Preparation is key

Musicians get it. 

Without regular practice or play-through, things don’t go smoothly in performance. Without careful choice of thread, beads, even shuttles, tatting doesn’t end up as pleasing. 

I’m preparing for the second Ice Drop session. With each workshop, you discover things that you didn’t quite prepare for adequately. Success is responding to the unexpected. Success is when all learn. Success is smiles and requests for more.

So, I’ll be amending my pattern handout, preparing samples to demonstrate tricky spots, and gathering next step samples.

 After a cup of tea…….

Two Hearts in One completed

Two Hearts as One by Martha Ess (front)

Here is the version in olive and deep red:

I’m glad I tatted this beauty. Thank you Martha Ess for giving us a great design to tat!

For my next version…..

Two Hearts as One by Martha Ess (back)

I considered tatting the pattern with picots only where necessary. Using beads, of course, and joining. But then I realized that it would be that much harder to tell which side is the front. And it would complicate the pattern just enough my brain might short-circuit. No explosion, but too many mistakes that would need to be dealt with. Not worth it.

I’ve had ideas for my Bach Fest piece. Last year was so much fun. And the bookmark continues to bring Joy. I’m seeing where a fugue subject takes me this year!

More weaving in the heart

I completed more of the Martha Ess Heart pattern:

This is the final round at the point of the heart; from here on out, you work up the side to the top ending at the “cleavage” with a final chain. To complete the pattern, you tat part of a self-closing mock ring, switch to the other color thread, tat part of a second self-closing mock ring, then you weave the shuttles through rings, tat chains and finally close the rings. It sounds complicated and hard to execute. In all sincerity, it was easier to figure out shuttle placement of these few elements than to figure out shuttle placement of the first join of this round.

Funny thing though….I caught almost all of my mistakes in the complicated parts, but as I finished, I noticed that first join does not match the picture. I need to study the pattern, figure out if I really did make a mistake, and then make notes to help the next time around.

Yes, there will be a next time. I’ve had a request to tat this pattern in quilt thread for some earrings.

Other Projects

“I have applied. “ When I told a good friend that and paused before trying to explain Palmetto Tat Days, the response was, “Well, I know you apply yourself. You accomplish quite a bit each day!” I like to gather people around me who keep me grounded. Helps me not to take things quite so seriously. And I have applied to teach at Tat Days. I hope they like my class ideas and patterns enough to join in the fun! Our budget can’t take the $1000.00 hit what with flying from the West Coast to the East Coast.

With that done and sorted, I’ve been able to pick up the Heart pattern again.

At several points in this pattern, we need to finish tatting a ring, but not to close it until we’ve switched to the other color and tatting 2 rings. That can result in plenty of confusion. I think I’ve got it now. I’m on to the final round and added beads of course! 

I do hope things work out for Palmettos. What with the money I’ve been spending to make sure I live, I’ll need help. That addition to the week’s schedule was further testing at the Mammogram Center. $800.00 later, we have added data to teach the computer program it’s just scar tissue. Moral of the story: seek care and get the testing, but be a wise and informed consumer of what the Medical Industry offers.

Enough circular thinking! I am tatting rings instead! After deep breaths…….

The river runs

The atmospheric river is running again. That’s overall a good thing. We need the rain. Less wind would be nice, but the plants are looking much healthier. Of course, we Mother Nature so active in the yard, I’ve had less time for inside pursuits. 

The chores are piling up. No choice but to set aside work for a day on the tatting and music, and get things done!

If the weather holds!

Oh, and the Pattern page will be back up next week. I didn't realize it was down until today. Apologies to those looking for the patterns.

Success!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, not across the board. But, I’ll take the success I’ve had!

The workshop went well. Several people actually managed to complete the pattern to the point I planned for. Several other people decided at the last minute to give it a try. Several others were very fascinated with the technique, progress of those they were watching, and actively encouraged those trying it out even if they were not giving the DS a go.

I am much more confident that I can succeed in giving fun, engaging, and informative workshops. That was my whole plan for spending so much energy on yesterday.

Now to turn my attention to other projects.

Heart set aside

I’ve had an addition to this week’s schedule. I need to spend most of Friday taking care of details. Ugh! I’d rather tat and play the organ than sit and wait and listen and decide. But, needs must!

I know I’ll be thinking of a problem I’ve been trying to solve. Remember Bux2Bach? I’ll be tatting another version soon. Problem: I can’t find my notes. Anywhere! So, all I have is pictures to go by. And it’s not enough! I cannot remember what I did 2 years ago and the stitch count isn’t falling into place! Argh!!

This afternoon will be filled with preparing for the EGA workshop on Ice Drop patterns. I've no idea how many of the people who come will need a refresher on how to tat. Only 6 signed up for kits, but I will prepare enough handouts for 15. Since everything I'll be using is available on the Internet, the most important handout will be my list of links. How does that Podcast put it? Related Links. That section of her Podcast is often 25% of the time. So, I'll be spending quite a bit of time preparing that document! I should have time to look for those notes while the printer whirs away.

Progress on Martha Ess Two Hearts as One celtic style pattern

I am intrigued with patterns that have elements that intertwine. So, I revisited this pattern. I posted the seperate heart motifs on the Homework blog here. Here’s the first part of the two motifs together:

I find that my brain keeps track of just so many details when tatting. Or playing the organ. Or cooking. Or…… So, I didn't quite get the final split chain (in green) worked in. 

Here's a poor picture of that chain joined BEHIND the red chain. 

 

The picture is poor as we were in the midst of quite a storm! Poor natural light. If you blow them up in a fresh tab you should be able to see the error and the correction.

Where was I? 

Oh yes, the celtic-ness of this pattern.  

I think we should come up with another term for the intertwined elements in tatting patterns. In music we call them contrapuntal textures. Look it up. I think it will work! 

Now to untat a mistake in the SCMR…..