BWV

That stands for Bach-Werke-Verseichnis

The above link is to Wikipedia. Using the BWV numbers lessens the confusion when talking about Bach pieces. He only wrote over 1000 compositions and there are only 12 different tones in the scale. He wrote quite a few Tocatta-like pieces in D minor by the way. If I’m feeling impish, I’ll agree to play and start in on one of the other less popular pieces. Only if the people goading me to play are especially irritating!

I’ve been less impish lately. Perhaps because of the Fest piece I’m working on. The artwork, including frame, must be no greater than 9” X 11” and if “3-dimensional” no greater than 7” X 7” at the base. So, use the green thread? Or the orange thread?

Vote only once please!

Insertion turned

Remember this project? I’ve reached the end of the strip that will sit at the neckline. The Tatting Study Group members brainstormed several options. I settled on this one:

Now to tat down the side returning to the beginning point, then to tat the second insertion, carefully take the machine lace off and finally sew my tatting on. Whew! Who knew what the scope of the project was? Certainly not me!

But I’d do it again!! I love having tatting on my outfits.

Back to Sonata

The final piece is coming along. I can’t say well.....just coming along. I find working in black size 80 thread is tough. The best part: it doesn’t show dirt and dust. Size 80. It's just tough for me to work with. I didn’t get a knot firmly tied in round 2 of the edging. That resulted in a chain coming loose. I think I have that corrected with some Fray-Check. Not my preference, but I’m running out of time! I realized while out on a walk Saturday that I did not correctly load the beads for round 4. Black thread is tough. One bead in each repeat (of the size 15 beads on the size 80 thread) should be a bead join, not a bead picot. Nothin’ for it but to take all those itty-bitty beads off and rethread them. Sigh! I think I’m ready to finish round 3 now. I hope I have enough thread on the shuttle…..

Chords

No, that not a misspell. I know, I know, I have difficulty spelling in English! I’m not talking cord as in heavy thread or twine. I’m talking music: a group of notes. This is a long post (for me), so get out the velcro you use in class. There’s links to go to, concepts to think about…..

The pattern I’ve been playing with designed by Marilee Rockley uses curled rings. Muskaan has several excellent posts on this technique. Ninetta also has posted excellent tutorials: http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2016/ninettaalternatemethodsofcurlingrings.pdf  Both of these fabulous tatters have freely shared material and patterns with the OnLine Tatting Class. Thank you ladies! And a huge, awestruck Thank You to Georgia for all her work over these many, many years!

Back to Curling…. No, not the sport. Rings.I tried working up the examples in Ninetta’s tutorial many moons ago *2016*. The fault wasn’t Ninetta’s. I just didn’t really try. I claim too much on my plate. Not a good excuse! The truth is I was still in the first blush of having an organ to practice on whenever I pleased!!!

Marilee’s book caught the eye of one of my advanced beginner tatters in the Tatting Tuesday Study Group. Zanie, as we call her, has produced wonderful jewelry with beads in a class at the local Community College. We worked through a couple of the patterns, but nothing really grabbed us. I kept gravitating to Dazzling Debut. So, there was nothing for it but to try it out again! I’ve had success this time!! This is the size 10 version sitting beside the size 40 version.

Back to chords…. If you scroll down to page 5 of Ninetta’s PDF, you’ll see what I wish to use: stacked curled rings. I see chords. I hear music. I’ll let you decide if I’m crazy! No wait….I know I’m crazy…about tatting AND the organ!

Another Debut

Another version of Marilee’s pattern Dazzling Debut:

Dazzling Debut by Marilee Rockley

I like smaller earrings. The version I did last week didn’t look “finished” enough. So, I used size 40 thread instead of size 10, and added the two rounds from the necklace pattern. I like it better.

Today starts the busiest 4 days in most organists’ lives. I wish all a successful run!

weakest link

Yesterday I discovered what I consider is my weakest skill in tatting:

Photography

I have spent time over the last decade or so practicing different techniques, working with different threads and tools, gaining my voice in designing; and have gained a fair amount of skill in those areas. But, I still struggle to capture the finished piece with a camera.

I’m not alone. Many fiber artists will practically groan when you bring up taking a picture. There are classes and workshops offered in using your phone to photograph. The posts I create for the Homework blog display a wide range of photographic success.

I have learned a few things. I’m better at bullying my phone than my digital camera. Black really does work. Oh, and just keep swimming.

Here’s what I’ve decided for Wiosna round 4. Forgive the abysmal photographs. I’m trying out new thoughts there.

The clear crystal type beads are from my stash. They looked so pretty in the store and I thought the round shape would work very well. The reason I haven’t used them before now? The inner hole is too small for the size thread I typically use. Even the size 80 thread is difficult. That makes loading the shuttles difficult, the beads heavy when tatting and thus floppy on the finished piece. Sigh! 

I’m also using my bone shuttle. It’s heavy and larger than I like to use. But, it feels nice, so I’m trying to get used to tatting with it. Perhaps my reaction to the bone is why many did not take to tatting in the past.