I conquered the second bootie syndrome!

 

Finally finished the second bootie. I would like to revisit the transition between the toe medallion and the side. It looks OK. It will handle a ribbon to keep the bootie on the baby’s foot. It just doesn’t seem intuitive in the tatting sequence to me.

So, I will set these aside after creating the pattern file and see what a break will tell me.

Trial of a silk thread

 I received two skeins of hand dyed silk thread by Z-twist Dye Works recently. They were just sample lengths. I spent quite a bit of time feeling the thread, thinking of ways to use it, and then sifting through those ideas. There were so many to choose from!

I finally settled on using the 18/3 pale sage thread testing out a motif from a book a student passed on to me. This is a motif for pearl earrings in Beaded Tatting LaceAccessories. It’s essentially mignonette style pattern of all rings with 3 different sizes of beads. My test showed me that I can use the bead spacer in the shape of a flower for the center, the low-quality pearl beads I chose needed to have the hole drilled larger, and the poor-quality peach beads lost their coloring with the thread abrading. Sigh!

I still like the motif. I like the thread. Ztwist has so much to choose from. And she does custom dyeing. I think this would work for a pendant. It’s too large for me for earrings. But, I do like how the sheen of the thread complements the beads.

A busy day equals little tatting

 Even though I spent the morning in doctor's offices, I don't have much to show for tatting. I found a mistake and spent the time explaining tatting and trying to open a ring in size 80. 

Even though I spent a portion of the afternoon listening to an excellent Conference in a Zoom room, I didn't get much tatting done. Just lots of thinking about how to do things better. 

I'm encouraged because several people actually used their phones to look at my website while we were talking at the doctor's office. The material shared by a presenter include a "hub" for managing what you do at the keyboard. I see great potential for managing my tatting/music interface.

More after teaching, a walk, and more conference presentations.

How do you learn best?

I am primarily a visual learner. The fastest way for me to learn my spelling list and vocabulary is to write the words.  If I don’t see a nametag, the introduction doesn’t stay in my short-term memory. If I don’t write out the theme for my improvisation, I stray too far in my tonal meanderings. If I don’t have a diagram of a pattern, little mistakes tend to creep in as I tat.

Yes, saying words and names out loud helps a bit, but not much. Closing my eyes and visualizing what I would write helps. A photograph of the finished lace can decipher where to join.

I learn best using visual cues.

Next week I have my second cataract surgery scheduled. I’ll be able to see better. So, I should be able to learn better, right?

In the meantime, I’ve received excellent care at a local medical center for Mammography and Ultrasounds. I used beads from my stash and thread to blend in with their décor. I’ll be working on creating a diagram for the pattern so that I can get the first few joins correct next time.

Ahem!

Visual cues really make a difference for me.

So, my question for those who learn best aurally: how can we help you tat better?

Another reset

It seems after I feel like I make progress and learn something, I find I need to reset. Cause and effect? Natural progression of creative inertia? Can you tell I never passed Sociology?

My schedule has been adjusted yet again by medical appointments. Nothing new. It will happen again. I will continue to create.

So, what’s on the shuttles? An Awareness Ribbon for the staff at the Breast Care Center (They looked like they needed a reminder of their purpose for coming to work.), the second bootie, the latest hair bunholder, Renulek’s Wiosna 2025, and a few other ideas.

What am I motivated to do? Practice music to use with the Orgelkids instrument, finish attaching the applique for the Elephant, walk along the Bay.

All for a reset.

Sampling can teach

 Maybe it’s because I work as a musician. 

As I approach rehearsing a piece after practicing, I try to spend time in practice testing out different interpretations. Switching up the registration often helps me to decide how an organ piece will sound.

I added to my pile of samples for the snood. I finished off the bottom part of a vintage pattern. There are parts of the pattern I like and will use, parts I think need to be changed.

Sampling taught me.

Clean up time

Yesterday was spent organizing. I know it’s an important task. I really do try to stay ahead of the dirt and occasionally actually dust. But getting files into appropriate folders just never seems to get done. I bought a different computer a year ago. I really should have been better at organizing those files. I won’t promise to do better. Because that would take the time I’d rather spend tatting or practicing.

On a different train of thought, I went walking with friends yesterday. Fog was forecast, but the sun was out where we were. The fog decided to stay way offshore. San Francisco has a name for the fog: Karl. I figure if Monterey Bay named the fog, it would be a nod to Adobes and fishing.