a note

Getting a surprise in your mail doesn’t happen often now-a-days. Fewer things arrive by post. Most of the surprises seem to show up in a phone call or email. I received a welcome card the other day:

Thank you post card from Sandy Hook PTA

It most definitely brought a smile to my face. The original event was horrific. The response of snowflakes was heartwarming. This thank you made my week. Which made me stop and think, who could I surprise with a thank you?

Round 2 B Motif with rings

Just when I thought I had a clear path to the next part of the design, I stubbed my toe on this motif:

Round 2 B motif with connecting rings

 

I also quite literally stubbed my toe. Not on the foot I broke, my “good” foot. It wasn’t bad. It didn’t hurt. It did remind me to slow down and be more conscious of how I’m walking. I’m still wearing the athletic shoes each day. I’m not brave enough to start using different shoes until after the trip; more on that when I’m back at my desk.

Anyway, back to Saint-Saens. This motif needed some care in edging. I understood the need for evening out the edges so it would look nice assembled. I didn’t want to detract from the asymmetry of the motif. I think I came up with a good compromise.

No, I’m not going to jump and click my heals. I’ll leave that to those not recovering from bone avulsions. (I say that to myself to remind myself to be more conscious.)

Snowflake for gifts

I’ve been distracted lately.             Again.

A few weeks ago, a tatter posted a question on a snowflake pattern on NSAN. In the ensuing exchange, we chatted about patterns in 24 Julestjerner i Orkis by Lene Bjorn. I have been drawn to the 16 December pattern for quite awhile, but never tried it out. So, I finally tatted it up.

I like it. Here’s the first itteration.

16 December by Lene Bjorn

I think this will be our mail out gifts to family/friends. I think I will add beads. Maybe some bling. Maybe not. No pictures of what folks will receive until after Christmas though. Don't want to spoil things now do we??????

And so I slowly get it done

Halfway through my second try at the connecting rings around this motif, I was in despair. What was I thinking??

I know I want to connect everything. Saint-Saens used different ideas in each section, but the movement has continuity.
I know I want to keep the themes of each section in bold so to speak. The smaller thread for the connecting rings work nicely for that.
I know I want to achieve a balance between the busyness of the connecting rings and the space created within each motif. Saint-Saens managed such balance.

Well, sometimes the only way to see if ideas work is to try them out. In tatting, that can waste a lot of thread. What was I thinking? Make it look good. I’m getting closer.



Round 2 A with connecting rings

 



A surprise in my mailbox

Something possessed me during my senior year of college to pledge to a music sorority http://www.sai-national.org/home/ . I know, I know, my SENIOR year! I had been a bit independent at my first college, and settling in after a transfer meant that I missed the boat my Junior year. I didn’t really think I’d pull off the degree in 4 years with the transfer and all, but I did. So, my Senior year saw me initiated as a SAI. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed flipping through the Pan Pipes. http://sai-national.org/home/Publications/PanPipes/tabid/78/Default.aspx The philanthropy always inspires me. Not that I can even manage to get my personal act together, but it is inspiring. So, imagine my surprise when the Summer issue has not one, but two articles about organists! One announces Eileen Guenther’s appointment as Professor of Church Music at Wesley Theological Seminary. The other profiles a program that the Wichita Kansas group runs educating folk about the organ. http://kids.agowichita.org/  It sounds very cool!! Inspiring articles for li’l ole me.

Round 2 Motif C with connecting Rings

More progress on Saint-Saens:

 This small bit required 4 tries. I wasted thread, but I know now that I have what I want. I Don’t like to get out the scissors on a final tat, but it just didn’t work. This does.

Round 2C with connecting rings

Round 2 F with connecting rings

Well, I have completed the connecting rings of one of the Round 2 motifs. It’s slow going. But, I’m making progress.

Round 2F with connecting rings

I think after blocking, it will lay nicely. I decided that I wanted to make sure all the motifs worked before working my way through the second motif of each section. So, on to Round 2C as that looks like it will be difficult to attach.