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…….

Old idea made new

Many, many moons ago, BK and even before CA, I found myself wishing to create table linens that complimented the pattern on china. I thought it would be cool to pick up colors and patterns from the dishes. I really had no idea how. I was learning about weaving at the time. I knew how to embroider a bit and tat a bit, but had no real training in design. Fast forward to the day I bought all those bells.

I thought about tatting a cover for them that picked up the design and complimented the china. After playing with edgings for the Double weave square, I thought an edging for this bell would be nice. I like it. Now to get the rest settled…….

The organ at First Pres. continues to take shape. It'll be awhile before we'll get to hear it. Most of the pipes are in the pipe chamber. The console is placed. I can't wait to hear/see more progress!

Master TAT pin arrival

I have succeeded!

 

In 2009, 5 years ago, I started on an adventure across time. With Tatters Across Time. Now, before scoffers snort at me and the ignorant embarrass themselves and this humble tatter, I know, I know, I know. It’s not a huge deal. The three binders are just what they are. Opinions are subjective. But, I value the program. It took me a bit of time, but I just received my Master TAT pin bar!!!!! (big big grin on my face) I took the liberty of scanning and posting the patch (above) that they sent on the sidebar to the right. (still a big grin on my face) 

I originally picked up tatting because I found I love sewing and working with thread; I fail at knit and crochet; weaving looms were too big to share a room with an organ; and I’m the type of person that likes to have something to do while riding in a car or plane or….well, you get the picture.

 

When I picked tatting back up almost a decade ago, I found I still liked working with the shuttles and thread. I also found the OnLineTatting Class and the wonderful community that gathers for “classes” each week. Through working with Georgia, Cynthia, Ann and Sharon, I came up with an idea. (I still think it’s a great idea.) It’s stated in my header: Represent musical compositions in thread. (and I still have a big grin on my face)

I’ve proven, mostly to myself, that I can tat. I’ve studied music. I can do this. Figuring out how to combine the two disciplines will be a huge task. I’m looking forward to getting started. After I celebrate! (with that big grin on my face)

Of blogging and pins

Well, quite a while ago, I mentioned that I would be posting on Tuesday and Thursday. With my schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the Homework blog, that means that I can block out a regular blogging time in my day. Or so the theory goes…….

In an attempt to try out such a hair-brained idea, here’s the post for today:

I’ve sent off my tatting to the judges who volunteer for TAT. I hope they think my efforts are worthy of “Master Tatter.” It’s been a 2 year process. I’ll confess it was difficult at times to keep at it. Some of the patterns just didn’t grab me. My family reminded me that some of the pieces I work on for the organ don’t grab me; to accomplish what I set out, tatting will be no different. Many people have encouraged me along the path. I remember seeing a photo of the pins on a website many, many moons ago. I’ve been thinking of how my set would look. Anyone else have a set they own?

It's August...already

Can you tell that the computer does not dominate my time?

With apologies to those who follow this little corner of cyberspace, I have managed to get back to a normal daily life. I think. More on all this as it’s appropriate. I have no wish to show you what I’ve been eating or talk about other mundane daily activities. I have set a goal to post Tuesday and Thursday; at the very least.

As a teaser, I’ll say the posts will include my progress on tatting the patterns in the Master TAT binder, working on the blue version of the Saint Saens, tatting a motif based on a Bach piece, and learning more about web programming to volunteer as keeper of the Homework blog. That should do it for, oh say, 6 weeks!

Antiques Roadshow afterglow

Well, here’s an update from Saturday’s adventure:

We dutifully read all the instructions with the Roadshow tickets. We were excited. With an hour to go before we needed to leave the house, we were still deciding what to take! Yes, I did take the photo with hair art. I think we creeped-out several of the other “guests” and maybe a few of the “volunteers” and maybe the “expert” with the hair art. Personally, it doesn’t cause me any discomfort, but then, I’m a sentimental collector.

There were about 12,000 people there each with 2 items for appraisal. We arrived just before Noon, with ticket times running up to dinner time. Everyone was looking a bit tired when we arrived, I can only imagine how they must have felt at the end of the day. The expert (appraiser) who looked at the hair art for us was very knowledgeable. He started out by saying that he must have seen 50 of these hair wreaths when the Roadshow was in Bismarck, ND. He mentioned that there were quite a few immigrants from Russia that settled there and created many of the pieces. I know there are German ancestors in my family, but am not aware of any Russian or Swedish ancestors. More information for the puzzle…….

