I've been busy....

But nuthin ta show

I completed the second earring. Now to block and mount on wires.

I completed the eighth round of Wiosna 2017 by Renulek. But, it looks kinda funky without the next round. I’ve taken a picture, but it’s not worth sharing.

I’ve chosen which Sonata to use as the basis for the BachFestival piece. Now to decide what to pull out of the music and how to represent it all.

And I’ve set up another round of gardening. Hopefully, the work we’re doing now will cut down the tedious nature of gardening in the future. Pictures after the weekend. We have some more of the pretty Kalanchoe to plant. 

Successful workshop. I learned so much!

And the ideas I have hatched! It’ll take awhile to get something finished enough to show here. And there’s the current projects on the shuttles: Bach Festival Art Raffle piece; the study of curled rings; and the pieces I’m thinking of entering in the County Fair.

Two thoughts about Tablet weaving:

Tradition has shaped the pieces we weave. The thread needs to be tightly spun, so there is more processing before weaving than for a shawl from handspun. Contrast is encouraged in the patterns so there are lots of vibrant colors. The equipment needed is fairly simple with just cards and two points needed for attaching…think backstrap or simple frame.

The weaving goes fast:

Tablet weaving can produce shoe laces or harness pieces. Hat bands can be personalized. The bands are narrower, but good and thick. There was even a wonderful dog collar sample at the workshop!

Where I may venture:

Bookmarks with tatted edging. Accessories for hikers and outdoor activities. Remember the workshop I went to last summer? Neutrals……with pops of color added.

Time to get busy!!

Tablet weaving

Well, the weather has been nicer. The seal pups are growing. The garden is growing. The tatting is growing. 

I’m also preparing for another workshop. This one I’m learning more about card weaving. Here’s a good link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_weaving 

and some great examples:

 

Incidentally, scholars “argued spiritedly” about how an ancient Egyptian linen belt was woven. That’s what pricked my interest years ago. No, not the argument. Geesh. The use of linen in an example that has survived so many years. Linen as a fiber intrigues me. I tat mostly with cotton as that’s what is readily available. I do plan to explore tatting with linen.

of hail and rainbows

Well, the weather is being very fickle! It hailed yesterday. So, all those succulents we planted? They’re shivering!!! Then the sun poked through just at sunset creating a double rainbow.

I found more Connectors, so the stars will go on the flag soon. And….

Another successful organ concert was enjoyed yesterday.

Life is good….

I have several huge projects on the shuttles. This means there’s not much to share here. I am taking time to visit and comment. Although I fear what I have to say really isn’t earth-shattering. If you like, let me know what you think I should comment on. Hint, Hint….

Now, to see what needs to be cleaned up from Mother Nature……

More ideas than time....especially when the weather is nice!

Still playing with beads and curled rings. Several ideas worked. Two did not. So, forward progress overall. Keeping on task will be difficult. The weather is drop dead gorgeous, I was gifted a bag full of Workbasket magazines, and I have several more ideas to try out for Bach Festival and the earring design I’m working on.  It rained last night so the newly planted plants are happy. I’ve got more ideas than time, I’m happy!
Happy Tatting AND music making!

planting

Still struggling with adding beads to designs with curled rings. I found some small crystal type beads yesterday. I’ll be trying those today. Hopefully pictures will soon follow.

A distraction lately has been relandscaping a strip in the garden. It was past time to redo. We decided on succulents. 50 feet can host a LOT of plants!!

In the meantime, I found some star-shaped “connectors” to use on the flag. Unfortunately, just one package. So, unless I find more, there will only be 20 states represented. Not.

Another stroll in the 'hood....

This time, I spotted this crab in the Bay:

The next day, we hiked Huckleberry Hill. I did not get any pictures, but take it from the entire hiking party. The poison oak is a bumper crop this year! Just a picture of a wildflower locals call Miner's Lettuce. I've seen it before.

I narrowly averted disaster when saw a hummingbird on the path. That was before I stepped on it. And the next in line didn’t bump into me. Whew! I couldn’t decide if it was a fledgling or a female, but it didn’t fly well and looked so scared. There was nothing for but stepping very slowly over and continuing down the path. I heard at least one hummer in the tree chattering away, so hopefully all will be well. It’s hard, very hard, but I try to let nature take its course.

Chords

No, that not a misspell. I know, I know, I have difficulty spelling in English! I’m not talking cord as in heavy thread or twine. I’m talking music: a group of notes. This is a long post (for me), so get out the velcro you use in class. There’s links to go to, concepts to think about…..

The pattern I’ve been playing with designed by Marilee Rockley uses curled rings. Muskaan has several excellent posts on this technique. Ninetta also has posted excellent tutorials: http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2016/ninettaalternatemethodsofcurlingrings.pdf  Both of these fabulous tatters have freely shared material and patterns with the OnLine Tatting Class. Thank you ladies! And a huge, awestruck Thank You to Georgia for all her work over these many, many years!

Back to Curling…. No, not the sport. Rings.I tried working up the examples in Ninetta’s tutorial many moons ago *2016*. The fault wasn’t Ninetta’s. I just didn’t really try. I claim too much on my plate. Not a good excuse! The truth is I was still in the first blush of having an organ to practice on whenever I pleased!!!

Marilee’s book caught the eye of one of my advanced beginner tatters in the Tatting Tuesday Study Group. Zanie, as we call her, has produced wonderful jewelry with beads in a class at the local Community College. We worked through a couple of the patterns, but nothing really grabbed us. I kept gravitating to Dazzling Debut. So, there was nothing for it but to try it out again! I’ve had success this time!! This is the size 10 version sitting beside the size 40 version.

Back to chords…. If you scroll down to page 5 of Ninetta’s PDF, you’ll see what I wish to use: stacked curled rings. I see chords. I hear music. I’ll let you decide if I’m crazy! No wait….I know I’m crazy…about tatting AND the organ!