Loving The Look

Does this trigger any pattern memories?

As the title suggests, I am enjoying this one immensely! 

So far so good....  #80, Sulky.

Dare I write that? 

: )

Reflecting On The Results

I am so into this new pattern, tatted in Sulky, that I have moved way beyond the two that I had tatted for my experiment! Ancient history a day later!

Do you recognize this pattern? Finished, it will be much smaller than the pattern calls for because Sulky is about a #80. I think the pattern calls for #30.

The Experiment

This is Dahlia, by Karey Solomon. 

It can be found in one of her booklets. 

Tatting it with Monica’s lovely #80 HDT was a pleasure as I had been saving the thread for the right design. While working on it, I realized that I had the perfect beads to compliment the thread. 

All was fine until I hit the middle section, where I coud not figure out how to proceed. Ah, Karey - you have done it again to me! Stymied!

I improvised and followed my own logic and it seemed to turn out well, but I am still wondering about that 6th row...

Anyone else out there found this snag to which I refer? Id be interested to learn how to connect that 6th row...

You can see the scale if I include a shuttle...

This purple motif, using #40 Lizbeth, is the same size as the above #80 piece.

Pattern: Kirsten Christensen

The experiment was to:

                                     1) compare my enjoyment levels of #40 to #80

                                     2) compare attention span to using these threads

                                     3) compare quality Lizbeth to Sulky

                                     4) compare finished products according to the above criteria 

In conclusion, I find that I enjoy tatting with Sulky far more, finding it to be a superior quality thread than Lizbeth #40. If you have read tat-ology for a time, you will realize this is definitely not a eureka moment for me.

My attention to detail and thus the finished motif was infinitely better and more keenly focused using the lighter Sulky thread. 

I lost interest early on using Lizbeth; my attention wandered and the resulting tatting looks as if another, less critical tatter had been at work. The tatting in the orangey motif is superior to that of the purple one. Says me. 

Why all this comparing? Well, I have diminished the stash to the point where I might like to add a bit of thread that I KNOW for sure I like. The Perfect Quilter fiasco was insane! I bought a ton of it, but on receiving my order realized I did not like the colour breaks in most of the colourways. I found them far too long. 

So, bye-bye Perfect Quilter! I kept a few of the colours, but created a big emptiness in my thread drawer! I do have a few spools of Sulky and will order a few more as time goes by, now that I know I like it very much.

Oh yes, The outer bit of the orange motif was tatted with #80 Oran Bayan, which I happened to have in  exactly the right shade. This is a ver, very fine #80 and not my fave at all. 

This leads me to add that speaking of #80s I do like DMC. It is a pretty good thread.

A very good tatting friend of mine has kindly agreed to send me a sample of  Oliver Twist thread. This is another of the skinnies that I have been very curious about. 

However, I have learned a valuable lesson: never order thread without trying it first! Following my own sage advice, I shall try out the Oliver Twist and see whether it shall be added to the stockpile!

I leave you with an update:

My beautiful Mr G

November Nonsense

It is an experiment.  I love to set little questions for myself to answer as I tat away, to see what conclusions I will come to by the end of the pattern. 

After having tatted Nancy Tracy's motif yet again ( I can't seem to get it to look symmetrical) I found myself wondering about thread size again and also:

Where was I?

I have been watching Doctor Who as I tat and suddenly realized that there was a flying shuttle in the intro! Who knew! I never watched these when they were on television - just to busy on those days. Now I get to stay up late and get caught up.  : ) Now I too know what a Tardis is!!!

So, here are the pieces I have been working on while asking the thread questions:

I have had the orangeish beads for many a moon. These are part of the stash I accumulated when I received a generous surprise from Miranda. The HDT from Monica is perfect with them! The lilac is a Ladytats lovely.  Thank you, ladies!

One Round Wonder

Milena, by Iris Niebach

Well, I can hardly believe it; I actually finished one of the doilies from the little publication Tatted Doilies

that I have had since I began tatting. It has taken me five years to work up the courage to try this one and I must say it came out rather well! Worth the wait. : ))

The end bit had me predictably baffled. I played with the last join for HOURS, trying to figure out what to tat next, till I realized it was finished! I was done! All I had to do was join the first to the last ring... Duhhh! 

While tatting this I thought of Iris and how she comes up with these patterns, which are repeats of a motif in a circle. They are uniquely hers and once you have the idea in your head, not that difficult to follow - said she after YEARS of frustration! Her talent astounds.

Much as I like and admire the design of the piece, I know that this kind of tatting is a bit “leggy” for my taste, as I am not fond of long chains, or large snowflakes. 

Also, as I learned from tatting the Mystery Doily, I do like tatting to be a bit dense - either due to the addition of beads or because of an inherently bulkier pattern.

This measures about 7 inches across tatted with... amazingly... Sulky! That is the thread I had so much trouble with here, with the thread from Stephanie.... I just could not get the pattern right.

The tatting muse is languishing and I do not really have a goal at the moment.  The next thing will probably be tatted with small thread which I enjoy at the moment and the pattern will be for something smaller .

Oh, I wish I liked tatted jewellery. That would make things much simpler!