Tweaking Techniques

I finished this:

                                                                       #23/100

It was very astutely identified by Isdihara is a previous post 

and is from The Tatter’s Treasure Chest.

I practiced stitches this weekend, referring often and with better attention than previously to these books by Judi Banashek.

I have had them for a number of years, but just could not seem to get her instructions to resonate in my mind. Now, however, I am finding her explanations excellent and much easier to comprehend.  

Tatting does take TIME and patience if one is to improve.  The process really does develop at its own rate, no matter what you do.

Suddenly and out of nowhere, I saw that I have always been joining picots in a very twisty and inconsistent way, which is useless for me to explain.  Now I am pleased to say that after four years, I  see how that Lark’s Head knot is formed and why it works in tatting so well.  Good, Fox! (Pathetic!)

This is what I was up to four hours, happily using up some extra threads...

To refresh my memory of the SSSR, which always eludes me, I consulted Frivole’s excellent video here, all the while ignored by Monsieur, who had his own business to attend to.

Happy Hankie and Happy Birthday!

# 22/100              Lisbeth #80      Pattern: Jon’s Crown of Thorns    

Oh, yes.  Very happy.  Done with The Hankie : )

I didn’t realize till I saw Frivole’s hankie here, that I could have been attaching the edging to the hankie as I tatted it, particularly as the hankie had holes in it to attach to!  Duh! 

I did add the crocheted border first as the edge was a bit rough looking to me and this gave it a more finished look.  I think I prefer a rolled edge on the cotton, now that I have tatted borders for both types.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

And now... 

ta-da!  Mail!

A beautiful card arrived yesterday in the mail from Britain.  I recognized the return address at once and was totally mystified.  I was expecting nothing from Frivole at this time. Well, I became so intrigued and excited about this eventuality and so opened the package toute suite.

The photo is of wisteria - one of my all time favourite blooms, which Frivole must have remembered, and the message inside is beautifully executed in flawless calligraphy, wishing me a Happy Birthday from Suneeti and Frivole, (Suneeti made her sign the card, though the enclosed gift is entirely from my dear friend Suneeti!)

This is what arrived with the delightful greetings:

FRONT and BACK of the shuttle


Isn’t it marvellous!

Those are my very own patterns on the shuttle!

Suneeti, thank you so much for this thoughtful, extravagant gift!  What a surprise!  

Another big thank-you to the two of you who conspired to carry out this secret mission and found the perfect photos on tat-ology to adorn this piece.  It is beautiful and I know that you know how very much I shall enjoy it. I love my new shuttle.

Planning My Next Move...

Now that I am so close to finishing, I find I am overwhelmed by the choice of patterns that I have at my disposal from which I am absolutely unable to pick just ONE! There is so much.

One of My Diversions

So, I trudge off into Tat-land to view many creative blogs to see what appeals to me - this is spite of just receiving all of Julie Patterson’s wonderful books.  I have not tatted one thing from these, and the pattern that is truly beckoning me is one of Julie’s that I found by chance and downloaded for free!

Maybe yesterday’s rainbow, just outside my window, 

has inspired some ability to choose...

Oh, the trials and tribulations of an obsessed tatter 

are numerous and confounding. 

 Enough for today.

Calling Tatters Thirty and Under!

I had a call from a journalist yesterday who is doing research for an  article about tatting.  Exciting, no?

Once again I had to dispel the old, “Isn’t tatting a dying art?’ question and then we got down to it.  It was a fun intervie, and I believe I provided a some useful information.

She asked me if I would do a call-out on tat-ology for young people - thirty and under -  who are getting involved with tatting, for she wants to conduct interviews for her research with the next, up-and-coming younger generation of new tatters.  

Anybody out there in Tat-land interested?  It would be wonderful to see an article about tatting in a recognized publication, wouldn’t it?

Email me ( see my profile) if you are interested in speaking with the journalist. She is an excellent communicator, very easy going and relaxed - fun to talk with.

After we spoke,  it struck me that this woman needed real, live samples of tatting. So, I got out my little box of tatted goodies and re-experienced how difficult it is to part with my little motifs!

But, I plunged bravely onward, because the work is better off out there in the world, where it can be seen, fondled and appreciated, rather than sitting hidden away in a gloomy cupboard.

The one thing I worried about - oh, the  smarting ego - was that some of the stuff is old, (4 years!) from my learn-to-tat days and not very professional-looking. I know you relate to these sentiments!  Of course, I explained all that in excruciating detail  in the letter .  : ))

Here is the pile of motifs I put together along with the letter I composed, explaining what techniques are involved in each one - you know -  Catherine Wheel joins, picots, Clunies and so forth. The package was wrapped up and the bundle mailed off yesterday afternoon!  Whew!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Now, a change of pace...

A mignonette motif, tatted to escape finishing the hankie.

Only 20 repeats more of its edging left to tat!

#21/100 Motif Challenge                #12 Valdani        
Pattern: The Tatter's Treasure Chest
About six inches across


I stopped here; the pattern goes on for lots more rows...
I  think I made the point though and I am now
ready to go finish the you-know-what.