Tree ornament with Rhodes

 

I know I shared a photo of this already, but……

So here’s how I finished the ornament:

I cut 2 pieces of white felt to use as padding and backing

I cut a piece of blue tissue paper (didn’t have felt in a nice shade of blue to use)

I sewed the felt to the canvas with the tissue paper backing the canvas

I twisted some crochet thread to create the cord and sewed it on leaving space to tack in the ribbon to use in hanging.

I’m sorely tempted to tat an edging to use also. Maybe it’s because I like the way Ice Drops looks on the tree. I recommend a fabric rather than felt. When I did a test fit on a live tree, the felt made it difficult to hang the ornament carefully. I will likely use a different thread to create the cord for the next ornament. The crochet thread doesn’t have enough sheen to the fiber. I like sparkle.

Simple gift

 I am very aware that I have been given many, many gifts. I am talented. I experience great privilege, I enjoy abundant (enough) resources. This awareness makes gift giving tricky. Simple gifts from the heart are usually good goals. But, what is a simple gift and what is a simplistic gift? Can a simplistic gift be turned into a simple gift?

As I gather my gifts to give this Holiday season, I will ponder that question. In the meantime, here’s one of my favorite gifts to give:

Ornament with tatted covering:

CR: 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 . MP

Round 1

S/R 6/6. BTS

LR: 3 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 3. RW BTS

|| :  SR: 6 + 6 .  RW BTS Join to picot of CR.

LR: 3 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 3 . RW BTS  : || for a total of 6 SR. Final LR worked as a S/R.

S/R: 3 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 / 1 – 1 – 3 .      

Ornament Cover CT & Rd 1

Round 2    

S/R: 3 – 1 – 1 + 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 / 1 – 1 – 3 . RW BTS

|| :   SR: 6 – 6 . RW BTS

LR: 3 – 1 – 1 + 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 + 1 – 1 – 3 . RW BTS : || for a total of 6 LR.

S/R: 6 / 6. Final SR can be worked as a S/R.

The pattern is not new. Many designers have adapted edgings to create a beautiful embellishment. It can be accomplished using shuttle or needle to tat. I like to use smaller balls as many of my friends and family have small tress to decorate. It’s easier to enjoy a smaller ornament year-round. I like to use metallic thread and/or beads. Tip: Green thread disappears when hung on a green tree. Go for contrast and catch the light. The photo is of a 1.2” ball with Frappe color of thread. All Central Ring picots are about 3 DS wide, all BTS are about ¼” in length. 

A simple blocking with fingers can help the picots lay nicely on ball. Use the tails to tie tatting onto ornament by threading the tails through the picots of the SR and tying together. It takes me about 4 hours to load shuttles, tat lace, block and sew on tatting, and wrap it to give. (I don't completely block the lace just dampen it with my finger dipped in water.)

If you need more information than this quick note, please comment with your email address and I’ll send a PDF of the pattern. I haven’t finished the diagram with round 2 but may soon!

Enjoy gift-giving!!!!

Art of Music Raffle

I’m adding to a common refrain today: support artists and musicians who have not been able to earn money.

Each July, in Carmel California, musicians gather to create a special Festival centered on the music of JS Bach. Heaven for this organist. Brigadoon for many of the fabulous musicians arriving from all over the world. The quality of vocal music and caliber of musicianship is so high it often takes my breath away. And I’ve heard some of the best in my time.

To help fund this yearly event, the community gets creative. Artists join in. There is an application process and the pieces are donated, with most of the artists living here really enjoying participating. It’s definitely fun to see what is inspired by the music we hear! Previously, the art was hung in the gallery at the main performance space: Sunset Center. This year, the show is presented via the main website: bachfestival.org

Above is my humble piece. I knew it would be difficult to photograph well. I like how the photographer captured the colors. The short description: I tatted 4 elements to be displayed on an ovoid ornament. The swirls of color represent the musicians and the audience. The rest is inspired by the Sunset Center hall: the gray by the lighting structure, the red by the seats and the beige by the marvelous stone floor of the lobby. I chose not to fill the ornament as I look forward to a future when we will gather together again to celebrate music and art and Carmel and….

Please consider bidding on any of the artwork, especially Ornamentation. Please support the musicians and artists as much as you are able. Please continue to celebrate Bach. There are videos offered daily on the Festival website to keep everyone in touch and inspire audiences and musicians.

Edging complete

 

If you’ve been along with me on this adventure of life, you know I can’t leave well enough along when simplicity is called for….normally. Sometimes in my old age, I get it simple.

This edging will go around the ornament I’m working on with the EGA stitchers. Check back before next week for a view of the ornament suitably laced.

Progress on Round 3 SS Blue version

Still not blocked as I would like. Still not mounted as I would like.