As for TIP, several people asked what I was doing. I had fun explaining to them what I was doing. No one exclaimed, “That’s a lost art!” So, I couldn’t answer, “I found it!” But then, consider the audience…… I didn’t have the courage to tat while we were standing directly behind one of the sets while they were taping. I guess I’m still camera shy despite the number of photos my Dad took while I was young. (I was the only girl – 3 brothers.)

Would I enter the lottery for tickets again? You bet!

Would I travel more than an hour to attend? Not unless we knew we have a real treasure.

We don’t really spend a lot of time with Antiques on our mind. We watch the show occasionally, treasure what we have (valuable or not), but don’t intend to take up the hobby/profession.

So, back to the tatting chair. I’m almost done with the Intarsia star. It’s a fiddly technique but really cool. I have several design ideas I want to explore very soon using the technique. But, I must, I really, really must, finish some of the Phd’s (projects half done) even though some are not even half way finished!

Pineapple Doily finished

Because my life took a tumble last May, it took me quite a while to finish this. Like 10 months. But, It’s worth it! Here’s a detail.

Pineapple Doily

 

I like the pattern. It will be some time before I start another square.

me, bonkers??? Why, yes!!

Jane E posed a question in a post: “why can’t I regulate myself? Why do I start a thing and HAVE to finish it?”

I like her answer: “because I’m bonkers!”

Well, I can’t claim to be bonkers in the same way, as I certainly have my share of unfinished projects, but I do feel like I don’t “regulate” myself well. I’ve taken to keeping track of how much time I spend doing what. It helps me to make a better to-do list. I’m more reasonable in how much I can accomplish and better at seeing what is most important. If that’s bonkers, I’ll gladly wear that label.

Now off to finish that project.

fixing Christmas

I’ve taken a break from the Saint-Saens to fix a Christmas ornament I gave a friend a few years ago. She was so sweet when asking me to repair. It gave me a chance to get feedback on bead choice. I was unhappy with the way the one metal bead has tarnished. Well, maybe not tarnished, but it’s definitely discolored. Nothing a bit of detail cleaning and then preserving couldn’t fix, but I was disappointed. Now everything is ready for the next Christmas tree!

Cluny conquered

Success with the cluny medallion! Wheeeeeeee

Now it’s on to a big doily based on a pineapple pattern. This will take a while to work. But, only 4 more to go in the binder! Whew!

Since I’ll be working on that for quite a bit of time, I’ll have to come up with other things to post about. I’ve begun a series of designs on the Bach 2 and 3 part inventions/sinfonias. Perhaps I’ll start posting about them.

In the meantime, Spring is here. In our house that not only means more time outside, but Easter. Whatever you find to nourish your soul, please nourish it. That is my Easter prayer. Passover is so powerful, Nowruz is fun, Spring Festival is delicious, etc. My humanity needs to be reminded frequently that I am who I am. All the precious gifts, all the ugly warts, all of me. So, find time to celebrate and feed your soul.

setback and a buzzing

I had a setback on my cluny pattern. I was concentrating so hard on getting the cluny shapes consistent and keeping the color blips to a minimum that I neglected to keep the right side the right side and let the RODS creep in on the right side.

If that doesn’t make sense, it didn’t to me either for a bit. I picked up my sample after a good night’s sleep and saw something wasn’t quite right, but didn’t have a lot of time right then to really study it. After I completed the appointment, I studied it again and saw that I had executed a ring with an extra picot and not enough double stitches. So, I set it aside while I exercised, then picked it up again to decide what to do. That’s when I noticed that I had tatted 4 rings as though I had the wrong side facing up. AND I also noticed that I had badly twisted a picot in a chain. Sigh!!!

I decided to not just clip out the mistakes, but to begin again……Finnegan…….Michael…..grumble, grumble!

Maybe that’s what the hummingbird was trying to tell me that buzzed me on my walk. Ever had that happen? They are loud, fast, and very bold. It’s enough to make one duck, startle, and walk quickly on. Tee hee.

Who knows what will happen today with shuttle or on a walk. If something amusing happens I’ll try to share it.

Cluny doily started....needs.....practice

So, here’s the cluny pattern section I’ve been working on.

practice cluny sample

I still think I need more practice at cluny leaves. These were described by the designer as needing to be shuttle shaped. I’m thinkin’ they’re a bit more like celtic shuttles than the one I’m trying to work with! I just may repeat a bookmark pattern I enjoyed last year.

