Friday, September 30, 2011

Need Input

I finally got to the point where I felt comfortable enough with my new sewing machine that I thought I could finish this piece of embroidery into something. It decided it wanted to be a pouch, a pouch that seems to look a lot like a glasses case! I should probably line it with felt if I use it for glasses - or it could just hold balls of thread, etc. I wanted to add a little lace to it too, so I've been tatting a baby edging in size 30 Presencia. So now ....where do I put the lace (not done yet) where it will look the nicest?

Should it be on the top row below the edge, like this?



Or along the top edge, like this option?



Or maybe just a short curved section centered under the embroidery, but placed better than this short sample?


I sort of like the 3rd option, but wouldn't want the lace any longer than what it is. So I'd stop, block it, and then stitch it in a bit of a curve here. What do you think? Maybe a combination of some kind? I also intend to stitch some loops between the sides to run ribbon through so I could tie it up if I wanted.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Whoo Hoo!

Fnally, FINAlly, FINALLY!!! I managed to finish it!

I had left off okay. I thought I was untatting but if I was, I didn't need to. I did have to untat one ring at nearly the end when I joined one ring too soon. Then I added a little chain loop at the end for a tassel. So HERE we are!!!

It's been disconcerting to see how much we can lose in a short time. Otherwise preoccupied, I've had very little time for tatting in September and it shows. I still had to finger shape it a bit after the scan for my liking but I'm happy with it now. I've usually seen it in brighter colors and I do like the brighter colors. Using size 30 Cebelia was a spur of the moment decision. Maybe another time I'll make a size 20 brighter version.

Thank you Jon for a challenging pattern!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I'm making progress on the Chinese Coin bookmark but again, was too busy watching TV and kept having to retro-tat. Stopped after my 3rd error. Maybe tonight!

I'm also crocheting a hat from this red nubby yarn although neither the scan or photo showed the true red. Because it is so nubby, it's hard to follow but I think I'm making progress!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Yay! Finally I made a second attempt at the Chinese Coin bookmark. I'm ready to make the turn and start up the other side. I will probably wait until tomorrow to finish it off.

I am so behind in my tatting or any lace, for that matter. Palmettos is this weekend and I'll be watching for news from attendees. Also the gang at Fringe Element which is also this weekend. The Feast of the Hunter's Moon is also this weekend locally. I won't be attending any of them. I was originally going on vacation but had to make some changes in my plans. It will be better to go at a later date.

I've been reading the blogs even though I don't comment on all. Time has been at a premium lately but I'm liking what I see. So much beautiful Autumn colors in thread and projects! Autumn is my favorite season.

I've been enjoying the season's premiers this week. I mostly watch the comedys - The Big Bang Theory was the main attraction tonight! Person of Interest is on now which doesn't particularly appeal to me. CSIC is about as much drama as I can handle!

Friday, September 16, 2011

My Lace Guild has a new blog, Lafayette Lacemakers, thanks to one of our newest members!

Lelia, over at Stitches of Life II, is the creator of the blog. What a wonderful job she has done too!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

I did start the Winter Butterfly but haven't been happy with it so it's just laying there waiting on me. I'll finish it but I don't think it will go with the others. I don't want to make a final decision until it is complete though. It might look entirely different.

One of the problems is that the colors are not as pale as I thought when tatted up. That may still be okay...it might just be a matter of perception viewing it pretty much bare and naked.

The other problem is that I added a silver thread to the white because I wanted a little bit of sparkle like real snowflakes or snow have - unless it's overcast and the snow has been around long enough to get gray and dingy. But it adds just enough thickness to the thread that it is noticeably bigger than the wing thread or the bodies on the other butterflies. So...when it is done, if I decide I like the wings this color after all, I'll make another one and use a smaller white thread to compensate. The silver thread itself is fine already. Or I could cut the body away and make the new one and attach in the same place. I actually had to do that with the last one after I decided to change colors for the body so I know it can be done, as long as it's done early. Like NOW, before I go any further! I just remembered that option.

See...too many irons in the fire.

I have not attempted to work more on the Chinese Coin bookmark. I will make an entirely new one - maybe even in a different color. I also haven't worked on any more vintage motifs for the challenge. Too many irons in the fire right now, as I just mentioned, but I will eventually get back to them both.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Sheer Frustration!

I sort of understand what it feels like to be Fox.

This is the second time I've tried to tat Jon's Chinese Coin bookmark. The first time was a few years ago and the thread was way too fine for a first try. I abandoned it planning to try again later, not this much later, but later.

