I'm excited!

 

Tonight starts another year of excitement with Art! There will be a wonderful selection of paintings, photographs, and other art. So……..  

Piece d'Orgue

Please come to the Artist Reception and Opening!

Show and Raffle

Margorie Evans Gallery, Sunset Center, Carmel, CA

Tuesday, July 8, 2025 from 5 – 7 PM

Benefiting the Carmel Bach Festival

My tatting will be in one of the cases. The short explanation is displayed in the binder of Artists’ Statements. For a more thorough version, comment here or send me an email. 

Enjoy!!

To observe is to create

 The other day a student had a revelation: listening to the music you play is part of the learning process. Now, before you scoff and say or think the obvious, please note that being aware of what you create is not automatic for everyone. The devil is in the details. We can miss the finer points as we produce our art. The parts of the process that are difficult for us sometimes are not important and other times are crucial to the success of creating. And yes, practicing those difficult skills can make the experience more successful for all of us.

So, what can we do to support each other? Ask for feedback, critique, and help.

I try to post photos of lace that I enjoy making. I try to post descriptions that help others make better lace. I try to encourage the exploration of new techniques. I hope that lends support to those who create.

What I have to offer today is an exercise I frequently do: work a pattern in different size, color, or fiber content thread. Here’s the simple round motif in Knit-Cro-Sheen, size 30 and size 80:

I hope you create something today!

All done and dusted

Well, on my part that is. The shows are still in the preparation stage. I’ve turned in my lace. After a few days of rest, I picked up my shuttles to tat up a couple of samples. These are in Knit-Cro-Sheen which is a 3-ply similar to size 10.

The round one is a pattern a student is trying out. She sees this as an earring. At first glance, I saw little to stumble upon. Then I realized this is one of those patterns that is worked in one pass starting with the outside and working in. So, a TOR on the second side of a SR.

The square is a shrunken version of a motif from a book of tatting patterns. They are put together by Japanese Vogue in a lovely book with plenty of photos and step-by-step instructions. I’ll be trying it out in the bamboo yarn next. I think it just might work well for my vest idea.

Still preparing

 I’ll be turning my attention to the piece I’ll donate to the Carmel Bach Festival next. The wonderful volunteers will be gathering the art at the end of this week. For me, that means labeling (somehow) my piece of lace and writing (another) Artist Statement. This is always a humbling experience for me. The binder where these papers will be gathered is always available. Sometimes I see people looking through it. So, I try to write something that introduces the piece and explains my design and a bit of the process. Yes, I will be asking my favorite proofreader to look it over before I hit print!

Some of you have shown interest in the grid templates I use. My favorite 3-D print shop has more options available now. Check it out!

Preparation is the key

 Tatters now this to be a truth. If you don’t prepare your shuttles well, you end up with kinks and twists and ugly DS. If you don’t prepare where to hide ends, you end up with bulges and extra thread and maybe even glue blobs. If you don’t prepare the beads on the thread around your hand, you end up without beads on the picots of your ring. Preparation is important.

I spend some time last week preparing to loan items for a show in a local municipal gallery. It’s tedious labeling your lace. It takes time to fill out forms and assign value and give credit where credit is due. Oh, and the Artist Statement. Yeah. It all takes thought and time. Don’t get me wrong. It’s worth it. 100%. I hope we tempt other people to investigate tatting with our local group. Or at least watch a video or two.

This week I’m preparing my donation for the Art of Music. Just a few more elements, hide ends, block, photograph, label and document, and then take that deep breath and hand it over to the wonderful volunteers. (I found out last month that my blog is read by some of them. Gulp! Thank you!!) I hope it helps to raise lots of money!

How to join .......

 

Even though I spent some time figuring out hiding ends in TDS, I’m still not sure how this is going to turn out. Time to take a deep breath, pick up the shuttles and figure it out.

Ever have one of those days?

 The kind that whooshes by in a flurry of not-important activity? Yeah….the last few days were like that for me.

I played the third Sunday in a row. My hands and wrists are telling me. So, I haven’t been tatting a lot. Rest has helped. I loaded the beads for my final round of BWV 572. Now to pick up the shuttles and put the ideas into lace. I have until the end of next week. Best get cracking!

I think this will work

 Have I used that as a title for a post? I probably have.

