Tag: motif

Arches and Points

I’m still working on my daughter’s runner but I don’t have anything to show today. I’ve got the idea, and the material, and gotten started on the additional tatting, but not enough to share. I’m pretty excited about how I think it will turn out. Maybe next week I’ll have a better update on it.

While I was picking up things in the living room this week I started collecting several of my tatted pieces to either move or put away when I noticed something. Two of the pieces looked pretty cool together.

Arches and points on wandasknottythoughts
Arches and points

I had left the 12-point medallion out from when I took pictures of it but decided to put it away. When I moved it I had laid it on top of the Arches Over Arches doily that was on the buffett. Then I noticed it would sort of fit in the center of the doily and played with the arrangement a bit. And look what happened!

I might have to try putting these two patterns together intentionally. What do you think?

“The more I draw and write, the more I realise that accidents are a necessary part of any creative act, much more so than logic or wisdom. Sometimes a mistake is the only way of arriving at an original concept, and the history of successful inventions is full of mishaps, serendipity and unintended results.“

Shaun Tan

Still on Point

It wasn’t intentional, really. I was making a thread sample for a friend to take with her to look for material and ended up with some of the thread left on the shuttle. On a whim, I decided to do another small motif and ended up with points again.

Another 12 point medallion on wandasknottythoughts
Another 12 point medallion

I made the center and thought it was too small so did the next round. It was okay but I still had thread left so I played with different ideas for another round. Several were cut off as I didn’t like them before this one.

If this was blocked with pins instead of just dampened and laid flat the outside round would look more even. As this was just for fun I haven’t done that yet. If ever. I like the look the way it looks just as it is.

I have gone from having no real plans on what to tat next to having several. This is a good thing, as I’ve been a bit in limbo on what I want to work on. One of these days I may take my own advice and make a list of things I want to make so I don’t forget. Then I’d always have an idea for the next project. Right?

“I always say don’t make plans, make options.” Jennifer Aniston

Finishing small things

In the last month or so I’ve talked several times about using small threads and shown the beginnings of  my attempts with them.  I actually finished all three things I started with them.
I mentioned here about trying out a quilting thread. This is the completed piece.
Motif out of off-white quilting thread.
It is a pretty basic clover and chain pattern that I just doodled. 
In this post I talked about using Gütermann thread.
Motif in Gütermann silk quilting thread.
This motif was also made without referring to a pattern. 
In this same post I showed a shuttle that was given to me that was already loaded with a pink and white variegated thread, maybe size 70 or 80. I was wondering if I should make a small doily with it. 
Unknown thread size or brand.
This little three-round piece.was the hardest to make due to thread breakage.  I think it has to do with the age of the thread.  The first two rounds went well, with little trouble, but the thread started breaking on the last round.  In fact the thread broke as I connected the last chain to the base of the first ring so closely I glued it instead of hiding the ends.

Here are the three pieces together with a regular Clover shuttle to show the sizes of the finished pieces. 
It was quite the experience working with these small threads.  For whatever reason prior to this I was pretty leery of working with anything this small, but now I have some ideas for making several things in small thread – if I ever get to them. My to-do list keeps growing and growing.
“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.”
Og Mandino
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TIAS days 7 & 8

We are up to day 8 of the 2014 TIAS by Jane E.  
And I still don’t have any idea what it may be.  Several other participants have suggested sails for a boat, which could be – the boat itself may be last.  But with the TIAS in pieces and no way to know which way is up or how they fit together it’s very hard to see what may be coming.
Day 7
Lizbeth #130 Island Breeze size 20
Day 8
Reading through all the entries on Jane’s TIAS blog it’s interesting to see how everyone is coming along and all their guesses.  Most are using variegated thread (Jane suggested to) which gives each person’s venture quite different looks due to the thread color combinations.  When I take pictures of mine I keep thinking it’s not laying flat when it is, it’s just the color of the thread giving that impression. 
I don’t know what we’re making yet, Jane, but it is a lot of fun!
I haven’t been getting a lot of tatting done this week – I keep getting sidetracked.  I see something that needs doing (the ‘h’ word) or something I’ve thought about doing (crafty things) or anyone of a number of things that catch my attention and off I go on a tangent. I finally sat down the other night with a piece of tatting I started some time ago and didn’t finish.  

Garden 10 Nazli Gelin size 10 white
I found the center of this long-picoted motif inside a bag of other tatting.  I don’t remember what I was going to do with those long picots but the motif was obviously unfinished.  For whatever reason it intrigued me enough to work on it a bit.  I put an outside around it, playing with the stitch count until I thought it was right – and found I probably should have used a couple more stitches than I did.  Now I have to decide what comes next.  Maybe it was to go on a ball Christmas ornament?  I need to see if that center will fit over one.  Hmmm.
“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.”
Augusta Rodin
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Star motif again

Still working on the star motif.  This time I’ve made it in Lizbeth #159 Easter Eggs and #638 Christmas Green in size 20.

