Pressing Problems of Picots

Jess’s HDT, #40           #24/100 MC       Design by Jennifer Williams

It is apparent to me that I have not quite yet resolved the matter of whether to block with the dreaded (and painfully sharp) pins on a board or to dampen and restrain beneath The Criminal Code of Canada till shaped. What follows is what I have determined.

Usually I do not make New Year’s resolutions, because I am already results oriented enough and obsessive beyond imagining, so I know if I promise to do something it will happen - and then some. 

So, I am usually gentle with myself at the year’s beginning, and only when it seems a calming idea and not too big a deal will I promise... This year I made a promise. Tis year, I am going to pay closer attention to picots and shrink them to half of their size.

This does not seem as grand an idea as taking up jogging again, (not my most gentle resolution) instead of walking, and then running three times a week NO MATTER WHAT... I am into the third year of that particular promise. You can see what I mean about obsession. 

This picots pledge seem a rather picayune promise. Paltry in fact - unless you happen to tat large and rather uneven picots, as I do. I have come to the conclusion that my tatting will be much improved and tighter tension will be the offshoot of tatting tiny picots. 

This takes some concentration and I do believe it is effective, as I can see when I look at this motif, the tension seems much tighter than usual, and I do like the more controlled aspect that the small picots add to my work.

Not much I can do this new thing with the monster picots of the Honey Napkin. Too late for that. With only four more rows and a gazillion picots left to tat, I shall retain my old ways in that arena. Amen.

Temporary Trembling...

There transpired a few bad moments when I inspected the results after the 14th row was completed. The big 21” looked very ruffled and I was in a bit of a panic...

So, I grabbed a wet cloth, and put the piece directly onto the floor, as there was not a surface large enough to hold it flat, in one piece, laid out.

The relief was... well, you tatters can imagine! It is going to be fine. On to the 15th row I go, after I purchase a new ball of thread; yes, I have to buy another. It will be the third.

Also, I have lost count of the amount of bobbin refilling I have wound: a multitude.

In the interim, for a bit of a break till I get the new thread, I used up the last of this HDT (Jess’s) on a Karey Solomon design and one round, mindless tat of my own.

#22 and #23/100 MC

The rectangle is a cape for Darth Vader and the other, a motif for The Boss’s handmade (by her, at 6 years of age!) skirt.

You think Darth Vader will approve? Hmm. 

Perhaps I should approach the
Marvel Star Wars art department.

Gray (3yrs) was suitable pleased, however....

Playing Up ‘Posy'

 posy

                           noun:a posy of snowdrops and violets: bouquet, bunch (of flowers), spray, nosegay,corsage; boutonniere.

I did not realize that posies were to be snowdrops or violets,and had nonetheless chosen this mauve thread because A) it is new and B) because I wanted the motif to look anything but Christmas-y as this next one does:

Pattern by Mary Konior             #20/100 MC                 Lizbeth #40   

I was so pleased with the older one below, which I tatted before Christmas and intended to keep it for myself, but then gave it to my daughter-in-law, who loves wreaths, instead. 

Posted December 13 So, I HAD to tat myself another... and then just one more in mauve. Such a lovely pattern.
Here is a comparison of the two #40’s. I always assumed that Olympus was a lot bigger than the Lizbeth #40, but it is actually just minimally larger.

Thread Update: Newest Favourite Thread: Olympus. 
I had forgotten how brilliant it is to work with. It is too bad that the selection of colours is so limited,because the quality is really superb.

Forging Forward...

Fourteenth Row Begun!

This would not fit on any of my counter space, so I had to dampen it 

and let it dry on the floor, so that I could see if it was still lying flat. 

Thankfully, it was!

LATER:
I forgot to add that I had to cut out a lot of the 13th row, as I had added beads and then realized that they did not look well in the overall pattern - disturbed the visual... SNIP  SNIP SNIP!

I am now inching into the 20’s on the yard stick...

Gian doesn't care one way or the other. Natch.