in design theft. Make certain the solicitor's specialty is Intellectual Property, for there is an abundance of misinformation, even in the legal community; this is a convoluted and complex area of the law.

Let me make it abundantly clear: I advocate neither the copying nor the selling of other people's designs. I repeat: I do not promote design theft.

If you copy and sell, that is copyright infringement. Plain and simple. Copy and sell, you break the law.

What I know is that for a design to be new, the overall impression should be substantially different from any existing design. Substance is considered the part of a design that defines your work as unique and truly gives it originality.

That said, look at these designs:

They all begin with a star, which is either a five or six point shape, to which no copyright attaches. 

Then there is a personal adaption of that star, with varying stitch counts, repeats, unique centres or  outside chains. There can be many, many variances, all individually chosen.

Keep in mind that the trefoil pattern, like the star shape, cannot be owned any more than can these shapes:

There is really no substantial difference visually in any of these designs. 

It would follow that a designer could use an ubiquitous, common pattern, embellish it and sell it without doing harm. 

Equally, a designer could re-work a pattern owned by no one, individualize it giving it a personal design twist such as an outside beaded chain, or an unusual centre with a doodad insert or crystals. It can then be either given away for free or sold for profit. Either way, it would follow that there is no theft.

This is a tatting design utilizing rings, chains, the trefoil and from 1921 - almost a century old now.

An adaption by Tina Frauenberger, "Manual d. Schiffchenspitze," Vol.2(1921) p.65

Monica Hahn , "Christmans Angels and Other tatting Patterns"

Star Snowflake by Myra Piper

A Free Needle Tatting Pattern

Lots of star patterns and trefoils, all with an individual twist.

There is nothing new under the sun - keep it in mind.

And don't copy.

I'm done.

Fox

Interminable

... but tolerably pleasant!

Still on Row 12:

Should I be concerned that the ruffling is not all gone yet?

Coming Up - Cream!

Finally, on to Row 12 and a colour change. Now it measures 15". IThere is still a bit of ruffling, but it's mainly disappeared. I still like it a lot! 😊

Still on Row Eleven

It's never ending, made even slower with the addition of beads at every repeat. However, I'm enjoying this slowest piece I have ever tatted.

The ruffling is disappearing as I tat. Yay.

A New Row

Thank Goodness! I thought the 10th row would NEVER end.

So, here it is in all its still ruffle-edged glory, still beaded, which definitely slows down the whole process. But, it is so pretty!

SO...SO...SLOW........

I'm still plugging away at the tenth row, with over half of it completed.

The ruffling seems to be settling down and you can really see the beads now.

But, oh, I am like a veritable tortoise, who luckily does eventually get to the finish line: eventually. C'mon turtle... Go...

Now The Tenth

I am trusting  that all the ruffling will settle down soon, though not stressed about it for a change.

I might be keeping this one and gifting the red and blue one; my friend really liked it and I must admit, the colours to me are not at all pleasing!

Seems to me if someone truly appreciates my tatting and the colour beckons, then the piece should find its home easily!

Here it is at about 12":

Do you imagine he cares?

Hours and Hours

This sure gobbles the minutes! I had forgotten the hour element when tatting Renukek's patterns.

Nevertheless, here I am beginning Row Nine, and - surprise, surprise - I am still enjoying this piece. Still loving the thread...Maureen L. is definitely on to something!

I am hoping, as I go along, that the ruffling will begin to correct itself and play nicely.

Slow Going!

Still on Row #8.

Serenity

To be serene, prints Webster, is to be calm and peaceful. Suddenly, tatting is where I go to be in that state.

Before Zentangle, tatting was my focus and caused much frustration and tension, though I loved practicing new stitches, learning techniques and creating hundreds of works of tatting; the challenges were numerous and I welcomed them all.

Now that tatting has become something else, I see its true value to me as a soothing, meditative activity to escape from new challenges I have embraced. So, a major transition has occurred without my seeing it coming.

The 2016 Renulek pattern is the most enjoyable tatting I have done in eight years. Thicker, smooth, purl thread, repetition plus the infrequently added beads; all these factors are immensely pleasing and cause no stress. I concentrate on every stitch; no rush. This, to me, is what tatting is meant to be.

At the beginning of Row 8, it measures 10".

Slowly But Surely

It's already 8 inches...

For Ms. Tsuru and Auntie Margaret

It was requested...

