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 I worked retail for quite a few years. Spending Black Friday at stores is NOT something I’ve wanted to do. My mental health is worth a bit of money. It means I don’t have as big a travel budget. It means I don’t have stories to tell. It means I usually have a more relaxed Thanksgiving weekend.

This year I will be spending my time getting organized and figuring out what’s important to do and setting up a way to get to that end. For my togo tatting project I will be loading beads for the bun holder I’d like to wear with my newest pair of earrings.

After a walk by the Bay…….

I'm overwhelmed

Just temporarily I assure you. The work on the house continues. So far, everything is going well except for it taking a very long time. I’m used to work being done at a snail’s pace. My usual handyman is very good, and very slow. His price is right too! The work didn’t cause that many leaks during the rain last weekend. That water snuck in through a different part of the roofing. Sigh! Of course, the rain came at night, so we were serenaded with “plink, plink, plink” while trying to sleep. Yawn! I think it’s safe to wash the towels we used…..I think.

I’m still sampling for the bright color bun holder. I’m still setting up the ticking project. I’ve begun to take care of tasks for the Holidays. I’ve been busy and just a bit temporarily overwhelmed. Perhaps pictures after this week.

I felt like working with bright colors

 It’s time to tat a new hair bun holder. I have favorites I wear, but not something with bright colors. Growing up, I favored pastels due to the combination of skin and hair coloring. Now, with greyer hair and a more “mature” skin tone, I’m venturing into brighter colors. That’s my story for the new pair of Loopy earrings and I’m sticking to it. So, what to do for a tatted piece to wear in my hair???

After a rummage through my box of smaller thread sizes, I didn’t see anything that grabbed my fancy. Turning to the box of quilt/sewing thread I’ve used for previous projects, I spied some King Tut thread in bright colors. Aha!

Next step, ask for some color guidance from my resident designer. Nothing for it but to sample. So, here’s the first sample:

The color is listed on the Superior website as Pharoah’s Tale. That brought a smile to my face!

 

Finishing feels good

 

Why would a tatter join an EGA chapter? Well, it’s fun to stitch with friends. I enjoyed learning the finer points of Basketweave stitching my chair seat many years ago. I know the canvas will be used every week. I realized I knew nothing about what to do after the last stitch is put in place. So, I learned a bit about blocking. That really helped my tatting! Then I realized I didn’t know much about “finishing” a piece that I stitched. I knew I wanted to add tatting to clothes and such, so I set myself a goal: Learn Finishing techniques. That's when I looked into Embroiderers' Guild of America. Our local EGA chapter is such a great group. They have introduced me to all kinds of fiber fun. They have helped by giving me lessons, guiding me in choosing materials and pointing me to workshops, and most of all they have helped me by encouraging me.

I thank them just about with every project I tat.

This small canvas work project has been popular with the group. I’ve only stitched one, but several ladies have stitched whole sets of mug rugs. We’ve all finished the piece differently. I chose to use the Helix tatting technique so that I could control the diameter and color of the cord. I also tried out adding beads to see how that worked. I think overall the exercise was successful and will go in my tool kit of finishing options. I look forward to using what I learned with this on other projects in the future.

Now, what other trouble can I get into with shuttle, needle and thread?????

I like this!

 

Soprano by Lilliatatlace

I completed Soprano by Lillian Yeung. It is tatted in one round with SCMR forming the large rings. I used size 40 thread and enjoyed the journey! Thank you!!

Because I was using a smaller thread, I finally understood what another tatter was saying about the Mock Ring Tool I helped develop. The picture shows both tab designs with the extra bit on the green tab. The tabs on the original design didn’t capture the thread well enough and the tool would fall out of the loop. Once I changed out to a newer tool, all was well. The tool didn’t fall out of my loop. Now, I choose to remove the tool after I tat a good portion of the ring. I need to be very careful how much I ask of my hands so that I can play organ and tat and hold my tea mug! Anyway, I'm grateful improvements can be made as we all learn together. 

Announcing a launch

 For those who have enjoyed tatting with a Tatting Toolbox, a new model is available: the Riego. This version gives us a section to tuck in lace in progress or a small ball. Brilliant!!

Riego Tatting Toolbox

It is also my pleasure to announce the launch of another tatting tool:

The ShuttleShip

ShuttleShip

These will be available through Stephanie Cervi Design. For those who love shopping Etsy, you can find some there. In the future, there will be more color options and a Holiday special version. You are welcome to request special orders, but those will take more time. For a limited time, readers of this blog can use the code PICOTSNKEYS to receive a 15% discount at check out.

 About a month ago, one of my all-time favorite tatting experts posted the snowflake design she taught at Palmetto Tat Days. I immediately felt the pang of missing a wonderful gathering of tatting friends. That was subsequently followed by a dash to pick up shuttle and thread. Here’s my version:

This Way and That by
Jane Eborall

Jane, you’ve done it again!! Exquisitely guided us through creating lace!!! Thank you!

This small bit has a design idea that I’ve been unsuccessfully kicking around for years. (My apologies to Jane who doesn’t share my language of music) I have been trying to figure out a way to depict chordal passages in music. Block tatting is of course the most logical. But the details escaped me. This pattern of 3 chains at the edge is much better than my feeble attempts.

Now, I’ll be the first to say my tatting for this snowflake is subpar. I wouldn’t recommend making the rings in a third color. Stick with 2 colors. To muddle my way through a tricolor version, I ended up using a 2 bobbinshuttle along with a single shuttle. To change colors gracefully, I ended up swapping the bobbins around at just about every element. Not worth it! I’m really not happy with this snowflake. It will go in my bin of bits and pieces with a tag attached reminding me not to use 3 colors.

I will be incorporating this design idea to represent chords though. I will gladly acknowledge Jane’s inspiring pattern!!!

What size is this?

 Yes, thread size matters. Not as much in tatting for the mechanics. I do use a slightly different movement of my hands with larger threads. But, it’s a very slight difference. As a designer, if the pattern I’m cooking up doesn’t work as well in size 10 as it does in size 80, it needs tweaking. Thread size still matters in tatting when it comes to how the lace can be used. Below is a photo of the treble clef pattern by Beverly Hevener that won FirstPlace, Original Design in the IOLI Convention 2024 Lace Contest.

The article published in Piecework indicated size 20 thread. So, I worked it up in size 20 using a cheerful variegated. The EGA chapter I stitch with is working the Victorian Ticking project from the Fall 2021 Piecework issue. I decided the back of my little bag should be embellished with a treble clef. So, I found some size 80 thread and tatted up the lavender version. It will fit nicely! Now to choose the rest of the thread and the stitches to go on the stripes.