Friday, August 05, 2011

Creative Displays of Tatting

So....those of you who have participated in multiple 25 Motif Challenges or exchanges or just tat a lot, what do you do with the pieces that keep stacking up? Do you tend to tat in the same color group? Can you categorize or sort your tatting into complementary groups? Have you tried laying it all out and then mixing and matching?

I have a habit of tatting ONE motif to try a pattern out or to see how the thread behaves and then I just put it in a pile. The piles are not necessarily all in the same place. So I'm thinking it's time to create some order out of this chaos and I went looking for ideas.

I found this arrangement on Craft Gossip. The author suggested it for crocheted doilies but I'm thinking tatted doilies or even smaller - coasters, medallions or snowflakes. It's only a suggestion, in my mind, of the possibilities.

Look at this tip for organizing or storing thread that I found in Needlework Tips and Techniques! It just so happens I had a nearly empty CD tube so I went home and put it to use for the exact same type of thread. I got all but 3 balls in it. Unfortunately, they are only stacked and there is no dowel or anything holding them in each stack which means when you open it, they will all tumble out unless you hold it upside down and even then, to get to the ball on the bottom, you have to take them all out but I was taking them out of their container anyway. This will keep them clean and easy to transport.

11 comments:

  1. Some of my motifs go into the "grab bag" to share with anyone who shows an interest when I tat in public. The ones I want to keep for myself are scattered around decoratively on tables and shelves. I used to have some hanging in the window with suction cups, too, until I got a cat who likes to bat at them and knock them down. I do try to keep a colors scheme that makes sense within any given grouping of tatted bits.

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  2. I have motifs in baggies and boxes. I'm not even sure where they all are! Someday, someone is going to have a big surprise when he/she cleans out my sewing room!

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  3. I thought about using this idea for displaying my tatting
    http://needlework.craftgossip.com/great-idea-for-mounting-needlework/2011/07/31/

    Like Fox, I put some of my tatting on a silk lampshade

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  4. I saw that on Craft Gossip the other day too and liked it.

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  5. Most of my tatting I put into small self closing plastic bag and then they are put into air tight containers. I have them organized into "Christmas", "Easter","gifts to give","jewlery", and "other special things" etc. (I try to keep all of the same things together.) This way when I need something I know right where to find it. Most of the time when I need something special I already have it made. Once in a while I will have to tat it right then. It is nice to have a variety of things ahead of time. I like to work on these items in between projects. I don't make my special cards until I need them as they are one of a kind for that occasion.

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  6. What isn't given away is put into a box for later use, or added to CQ's and other sewn objects, made into tree ornaments or added to hand-painted and/or hand-embroidered cards. I usually have an item in mind when I tat something. Of course, I haven't been tatting that long,..........;-)

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  7. Hé! Gina we make how to participate has 25 motives challenge and the arrangement of the frivolity is a good idea!

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  8. That's a neat idea for display. A lot of what I make is given away, the others are rather haphazardly put away here, there and yonder, though I usually have an idea of where when I go looking for them. I definitely need to put things on the wall if I want to display them; if they are put on a flat surface they are soon covered in 'stuff'...

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  9. Most of my early tatted pieces are on my small 'portable' Christmas tree, easy to keep stored and clean in a big plastic bag. I sometimes apologize for the tree at our spring and summer events because I myself want to keep Christmas in its own season, but in a way the tree is my 'sampler' and is a 'vertical' display (on a turn table) that has its own round table with the tree skirt (with my first pieces of tatting on it).

    I also keep practice pieces or 'extra' motifs - in special see-through boxes. And I bought (at a thrift store) a small 'china closet' which 'just' fits in my craft room to keep my other displays under control (egg trees, bells (on mug trees), Victorian doll, decorated boxes, etc.,to make it easier to 'grab' for the shows. The trick is getting it all back there AFTER the shows!! But the BIGGEST problem I have is where to store all the 'stuff' I've bought that I 'hope' to add tatting to! That's a whole other story!

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  10. I seen to lose some of my tatting in the shape of grand daughter and daughter in law, I knitted a flower for my table and that walked, I like you cd box great idea to keep the cotton clean.
    Margaret

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  11. I put them in tins and boxes which I collect. It isn't organized just put in as and when I tat them. Snowflakes goes in one tin since it will be on the tree this christmas. Bookmarks are put into a plastic sleeve all ready for gifting. I have to keep my tatting covered due to the dust and cat fur which settles on them.

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