The Basics

 I’m drawn to simple things that turn out to be complicated.

Simple: Driving a straight road.

Complicated: Keeping your attention on the road when it’s straight for 35 miles with nothing but fields on either side.

Simple: Plagal cadence.

Complicated: Double the fifth in the bass (pedal) with a suspension on the top.

Simple: Classic square motif.

Complicated: Sewing thread that needs extra joins to keep the overall shape correct.

Remember this cross? 

Here’s a bookmark I’ve been working on.

Another few hours of tatting (and forgetting picots) and untatting (using my handy, dandy, magnifier) and I should be ready to see if it’ll work as is or will need to be in sleeve to be used wisely. (I DO NOT starch bookmarks! One time of trying to resume reading after the book had sat in hot humid weather taught me that lesson!)

Whew!

That’s all I can say…..

Like all the organists I know, I was absolutely horrified by the news from Paris yesterday. I’ve had the privilege of hearing the organ several times. Never managed an invitation to the loft, but I’ll admit I was just a tad overwhelmed just being in Notre Dame. To lose so much to fire, I was just plain gripped by the news! And now, we learn the Grand Orgue is not destroyed. Water can do a huge amount of damage, but fire can destroy far faster. Whew!

I’ll leave you with a picture of something else I could be easily overwhelmed by:

The insertion to go on the Linen top is finished and currently on the blocking towel. For scale, that towel is a standard bath towel folded in half length-wise. Now to carefully remove the braids tack these on. I’d like to wear it for Tat Days. We’ll see if I get it all done!

Hair bun holder is finished!

It is done! Ready to wear on our trip. Pictures when I return.

Now on to finishing other projects. Maybe I’ll get back to the Monster Doily. Maybe I’ll complete an earring or two. Oh! And there’s the Bach Fest Piece to design and tat.

So much to tat! So little time!!!

Half Way DONE!

Back in November the OnLine class looked at the antique patterns as published by Mlle Riego. About that time, a linen blouse I picked up from Coldwater Creek developed a problem with the lace trimming. 

Nothing for it but to tat up a replacement! 

Thus was born this project. One strip done, the other loaded on the shuttle (with almost 600 beads and almost 12 yards of thread) to be prepared for blocking and sewing on. Should be done just about the time warm weather hits!

OK….those who know Monterey, know that’ll be October!

Nothing like a realistic goal…snicker, snort!!!!

My Pantone challenge

I finally get to share what I’ve been working on. At least this gift:

The challenge was to use the Pantone color that has been associated with your Secret Santa person. I used Candlewicking thread for the band and the tatting. Not ideal, but good colors. The darker color used in the snowflake was the target. As usual, there was a bit of learning curve with this project!

Tablet weaving is tough on my wrists, so I started and stopped a lot. That translates to mistakes. A lot. Didn’t hesitate to cut the band up and I found a nice fabric to compliment. Sewing it on didn’t work as well as I like, but I hope it will be used. It’s not meant to be an heirloom, but a frequently used item. I have a friend who dusts the house with her loom samples!

Snowflake 8 from Festive Snowflakes & Ornaments

The thread was not as tightly plied as I usually tat with. That required extra attention with every DS. To get the colors in the proper place on the snowflake, the pattern ended up needing quite a few SLT. The advantage of using such a soft thread is that those knots end of disappearing into the piece. I plan to use this pattern quite a bit. It looks good in thread! I wonder how it will look in the metallic thread???

On to the next gift……

Remember the angel

Remember the angel requested for shawls by the group at St. Andrew’s?

Well, I finished trial #5. It’s still not quite right. I’ve been approaching the design properly. There are just so many factors. I’m trying to create a “fabric” with multiple straight of grain. Or so I’m thinkin’ now.

You see, in preparing for the Double Weave workshop in November, I’ve been puzzling through the structure of fabric. That opened the door to looking at the skirt of the angel pattern a little differently and low and behold, I realized how complicated the execution of my idea will be. Funny how that happens!

So, I dug out my “book” on alterations. The sewing notes that I absconded with from my Mother’s library eons ago. We share the same build type. And we altered many a pattern to fit that build. Mixed in among the specific notes are reminders of “rules” to follow. That’s what I was looking for. Low and behold, when you have a flared skirt that needs adjusting, you have to work with the straight of grain to maintain the drape. Duh!

Since the printer/scanner wasn’t scanning, I have no picture to share prior to the snipping I did yesterday. I do have a working scanner today, so if I repair the swirl section, you’ll see a scan soon. I know the s word…soon……

Progress on the snowman...

In white thread it’s looking more wintery and less quacky. I know, that’s not a word. But sometimes tatting turns your brain….well….quacky.

What’s making me squawk? The joins in the body section.

 I wanted lots of picots for fluff. I’ve got that. I wanted to use size 80 for proper scale. I’ve got that. I wanted to make the center dense. I’ve got that. I’ve been so effective in working those goals into the pattern that I can’t tell where to join! Nothing new in tatting, I know. So……

From my sewing experience, I yearn for pinning or some marking chalk to mark the joins. Think marking darts; ease points; buttonholes/zippers/fasteners. You get the idea. I understand there are stitch markers in knitting. Maybe……

Gotta come up with something or I’ll go completely quacky. Ideas anyone?