Afterglow missing

That’s because the Fair brought new opportunities. Last weekend I supported a new tatter at a pop-up shop. It was a great experience. Some new tatters are overwhelmed very easily. That’s where they’re at. Often patience and gentle repetition clear the fog and then the shuttle or needle produces quite nice lace. Some new tatters seem to catch the concepts quickly and find the movements awkward. Often just breaking things down for movements and guiding the thought process is enough. Some new tatters seem to get it all so fast. Those are the new tatters I struggle with giving just enough focusing on where they can learn more. I get carried away very quickly.

I’m continuing working on the Orgelkids material. I don’t know if it will help. I know I would use it, but that’s the way I work. The participants never sit at a large organ. I hope my efforts will preserve organs for the future, inspire just one person to take lessons, or sell tickets to a concert. I’m sure there are workshops and classes designed to help people be more effective in these efforts. IF I could find them and squeeze in the time!

Right after I fix the error I made tatting during the movie yesterday evening.

And what will today hold?

 Well, that was an interesting day.

Readers of this blog may not know the extent to which I work to find and mentor new organists. Many years ago I hung up my concert organ shoes. I tried to turn my back on playing the organ. Afterall, I didn’t have a church job, I had no organ in my home, and when I did play, things hurt. Why should I spend time trying to do something that doesn’t bring me (or other people) joy? Gues what? At my core I’m an organist. I couldn’t do it! I found joy in listening to others, explaining the instrument to people who showed (or maybe didn’t show) interest, and doing my best to support those who play the organ.

Thus, my new role as an organist: find a way to help new organists find joy in this instrument.

Yesterday, I had an interesting day.

I’m a member of the San Jose chapter of the American Guild of Organists. The chapter, along with the Palo Alto/Peninsula and the San Francisco chapters, owns a demonstration organ. It is a working instrument built in such a way that it can be stored in 2 Pelican Cases, assembled, played, and repacked for use in a different location.

Yesterday I gave a demonstration and answered questions at the Carmel Bach Festival office. Judging by the grins I witnessed, they had fun! Good questions were asked and now we’ll be working together getting this out into the community.

An interesting day.

But wait! There’s more…..

Just after I settled in to provide information for a proposal, I received another request from a small school in San Jose. They want to schedule a time for 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders to work with the Orgelkids instrument.

Today will be busy getting things in line to take advantage of those opportunities. Probably not much tatting will get done. That’s OK. We’re in the midst of a heat wave here. I don’t like to tat when my hands are so sweaty. It’s impossible to clean the thread once I get it dirty with perspiration.

 

Another Fair

 Another Fair is done. Everyone I saw was having a good time. It felt like an old-time Fair this year.

Let me remind you all that Fair judging is always subjective. We have opinions about our entries. Some of us are a bit more competitive than others. What the judge thinks is their opinion. Yes, they are asked to rank entries and to give feedback at times. I would never argue with a judge. It’s their opinion.

This little bootie set won Best of Show for Tatting. Really. Despite it being a prototype and not tatted with the best technique. The judge liked it. Ok. My opinion: there were lots of good tatting entered.

I want to thank all the tatters who entered lace to be judged. Please keep on tatting. Your lace is your lace. The judge has their opinion. The world needs more lace!

Teeny tiny bag

I finished a sample in my quest for a netting pattern. This is from Nina Libin’s BENILE series. The spool of thread is normal size. The smaller spool is from the center of a vintage size 80 ball of thread. 

I was skeptical of how the fabric would drape. With the beads and how the joins are designed, it does quite well. I think it’s a bit heavy to use for the netting idea, but it’s cute and sparkly. Just what a young lace lover might enjoy!

I have my "demo" projects ready

 I have my bag packed for sitting at the table during the Fair. There's a shuttle filled with fun thread for butterflies. There's the revision of the booties. There's the last little bit of the hair bun holder. I'm ready!!

Another puzzle to solve

A friend asked for a tatted hair holder for her dressage helmet. Logical as I wear my hair bun holders a lot and she liked how they looked. So, I’ve been researching, trying out ideas, and generally being creative.

Here are two ideas for netting. The top one doesn’t look like a good possibility. The bottom one could work. I’ll need to work in beads. And it needs to be able to attach to the helmet in some way. I’ll be testing out another idea today.

What do you do in your "time off"

 Well, it seems I can’t sit still. I’ve turned in my items to be judged in the Monterey County Fair, traveled to San Francisco to have time with the Ruffatti organ at New St. Mary’s, and sifted through some of the design notes I made during Carmel Bach Festival.

I hope you “rest” better than I do!