Making it with contrasting colors really brings out the pattern, showing which shuttle was used where.  It changes its look quite a bit from using the same thread throughout. I’ve also made a bit of a change in the last round – again – trying to decide just how I want it. Not sure about this version, either. 
The TIAS has reached Day 3. Now I’m waiting somewhat impatiently for Day 4!  I haven’t counted how many people have joined this year but it looks like quite a few.  It’s fun to be tatting with other tatters from all over the world, isn’t it?  Just seeing everyone’s version of the TIAS and reading their comments enhances the enjoyment of being a part of this adventure.  Thank you, Jane!
“A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.”
Eugene Ionesco
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Things to do when it’s cold outside

Like a lot of the mid-west it’s been mighty cold here this last weekend.  I didn’t even leave the house Saturday or Sunday.  I wouldn’t have Monday, either, except I had to go to work.  So what does one do for two and a half days of staying inside?
Well, getting some tatting done, for one thing.  Not as much as I could have, but some anyway.
I’m revisiting a motif I made back in October, deciding if I want to write down the pattern or not. I made a bit of a change in the outside round, not sure if it made it better or worse.  It’s made with Lizbeth #670 Victorian Red in size 20.
On Monday I started on Jane’s new TIAS.
I’ve started mine in Lizbeth #130 Island Breeze in size 20.  It’s only day one so there is little hope of guessing what it will be yet.  It’s fun seeing all the people who have joined.  If you haven’t yet but would like to try it, it’s never to late to start.
Then of course there is the usual things that can’t be ignored – you know, the everyday things that have to be done: cooking, a bit of cleaning, laundry (you’ve heard that “no laundry today, naked tomorrow? It can be true).
I was actually slow getting to my tatting. I had a big distraction: a new book.  While grocery shopping Friday I found one I just had to buy.  I admit I haven’t bought or read many books lately for several reasons:
1.  When I start reading I have a hard time putting the book down until I’m done with it. And maybe re-read a few favorite spots…
2. I have decided I should try to only pick up books by favorite authors due to reason #1.
3. I have a lot of tatting and craft projects I want to do and can’t if I’m in the middle of a book (refer to reason #1).
4.  We have some remodeling that has to be done, which I can’t do while in the middle of a book (refer to reason #1).
5.  Like it or not cooking, cleaning, washing, etc, and going to work are necessary evils, which I can’t do while in the middle of a book (refer to reason #1). 
6.  The room we have to remodel has most of my books in it and we have to move them all to work on the room.  There seems to be a lot of books…
So, at the store Friday I found a anthology edited by one of my favorite authors, Mercedes Lackey 🙂 
And yes, I ignored ‘most everything else until I had finished it! **unrepentant grin**
There are several stories in here that can stand alone but are continuations of other stories from “Elemental Magic”, another book of short stories,which was probably the last book I purchased.  I haven’t really gotten into Mercedes’ ‘Elemental’ series (refer to reason #1) but I enjoyed these a lot.  And it looks like her story in this book is the introduction of her next full length novel (“Red as Blood” coming 2014).   
Even though I love having an actual book in my hand I need to see how many of her books are in audio books, then maybe I can get other things done while ‘reading’!!
“The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp.  The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.”
Ursula K. Le Guin
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Getting ready

One day when I felt I should be tatting but couldn’t get myself organized to tat something on my list, I tatted this motif.  Nothing fancy or hard, just tatting and hoping something worth keeping would come out of it.

Lizbeth #651 size 20
The center is pretty much the center from last years (?) snowflake with a little something more on the outside.  Not sure what I’m going to do with it, but I like it. 

Mostly I’ve been very busy tatting planned items, getting ready for the craft show this weekend.  I’ve decorated a few more bags, made a few ornaments and put together a few odds and ends.  I always think I have more time before a show than I really do so I don’t really get busy until the last few weeks – way later than I should.
Then I stress about what I don’t have done, and how I’m going to get it done.
This week I have taken a couple of days vacation just to get ready.  I have a plan, a list of things that still need to be accomplished.  If I don’t have a plan I wonder around in circles (it seems) and get very little done, but with a plan the most important things usually end up getting finished. Sometimes late the night before but finished.  With a few days off this week to get ready could this be the show that I’m ready for early?
Hahahahaha! Probably not.
But I still enjoy doing craft shows whether I get everything done or not, or even if I sell much or not.  Tatting is put out there for people to see, and sometimes I get to talk to a few about it, too. Who knows, maybe someone will be intrigued enough about it to want to learn how.  And I stretch my imagination coming up with new things to make and get to see what other people have come up with.  
A win all around.
“The trouble with the future is that it usually arrives before we’re ready for it.”
Arnold H. Glasow
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I changed my mind

Back in July I made several motifs that I planned to put on my denim purse.