This is one of my distraction designs that waylaid me earlier. I want to use it as an outer round for BWV 572. This section of the piece is sparkly. Most of the beads are loaded before tatting, so it should work up quickly.

I think it will work.

 

I’m in that exhilarating and sometimes frustrating stage of designing. I can’t keep my mind on tatting the pattern (read: I make a few mistakes) because my mind is making up new patterns. If you’re picturing shuttles laying around with a few rings and chains attached, but nothing that looks like a project, you’re not far off. I would call myself distracted.

I promise to finish the Art of Music submission. I promise to keep working on the shawl. I promise to keep working on Wiosna 2025. But, if I find I have a bit of time, I’ll be dragging out my templates to help me get the designs to lay flat more quickly.

Finding inspiration

 If you have read up on my tatting, you know I look to music compositions for inspiration when creating my pieces of lace. With Spring bursting into our lives, I also enjoy looking at nature for design inspiration. While working in the yard, I marvel at how a rose bud opens up to reveal a treat for bees.

While walking in the woods, I see wonderful snowflake designs in fern fronds.

A bouquet of Sweat peas fills the room with scent and fills the eyes with overlapping curves.

I’ll need a fair amount of discipline soon. I’m almost done with BWV 572. I have a list of design possibilities. Sticking to the grand plan and not getting distracted will be important!

Coming along

 

I’m working carefully on this round. The technique is a bit fiddly, but very effective for this point in the pattern.

How to learn

 Make mistakes.

Most of the time, we strive to get things right. We know we have learned things when we complete the pattern correctly. If we’re lucky, we don’t make a lot of mistakes along the way. There’s something to be said for finding a teacher/mentor that can guide us so we have more success than mistakes. However…..

Creating something new usually ends up with mistakes along with those successes.

I’ve been working on new ideas lately. That means some mistakes.

I’m learning.

Coming along just fine

I’m happy to say my design is coming along just fine. The lace is working up to be flat. I haven’t had to change anything once I started my final version. I like the color of thread and the beads. To say I’m relieved is an understatement. Now is the exciting part of creating a piece.

It's springtime

 And fast approaching summer. To be fair, where I live is perpetually spring in a sense. We don’t really have cold weather. We don’t really have hot weather. Our big ole Historic house stays a pretty constant 62 to 65 degrees F. year-round without much change in furnace use. We don’t have AC. If it gets warm, we just open a window or two. The breeze off the Bay usually cools things down quite nicely. Because our weather is the same all year round, I find the same chores on the list year-round: water plants, weed, prune, etc. Getting the roses pruned for the annual hard pruning sometimes doesn’t happen. It’s just too difficult for me to cut unopened buds off the plant!

It's about this time of year, just after Easter before school ends and the Bach Festival, that I find myself with very little to show for my tatting. I’ve finished all the gifts on my list. I’m in the final stage of getting my piece ready for Art of Music. You could say I’m a bit numb from all the extra music for Holy Week/Easter. So, not much to take pictures of. Not much to pass around for Show and Tell. Lots in the half-way done phase. Most of my time is spent cleaning/gardening/resting. Lots of rest, i.e. napping, the past 2 years. One more year of recovery and then I should be better able to predict what I can commit to do for music and tatting.

I promise to do better about posting twice a week. I am touched by how many of you asked if I was OK. I’ll let you know if I bump up against my mortality again. In the meantime, I will continue to create with music and thread. Join me?

Now what????

 I finished my sample using the TDS for a middle round. 

Now the next question to answer is how to hide ends

……….

How to handle frustration:

 Tatting is one of those activities that can land people in a puddle of frustration. You’re happily on the Adventure of Life and boom, you step into this smelly, disgusting mess of thread you thought could be pretty lace. If you’re lucky, there’s an experienced tatter around to give you a hand and help you figure things out to get back to the rings and chains you see in your imagination.

Sometimes, you end up just setting things aside for a day or so and tatting something just to create lace. I needed a break from the design project. The deadline is looming, so it wasn’t going to be a grand project. This square from Takashima book 3 is just the ticket!

A good idea

I’m continuing to work out the design for Piece d’Orgue BWV 572 . I’ve completed a good portion of the pattern. The next part has puzzled me quite a bit. The music is full 5 voice chord progressions wandering around several different key centers. I think the ticket is to use TDS developed by Ninetta Caruso. I like that it looks so similar both from the front and from the back. 

