Turning a ..........

Corner.

Like many new tatters, I tackled edgings. I found patterns that were easier to follow. Then, I tried to come up with my own edging pattern. I thought I would be clever and adapt a bookmark pattern I enjoyed tatting. That worked until the corner.

That proved a bit more difficult than I expected. So, I did what I always do in music and asked more experienced tatters for tips. The best tip: consider how the straight part of the edging looks with a mirror set at a 45-degree angle. Most of the time, I could come up with a suitable solution. Most of the time.

Sometimes a browse through vintage books will solve the problem. Sometimes you just gotta sample, sample, sample.

Kinda like practice, practice, practice.

Fortunately for the frame I’m working on, the pattern is pretty easy to turn a corner with.

Both are good options

 Work on the frame is continuing. I’ve completed a round using this:

Plan is to build on that idea for this:

No progress can be good

I didn’t make a bit of progress on any of my projects. I went for a challenging hike instead. That took 5 hours of my time, but it was so worth it. I’m very hopeful that I have recovered from my brush with cardiac issues. I’ve learned how to adjust, and I have had a great deal of help.

Now back to the projects……

Continuing with projects

I have another star on the shuttles. This one is green in size 5. The last one I completed was in size 80. A huge difference in how I hold the shuttle, how I set up the thread for rings. Etc. I hope to have a photo of the set soon.

Another sample finished

 This is tatted in a popular colorway. I seldom reach for it as the patterns I like to use for snowflakes don’t always work for variegated thread. This pattern works nicely. I like the way the colors pool.

Sampling done

 

Ready to load beads. Lots and lots of beads. The frame will need to be no more than 7 inches square at the outer edge. We’ll see how that works out.

How much thread to use?

That question comes up a lot. With just about every pattern I do, I try to estimate how much thread I’ll need to wind on the shuttle, if I should use a ball or wind thread on a second shuttle. And if I’m using a needle or the hooks, there’s more questions: what size to use and how much thread to reserve for chains and such.

So, as I tat up these samples for Starfish Fiber, I’m getting answers to the questions. Short answers: Use 2 shuttles and for size 10, I need 7 yards wound on each shuttle. If you look carefully, you can see where I had to add thread…..to both shuttles! (awkward!!)

I’ll be tatting the pattern using size 80 next. I doubt I’ll need 7 yards on either shuttle. Care to guess how much I will end up needing on either shuttle?

And for those that are sitting on the edge of their chair, I estimate by wrapping around my hand the number of times I’ll be tatting rings, then adding a bit more for chains and then 18” or so for comfortable movement of shuttle etc. Not scientific and when I’m doing a pattern repeatedly or for a class, I make more exact notes. The devil is in the details.