Challenge accepted and met

Threads that Bind 

 Remember this wonderful Challenge Jon Yusoff came up with?

She shared instruction for the doily one round per day on Facebook and her blog. We were to devise a final round. Here is a link to her albums: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2882479928472885&type=3

Like many of us during those crazy weeks of lock down, I tidied and tidied and sorted and tatted. I used a vinatge shuttle for some sections; and a two bobbin shuttle for other sections. I uncovered quite a few books and pattern copies and notes. I decided to try to evoke the plight so many of us around the world found ourselves in by working a motif in blue and black that reminds me of a house. After adding a few motifs for “bushes/trees” and “clouds” the doily seemed to be coming together. Then, I  dithered around for weeks trying to see if another round was necessary to tie all the colors together. I’ve decided it isn’t.

So, here’s my version. I worked it in vintage size 30 thread so there are "issues" with staining and uneven ring sizes. The yellow seemed to stretch out and pucker as I worked the pink sections. Really odd!! There's just enough yellow left to sit on a shuttle for trying out ideas. 

I wish everyone a safe and successful Fall!

Searching.....

I’m still searching for a finish to this doily:

Piecework is fun to explore

I realized Monday that I had not put up a post on my recent pattern browsing.  Quite some time ago, I put 2 CD’s of Piecework Lace Issues on my shelf. I finally got around to cracking open the wrapping and exploring them. On one of the Cd’s, there is a lovely article about a bedspread. Included in that particular issue is a pattern for the basic motif used in the rather <huge> bedspread. I must try it out soon!

How to fill in?

 I’m back looking at my idea for the Challenge Doily: Threadsthat Bind. With the Shelter in Place order active again, my calendar has been cleared once again without my permission. I talked on the phone yesterday about the situation, the loneliness of the others was palpable. My response was to play a bit, then pick up my shuttles. 

I really must try to put my design idea into thread: 
Once the geometric “pineapple” shape is complete, insert motifs in a contrasting color depicting a home.

Here’s my start:

May I ask a favor today? Pick up the phone and call someone who doesn’t follow a blog, tweet a thought, or have extended family they can safely meet with. Sing a song with them. We’ve all been practicing “Twinkle” or some other way to time how long to scrub our hands with suds. Reach out beyond what your habit is. We all need a bit of joy.

Challenge completed….but it needs more

 Remember back before we really understood what 2020 was going to hold for us?

Remember when Jon Yusoff challenged us with Threads ThatBind?

Remember when I said I wanted to depict what it all meant to me? Oh right. I haven’t shared that yet. Well, I finally have worked down the mess of projects enough to get back to coming up with my edge for the Challenge. I set myself several parameters: Use vintage threads, find a way to use color to highlight parts of the design, learn how to use a 2 bobbin shuttle.

This is my Round 14  

The threads are all vintage size 30 (nominally…I think the yellow is size 35!)

I felt like softness, not boldness was needed when figuring out how to highlight the pineapple sections.

I used pink and blue in the dual bobbin shuttle for the outer round.

So, check!

But it needs something……

I’m currently adding small motifs that bring a house and small trees to mind. I’ve got some ideas on how to tie those in, but need a few more evenings to get to that point.

Tatting at the Edge

I tatted up a thank you gift:

Pernille by Lene Bjorn

It is found in Tatted Bookmarks – Cross Shaped by Lene Bjorn. My friend likes to read also so I’m tatting a straight bookmark, no side sections. I’d like to teach a class on edgings turned into bookmarks. I must explore the collection at the Lace Museum for possibilities!

Time out

 I needed to take some time out the last few days. I did manage to get the edging for the mat very close to finishing. It was slow going as I didn’t want to take out any more mistakes. No, I’m not going to share! About the mistakes that is. I'll share a photo of the edging when it is blocked.

I will return to full speed by Thursday.

I know how to do that!

I'm big on self-talk.....

I try to teach by encouraging, not criticizing.....

I know how to do that!

 I have to keep telling myself that. 

I have a bad habit of seeing something in my brain or hearing something in my brain and before I can get the music in the air or the thread into lace, I talk myself out of trying. 

Perhaps that’s why I jumped at the chance to recreate the vintage mat in the collection at the Lace Museum in Sunnyvale. It’s much easier for me to read the printed score or examine the tatted lace. At any rate, I’ve enjoyed the journey with this mat.

