Ya wants some whine with that?

 Quite a few of my Holidays find me gettin’ real whiney. As a church musician, December is non-stop performance. The music requested runs the gamut: 13 th century to 21 century; obscure sacred text to the latest poem by a “star”; and when someone actually is courteous enough to ask me to pick the music, I never know if it will please the listener. This year is no exception! Even without the in-person option, I’ve fielded enough requests for something everybody likes (read secular kids songs) to something easy (read a favorite of theirs that I’m sure to butcher). So, I’m whiney. When I allow myself to talk. Hint: if your musical friend isn’t saying much it’s because their just tired of the demands made on them this time of year. If they share anything, don’t talk, just listen. They really, really don’t care to know that Aunt Tilley loved the way Uncle Arthur sang O Holy Night. Let them celebrate authentically. You’ll enjoy their company a lot more, trust me!

OK rant over. I’ll know who has been around musicians by how loudly you’re laughing.

I spent time yesterday playing with beads and thread. My beaded version of Dissent is shaping up nicely. After several hours of notetaking, math problems, and researching bead packaging, I determined I have enough beads to start loading them on tatting. Who knew 1000 beads weight just a few grams? I should have pictures to share next week. Unless I change my mind. We’ll see what the future brings.

Because there will be a future. I promise to fill it with music and tatting. Really. Just give me some wine time!

Replacements

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I would replace should I lose everything. It happens when the fires get close. You see pictures, talk to people, and realize you really should take care of details. I did take care of a few:

 - Updated my contact info with some of the family. Not that they didn’t have it, but I needed to remind them they are our contact from out of the area.

- Replaced the earring I lost. Back in February I lost one on a trip. I decided I really needed to tat the replacement. It would be much easier to pack a pair of earrings than to grab beads, shuttles, thread, scissors, beading needle, crochet hook, you get the idea!

- Cleared dead leaves and plants from around the house. This is an ongoing chore, but I pushed to complete as much as I could.

I’ve yet to take care of reviewing our household inventory to update pictures and to delete those pieces we’ve repurposed to new homes. I’ve yet to repack the current practice list of scores. I’ve yet to verify where certain information is. That last detail usually involves going to the bank. With the Pandemic restrictions in place, you need to make an appointment for that. I just haven’t thought it worth the bother. The fires don't wait for you to not procrastinate.

I’ll be glad when things settle back into a less stressful routine. Do you have a plan? Could you evacuate? At least take the time to gather important info. Here's to many more years of tatting......

Details

We’ve found the parts of the organ that still aren’t working. We’re taking a break before puzzling through that. You see….much like looking at a vintage tatting pattern the schematics are not 100% accurate. That means you can’t be 100% that a specific part is toast. And these were manufactured in the 80’s. So, yeah….lots of trial and error. 

Think of working a New York Times crossword puzzle originally published in the late 50’s where the numbering of the clues does not match up with the numbering in the puzzle. And did I mention you’re working with a soldering iron on a printed circuit board that was assembled in a specific order that doesn’t match the order in the schematics that makes removing one transistor quite difficult and tricky? Yeah…..lots of walks by the Bay.

In the meantime, I’m working on the earrings. I changed the thread I’m using for the curled rings. It’s much easier to execute the final join to curl, but I would like the rings to lay closer to the beads, so may need to cut and snip and re-tat. I plan on wearing these a lot, so it's worth the 2 hours to re-tat. We’ll see…..

experiments successful

Pictures of the garden haven’t been easy to catch. The weather has been blustery, dry, and cloudy. The area doesn’t look much different than it did here, so I won’t post until it does look different. That’s positive, really, as my track record with plants is not as good as with tatting or organ. I should stick to what I do best.

Adding a lot of beads to the Dazzling Debut design has been successful. I can’t share pictures here until after the whole project is finished and delivered. Sorry. Take the word of the other tatters that see them: Wow! Nice! They add to the design. I knew Marilee’s design would be a great foundation for this experiment. I have the book on my wish list. I don’t think the friend I borrowed it from to tat this pattern will let it go. I do hope Spring comes soon for Marilee soon. I really like her new colorway also. Check it out: http://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/

I don’t typically work in dark thread. And I like the beads to show up in contrast to the thread. But this pattern isn’t typical. The musical piece is a warm, gentle work. I like the way the beads and thread are gentle on the eyes. Now to add the outer edging.

After watering the new plants, blocking the earrings, and practicing for Friday. I’m playing at St. Paul’s again.