TDS from the back

TDS from the front

Filling in the summer calendar

 This summer I will be staying local. There is more than enough activity to keep me occupied, refresh my creativity, and inspire new ideas. 

I’ll be attending Carmel BachFestival. I help by donating a tatted piece for their fundraiser. I’ll be attending the convention of the Music Teacher’s Association of California. I help by staffing a booth for our local Chapter of American Guild of Organists. I’ll continue to teach. My adult students have really been stretching themselves in theory, composing, and designing. I know I should block in a vacation. It will be busy and exciting and fun!

Finally!

 

Wiosna 2025 to Round 5
by Renulek

I finished Round 5 of the Spring Doily Renulek created for us. I liked tatting it a lot. I’ve just not been focusing on it lately. So, I finally have this part done.

I paused actually tatting yesterday to pick what I wanted the next few rounds to look like. I will use the dark brown thread. Maybe a bit of the variegated too. Once I get the next two rounds done, I’ll decide where to add beads.

Just plain fun!

Balloon Dog Doodle by 
Sarah Nielson

What to do with a couple of yards of thread? Create a doodle. This came up in our Study Group yesterday. I had great fun tatting!

Distracted by color

 I’ve fixed the bungled join I shared in the last post. I haven’t yet finished the Round.

I’m still tweaking the stitch count in my design.

I’m still sorting through all the stash I was asked to distribute. I did share some really cute little crocheted treasure chests. I think one Grandma will make some Granddaughters very happy.

Yesterday afternoon I sat down with some bits and pieces of size 5 Pearl cotton and a fun canvas design. After a few minutes of sorting out what looks good with what, I came up with these colors for the project. The original design calls for 5 different colors. I couldn’t help but throw in a few more!

hmmmm....that won't work.....

 

One lapse of concentration and look what happened. I’ve been working on this in the evenings after I finish my goal in other projects. I won’t have a problem untatting the chain. I think I can convince the picot to let me open the ring enough to pick out the last DS of the ring. I’ll be looking at this when I have the afternoon light coming in the study windows. There’s one more repeat and then round 5will be finished.

two helpers

 I’m often asked, “How do I block?”

That’s usually just after the student notices the lace isn’t looking particularly tidy and symmetrical. I will generally hasten to say something along the lines of blocking is not mandatory, but it helps a great deal. Yes, I even block my 3-dimensionalpieces.

These are two helpers my favorite 3-D printer created for me:

Just polar grid templates that help me square up my lace. Since they’re plastic, I can lay damp tatting on them without fear of the printer ink coming off on my thread. They won’t stand heat, so no ironing is allowed. I figure they’re large enough to handle most snowflakes and the ever critical first few rounds of larger doilies. I’ll be using them frequently. 

Looks like I need to reblock some of my samples.

Time to get down to designing

 It’s April. That means Carmel Bach Festival preparation is well under way. The Season Passes are just about sold out. The applications for Art of Music items have been sent out. Some artists have already returned their form. (I’m one!) I’ve brochures for my students to look through. Most of them prefer to look at the onlineversion. I’m still a paper kinda girl.

With all that, it’s time for me to finalize a design to tat up. I’m still leaning to BWV 572.

Happy International Tatting Day!

 I will be celebrating with local tatting friends this year. Several are new to tatting and I’m trying to adhere to the KISS principle. I will mention how many people tat around the world; perhaps the tablet will be showing websites and blogs of tatted lace from overseas. I always leave a few books out for them to browse for their next challenge; those books will be published outside of English-speaking territory. My focus will be on what they are creating. Each tatter has adopted a slightly different method of producing DS. All the lace is lovely. We will be celebrating!

Happy International Tatting Day!!!

I got there eventually......

 I didn’t get to correcting the last post until today. I apologize. I know such stunts do not build trust and such. I won’t explain. Just forgive my not delivering. Tuesday ended with me a bit overwhelmed.

But, now it’s corrected…..enough.   

The error is in Round 4. I missed a chain in the mocha thread and a ring in the Cairo thread. I discovered it after I had tatted 3 more sets of mocha rings. I’m running low on the quilting thread in Cairo, so I decided to add another repeat with the two elements left out again. That makes 13 instead of 12 repeats in Round 5. I can live with that. I think. It is ruffling a bit yet when that happened in the swirl of Ornamentation, it blocked out nicely. So, error adapted into the pattern.

