Nothing to see here.....

 Shhhh…….

I’m working on big projects…….

Like skylights, window coverings, and lots and lots of dusting.

When I do sit down with my shuttles, I’m working on the first 2 movements of the Saint-Saens. It’s been awhile, and I thought I should finish off the design.

A bit of a detour

 I’m always intrigued by vintage patterns revisited. Muskaan adapted a pattern from a wonderful book written in German published originally in 1920. She added beads which inspired me. Besides, I just received some of the Liz Metallic in Frappe and I had 2 faux pearl drop beads. The second earring should go faster…..should….if I keep my concentration!

Lace Day earring designed by Muskaan

The adventures continues completing round 1

 

I like the way this is working up. I was skeptical using a variegated thread. But, this is working so far. I must puzzle more on that as I complete the pattern.

I also like the many, many programs that IOLI is offering. The member’s only events on the surface looked a bit, well one-sided, focusing on topics those who work bobbin laces would be interested in. As I’m not head-over-heals into bobbin lace, I was prepared to be bored or worse yet put off by snootiness. Occasionally, there is still a comment or phrase that implies if you don’t want to devote your life to bobbin lace, you’re not a “real” lacer. But, for the most part, the programs have been accessible and interesting. I now have a list of museums to explore. I hope to start on that list next month….at least virtually!

Still puzzling

 No, I haven’t found more puzzling situations. I’m just still puzzling where the ideas I’ve come up with lately will take my tatting. That involves lots of testing out things in thread. 

While I’ve been exploring those ideas, I’ve enjoyed watching the videos produced during Organfest 2021. After you get to the main page, you have a choice of 5 groups of videos that dropped each day of the week. I commend to you any and all, but especially the improvisation by Ivan Bosnar under the Friday tab. He is studying at Eastman after starting out in his native Croatia. The whole video is about an hour long. His part starts about 34 minutes in. I say, “Splendid” and worth your time…while tatting!!

An idea that just won't go away.....

 Sometimes an idea just won’t go away. I wake up in the middle of the night and think about it. I think about while trying to still my mind looking at the Bay. When I’m doing mundane things, like washing dishes, it just keeps resurfacing. I have learned not to ignore those ideas; still can’t tell you how I should deal with them. But, I’ve learned they are usually significant.

The idea of tatting executed to reflect stained glass just keeps coming back.

And yes, there is stained glass in our Historic.

Add to that concept this technique I learned yesterday:

The idea is to create french knots that mimic hooked rugs.

Now for that idea expanded.......

Could the surface embroidery be paired with tatting?

Join me in puzzling this idea out. I dare you!!!

Fussing with stitch count

 Normally, I dislike patterns I need to fuss with to make it work for my tatting style. That’s probably why I don’t tat more vintage patterns. I figure if a designer puts down a ring of 8 DS, I shouldn’t need to tat only 7 DS to make the final piece lay flat or look right. I understand that I tat tighter than many tatters. So, when I come across a pattern that doesn’t work with the published stitch count, I assume (yes, I know a dangerous stance) that something isn’t right.

I came across a pattern in a book of crosses that I’ve wanted to explore for some time. The end points of each arm/leg/top are split rings. Easy enough, right? Well, the pattern as published has those split rings with 8 DS on each side. One side has 3 picots, so if you do picots the Jan Stawasz way, that changes how many times the thread wraps around the core. I tried the pattern both ways. It was no go. I used a different tension. No go. I even tried using a different brand of thread that is just ever so less a diameter. No go. I finally just changed the stitch count.

Why should this matter so much?

Because my design style depends on stitch count. There are some pieces I design with stitch count driven by the music structure. Well, I learned something very valuable with this pattern:

If I need stitch count to matter, I should steer clear of certain elements.

hymning

 

The class I’ve been taking is giving me all kinds of ideas for designs. Remember this bookmark?

Using the tune called Joy, I create a way to represent the melody in beads. We classify these tunes in meter – 8888 – eight notes per line.

Well, how about creating a way to represent the poetry? Meter in poetry is a little more complicated. But, it could work, right????

A silk adventure continues

 Ok......UNCLE......

I admit it......

Last week was....frustrating.... in the design area.

Fantasia is still a fantasy; my edging for the Challenge doily is still a challenge; and with the remodel work, I'm reluctant to start anything new.

So, I revisited this stitching project: 

I rather like working with this combination of cotton perle and silk floss. It will do nicely for a background.

Biscornu finished

 I finished my tatted biscornu.

Tatted biscornu

biscornu tatted with beads

Thank you Muskaan for the pattern that inspired it all: Hidden Rose. I have ideas for more pieces!

How do you block a 3-D tatted piece?