To register, follow this link to the Lace Museum: intermediate class

I’ve finished notating the pattern for the edging. To be clear, this is not the only way to tat a similar edging. It’s the path I saw and used tatting the example. Just a bit more and I’ll be able to block and sew it onto the fabric with the inset.

I also know how to do other “advanced and complicated” tatting techniques. I know how to wrap picots for a daisy picot. I know how to add beads. Just being able to claim that knowledge helps me to persist in learning how to couch and finish stitching the Elephant. Thank you to all those who are cheering me on! I will complete the projects!

Oh, and to register for the beginning class, follow this link: beginning class

I'm getting excited!

 The class is listed. Registration will open soon!!

Mar inset with corner of edging  

https://www.thelacemuseum.org/workshops.html (scroll down a bit)

Come have fun with us!

Save the Date

October 19,21,23 2020 Beginning tatting offered as a virtual class through the Lace Museum in Sunnyvale, CA

October 24-25, 2020 Tatting workshop focusing on the edging of a vintage mat in the collection of the Lace Museum in Sunnyvale, CA. The workshop will be offered using a virtual classroom.

Details will be posted on the Museum webpage soon!

I’ve been finishing, sorting, organizing, tidying a lot lately. Here’s my version of the Challenge Jon Yusoff created last Spring. I’ll be adding my bits soon.

Preparation is important

I love to teach. Full disclosure, I have little patience for Administrators who tell me how to teach. I get that’s their job, but me thinks they’ve not taught enough. So, I do not teach in a formal school situation often. Experiences when I’m teaching where people don’t “have to” learn are usually my shining moments. Recently, a teacher aide in a more formal situation wondered aloud how I prepare for students I don’t know and have no objective.

Three points: Teach the skill, present the possibilities, and affirm the successes achieved.

Part of that preparation is not being perfect. When I demonstrate how to tat, I talk about several different ways to make the DS. I’ll even use thread or tools that I don’t like to use. I talk about what is logical and readily available. Often, that means I fail to make pretty lace. Not perfect. But, students seem to gain courage from that. They overcome frustration faster and usually succeed in making lace with less stress.

Part of that preparation is samples with mistakes. I usually show pieces I made when learning. One isn’t even finished. The discussion of what is wrong with it usually gets students past seeing their own mistakes to creating more lace. I’ll remind myself aloud that I am my own worst critic. I have a heart I made that is missing a part of the pattern. One “shoulder” is too flat. These make good samples.

Here’s my sample for the upcoming Lace Museum classes:

There are quite a few mistakes in it. It’s not finished. It’ll do just fine. I’m looking forward to affirming the students having success.

Registration is open!

The Lace Museum of Sunnyvale is offering classes next week. They are scheduled to coordinate with

UnCon 2020 of IOLI.

I will be teaching a beginning tatting series on 7-22 through 7-24 (Wed, Thurs and Fri) from 9 AM – 11 AM Pacific time (4 PM – 6 PM GMT). We will cover both needle and shuttle techniques. This is a real bargain for $35. Register on the Museum Shopify page here .

If you have mastered the basics, consider joining us the following weekend Sat 7-25 & Sun 7-26 from 9 AM – Noon Pacific time (4 PM – 7 PM GMT). We will be recreating a portion of the pretty mat (below) in the collection at the Museum. The inset works nicely as a coaster or ornament. The borders of the mat consist of repeating a portion of the inset worked with a lovely edging on both sides. We will be exploring several different paths to execution, designing with color, and adding embellishments. Come join us for a lively discussion and tat up a surprise. Offered also at $35 for the two morning sessions. Register here

I look forward to greeting IOLI members attending the UnCon sessions. Treat yourself to a morning of tatting fun sponsored by the Lace Museum of Sunnyvale!

July in the Pandemic Age

Well, our County is back on hold. For 3 weeks we’ll be hunkering down again. I am not surprised in the least. Our little corner of Paradise is a frequent R&R spot. People in relax mode aren’t as careful as they are at home. And when the wind kicks up every afternoon, it’s hard to remember masks do help. Anyway, I’ll be focusing on remote teaching, designing new patterns, and promoting tatting when and where I can.

Here’s the commercial for today:

The Lace Museum is putting together more on line classes. My tatting class will be part of the excellent line up of all things lace. I’ll be focusing on basic skills, skills needed for pattern such as the vintage mat in the Museum collection, and where to use all the tatted treasures.

Our Tatting Tuesday Study Group is meeting each week. We are a low stress group. You bring your projects in progress, we celebrate the successes, and support the quest for solutions. The first visit is free, membership in the Carmel Crafts Guild allows for regular attendance. We meet in the afternoon. Come when you can, leave when you must. For information, inquire on the Guild website, or leave a comment (which will remain private).

