A silk adventure continues

 Ok......UNCLE......

I admit it......

Last week was....frustrating.... in the design area.

Fantasia is still a fantasy; my edging for the Challenge doily is still a challenge; and with the remodel work, I'm reluctant to start anything new.

So, I revisited this stitching project: 

I rather like working with this combination of cotton perle and silk floss. It will do nicely for a background.

Honing skills in 2021

I’ve been on an adventure in fiber lately. Nothing new, I know, but this adventure is designed (pun intended) to stretch my tatting skills. I prefer tatting in tight twist cotton. I have tatted in paracord, and boucle yarn. I decided to tat using a silk/bamboo yarn.

That’s the larger butterfly. The smaller butterfly is size 10. I tried several different movements of shuttle with the yarn. Some paths worked better than others. I tried tatting using my trusty size 5 needle. That worked, but again, I needed a different technique.

Now, if I channel Muskaan, I would meticulously post about it all. I’m not up to that task. Muskaan, you have the stage.

 I’ve decided to pull together my thoughts, observations, and recommendations for a future class. If you’re signing in to the Tatting Tuesday group, you’ll get the preview. If you are interested, but not part of the study group, watch the class listings on the Lace Museum website. I hope they’ll be interested in sponsoring a class exploring these fiber options.

Now I Lay my thread

I like tatting for many reasons:

The lace I create

Working with tools and thread

Something I can do with my hands that is portable

You can create a lot without spending a lot….except time

As I work my way through some of the cast-off stash boxes that have come my way, I’ve discovered tools I knew nothing about. Some of them I still don’t know what they are. Some I’ve re purposed. Most I pass on to others.

 I found a new purpose for a worn tatting needle. The finish is worn off close to the eye, so using it for needle tatting doesn’t work so well. I’ve learned to use it as a laying tool for stitching with silk. It works quite well. I’ve even developed a way to help with my tatting. I’m more conscious of where the thread is going as it comes off the shuttle. I now tat more confidently with a flat shuttle.

For those who are curious, there’s a good explanation on Nordic Needle website and a video on needlenthread. I’ll be posting pictures when I stop playing and sampling and actually create a piece.

Blackwork sample

Those who tat know that working in black thread can be very tough on the eyes. Those who stitch know that working on white cloth can be tough on the eyes. Those who practice in a room with a flickering fluorescent light knows that can be tough. So, what was I thinking?

front

back

Working on dark cloth with dark thread during winter?

Well, I decided when I signed up for the Elephant class, I should learn to work with silk. I’ve some silk to tat with and also some other silk to stitch with. When I’m learning a new technique, I tend to dive into my stash and see what I can do with what’s been leftover. Kinda like a musician learns just a small part of the piece often at slow tempo or with just part of the score. This sample is the result of my efforts with the stash. The white thread is cotton on 14 count cotton Aida, the red threads are silk.

The technique is similar to a style of embroidery called Blackwork or Redwork. I’m very drawn to the geometric designs. There’s a play between thread and negative space similar to good tatting designs. This piece turned out somewhat like I thought it would. Some of the design retreats into the cloth due to color of thread; some of the design creates lots of space. 

Remember my journey weaving in neutrals at this workshop? While I was stitching, I was laying bits of tatting on top and playing with color and texture. There will be more to come with this!