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Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Make Your Mark

 I tell my students that frequently. Of course, they usually interpret it just a bit different than I do. I spend a lot of time encouraging the judicious use of pen (never pen) and post-it notes (seldom highlighter) so that their brain can focus on tasks that cannot be “marked” as they create.

Setting my organ hat aside, I have suggestions for those who look to me when I have my tatting hat on.

Understand and accept there is no standard notation. Just as there are many ways to write out how a team should line up for the start of play, there are many ways to write out how to execute a tatting pattern. I do recommend being familiar with the notation documented and made available to us by these wonderful organizations:

- Palmetto Tatting Guild: https://www.palmettotatters.org/patterns/StandardTattingNotationforPTGTatDays.pdf

- Shuttlebirds Tatting Guild: https://www.shuttlebirds.com/tatting_abbreviations1.shtml

I also recommend that you be kind to yourself. The more you note by marking a pattern, the more brain power you have available to create beautiful lace. You have a powerful brain. If you feel a bit overloaded and overwhelmed, chances are you need to use a tool (like a pencil or post-it) to help out your brain. By using thread grown, spun, dyed, and marketed by others, you’re already using tools. Using a pencil can seem like it slows you down, but your lace will be more exquisite if you make your mark.

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful way of putting it!!! I often draw my own diagrams - rough sketches in order to keep track of of the path I'd like to follow, etc. It always helps.

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  2. I think I understood what you mean. Good point.

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