The Art of Music auction to support Carmel Bach Festival will be starting soon. There will be links available soon to view the pieces up for raffle, buy tickets, and dream of how the art will look wherever you enjoy Bach!

Back to the regular schedule of tatting adventures!

The countdown starts!

We are just a few days away from a new adventure! The Lace Museum in Sunnyvale, CA is hosting online workshops during this Shelter in Place time. My tatting workshop will begin in 5 days!

I will follow my usual lesson plan of starting at the beginning and moving as quickly as I should to unlock the secrets of a tatting design. This class of three 90 minute sessions will discuss tatting by focusing on Sonata.

The session to be held in the museum to delve more deeply into the collection will be scheduled at a later date. (I can't wait to share pieces like this one featured in the May 18 Facebook post 

part of their collection 

This class is for beginner to advanced tatters. I will have plenty of resources for you, so bring your questions and what you are curious about! If you haven't reserved your place in the class, please send an email to the staff and join us. There will be a very short orientation meeting this Friday 5-22 to welcome and greet each other.

Email the museum today lacemuseum@gmail.com to sign up!

Thread can be stubborn

Like many households in the last few weeks, we have been cleaning, tidying, and sorting. I’ve picked up some projects that were put aside unfinished. Nothing is finished yet. I’ve cut out and revisited, and discovered again that thread can be stubborn. I’ve got time to work it all out now.

I’m continuing to work on Jon Yusoff’s Challenge doily she named Threads that Bind. I’ll be adding color in the next part. I hope my solution to how to add just a bit works out.

Tatting by Zoom

That sounds like credits at the end of a vintage tv show. The Tatting Study Group met this week using Zoom. It’s a very popular app right now. It was fun to see everyone.

On a sadder note, the workshop in Sunnyvale is postponed. We’re talking about an online component that will be a much different format. More as that progresses.

I decided to start the Challenge doily over. I made several mistakes in the first few rounds. I’m liking the way it looks now. Picture as I finish the next round.

Challenge with vintage

While most of the world is in Shelter in Place mode, I can’t just sit and not create something. I’m like the kid that can’t sit still; I can’t not create. So, when I saw a post about Tat-a-Renda’s Challenge design, I decided to join in. But, what thread to use?

Her design is starting out like a vintage doily. So, when I spied this bit of vintage thread, I thought perfect!

This is what it looks like so far:

Remember the vintage shuttles I picked up on this trip? Well, this one is labelled Justrite. I do like working with it. I normally don’t like the feel of a metal shuttle. I prefer wood. But, this one is balanced better and almost feels like my ivory shuttle. Since it twists apart to fill, I wondered if it is the inspiration for the Moonlit shuttle. Incidentally, today is the last day to pre-order from Handy Hands. I ordered my bag in blue!

Vintage shopping

When you live in a Historic home, you tend to decorate in “vintage” styles. We have great fun shopping in Thrift and Antique stores. Recently, while shopping with a friend, we discovered this vintage tin filled with vintage thread. The tin took the brunt of wear, which means the thread will be good to tat with. I can’t wait!

Joy in orange

😀

I’ve been working on this sample for months. Not steadily, but whenever the deadlines clear enough to pick up a pattern I can work in small sections. And because the center section has beads added as you go, not loaded onto thread prior to tatting, I didn’t work on this in the car but rather just sitting around the house. OK, those of you who know me can stop laughing! I rarely just sit. I’m usually doing two things at once: tatting and …… watching TV, talking to friends, reading a book on the computer, listening to music that I want to analyze/perform, ….. you get the idea.

Anyway…..

This sample is in vintage thread using size 15 blue beads. I rather like it. Orange is associated with joy and happiness, so this makes me smile. Or perhaps that is because I’m looking forward to teaching in April and May. Join me!

Lace in Sunnyvale

I spent a wonderful day Monday exploring the Lace Museum inSunnyvale, CA. They were in the process of photographing some of the recent donations, so I didn’t get out my little phone and get in the way. I'll be teaching there in April: here's the flyer. We’re going to have great fun looking at vintage and heritage patterns to update our imagination. If you will be in California just before Shuttlebirds, consider attending the 2 day workshop I will be leading at the Lace Museum in Sunnyvale. You will receive my Sonata pattern with one-on-one help tatting up the doily. I’m looking forward to learning a lot from those who come to tat with me.