Cluny bookmark by Georgia Seitz

(thank you Georgia!)http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2010/clybkmk2.jpg 

 

Maybe that will help cement the technique and the current doily pattern will work out better? Hope, hope, hope

flower petals ready to be assembled

Well, I think I have a good set of clunys to assemble into my poinsettia. I won’t show you the ones that were “binned”. (I think the Brits have a good expression there!) At any rate, I will be setting these aside for a day…..or so…..before assembling. And, of course, no photo of the complete flower here. At least not until I hear back from the folks that run the TATprograms.

cluny petals for a poinsettia

Now, on to the doily with cluny parts. No wires needed for those.

close, so close

I asked what you thought of the different cluny technique. So far, no one has weighed in. Well, I think I could use both techniques; just need to play a bit more to see what I like about each one.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on the knitting board. I’m so close! When I get this close to the end of a project, I have to be quite firm with myself. I tend to rush and make all sorts of sloppy errors. So, I will be careful in the last few rows.

weekend accomplishments

What a weekend. It actually was a 3 day weekend; we included Friday in our errands/yard work time. To recap:

Sold a car

Pruned the roses and honeysuckle
Spiffed up the trumpet vine and a boogie
Tried to figure out if the lantana and cherry tree will survive.

Our treat: a fresh orange picked and eaten while still warm from the sun. mmmmmmmmmm

Still to happen:

Revive the lawn

Replace the shrubs that hide our “reused” bricks (necessary for curb appeal)
Weed the bed of oxalis

Now, if the oxalis that grew in our yard looked as lovely as this , I wouldn’t be so keen on eradicating it. But, alas, ours is the yellow version that doesn’t smell nice, grows from miniscule corms that break off from the stems, and spreads faster than dandelions! Hopefully, the predicted rain will make weeding next weekend more productive. Well, one can hope, right?

I’m off to finish the poinsettia. I rather like how the leaves are shaping up. Unfortunately, I can already tell my photography skill, or lack thereof, will not be up to sharing a picture of the finished bloom. Sorry.

a cluny technique to explore

I recently came across an intriguing idea: use wire to shape the outer parts of a cluny. Here’s what I came up with:

cluny leaf



cluny with floral wire

 

 

 

 

The one in gold without any white showing is completed with just thread using a loom, no wire or stabilizer help. The one in gold with white showing is completed using a loom and covered floral wire (in white).

Now, I’m not a crafter (just ask the Girl Scout troop I worked with); I don’t do flowers (silk or live); and this is size 10 thread (a bit larger than I like to use). Personally, I like the way the one with wire holds the shape, I just have to learn to deal with the wire. What do you think?

another sample done and ready for critiquing.

I've finished the bug. Now it’s on to the next pattern in the binder. This lovely flower has lots of cluny’s in it. Better get some thread to practice with! Sorry, again no pictures possible. I do respect the designer’s wishes. It wouldn’t be fair to post the patterns as it would make the earning of the pin less important. I do feel like I’m learning and improving. I can’t wait to see what the adjudicators say!

starting to be bugged

A busy weekend. Friday and Saturday were busy with a car quest. We have finally made a decision, now it’s just time to get used to the new driving experience. The last search was made in dealerships near and somewhat far. I’m still amazed at how many people make assumptions about what kind of car I should buy. Sigh!!

All that time waiting and watching was spent starting my bug. Here’s the head:

head of Jane's bug

Doesn’t he look cute???? Thank you Jane for giving us fun things to tat.

I hope to finish it next week, but the shawl and canvas are both needing attention; along with the special commission in white thread. I’ve got to make good progress on all.

Forger's Spell

I’m glad to have finished the bookmark yesterday. The day before I finished the book I have been reading for Book Club: The Forger’sSpell by Edward Dolnick. He examines the case of a dutch forger who painted “Vermeers” that Goehring bought during the war. As a journalist, Dolnick amassed quite a lot of detail regarding this man and forging art in general. If you like non-fiction, if you are a WWII buff, if you wonder how the art world functions, this is a good read.

I plan to make my way up to the De Young museum soon to take a peek at The Girl with the Pearl Earring. It will be there for a few more weeks. In the meantime, I’m starting on a request of a bug with buttons that a friend spied on Jane’s list of patterns. It will be a good romp through split rings!

Laying to rest another Master binder pattern

Today I intend to complete the pattern in the Master binder I’m working on. In respect for the wishes of the designer I’ll not be posting a picture of the piece. Suffice it to say that I’m tatting very carefully.

 I usually tat the pattern in thread I consider “waste thread” just to practice and see what I need to be careful with. I usually use this trial run to figure out how much thread to put on the shuttles and such. Well, this time I really messed up the math. I tatted the sample, did some figuring, wound my shuttles, tatted away, and………

Ran out of thread!!

So, I’m off to finish tatting and blocking and scanning and packing it away safely until I finish the rest of the binder. Whew! It’s a really good thing I have all the time I need to complete the patterns in the binder!