 

Round 3 finished but not blocked

 I seem to have stalled again. I think my stall is partly due to the other tatting projects I’m mulling over.

 

 I’m still working on a motif to be glued to the ornament ball. I’m finding it hard to tat knowing that it will be soaked in glue and stuck on something. I’ve never liked starch. So, using glue on thread is difficult for me to do. But! I will succeed in finishing at least a few ornaments for the museum to sell.

I’m also mulling over getting started on an earring pattern. That will involve dragging out the supplies, spreading them over the family table, deciding what to use and then finally tatting. Oh, and putting everything back. I’m tentatively planning on tackling that tomorrow. I promise to share both the ornament pics and the earring pics. Since I figure both projects will be 3D, that will mean getting the camera to work as I would like it to.

First, off to block.

Still not quite right

 

I’m slowly working on the new hair bun holder. This is a sample I’m working up that will end up as another cover for an ornament ball. Because it will not be flat, the ruffling should work out. The next round needs to have enough room for the ornament to slip in, so I guessed at the stitch count. Since my tatting time is limited, it may take awhile to figure out how to proceed.

Ornament for the Fair

What do you do with tatted bits that can’t be used? Well, find a use for them!

Sonata for Bach Festival

Remember this? 

While tatting Sonata, I missed a crucial join in the next to last round. The result? Get out the scissors. I discovered this when I was very close to finishing the last round, so what to do with that tatting?

Experiment with covering an ornament ball.

Handy Hands sells these, and I picked up some glass ones during a sale. 

The black looked very nice against the redish metallic looking glass.

I had a shuttle with a bit of green left from the Candle Cuff, so get out some bling thread and put it all together.

The judge liked it too!

Moral: Don’t bin any tatting…….

25 motif challenge

I’ve recommitted to the 25 motif challenge. 

So far in 2016, I’ve completed

Ornament cover:

Pattern # 10 by Nadine Nunnelley

10 shawl crosses: 

Wild Rose: http://picotsnkeys.blogspot.com/2016/01/wild-rose-22.html

And a snowman: 

Snowman by Melanie Cervi

Shawl angel

4 down and 21 to go.

On the shuttles now:

Jane’s TIAS

Another Shawl angel

Flag http://picotsnkeys.blogspot.com/2014/10/flag-with-red-stripe.html

That’s pretty good for me! Just 3 UFO’s!!

That encourages me that I can tat 25 motifs in 2016! Off to the shuttles……

Posted on IOLI

 Here’s a link to the posting of the Biscornu on the International Organization of Lace, Inc. website. 

They have been encouraging lace making for many, many years. Recently, there have been more tatting resources available through IOLI. I encourage you to check out their website and consider joining in the Virtual Convention July 25-August 1, 2021.

The next 2 weeks, I will be attending a class on Church Music & Hymnology. While it is virtual, I will not have unlimited time at the computer outside class. I will be sketching future designs for tatted pieces, perhaps a new ornament collection. Please forgive if I miss a blog post. June 2021 will be an exciting time for me!

Happy tatting!!

framing idea

Many moons ago my brain came up with one of those ideas that just won’t go away: Tat something that frames something else. Not a new idea. People have been tatting edgings for centuries. You know, like what embellishes handkerchiefs, pillows, sweatshirts, just about anything cloth. What about tatting around a photo or painted picture?

When I started working through a book of ornament covers written by Nadine Nunnelly, I was drawn to one design that seemed to be a window with the ball showing through.

Ball # 10 from Tatted Christmas Balls by Nadine Nunnelly

 Negative space in tatting always draws my eye. Perhaps that’s because tension usually doesn’t affect my pieces that much. Not like my feeble attempts at crochet or knitting. Nor like my selvages at the loom. How the thread is knotted is fun to examine, but how the lace is open can be fascinating.

After turning in my items at the Fair, I started to prepare for demonstrations coming up. You know, taking stock of what is on the shuttles, deciding if that design idea will ever amount to much, and gathering materials for small butterflies, flowers and doves. I came across a note for this idea of tatting a frame for a photo or painting or something.

That sent me to my stash of thread for design ideas. You know, the stuff you just really aren’t grabbed by that was so cheap you just had to take it home…. the vintage thread someone found in Aunt’s sewing basket….. I am having fun with this. Maybe I'll use a bell from that box I picked up at the Auction. I’ve several “sketches” worked out with loaded shuttles. As I work through them, I’ll take pictures on my phone. When those get sorted and prepped for the blog, I’ll happily share them.

Christmas gifts

 

Christmas this year has been special! I received wonderful gifts!! The ornament is stitched by a good friend, the bag woven by another good friend, and the book came from my son and daughter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I don’t plan on putting the bag away. I plan on using it year ‘round. The bands are just too neat and colorful!