I started this earlier in the week and was quite proud of myself for getting one whole side done. Then other things got in the way and it sat on my table, patiently waiting for me to get back to it. Tonight was the night.

I had just completed the second segment from the bottom and was pleased with how it was going....until I realized I was one ring short to join to on the left side.


How did that happen? I kept studying it and couldn't figure out the exact error except I was short one ring! I finally got that I had not made the second ring between segments. The only way to fix it is to cut out the whole segment. I couldn't ignore it and go on at this point. It's now glaring at me!

I had numbered the order of the top segment of rings to help me keep it straight. Jon colored coded the split rings according to where they were split but I still had to draw a line at the split to know where easily. I should have numbered them all the way down and possibly would not have missed that ring.

So maybe I'll tackle it again on another day. It's not that hard, really! You just have to keep track of the order of rings and chains. It was tatted in size 30 Cebelia.

Monday, September 05, 2011


Summer!

Tatted with Marilee's HDT Garden Afternoon and Lizbeth Leaf Green Medium, size 20 for both.

Kind of reminds me of Monet's Garden.

Sunday, September 04, 2011

I got an unexpected gift from Anika - two more of her hand dyed skeins! I have one wound onto a floss holder and tatted a tiny bit already.

Otherwise, I really have no tatting to show. We had another heat record-breaking week and after trudging across campus several times each day, I literally dropped for a nap every day when I got home. When I woke up, I really didn't feel like doing anything. It's pretty bad when I can't even rouse myself to tat!

Yesterday I spent a few hours demonstrating lace at Global Fest. Since another tatter was going to be there during the same shift, I took a Romanian Point Lace project with me. I didn't make much progress and may snip out what I did do. It's hard to focus when people are continually asking questions and telling their stories. Enjoyable but not conducive to good lace work. It wasn't bad in spite of the lack of AC but I was glad to go home and cool off. Kelli may have some photos to post later but I didn't take any.

It did cool off last night as a cold front came through and it looks like the remainder of the weekend will be comfortable, if cloudy and overcast.

May all of you who labor on a regular basis enjoy the holiday on Monday!

Thursday, September 01, 2011

#18 in 25 Motif Challenge

Plate V, figure 25

I started on the motif last night. It's a simple 4 ring motif. 6-6-6-6 with joins at the side picots. At first, I miscounted the picots and had a 6-6-6 ring but then I saw there was no way to join at the corners for the 9 square center so I carefully counted again and found my mistake. I'd already made 2 rings. I didn't want to cut them off and have a knot and ends to deal with because I planned on split rings later so I de-tatted and started over. Not really much of a bother.

So then I went from one little motif to another and was not pleased with how the rings bunched up. I kept looking at the picture over and over...what was I doing wrong? And what was that teensy little center there? Was that the stitching from embroidering it on the net?

And then a little light went on. I remembered seeing something about 10 stitches but nothing in the ring was the equivelant of 10 stitches so back to carefully reading the pattern I went! Oh my! After the 4 rings are tatted, you tat a tiny ring of 10 stitches. This folds down on the center. That's what that little nubbin' in the center is!

So here is the real motif!

To get the tiny ring on the topside so all the stitches looked the same, I unwound the shuttle, pulled the thread up through the center, tatted the ring and then pulled the thread back down again. Then I caught a stitch in the tiny ring at the top with my fine crochet hook and brought that thread up through it and then down again, tying to the other thread in the back.

The only way to get that center effect is to tat each motif separately. You can't climb out with a split ring. I suppose technically you could, by tatting the tiny rings after all the motifs are done but I can see that tatting them separately won't result in the bunched up rings like the first incorrect sample.

Now to begin with, I have no idea how to embroider net. I'm not even sure what net is. The only "net" I know of is the nylon variety used to make scrubbies for the kitchen and bathroom or scratchy crinoline slips to make the skirt poof out. Or the NET, the internet variety. When I thought I could zip through the 9 center motifs and the outside 24 motifs by using split rings, I was going to try putting it on a linen piece as the center insert and outer edging. Now that I know I'm going to have to tat 33 individual motifs and hide the ends in every one of them, I'm just not willing to do that at the moment. Life is a little busy and with holidays soon coming up, my time can be better spent elsewhere, but I may use it as a long term side project.

There are 3 more motifs in this Plate V and I will do them. One other is also on net and we'll see how much tatting is involved in that before I commit to it on linen!