I’ve also corrected an error in my version of this year’s Wiosna by Renulek. I missed a ring and chain in the pattern. I had to pause when I got to this point tatting Round 5 and snip threads in Round 4 then add the ring and chain. Now I can resume Round 5.

Errors come in 3’s right? So I’m looking carefully at what else I did before yesterday just to be sure!

Practical Lace

 Can you make lace that is practical?    

Yes, if it’s tatted!

Can you make fabric with lots of holes?

Yes, if it’s lace!

Can you use lace every day?

Yes, if it’s designed well!

I have tatted quite a few items I use just about every day. Edgings for linens. Earrings. Hair buncovers. Doilies to protect furniture. The patterns are usually simple and tend to be classic. Just a ring with a chain repeated over as many times as I need. For pieces I make into covers for hair buns, I like using ring only “Mignonette” style patterns. The fabric is flexible yet chorales the ends of my hair well. I’ve been working on one using Quilting Thread.

I’ve ended up with ruffles.

I’ve ended up with too many rows before the focal rows.

I’ve started over too often.

I’m very close this time. Even if I made a glaring error. Can you see it?

There are two places where I omitted a chain in mocha and and ring in the variegated. Top center of the picture and bottom center of the picture. Now you know, you won't be able to un-see it! I sure can't!!!

What should I do next?

I finished a round of my hair bun holder. It's a bit different from my previous ones:

Before I add the rings to finish out the 4-ring set to each repeat, I need to decide what the next round will look like and what beads I would like to use. That way I can prepare picots for bead joins and how I’ll transition from this lacier section to a fabric that can hold in the ends of hair. That creates a neater finish to the hairstyle which is my goal. Especially when I’m trying to look nice performing or presenting.

Time to pull out the sketch paper and brainstorm away!

One step forward, two steps back

 That’s what has been happening with my shuttles lately. I look at the pattern, tat the element, realize I’ve made a mistake and spend time correcting it. So, there are no pictures to share. I have decided what to do for the Fantasia piece. One more decision and then I’ll start to tat in earnest.

This is more like what I envisioned

 

Here are all three samples. The top left is the half stitch count, the bottom left is the original Lene Bjorn pattern. The yarn on the right is KC Botanical Bamboo/cotton blend. There’s a LOT of ply in this with a gentle twist and a lovely sheen. I like the color name: Feather Grey. It works up nicely using a needle. With the added picots filling the negative space created by the chains, I think it will make a nice cloth.

When you want a change

 

This is my version of a lovely square designed by Lene Bjorn. I found it in Tatting Together Square Motifs by Iris Niebach. The book is a collection of “magic squares” designed as a part of a workshop. It’s been fun to explore. I used one design as inspiration for Glissando. I tested this out as a possibility for making a vest out of some bamboo-cotton yarn. It’s a bit too open for my taste as a garment. So, I adapted:

I simply divided all the stitch counts by 2 for this version. There’s still a bit more negative space than I like, but I think I’m on the right track.

Now that's looking nice!

I finished round 4 of the Spring Doily. I like how this thread makes it looks like a flower.

A bit of a finish

 

Wiosna 2025 round 3

I think this round of the Spring Doily adds quite a bit to the pattern!

Not quite enough

 

I had fun laying samples of edgings up next to the Assisi motif I stitched. It wasn’t hard to pick the size thread I should use. It wasn’t that hard to pick the color from my stash. I narrowed it down to a couple of options. But…..

I decided there needed to be more of a buffer between the negative space in the stitching and the tatted edging. But……

I couldn’t find the floss I used. It’s here somewhere…..

I decided to use a darker color to provide a bit of a mat effect. We’ll see where this takes me.

Hiding ends

 

For those who dislike hiding ends after tatting a lovely piece of lace. This post just may give you the willies. To start with, I persevered with plunging the canvas of the elephant ear to attach the applique piece.

The next step: tack down the ends of the canvas.

I estimate it will take me weeks as I usually run out of steam after hiding 4 ends. 

I wonder where that comes from? 

Oh yeah….

tatting!