Chords

No, that not a misspell. I know, I know, I have difficulty spelling in English! I’m not talking cord as in heavy thread or twine. I’m talking music: a group of notes. This is a long post (for me), so get out the velcro you use in class. There’s links to go to, concepts to think about…..

The pattern I’ve been playing with designed by Marilee Rockley uses curled rings. Muskaan has several excellent posts on this technique. Ninetta also has posted excellent tutorials: http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2016/ninettaalternatemethodsofcurlingrings.pdf  Both of these fabulous tatters have freely shared material and patterns with the OnLine Tatting Class. Thank you ladies! And a huge, awestruck Thank You to Georgia for all her work over these many, many years!

Back to Curling…. No, not the sport. Rings.I tried working up the examples in Ninetta’s tutorial many moons ago *2016*. The fault wasn’t Ninetta’s. I just didn’t really try. I claim too much on my plate. Not a good excuse! The truth is I was still in the first blush of having an organ to practice on whenever I pleased!!!

Marilee’s book caught the eye of one of my advanced beginner tatters in the Tatting Tuesday Study Group. Zanie, as we call her, has produced wonderful jewelry with beads in a class at the local Community College. We worked through a couple of the patterns, but nothing really grabbed us. I kept gravitating to Dazzling Debut. So, there was nothing for it but to try it out again! I’ve had success this time!! This is the size 10 version sitting beside the size 40 version.

Back to chords…. If you scroll down to page 5 of Ninetta’s PDF, you’ll see what I wish to use: stacked curled rings. I see chords. I hear music. I’ll let you decide if I’m crazy! No wait….I know I’m crazy…about tatting AND the organ!

Another Debut

Another version of Marilee’s pattern Dazzling Debut:

Dazzling Debut by Marilee Rockley

I like smaller earrings. The version I did last week didn’t look “finished” enough. So, I used size 40 thread instead of size 10, and added the two rounds from the necklace pattern. I like it better.

Today starts the busiest 4 days in most organists’ lives. I wish all a successful run!

Dazzling roses

Here’s a trial of the pendant that Marilee designed to go with the earrings. It's from the same book, Tatting with Beads Jewelry. I rather like it!

The large pale beads are difficult to photograph. They are acrylic 8mm beads that I cut from a necklace I’ve had for ages. I never wore it as it was too plastic looking. I thought framing them with thread would help, but dark thread just made them look even more plastic. Same color thread looks better, but I’ve realized I don’t like how shiny the beads look. It’s not a glass shiny, it’s a plastic shiny. Ah well. I can say I’ve got the pattern down now. I really do like it!

With Holy Week next week, I likely will not be posting. Sitting at the computer never is relaxing. I cannot risk activity that leaves my back and shoulders tense and sore. Back the following week with more fun!

Jelly and Spring

It’s raining today. I’m not complaining!! We need the rain. We’ve only measured half the “normal” rainfall for the season so far. We don’t get snow here in Monterey, so we depend on rain to replenish the ground water supply and fill the reservoirs. I doubt 6 inches will fall in the next 2 days, but it would be nice to get a couple inches.

Last weekend, I walked down to the bay to watch these: 

This one broke the surface of the water as though it needed to breathe!

Such a graceful swimmer

My phone doesn’t do justice to the spectacle. These Jelly fishs were just spectacular. So easy to watch, and an otter swam right in between them and the dock! I wasn't fast enough to catch a picture of that, but this picture shows a bit the size difference between an otter and a  boat. I would like to find time this weekend to tour the new displays at the Aquarium. Perhaps I’ll find answers to questions from last weekend’s walk.

Boaters on their way to breakfast passing an otter groaming after eating.

In the meantime, I’ve loaded beads for a trial through of Dazzling Debut by Marilee Rockley. It’s in Tatting with Beads Jewelry. I’ve wanted to try curled rings forever. Since I had most of the tatting projects well in hand, I dove right in.

One of those projects is the next round of Renulek’s Wiosna 2017 doily. I know, I know. It took me long enough to make a decision! I think I’ll like it. With all the other demands on my time, It’ll take me a month or so to make enough headway to show a picture.

One of those demands is on the organ bench. I’ll be playing at St. Paul’s Friday at Noon for those local to me. Bach, Franck, Walther and Saint-Saens. Not in that order. Or maybe. Come and find out!

Just before the otter swam through

Just after as the otter dissappeared under the dock