Honing skills in 2021

I’ve been on an adventure in fiber lately. Nothing new, I know, but this adventure is designed (pun intended) to stretch my tatting skills. I prefer tatting in tight twist cotton. I have tatted in paracord, and boucle yarn. I decided to tat using a silk/bamboo yarn.

That’s the larger butterfly. The smaller butterfly is size 10. I tried several different movements of shuttle with the yarn. Some paths worked better than others. I tried tatting using my trusty size 5 needle. That worked, but again, I needed a different technique.

Now, if I channel Muskaan, I would meticulously post about it all. I’m not up to that task. Muskaan, you have the stage.

 I’ve decided to pull together my thoughts, observations, and recommendations for a future class. If you’re signing in to the Tatting Tuesday group, you’ll get the preview. If you are interested, but not part of the study group, watch the class listings on the Lace Museum website. I hope they’ll be interested in sponsoring a class exploring these fiber options.

Vintage thread

As with many artistic endeavors, tatting can bring up arguments. You know the kind, based on opinions, facts, and experiences. How much people argue seems to be influenced mostly by how passionate they are about the art. I’ve been caught up in too many arguments to not be warry of leading questions. I’ve been asked, “What kind of thread do you like to work with?” so many times I tend to not really answer. I tend to ask questions back at the inquirer. I like encouraging tatting. At least that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Whether you tat with vintage thread is one of those touchy topics. It can start all kinds of arguments! I feel compelled to be ambiguous. I do tat with vintage threads. I tat with crochet thread. I tat with all kinds of novelty fiber like paracord, metalics, floss, yarn….you get the idea. I tat.

So, when I started tatting a sample of a pattern for a workshop, I grabbed the thread I thought looked fun and would be easy to demonstrate with. Wonncha know it’s vintage! Busted! Now I have the tough decision. Keep using the sample, tat a nicer sample, or focus on the student.  Guess what I’m choosing????

up

Lots is up in my life. No, I'm not moving again. And I'm making things up as I go. What I've been up about is all I've been able to do with what is right in front of me: create gifts with leftover yarn and thrift store buys, watch an organ going up (pipes lifted up to the pipe chamber), sun rising, etc.

I’ve decided I’m on an “upcycle” kick. It started several years ago. I was given some yarn and challenged to tat a shawl. Several months later, I finished the project. It was a success in some respects, and I’m glad I learned how, but I probably will never repeat the project!

It was successful enough that I have been gifted boxes and boxes of yarn and such. In those boxes have been real treasures. I’ve been able to pass on much material for others to use. I’ve made gifts for others from all the wonderful supplies. At one point, I had about 10 boxes of cast off stuff. Now, I’m down to 6….or 7…..or……

My most recent project has been pin loom weaving with the bits and pieces in those boxes. I’ve 3 boxes of yarn/thread to choose from. I’m having fun with it. Currently I’m trying out tapestry techniques. It’s nice and portable, I can set it down at any point in time, and I’m using up the “trash” stuff learning! If it’s photogenic enough I’ll share a picture here.

Where am I working on it you ask? While watching the organ being assembled! It’s great fun!!!! Pictures of that will be filtering in. Here’s the console minus the pedal board:

Off to find more yarn to play with!

And where did November go?????

First off….I’m OK. The area of USA that we live is prone to Earthquakes; but that’s not what disrupted our house. I can usually handle one or even two small disasters; and moving doesn’t normally phase me. I’ve handled remodels in the past without moving out or getting storage lockers. Well, this time, it has thrown me. I’m misplacing things, running out of energy in the afternoons, and getting overwhelmed far too quickly to manage the whole process. Good thing our daughter is moving back in. She will be able to handle a lot of her things on her own. So, now we get some termite damage fixed and then we’ll be set to get back to normal.

I completed a huge project last month: a prayer shawl. I knit with a Knitting Board loom. I’m very pleased with the way it all turned out. It took a day or so to get a decent photo. Scanning is so much easier the way I have the computer set up. Then, the photo disappeared. I can’t find it anywhere. Not on the cameras (yes, plural), not on my phones (yes, plural), not on the computers (yes, plural). I guess I just thought I had taken the picture. Anyway, the shawl turned out well. The yarn was fun to work with. It’s a very fast repeat of 6 different fall colors. That made it look rather heathery. I’m sure it will warm and brighten someone’s day.

Next project: Move back in and sort out. Then it’s on to Christmas. However, I may have to postpone some of the sorting until after the holidays. Gee, that will make me sad….hehehe.

brushed acrylic yarn

Here’s the yarn I’ll be making my next prayer shawl in…..

brushed acrylic yarn for prayer shawl on knitting board

Since I’m using the Knitting Board, it’ll be a double knit fabric. So, the colors will have just a few stitches visible before they change. I’ll be interested to see if any pooling occurs. From this sample, I doubt it.

Sacred Threads journey begun

I picked up my canvas for Sacred Threads. It’s gorgeous. Here’s a pic of the design as painted by  Candace Designs.

Canvas #3 by Candace Designs

I can’t wait to get started, but I have a couple of tatting projects I’d like to finish first. Besides, I need to learn how to needlepoint to this level; a block M in acrylic knitting yarn isn’t even close to the technique needed for this. I do love a challenge though!

TIAS Day 6 and Hope

The sunrise was lovely again today. The fog cleared over us, but stayed in the hills. As the sun crested the Eastern hills, everything lit up! Sigh!! It was lovely to watch as I finished my cuppa.

Then, I finished Day 6 of Jane’s TIAS.

TIAS Day 6

I'm thinking legs of something with a square body. But, there are those two beads rattling around on the shuttle. Don't have any better idea to what I am making. Such a fun game!

I have been mulling an idea for a pattern. The background: I support the Prayer Shawl Ministry at my church, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, Saratoga. We as a parish also support seminarians. One in particular with a wonderful bass voice has been working with the Veteran’s Hospital near here. He expressed an interest in having something to leave with those struggling with PTSD. As he spoke of the female patients, my mind’s ear remembered his singing “My Hope is Built”.  Shelve that tune for a moment and back to the Prayer Shawl meeting. I ended up with a bit of left over yarn and a cro-tat tool that was given to the group. In looking for a pattern to try it all out, I picked up my copy of Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior. Her patterns are always an inspiration to me. I tried out her Hope pattern.

Hope by Mary Konior using Cro-tat and yarn

Not that successful, but good enough not to “bin” after a scan. I had tatted that pattern in size 10 and really liked how it worked out. If I had a ton, and I mean a ton, of the yarn, I might try to cro-tat something for the group by joining the motifs together. My quick estimate is 16 yards for each motif. That’s a ton of yarn!

Back to Solid Rock (the tune for the hymn). The meter for the hymn is listed as 8.8.8.8 with refrain of 8.8.8.8 for a total of 8 syllables for 8 lines. Some of you are already seeing where this is going. I’m going to try to play around in my graphic program before picking up the shuttle to see if it will work. I may just get impatient and start tatting……

More on this later