Ready for Combining

I finished the Assisi motif. I used deep purple floss. Now to imagine what I want the tatting to go around the outside to look like……

Another round of the Spring Doily has been released. I like this pattern a lot!

Dusted, not done, and ready for Round 3

I finally got everything corrected and completed Round 2 of Renulek’s Spring Doily. I’ve already filled 3 sheets of paper with notes and such for the class tomorrow. Mostly, they come under the heading of, “Tat carefully paying attention to….”

I'm combining it again

First off, I did get the mistake corrected. I’m still getting back to that point as I tat. I just haven’t been tatting much lately. Why? Well, I’ve been having fun with Orgelkids at the Pedals, Pipes and Pizza that our San Jose Chapter of the AGO put on last Saturday. There’s also been lots to do around the house with the “upgrade” project coming to a finish. And then there’s another Atmospheric River coming in tomorrow. I took the time yesterday to make sure wind and rain will do less damage. No, we don’t have to barricade with plywood, nor do we have to sandbag or move things to high ground. It didn’t really take that much time, just added to the long list of chores I seem to face lately. But, if my efforts at my house can make sure personnel are available to help others, I’ll put that effort in.

Monday, I spent some time with a lovely group of stitchers. I’ve learned so much about the historical use of fibers, how to work with different threads, and whether my idea might just work or be pleasing to others. This time around, we looked at Assisi embroidery. Being rooted in the use of negative space, I was inspired and rejuvenated. We were encouraged to stitch a small sample. This is what I chose.

Of course, I was imagining all kinds of ways to combine it with tatting! I can already see in my mind the edging I wish to tat for it!!

But first, I really must sit down and make sure I’m making time for what’s important. Just after I take a walk by the ocean before the rain starts!

And it was going so nicely!

I’m enjoying tatting Renulek’s Wiosna 2025. The first few rounds are full of interesting techniques. Each round looks nice on its own and plays nice with the next round added. Brilliant!

If only my tatting were brilliant……

I missed a picot and 6 DS in a chain. If this were an outer round, I might live with it. If I had an abundance of this thread, I’d just snip and begin again. As it is, I’m picking it up each day and un-tatting 3 elements. I’ll be finished in time to take it with me this weekend on a short trip.

Incidentally, the thread doesn’t appear this tan in real life. It has a bit of a khaki green hue to it in lamp light and sunlight shows a different combination to my eyes. Of course, I’ve learned the hard way not to trust my eyes. I’m always asking other people what they think of color combinations I come up with. I’ve also learned that when I come up with a combination that looks “different” to my eyes, I need to combine it with other colors for a more pleasing look. What color should I combine with this????

Do you tat tight?

Is that a bad thing? Should tatting be soft and fluid like crochet or should it be crisp and stable like hardanger? These questions can start disagreements. I’ve no wish to cause anxiety or anger. If I am honest, I think there are times when you need to tat tight and times when you need to tat loose. Lace can be many things.

Perhaps that’s because I come at this having similar thoughts about organ music. There are times when I choose to play a piece fast with loud stops, other times slower with quieter stops. It depends on what I want the music to convey. I feel quite privileged that I live in a time when that diverse performance is accepted. I remember being a very young organist and listening to older weary organists expressing displeasure that their music wasn’t “right” and the pressure they felt to be perfect. I walked a fine line between respecting established working musicians and rebelling against the norm, doing it my way. That attitude has carried over to my tatting.

Frequently, I study a pattern to figure out how tight to tat. I may even Run-a-Line to see what works. Before I lose people, here’s what I was taught for Run-a-Line:

Using thread and shuttle you wish to tat with, wind on a length long enough for 3 rings and a few chains CTM with the ball. Tat a ring of 8 DS. Close it to create the shape you wish (round circle, teardrop, etc.). Tat a Chain of 8 DS, picot, 8 DS, picot, 8 DS and finish with an overhand knot. These picots can be different lengths to help with your planning. Now comes the telling part: Stretch out the chain stitches as far as possible while keeping the chain flat and straight. Are there gaps, or even spacing between DS? Is there a difference in those gaps between the beginning and end of your chain? How about the ring and chain(s)? Do you want consistency? How does changing thread or shuttle affect this sample?