I changed my mind. 

I decided to put them on a heart instead.

Lizbeth #662 Turquoise Light size 20
This wooden heart is about 3 inches across.  I have a frame I want to put it in but I haven’t found just the right background to put it on. I’m calling this #11 of this round of my 25 Motif Challenge (I finally remembered to count it!)
So why did I change my mind?
Because I could 🙂
I’m playing with my new threads now, but I don’t have anything to show just yet.  So far I’m enjoying them a lot, which kind of surprises me as I’ve never really liked tatting with this small of thread.  Thanks Fox and IsDihara for introducing me to them!
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Winston Churchill
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Hat Medallion

I was given several very thin metal findings – ‘doodads’ – to see what I could come up with.  This is my first try.  The outside came easy enough but I kept wondering what to do with the center, which has a small hole. My solution, at least this time, is two rings, the larger on the bottom.  The tails of the two rings are threaded through the bead then through the hat to hold the medallion on.  The doodad is so thin it bends easily so I’m thinking maybe putting a button on the inside to help keep it from bending when wearing the hat.  
Lizbeth # 652 Royal Blue size 20
I put it on the side of the hat but I’m not sure it’s positioned quite right yet.  I think I’ll have to put the hat on a head to be able to see where it looks the best. 
Lizbeth #144 Leaf Swirl size 20

I’ve had the idea for while to make a bracelet with buttons and finally found a combination of buttons and thread that I like.   I’ve given this to one of my daughters to try out for awhile.  She has instructions to let me know what she thinks of it, what works and what doesn’t.  She hasn’t got back to me about it yet though I’m anxiously waiting.  I have some other, really cute buttons I would like to do this to but if there is something I should do differently I’d like to know before I start.

It’s funny, for as many hearts as I did for Valentine’s Day I haven’t done a thing for Easter.  I guess it’s still a few days away, I could still get something made…

Thank you to all of you who asked after my mom.  She is doing very well and is back home.  She does have some in-home care and a neighbor who checks in frequently so I’m not too concerned about her being alone.    She did spend a few days in rehab to get some of her strength back, which also relieved my sister and I.  We were afraid she would try to go straight home from the hospital.  This situation could have been a lot worse.  We are very grateful of how well things are working out and how well she is getting along.

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does.  Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining – they just shine.”
Dwight L. Moody
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What a week!

Oh, wait, it’s been two weeks!
No, I didn’t forget to post – life got in the way.
I have gotten some tatting done but haven’t found much time for picture taking.  Finally this morning I just took the time to take a few.
 Lizbeth size 20 #122 Caribbean
I usually keep several bookmarks handy for those times a small gift is needed unexpectedly but my supply of these has dwindled to nothing. I started restocking with this cross that has a finding – ‘doodad’ – in the middle.  
I’ve also be playing with the motif idea I had a couple of weeks ago.  The one on the left is the original, the one on the right the next try.  I think I like the second one better.  Both are made in size 10 turquoise. 

It has been a very busy two weeks, lots of things happening, little of it planned.  I’ve spent a lot of time at the hospital with my mother who fell and broke her hip and femur. As breaks go they aren’t bad but there was still surgery, hospital stay and now rehab.  
I did get to spend a beautiful day with one of my grandsons in the middle of all this.  My son-in-laws’ family also had a medical emergency and a babysitter was needed for a few hours.  It happened to be on the most gorgeous day – 80° F, sunny, very little wind – so we went to the park.  Three parks actually.  He didn’t want to go home at all! It was a great day. 
I have to admit that there is something else that has kept me from tatting as much as I’d planned – a new book.  I found out last week that my favorite author, Lois McMaster Bujold, had a new book in the Vorkosigan saga out last November(!)  The first six chapters are free to read on-line – which I did, but it leaves you hanging (of course).  Then I tried something I’d been putting off – I bought the ebook to read on my tablet.   I instantly had the entire book to read (heheheheheh), no waiting to go to the library or book store.   This has proved to be dangerous – it’s just too easy to buy new books.  If I’m not careful I’ll never get anything else done!
“I am simply a ‘book drunkard.’ Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee.  I cannot withstand them.”
L.M. Montgomery