I've been sampling again

 I’m still working my way through all the boxes and boxes of stash other people have asked me to help with. Occasionally I find valuable things: those go back to the original owner. Occasionally I find useful things: again, I check with the original owner. Occasionally I find intriguing fiber or materials: those I play with or pass on to be creative springboards.

This is a ball of something fun. It appears to be rayon. Very silky and slippery. I would guess it was originally spun in the 80’s. I decided to try tatting with it. Past experience led me to NOT pick up a shuttle (the knots didn’t stay formed at all) and NOT to pick up a needle (again, just too slippery to deal with), so I tried using the Takashima hook.

The attempt was much more successful. You can see I didn’t block the motif.  I had difficulty getting the rings closed and chains settled into position. The motif came from the Collingbourne book I recently picked up in the Antique Shop. I plan to keep the ball in the box with novelty thread for stitching with. I think it would make a great sky background for a small project. Perhaps some canvas work similar to this project or this bookmark?

I like complicated....I guess.....

 

Last summer at Palmetto’s Tat Days I learned how to create a Tatted Helix cord. It’s great fun. I saw all kinds of possibilities and uses. Yesterday, I filled shuttles with thread and beads to tat the cord for the Wee Project mug rug. I can’t wait to see how this will turn out!

One puzzle I need to solve: Where to place the beginning/end of the cord in the project?

I probably should decide that before tatting….

Well that was interesting

 

I tatted this bookmark for a friend. The pattern is from TattedBookmarks – cross shaped by Lene Bjorn. It’s named Pernille and I’ve tatted it several times before. It’s most definitely a 2 shuttle pattern. This time I wanted to use one color for all the rings and another color for all the chains. It didn’t work out as well as I wanted. Because…..

I tried out the idea using a 2 bobbin shuttle for Shuttle 2.

That worked to a degree, but I ended up pulling a bobbin out to tat the outside rings.

I think it would work if both shuttles are 2 bobbin shuttles. Perhaps I’ll try that out the next time I tat the pattern.

Found in an Antique store

 While enjoying a Car Show last week, I popped into a shop that sells collectibles and vintage items. I’ve found shuttles and thread and samples of lace there, so I try to browse whenever I’m in the area. I found a copy of Collingbourne’s 1920 New Easy Way of Making Real Tatting and Maltese Art. This is not a significant publication. It is very much a product of its time. You can view a scan of it on this website. The cover has an illustration of a women in striped dress tatting at round table. On the table is a shuttle, ball of thread, a half dozen books, and a hairpin lace “loom” sitting on top of another book.

Now full disclosure: I am not drawn to learning bobbin lace, nor does "Maltese" intrigue me. Not like tatting does. I realize I’m quite narrow in my lacing. ‘nuff said.

The border around the cover illustration is made up of drawings of lace edgings. Two are tatted, two are "Maltese". Quite a good marketing scheme! The main focus is selling thread. We can dream of producing the laces pictured using the fine product!!

What I really wanted to have is the story shared as an introduction to the text. It describes a trip taken to discover lace in Italy. Quite delightful. Almost makes me want to get on a plane for (HOW LONG????) a trip to Venice and Burono. What will be there 100 years after this fine lady’s discovery trip?

For today, I’ll finish a bookmark and dream of traveling from one tourist destination area to another.

Done and dusted

 

Finishing is quite rewarding. OK, I can see how people aren’t crazy about finishing. I guess I’m just that practical. I want what I create to be used and enjoyed. If I don’t finish it, I can’t enjoy it…..right?

Can you see the tatting? I decided after adding the beads, I didn't want to sew on an edging. I didn't like any of the buttons I had laying around. The Ice Drop looked just the right color and size, so.....I did what tatters do. Improvised with a tatted Ice Drop.

Getting close to the finish line.

 Maybe it’s because the Olympics have been in the news. Maybe it’s because I’ve been sorting through other people’s stash. Maybe it’s because I have so many ideas I don’t know where to start. Whatever the reason, I’m finishing up a UFO: The Christmas Bells blackwork project I started many moons ago.

I didn’t want to completely cover up the center of each side. I wanted to add tatting (of course!). I needed to work in more bling to make the material less jarring. I do like making ice drops. This one will transform the stitching into a biscornu. They’re just plain fun!

Planning time...

I’ve narrowed down the ideas. Now I’ll be sitting down to plan how and when to try them out. This can be the hardest part of the process for me. I get enthusiastic and skip parts of the planning process.

Yes, I have a planning process. It involves lots of thinking and shifting around thread balls and sketching on pieces of paper and sometimes a walk to clear my head. I know it can take almost as much time as just tatting a pattern, but I only create the excellence when I create excellent plans.

I think I’ll take that walk first. Let me get my shoes on, grab my hat, and find my pad for sketching…….

Thinking time....

 With all the concerts I went to last month, with all the stash people have asked help to distribute, the ideas are flowing. I am now starting my third sketchbook since I started creating my designs. Some of the early sketches are pretty comical. Let it suffice to say I’ve learned some. Ok, A LOT! Some of the music I noted is very promising. 

I hope to finish a couple of boring projects in the next week. (I’ll show pictures soon!) Then, I’ll start in on realizing these ideas. Stay tuned……

stash

 We all accumulate a stash of things. Even if we move often or live in a tiny house/apartment. 

Some of us keep our stash relevant and useful. Others can’t help but be overrun with stuff. There are those who seem to find a balance every once in awhile and then become buried in ideas and possibilities. 

I tend to be in the latter group. Right now I’m helping several people to repurpose stash left behind after life changes. I’ve sorted 4 boxes into stacks of material that will go to a half dozen places. It took me several hours. I have 7 more boxes to go. 

I will be taking a break to load shuttles for my next tat-on-the-go project.