So, after I Run-a-Line, I have a better idea of how I wish to tat a pattern. All this takes time and energy. Sometimes I just want to tat. Sometimes, I have that perfect idea in mind. I do it my way!

Since I had empty shuttles....

Renulek is releasing her Spring Doily 2025 (Wiosna 2025). I decided I needed something tatted under a lamp in our living room. The crochet lace I picked up in a resale shop has a bit of damage that I repaired. I just am not crazy about the pattern. So, I’ll tat something to go under the lamp. Here’s what I have so far.

Wiosna 2025 rd 1 by Renulek

I've really enjoyed tatting these doilies. I usually have a hard time actually finishing them. Sometimes it takes me years! Renulek's designs usually have several spots that look so good as you tat along that I like to enjoy them as is before adding the next round. 

Shuttles are empty

I have no pictures of lace to share today. I’m at that awkward stage in almost all my projects of planning/designing done but nothing tatted. The next few days will be quite busy at the house, so I’m not sure how much tatting I’ll get done. Maybe I’ll take myself to the local State Park to sit by the fire in Hearst Social Hall and tat there.

Yesterday, I had occasion to walk by the seal pup beach. No activity yet. Soon, though…..

Begin again.....

I cut off all but the first round of the hair bun holder in this lovely bright thread. I’m comfortable with that decision. It blends the right amount of Perfectionism with Joy of Creating. I will reach for this piece over and over again because I know it’s the way I want it. That’s the name of the game, right?

Besides…..I changed my mind about the beads…….

Perspiration for creativity

I fear there hasn’t been enough perspiration…..in the planning stage.

After starting Round 6 of my hair bun holder in brights thread called Cairo, I’ve decided I need to regroup.

It’s ruffling! Round 5 isn’t right and maybe even Round 4. Why? I figure it’s because I didn’t take the time to do the math. I should know better than to just start in with shuttle and thread. I will be taking the time now to put pencil to paper and figure it out correctly.

The result: No ruffling which will make wearing this in my hair a whole lot more enjoyable! 

Can you be excited without feeling stressed?

 That’s what I’m exploring now. What I’m excited about?

Opportunities to demonstrate how an organ is put together…..literally! Our AGOchapter has access to an Orgelkids kit. I get to work with it next month. I’m already trying to convince people here in Monterey that their group would love to have an opportunity to build and play an organ. Gotta check out the video!

A break-through on my design project. I haven’t written much about it here as it was still in the “that’s a cool idea……is it possible?” stage.

Our “house upgrade” (Contractors try to make it less scary with less anxiety. They really do.) is progressing to the painting stage. That should be less banging and noise, but more smells.

Of course, when you get stressed, you get careless. I found I can tat with a blood blister on my left hand. As long as it isn’t on my index finger.

Still guessing

 My guess for stitch count was not correct. I haven’t taken much time to work out this sample. I’ve been busy helping with de-stashing, helping with hosting, helping with planning future organ events, and helping keep the household going in the midst of construction chaos. I love using the word midst. I draw comfort from it because it sounds so much like mist. Living in the middle of construction tends to obscure my ability to remain creative in a focused way. I find myself going off in tangents and not being able to see what is best to do. So, I feel a bit like I’m blindly heading off in a direction that may take me over a cliff or into a dead-end. Never fear, I will keep creating!

Still not quite right

 

I’m slowly working on the new hair bun holder. This is a sample I’m working up that will end up as another cover for an ornament ball. Because it will not be flat, the ruffling should work out. The next round needs to have enough room for the ornament to slip in, so I guessed at the stitch count. Since my tatting time is limited, it may take awhile to figure out how to proceed.

It's a New Year!

 Happy New Year to all!!

I enjoyed taking the last 2 weeks off. Really. Despite the whole affair being thrust upon me. My calendar will take awhile to recover. All will get back to normal by the end of the week. Well, except the roofing work, and the painting. Oh, and the new-to-me loom waiting to be set up in the study. And the organ to be tuned so practicing is a bit more enjoyable (cringe).

I haven’t made much progress tatting as it was a case of correct 1 mistake, tat a ring, make another mistake, sigh, then set it aside for the rest of the day. Rinse, repeat each day for 5 days (!) until I got this far: 

Then I set it aside for a week. I’m trying out different ideas on my sample that will cover an ornament ball. I think I will go with what I used on this piece .