Dissent finished and submitted

 To see what other lacers have created out of their stash, visit this link:

IOLI lace challenge 1: stash

To see my quick photo of the necklace, you can scroll down almost to the bottom or just search for my name.

Now for earrings to match. I have 4 great ideas. I usually try to come up with 5 sketches before I start putting the ideas into thread. I can’t wait this time!! One is a crackin’ goodun.

In the meantime, here’s my Day 7 of Jane’s TIAS:

Another pair for Cristmas

 

Garnet Set by Nina Libin

Well, actually, 2 pairs.

 

Garnet Set by Nina Libin 

Doesn’t this look like a fun pattern? It’s available for free on the Lace Museumwebsite. I worked this set with pearl beads quite awhile ago. I wear them occasionally so I decided I should make a pair in Christmas colors.  I decided to omit one bead on each split ring. I think they look better when all the beads are on the same plane.

Oh, and if you’ve signed up for the classes I’m teaching nextmonth sponsored by the Lace Museum and you need to order the beginner kit, it may not arrive in time. Packages are sporadically on time coming from SCC due to the increase in COVID cases. Our regular carrier (in the next county over) has had to take some time off awaiting a test result. Thankfully it was negative, but that set back a couple of packages that were coming to our house. Even if you do need materials, there are do-it-yourself options that will be perfectly fine for the class. Email me or the Museum and I’ll send you the instructions.

If you haven’t registered for a class…..

What are you waiting for? Come join the fun!!

25 Motifs in 2016

I did it!! This one completes the Challenge:

Hen N Chicks square by Rachael Mohler

I completed 25 motifs in 2016. I know many, many other tatters have tatted that much in 12 months. I probably have in quite a few years in the past. But, this year I kept track. I thought it would help me keep track of projects for the house, help grow the studio, and generally keep me focused and motivated. Well, it did!!

Thank you Sharon for maintaining the blog. I know how much work you’ve set for yourself. Yes, I know technology makes a lot of the task easier, but you still have to sit and the computer, look at the screen, edit the post, and then make sure it’s all the way you want it to be. Thank you!

And so, here’s my 2016 25 motif Challenge list:

1: Design # 10 Ball Cover by Nadine Nunnelley

2: Cross by Melanie Cervi

3: Wild Rose by Nellie Hall Youngburg

4: TIAS 2016 (Bunny) by Jane Eborall

5: Snowman by Melanie Cervi

6: Julehjerter by Anne Bruvold

7: Heart basket using Julehjerter by Anne Bruvold

8: Edging by Nellie Hall Youngburg

9: Celtic Knot Butterfly by Rozella F. Linden

10: Tatted Scarf Square from a Workbasket magazine c. mid1970’s

11: Celtic Picot Mat by Jennifer Williams

12: Curled Ring Earring by Muskaan

13: Tatted Triangle Motif by Frauberger updated byJennifer Williams

14: Rainbow Bright Earrings by Renee Campbell

15: Long Picot Earrings by Nina Libin

16: Lanyard using Necklace by Nina Libin

17: Bead Cap Earrings by Melanie Cervi (no picture….it went poof after the gift was wrapped and given)

18: Edging based on several vintage patterns

19: Window Decoration II by Jan Stawasz

20: Motif from Hector Earrings by Nina Libin (no picture....I had one, but now....poof!)

21: Dainty Tatted Trim by Anna J. Johnson

22: Insertion based on Hen N Chicks

23: Daisy Medallion updated by Ruth Perry

24: Tatted Tablecloth Square from Workbasket c. 1974

25: Hen N Chicks Square by Rachael Mohler (see picture above in this post)

There! If anyone has questions or comments or would like more info, I’ll be back to check after a walk on the beach! If you're curious what else I've tatted lately, have a look at the Board I have on the other blog I maintain.

