What makes a tatting project complicated?

ready to go for a walk

On the surface, these bits added to the mask are not complicated. But, there’s plenty of fodder for making them complicated. I did that to the orange bits by adding beads (my idea was to suggest a monarch butterfly). I did that to the lavender bits when sewing them on (I practiced my lazy daisy stitch). I think they would make an interesting class project.

I love teaching people about tatting. That includes teaching them to tat. Once they get the basic DS down, moving on to joins and such usually leads to tatting a simple pattern. I love that tatting can be so practical. Incidentally, I’ve actually had people argue in front of me whether my tatting is a craft or an art. Me? I just tat.

Back to the learning bit….

I try to stoke creativity when I teach. Tatting does involve skill, so I do insist on a bit of planning and  a passing knowledge of those who have tat before. But, I love seeing people enjoy tatting, gifting tatting, and dreaming of the next project.

I’m sure if you’re honest with yourself, at least once you have bitten off a project that is beyond your experience and skill level. At least I hope so. That’s how new ideas get started. That’s how we continue to learn.

Back to the title of the post…..

What makes a pattern complicated? Each pattern is accomplished one DS at a time. There can be other facets: Cluny elements, pearl chains, daisy picots, stuff like that. Even if the hard parts are structural, one can usually edit the pattern to simplify if necessary. One can also add extras to a simple pattern to make it complicated. Sometimes a simple pattern can become complicated simply because it takes a great deal of time to execute all those DS. Because life can get complicated, I try to present the simplest form first, then encourage creative variations. Don’t get me wrong, I tat complicated stuff too often. I make sure I tat something simple every once in a while. Like the edging for the mask. It was very satisfying to just tat and sew. I didn’t think about it much. I didn’t practice a difficult element. I just did it.

Trust me, when I propose a class project, I pick one that can be complicated, simplified, and hopefully gets those creative juices going. So, if a class description or something I post here seems too easy or too complicated, I ask only that you communicate that thought. Come, join me to tat!