Ninetta put together this short history and explanation of her Treble Tatting Stitch with help from Muskaan. Truly an international effort. I have read the introduction. Next to dive into the background and a bit of history. I’ll enjoy it tremendously! She walks us through her Swirling Butterfly Doily quite thoroughly. Perhaps I can master the basic motif early in 2024.

I've finished this part, what's next????

 

Christmas Bells by SEBA Designs

I have a kit for a Christmas ornament. When it’s ready to hang on the tree, it looks like a small lantern. I see so many possibilities for this idea. Tatted edging….tatted motif mounted on a gossamer cloth…..beads and bling…..

The stitching for this side went fairly well….until I started in on the parts I stitched in yellow thread. If you can count past 4, I’m sure it was enjoyable. I’m a musician. Past 4 is a challenge for me to keep on task. J No, not really, but I did have to take out quite a bit. As I stitched the corner designs, I found 2 mistakes. They will stay mistakes and become design variations. J

I’ve already started tatting an edging. Just a sample as I think I might add beads.

Spring

Spring is in the air!

It’s been glorious weather lately. I spent some time out in the garden each day this weekend. The fountain is ready for daily use now, the bench is ready for dreaming…I mean working…towards my tatting goals. The tree right outside my window is budding. Sigh. I know you are tired of reading this, but I live in paradise!

I will be working on a request for an ornament set. It’s been fun to revisit this pattern. The challenge is to make my recent tatting match my previous tatting!

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!

The next gift

I can’t decide!

I have worked some snowflakes from this book in the Metallic. I quite like how they look. They are stiff enough without starch to use on a tree or hanging in a window. I’ll share pictures after blocking. And making my decision…..

Originally, I thought I would use them around an ornament. I still may. Must decide….

Practice comes first for the next few days. Christmas is coming. Have you found all the gifts you’ve squirrelled away? And do you know where your metronome is?

Distraction

 Thank you to those who were curious when I mentioned I was distracted again. Curious or worried. Nothing to report thankfully. I was just caught up in getting the Moller fixed and getting my COVID-19 booster. Now it’s time to get busy on other tasks!

Like finishing the tree ornament.

It's a New Year!

 Happy New Year to all!!

I enjoyed taking the last 2 weeks off. Really. Despite the whole affair being thrust upon me. My calendar will take awhile to recover. All will get back to normal by the end of the week. Well, except the roofing work, and the painting. Oh, and the new-to-me loom waiting to be set up in the study. And the organ to be tuned so practicing is a bit more enjoyable (cringe).

I haven’t made much progress tatting as it was a case of correct 1 mistake, tat a ring, make another mistake, sigh, then set it aside for the rest of the day. Rinse, repeat each day for 5 days (!) until I got this far: 

Then I set it aside for a week. I’m trying out different ideas on my sample that will cover an ornament ball. I think I will go with what I used on this piece .

almost done with designing round 2

So, here’s the next motif connected to Round 1 of the Saint-Saens in blue.

Round 2 Motif D

 

This one was easier to work. I know the next one will be a bit tricky. So, I’m taking a break and tatting something to go around a ball ornament as a part of the Lace Museum fundraiser.

Ornamentation tatted art featured

Posted Monday 7-27 by the Carmel Bach Festival on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bachfestival/

Ornamentation by Melanie Cervi

(In case you cannot get Facebook to show the post, here’s what they said)

”A potpourri from our art auction is offered for your review today. Don’t miss these small gems that will enliven your home if you are the winning bidder.

Tatting is handwork whose knots produce lace—a Victorian-era handcraft creatively used to make a Christmas ornament by Melanie Cervi. Does your Christmas tree call out for this unique addition?”

Bidding is done by sealed bid through the website here:https://bachfestival.org/product/melanie-cervi/

Auction will in Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020. Art will be mailed to the winning bidder for a flat fee of US$15.00.

Thank you all for your support.

Time is marching on

Changes are afoot. I am beginning preparations for a new tatting class series (online only right now). No dates yet, but I think it will be exciting. I need to narrow down the possible pattern: edging for the mat from the Museum collection, edging for your fabric mask, earrings, door decoration in para-cord, cover for ornament, etc.

I’ve also decided I really must complete some of the projects for the house that I started too long ago to admit. That will involve a sewing machine. So, I must organize that part of the house. No, I won’t be sharing pictures! Well, maybe.

I’ll be reminding myself of this story when I get discouraged: 3 years to clean and reinstall the grand orgue in Notre Dame. I won’t take 3 years. Honest.

Oh, and time was extended last weekend. The bidding for the Art Auction to support Carmel Bach Festival will close tomorrow at 3 PM Pacific (11 PM GMT) . I hope whoever wins my piece will let me know. Maybe they’ll even send a picture to me. Well, one can hope.