 That was the question of the day yesterday. Here’s my solution:

More next Tuesday……

One side finished

 

I feel a sense of accomplishment. The photo isn’t representative of what the project will look like. That happens with 3-D tatting. To me, that’s a satisfying part of creating lace with shuttles or needles. The in-person version is always better!

I guess that’s why I continue to work towards more organists playing the organ more often. Recordings are nice, but the real thing: much, much better!

Day of the week

 

What Day is today? Oh yeah! A day to tat!!!!

But first, gardening chores took some time yesterday. I HAD to snap a photo of this bud. This is the rose that has inspired my color choices in the Hidden Rose Adventure.

More beads hiding in rose buds

 I had some other ideas that I just had to try out:

Hidden beads

 I spent a bit (!) of time playing with beads yesterday. I like the overall effect. Now to create a full scale sample…..

Out of context

 That was my life yesterday. 

I worked the last two days to make sure all the “must do” tasks got finished before I received my 2^nd jab. (All is well so far, thank you.) So, when I created the post on the Hidden Rose square version, I was so focused on getting things done, I didn’t put off anything! The post went live when I had planned to schedule it for this morning. Out of order, context, focus, whatever. I’m just happy to have the vaccine in me. 

I can’t wait to gather again in person for music fun and tatting fun!!

Oh, and yes, the second side did create a nice two sided something. Now to figure out how to load the beads onto the thread so they end up where I’d like them to appear in the pattern. Perhaps I should wait until I’m back in context?

Proof of concept

 Remember this wonderful doily pattern? 

Thank you Muskaan for inspiring us!!! 

I wanted to create a square version. So far, so good:

To be continued……..

Fantasia is coming together

 This is a trial of my latest music based tatting design: 

Fantasia center 

Remember this pattern from the book of Visual Patterns?

Well, I love a good German Fugue, a rippin’ French Tocatta, or a glorious English Voluntary, but….

When I tatted Mary Konior’s pattern the first time, I heard so many possibilities in my head, I sat down and played through several pieces before deciding the pattern was a Fantasia.

And yes, I DO encourage you to watch the Disney classic!

So what marks do you make?

 Yes, I know that’s a vague question. Last post was about marking your pattern. Many of us make a mark for tatting every time we gift a piece of lace, tat in public, or teach someone to tat. For the record, I meant both meaning of the word mark.

To continue the train of thought begun in that last post, what do I mark?

- Since I’m almost always making a copy, I make sure my photocopy has the designer name, where I located the pattern, the date I’m working the pattern.

- Translate a visual diagram to written notation OR written notation to a rough sketch.

- Picot sizes if joins will be structural.

- Size of thread I’m testing out the pattern with including my estimate of how much thread I’ll need.

- Where I plan to hide my ends.

- Sometimes I’ll even be marking whether I plan to use shuttle or needle.

- As I tat the pattern, I’ll add ideas for beads, correct my guesses for picot size, add color options, and of course: where I need more skill practice.

It doesn’t bother me when patterns are just suggestions and not detailed. I do like to have a detailed diagram if there is no clear photograph. I also like to have more detail when the technique is intermediate or advanced. It does bother me when the pattern has obviously been edited by someone who can’t tat. Remind me to tell you sometime about the organ piece with pedal markings that were just plain wrong: the editor had placed all the marks below the staff, even the marks for using your right foot. Yeah. I’ve been known to cross my feet when pedaling certain passages, but I do use my right foot, thank you!

Next post I promise to present a picture of my newest design: Fantasia. When I think about what I want to do while tatting, I’m always thinking of ways to help people appreciate and even learn about lace (specifically tatting with shuttle AND needle). I invite all tatters out there to make your mark!

Heart samples

 

Split Ring Heart by Georgia Seitz

When I teach, I try to come up with ways to help students get the concepts and practice the skills. For the last class I taught online with the Lace Museum, I used the pattern for this heart:

The pattern is written well. There is a clear diagram, a good photo, and text written out clearly. Some information is assumed, some is noted in a proprietary manner, but as tatting patterns go, it’s quite clear. I like using patterns of this type for classes. I feel it teaches students how to tat along with how to explore more tatting and even how to communicate their designs.

This is my sample I finished after the class ended. I have given up finishing a heart during the online class. I find it too distracting to my primary task of monitoring student progress. I did make sure to talk through how to finish and block the heart. I decided I’ll be putting this in my box of class samples. It clearly shows the path of work.

Now, on to the next project: a design based on music of Palestrina that incorporates a bit of stitching using the Palestrina knot.

Here fishy, fishy, fishy

 

Beaded Fish designed by Jane Eborall

I tatted this up over the weekend. It was fun!! Thank you Jane for another pattern that makes me smile!