Thread can be stubborn

Like many households in the last few weeks, we have been cleaning, tidying, and sorting. I’ve picked up some projects that were put aside unfinished. Nothing is finished yet. I’ve cut out and revisited, and discovered again that thread can be stubborn. I’ve got time to work it all out now.

I’m continuing to work on Jon Yusoff’s Challenge doily she named Threads that Bind. I’ll be adding color in the next part. I hope my solution to how to add just a bit works out.

Another Cancellation

Carmel Bach Festival 2020 

I heard that the festival will not be held. There will still be fundraisers like Art in Music. As details are nailed down, I will share what I know here. I am sad to not have the in person events to go to. Not since WWII has the Festival not been held. Perhaps we should consider ourselves at war again. I pray for peace and harmony.

Nature can be stubborn

I like living in a climate where things grow year round. We never have snowfall at my house. We do get rain enough to not be classified as a desert. Most days we can be outside and not be in peril. Of course that means that there are garden chores year-round. If we had lawn, we would need to mow it about 50 times a year. We have 2 crops of citrus each year. There is no dormant period for roses. Some bulbs must be forced in a refrigerator. It’s possible to grow fresh veg in your own yard year round. We always have yard chores.

Most of the time, I just try to coexist with the plants in my yard. I have never had success controlling what grows where when. That can lead to things getting out of hand. It’s a fine line between “weed” and “cultivated” plants. I’m waiting for a sit-com to have a scene where two gardeners argue whether a plant is a weed or not.

Today, I must try to find a better place for these beauties. Perhaps I’ll put them in a bit of soil at the curb and mark “free” for those walking during our Stay-at-Home time.

Oh, and if you can tell me what kind of succulent they are, please do. Apparently, there are NOT fairy wands.

Back to my regularly scheduled.... (long ramblings ahead)

“Regularly scheduled” in my life usually happens around people. I play the organ, I teach, I display my tatting, I demonstrate and talk about what I do. During the Shelter in Place, I’ve grown into a different schedule. I need to change some things so that the income can still come in, but I’ve adapted. Not a huge amount, but I've adapted.

My instrument is large and permanently installed in rather large buildings. I’m only responsible for walking in, changing my shoes, turning on the blower, and then things happen. Typically, the upkeep of the instrument happens when I’m not around. So, what goes on my calendar is typically just what a lot of people are around for. Those events should end in earning money through concerts, services and teaching.

Yes, I practice alone at the keyboard for hours. Because I do not have just one organ I play regularly, entries on my calendar for practice time are usually when I’m around people. For the rest of the practice time, I’m usually at my home with the scores open on a table, a cardboard keyboard at the ready, or even the small organ I have in the studio.

So, the shelter in place order hasn’t really changed my practice schedule. The performance schedule evaporated. Add to that my teaching schedule evaporated also, so no income from organ. 

I’ve gotten good at pivoting over the years. Easter comes and goes; stow the music I used and pull out the next scores needed. Electricity goes out; turn off the blower switch and pull out the cardboard keyboard.

As for tatting, I’m still learning to set goals that will result in income. Like most small businesses, I brainstorm almost daily, try out new opportunities, assess failures and successes, and complete tasks. All that should end in earning money through sales and or teaching. I’ve found that my regularly scheduled tasks for tatting should include record keeping for design ideas. I’ve not been as careful with that as I should. So, that’s the task that’s filled most of my schedule.

My shelter in place: practice a bit, tat a bit, type a bit, brainstorm a bit, and walk a bit. And dream of being around people to close the loop when the schedule allows. I hope your shelter in place has been an experience you have grown into but wish to change. I hope you’ve adapted. When things get back to a regular schedule, I’ll let you know what I will keep and what I’ll change.

Designing in white or color, good or seconds?

Question for those who design: Do you use color or white for your trial tatting? Do you try out ideas in “seconds” thread or good thread?

Many years ago, I bought a very, very large cone of size 10 crochet thread. It was on sale, I could use a coupon to boot, and I thought it would be handy for trying out ideas. This was many, many years ago. I still have some.

I’ve used it tatting, stringing up decorations at Christmas, and weaving with cards. Even in the kitchen. When I use it to tat, I have to remember to adjust any stitch count. The DS lay very different on the core thread. I’m usually tatting very quickly to get ideas into thread before I change my mind.

I’ll also use it to learn new pattern techniques. If I’m trying to incorporate buttons into a pattern, I use thread I can just take the scissors to. Sometimes I remember to snap a picture or make notes. Sometimes….better not to bother!

So, do you have a stash of thread you use for ideas?

Challenge in vintage thread

Jon Yusoff Thread that Bind challenge doily

My Threads that Bind doily is continuing to grow. Here’s what it looks like after finishing Day 5 round. I have a feeling the white will not stay white as it comes off the ball. That’s the challenge of working with vintage tools and vintage thread. You never really can predict what it’ll look like.

Hope your days are getting more predictable with opportunities to create and enjoy beauty.

Phantasy

That’s what I’m leaning towards for the name of this year’sBach Festival Art Auction donation. I try to come up with a specific art piece based on a specific composition. This year, I’m inspired by Phantasy by RalphVaughan Williams. The background for his inspiration is intriguing. He composed it as a challenge to himself. That's what artists do. Challenge themselves to create art. How successful each artist is will always be discussed and even argued about. For this piece, I’m using a traditional embellishment technique for the background behind the tatted piece. The Bach Festival does a fabulous job pulling together programs that help us understand how and why the music has been composed and performed. I hope my piece is successful in expressing this grounding in the past while creating something new. I’m excited to pull all these separate facets together.

We're still Sheltering in Place. I feel so fortunate that we are where we are. Not that we're trying to keep from getting sick. Just that we have the resources to live comfortably while keeping out of harm's way. I'm old enough to remember drills for Armegeddan in small fallout shelters. We have it much better right now.

In the meantime, I'm designing and tatting and redesigning and retatting. For breaks, I’ve learned two more stitches for the Elephant canvas; now to finish that part of the stitching. I’ve dusted off some music that I imagine will be needed for services in the next few months. Jon Yusoff has named her Challenge Doily Thread that Binds. I’m starting Round 5 of my second attempt. I didn’t pay close enough attention the first time I tatted Round 3 and 4. I’ll post a picture soon. We’re progressing on our Spring Cleaning to End All Spring Cleaning. And of course our walks.

Elephant canvas progress.

I hit milestones yesterday:

One month since I last played the organ for people to listen to.

One month since I last taught a lesson in person.

I finished “lesson 1” on the Elephant canvas. It looks more like an elephant now.

I have emerged from the “in shock” phase of this new reality. I have wrapped my brain around what I must do each day to take care. I need to revamp my daily life to work towards my big goals. I need to work for a future for myself and for those I love. I can do this!

I look forward to hearing what each of you are doing to find a new future for yourself and those you love.

Tatting by Zoom

That sounds like credits at the end of a vintage tv show. The Tatting Study Group met this week using Zoom. It’s a very popular app right now. It was fun to see everyone.

On a sadder note, the workshop in Sunnyvale is postponed. We’re talking about an online component that will be a much different format. More as that progresses.

I decided to start the Challenge doily over. I made several mistakes in the first few rounds. I’m liking the way it looks now. Picture as I finish the next round.

Happy International Tatting Day!

Tatting in public may not be possible, but I wish everyone happy tatting anyway!

Tat on!!