Love from MrG

True Colours

...sings Cyndi Lauper. Well, my true palette on this Renulek is now cream and ecru! There's a story here.

On the last post,  a fatal error was discovered by Michelle, thank goodness! Thankfully, she commented and I quickly realized I could not fix the problems. At the same time,  I admitted to myself that the red thread was beginning to make me angry - go figure; I'm a Taurus, after all.

So, I am keeping the beads, even adding more than I had initially envisioned, but the red is gone, replaced by cream.

Recently, I prefer thread that is not variegated and I lean toward softer, but not pastel, hues. Here is what now tickles my fancy - or rather un-fancy:

Interestingly, I have become most fond of these two shuttles with their softer, gentler colours. Don't they seem perfect for this project?

Doesn't take much to thrill a tatter's heart!

Banishing Blue

I just can't do it. Though my friend admired the ecru, red and blue with various beads, I never did enjoy those colours one bit! The shop I where I get the thread has very limited colour choices.

After pondering the palette options for a few days, I decided on three threads I had never considered and I am very happy about the way the first few rows look:

It had not occurred to me that the two ecru shades would work, as they are so close in intensity, but this works!  Not sure what your screens register, however.

At first the lilac beads seems an odd choice and the woman in the shop raised her eyebrow, and not in a good way, when I voiced my intention. I think they look perfect!

In the past,  I think I complained about the soft quality of the Finca Perle, ( likening it to toilet paper, if my memory serves me correctly!) but this time around I am truly enjoying it! So far,so good!

Rockin' Renata

Well, the piece for Mini Boss is finished. Done and dusted:

Pretty after all!

From teeny #80 thread to this:

I am finally getting around to tatting the newest big one of Renata's. In #8 Perle. Nice change. This time around I am enjoying the softness of the thread. So far. :)

The above are the first two rows. (Oh, it is going to be BIG!) The beads are a light lilac shade and I like them with the ecru and red. 

The blue I bought does not now please me, though my friend liked it; however, I really do not. So, tomorrow, I am going to exchange it for a darker ecru.

Today I went into the shop to exchange the red for dark blue, but didn't like that at all and came home with no exchange. Then tonight I came up for the idea of darker ecru. I must be REALLY bored!

Final Row and a Plan

Miss Meave's mat has one row to go:

It looks better than I thought it would, as the thread doesn't pool as badly as I had anticipated.

Now, the unexpected!

I have purchased some thread locally to tat Renulek's latest - in #8 Finca Perle!

This is the same thread I used for this First  Prize Fair Winner a few years ago. I'm not keen on the colours ands I will add beads as I did on the first one.

Colours are very limited in the thread shop, however, there is a reason for this daft venture.

A good friend came for dinner last week and I had used the piece to cover my balcony table where we had dinner. 

She was truly taken with it; colour, thread, beads, and design. Many lovely words were expressed as she fondled the piece and she actually said, "I LOVE this!"

It was so gratifying to see someone so enthralled with my work that I decided I would surprise her; I am going to tat one much the same as mine for her, with Renulek's new pattern.

You see, just because I downsized my tatting library, I have absolutely no interest in abandoning my shuttles!

On To Row Two

Another Circle

This one is for MiniBoss, Maeve. Colours are a bit disappointing to me but they are her faves.

Regarding the rectangle: it looked very distorted in the last post, do I feel compelled to repost it!

The lovely card behind is from a fellow tatter: Thanks, Brenda! 😊

Quan Yin

Sure enough, I ran out of thread! I am not sure how that happened as I cut off part of a row, but not that much.  Seems there should have been way more.

The size is right for what I wanted so, the last row isn't all that necessary.

This is to go under my Mom's soapstone statue of Quan Yin, Goddess of Compassion and Mercy, which is now entrusted to my care.

I have always had a bit of tatting under this statue, since I inherited it four years ago. I liked the blue colour and a rectangle  shape for a change.

Now, on to another 4" cotton doily, for MiniBoss Maeve in #80 Girly Girl Pink! 

Oh No!

I might have to use another thread after all for the last row.

Scissors were necessary as I had to completely retat this row. BIG mistakes were made. My focus was on Zentangle and my tatting suffered greatly.

It is necessary to flow down when distracted - you'd think I had learned this important fundamental tatting rule by now!

However, I love everything about this little mat.

______________

And now,

may I brag a bit, please?

Zentangle...