When patterns get adapted and organs need a new home

I’ve allowed my routine to slip. The result: not as many walking sessions, not as many blog posts, not as much practicing, nor as much tatting. Deadlines are looming! Time to get serious about that to-do list! First off, I need to finish the items I’ve entered in the Fair. Next, find a new home for a wonderful reed organ. On the way, I’ll use this:

lanyard for pin

I have found myself finishing this necklace repurpose. Remember that trip to Lacis? And the purling pin type hook I bought? And the necklace I started to have something to do while waiting in line? Well, it all came together. I’m pleased with the result. Thank you Nina Libin for the wonderful pattern! It was fun to play with the thread and beads. I finished most of it while listening to the lectures, Master classes, and rehearsals for Bach Festival.

Now I’m off to get the word out about the wonderful reed organ that has come available:

It's a very sweet parlor organ fully restored built by George Woods & Co. I wish it could follow me home. It was be so fun to sit down and play everyday. There's something very special about the way such an instrument plays. It is confusing to call them organs. Kind of like how different acoustic guitars are from electric guitars or even lutes.

But I'm rambling again! Off to the list. (Sounds better than Off with her head!)

I broke one

I’ve been attending events during the Carmel Bach Festival. The concerts are the reason, partly, for the Festival. Most of the musicians have been participating for a number of years. There’s also an emphasis on learning about music almost always with a Bach twist. I’m finding it very helpful in figuring out how to promote organ and organ music to non-organists.  Always there are concerts given using period instruments. How does that horn player get all those pitches without valves? Probably using the same brain over body process as an organist uses to play a fugue. Another topic to consider another day.

During the lecture last night, I was so caught up in the topic (what A to use…..440 Hz or 415 Hz) that I almost tatted past an important spot without a bead placed. I must have broken the bead. I know I triple checked each section as I was loading the beads. I know I had it right. But, there we have it.

Now, this is a http://www.beanile.comNina Libin pattern. It’s exciting to see it come about and I’m happily working away. There are also 150 beads between the gap and the end of the thread. I’m NOT going to take all those beads off just to get on bead added. I’m going to try adding just that bead. We’ll see how successful I am. I’m waiting for daylight to work on it. It’s been so foggy lately I may be waiting until afternoon to have sun. And then the beach beckons with the sunlight dancing off the waves, the whales feeding, and general peacefulness. And there’s another lecture tonight on Idomeneo. Better get crackin’

!

From Concept to Art

Has it really been 2 weeks since the last post? Mmmm Guess I didn’t realize how little I’ve been keeping up with. Or, I have been juggling too much on the calendar. 

I cut out a good bit of tatting on 1 project, haven’t figured out yet how to finish a second, rearranged the creative “stuff” in the house, and been supporting creative folks in the community. I promise to write posts on those activities soon.

Today, I’ll be reporting on yesterday.

Who: Tatting Tuesday Study Group

What: Tatting display with examples of tatting from all over the world.

Where: Lacis in Berkeley, CA

When: Only a few short hours looking at the tatting after many long hours in the car driving there and back.

How: Thank you Joan and Zanie for helping pull off this adventure!

The display was wonderful. I’ve seen photos of many of the pieces on my computer screen. I recognized almost all of the names. So, seeing the tatting in person was just plain awesome. Plus, there were quite a few impressive vintage pieces. Not much information for the curious on who tatted with what thread from what pattern. But, the museum does their best to curate what they have; and their focus is lace which includes tatting and all things lace. If you can find a way to Adeline St., please do. They are only open from Noon to 5 PM which makes avoiding traffic a bit tough, but the journey was worth it. 

earring list

Recently in Sue’s Design class, I promised to share a couple of my favorite earring patterns. I like smaller earrings as I am rather short and of a fine boned build. So, I use small thread like size 80 or quilting thread; small beads like size 12 or 14; and simple, one-element patterns. On my pattern page, I’ve posted my pattern for around a bead cap. I saw this little doodad in the finding area of a local bead shop. I liked the filigree look and the outer spaces were easy to join to with a small crochet hook.

earring around bead cap

A variation on this uses celtic chains for interest around another bead cap.

celtic chain earrings

I was challenged last year to create a larger earring to celebrate the Fourth of July. Here’s what I came up with:

starworks earrings

They are worked in DMC metallic embroidery thread and perhaps my least favorite as they are large…..about 2 ½” with the wire. I’ve never gotten used to them brushing my collar. I do like the star shaped doodad. This one came from the spacers area of the bead store.

I hope this stokes your creativity and that you find a way to express yourself with tatting to wear.

Ankars class and paper on Design in art and music.

Yesterday was one of those exciting days. You see, an idea has been rolling around in my head for quite a while. After mulling over a document on Design in art and music that Sue sent me, I had an “aha”! Acting on that revelation needed to wait a few hours. During those hours, another gift came my way: the class that Georgia arranged with Nina Libin’s expertise on Ankars. I had another “aha”. I couldn’t wait to act on both of those revelations! So, an exhilarating afternoon was spent pulling together all those loose ideas in my head. No tatting patterns to show yet. I’ll be putting out a call for test tatters soon. I hope these ideas work!

Starworks away

Well, the earrings are finally done. I wasted quite a bit of thread, but thankfully no beads. I’m off in a few minutes to teach the class at the store, so I won’t say much about anything, just a picture:

earrings inspired by Hector earrings by Nina Libin

anyone?????

another adaptation of Beanile technique

Here’s another idea I’ve had.

Now, I’m putting these ideas out there because, they’re distracting me. My raison d’etre in designing will be taking musical works and interpreting them in tatting. These earrings are fun to make for gifts, fun to take ordinary findings and make something special from them, but working on these designs is taking time away from what I really should be doing.

Anybody out there want to run with these?

A present for a grad

It’s graduation time. I’ve been enjoying watching family friends celebrate. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child. Sometimes a family is enough of a village, at other times the blood relatives are not the best influence for a person. I knew even before I married that my children would do better if they enjoyed the mentoring and nurturing of many adults. I tried to place my children in situations where they were able to benefit from people within our family, community and groups. Unfortunately, we moved far away from blood relatives; the jobs just weren’t available for us in those locales. The up side of that is the many contacts we have all over the U.S. Here’s a pair of earrings I’m making for one of those friends.

Beanile earrings pattern by Nina Libin

It’s part of the Butterfly in Your Heart set Nina shared with the Online tatting class. http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2012/nlibinhrtbflyearneck.pdf I rather like using this technique. I’m working on a Saint-Saens piece right now, but when I finish that up, I have a sketch for a Bach Sinfonia that uses this technique along with maltese technique. More on that later. 

what I've been playing with

I spent yesterday playing with earring designs. I found some beading thread at the bead store the other day. I wondered how it would tat up.

Beanile simple earring

It is nice and crisp, but very thin. So, it doesn’t hold up in the pattern well. I’m glad I tried it though. I think I’ll add it to my sample pages and see where it takes me in a few days.

my page of samples using Beanile patterns and various threads with size 14 beads

Now, I’m off to pack my back for a demo at the store and do house chores (ugh).

Pattern page is live

Last week was very productive. I conquered Beanile style tatting, made good progress on some original designs (more when they’re finished nicely), and learned how to add a page to my blog with links for folks to download the documents. Just click on the bar above my picture and it’ll take you there. Whew!

But, no time to sit back. I have a demonstration to do today and it’s Mother’s Day tomorrow. And since we ran away yesterday to Monterey in celebration of 27 years of marriage, the chores have really piled up…..literally. Now where is the shovel I use for laundry????

Beanile FL Heart earring

I finally have a sample finished.

FL Heart by Nina Libin
worked in DMC metallic thread
and size 15 beads.

I conquered a new technique for this. I’ve wanted to learn how to work with this thread and to use beads in this manner. Nina Libin calls her style Beanile Lace. The hardest part for me was getting the beads onto the thread. I fell in love with the color in the bead shop and wanted to use the recommended thread, a 3 ply metallic by DMC. Ugh. Hours and hours to string 89 beads on the shuttle thread and 41 beads on the ball thread. But, the result is quite nice. I think I will set this aside for a day. A fresh day will bring more realistic ideas of what to try next.

A new day did help. Here is my try at the Hector I pattern:

Earrings for Hector 1
by Nina Libin

I quite like this work. The possibilities are jumping out at me all over. More later.