Pattern: Motif 19 from the book The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 129 purple splendor.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
This is the largest item I've tatted so far. Actually it's not, but I managed to spill tea on the other one before I'd had a chance to take a picture of it and because it was white the stain was really obvious. Anyhoo, this one measures about 16cm across.
I really couldn't (and still don't) understand the instructions in the back of the book for the joining technique that was used so I resorted to using a lock join. I don't think it would have made so much difference if I'd been using a solid colour but the joins are more noticeable because of the colour changes. I'm still pleased with how this turned out and for the most part I enjoyed making it.
This marks my final 25 Motif Challenge item. I'm glad I joined the challenge as it's given me the motivation to seek out new patterns and it's exposed me to the work of other tatters. I think I will join for a second round however I think it will be more difficult to find patterns this time round. I have a number of books now but I like to mix it up with free patterns online so that if someone likes what they see then they can make it too without having to wait to order a book.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
In Response...
...to comments by Fox and Isdihara.
I keep looking through the Artistry book because it really is lovely. I've tried to start one of the patterns for what I think is a small doily but it wasn't working so I've put it on hold. Instead I'm working on one of the edging patterns.
I also tried one of the handkerchief patterns which I liked very much but it looks too clunky in the size 20 that I have so I'm going to wait till I get some size 40.
I got the Farm Animals book after seeing the calf pattern on another blog, which I'd provide a link for if only I could remember where I saw it. As yet I haven't tried any of the patterns but I think I'll do the calf in medium brown.
I keep looking through the Artistry book because it really is lovely. I've tried to start one of the patterns for what I think is a small doily but it wasn't working so I've put it on hold. Instead I'm working on one of the edging patterns.
I also tried one of the handkerchief patterns which I liked very much but it looks too clunky in the size 20 that I have so I'm going to wait till I get some size 40.
I got the Farm Animals book after seeing the calf pattern on another blog, which I'd provide a link for if only I could remember where I saw it. As yet I haven't tried any of the patterns but I think I'll do the calf in medium brown.
Monday, 1 February 2010
As A Great Philosopher Once Said...
Oops I did it again.
I haven't had a chance to try any of the patterns from these books yet as they only arrived this morning and I've only had a quick flip through the pages. So far I'm liking the Tatted Artistry the best, quite nice to look at.
The Tatting Farm Animals book is a strange one. It seems to have a couple of nice little items in it but some seem to be lacking. You look at them and it seems that if they didn't have a label telling you what they are meant to be, you wouldn't know. Maybe it's the patterns and maybe it's just the way they were made by whoever tatted the samples.
The Tatted Handkerchiefs book looks okay I guess but the edgings look quite similar to what I already have in two other books. Will have to look more closely when I get a chance.
I haven't had a chance to try any of the patterns from these books yet as they only arrived this morning and I've only had a quick flip through the pages. So far I'm liking the Tatted Artistry the best, quite nice to look at.
The Tatting Farm Animals book is a strange one. It seems to have a couple of nice little items in it but some seem to be lacking. You look at them and it seems that if they didn't have a label telling you what they are meant to be, you wouldn't know. Maybe it's the patterns and maybe it's just the way they were made by whoever tatted the samples.
The Tatted Handkerchiefs book looks okay I guess but the edgings look quite similar to what I already have in two other books. Will have to look more closely when I get a chance.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
24 of 25
Pattern: The Third Day of December from the book 24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Bjørn.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 613 & col 623 & col 680.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
I started to do this pattern in a single shade and thought the middle looked like a flower so started it again in these colours to see what would happen.
I took the picture before blocking just in case anything drastic happened to it when trying to pin it out.
I wanted to tackle this snowflake as soon as I got the book but figured it might be too difficult. I'm not sure exactly why I found it so daunting but I'm glad I got over it and gave it a try.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 613 & col 623 & col 680.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
I started to do this pattern in a single shade and thought the middle looked like a flower so started it again in these colours to see what would happen.
I took the picture before blocking just in case anything drastic happened to it when trying to pin it out.
I wanted to tackle this snowflake as soon as I got the book but figured it might be too difficult. I'm not sure exactly why I found it so daunting but I'm glad I got over it and gave it a try.
Friday, 29 January 2010
23 of 25
Pattern: Tatted Fall Leaves (pdf) by Heather Johnston.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 100.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
Mine looks a little different to the pattern but I like it.
I've had this pattern saved in my links list for quite some time but every time I tried to follow the pattern it went wrong. Eventually last night I wrote out a rudimentary diagram and filled in the stitch numbers and it worked! I've looked at the pattern again and think that where it calls for a ring it's meant to call for a chain, which is pretty obvious to me now but when you're learning it isn't so. Another thing that's obvious now that I'm more familiar with tatting patterns and their inconsistency is the fact that you are meant to switch shuttles to do the little nodes on the leaf, which the pattern doesn't mention.
I might try the other leaves on the pattern file now that this one has worked.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 100.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
Mine looks a little different to the pattern but I like it.
I've had this pattern saved in my links list for quite some time but every time I tried to follow the pattern it went wrong. Eventually last night I wrote out a rudimentary diagram and filled in the stitch numbers and it worked! I've looked at the pattern again and think that where it calls for a ring it's meant to call for a chain, which is pretty obvious to me now but when you're learning it isn't so. Another thing that's obvious now that I'm more familiar with tatting patterns and their inconsistency is the fact that you are meant to switch shuttles to do the little nodes on the leaf, which the pattern doesn't mention.
I might try the other leaves on the pattern file now that this one has worked.
Monday, 25 January 2010
New Stuff
I didn't mean to buy these; it was an accident.
The Pink Parade (col 145) is a re-order as I found it works quite well either on its own or mixed with other colours. The Purple Splendor (col 129) is a new favourite, such a beautiful blend of shades. Then there's the Tropical Fruit (col 107) which is about as hideous a shade as I've ever seen. Worse even than the gross yellow I got last time.
I tried these new clover shuttles out straight away and I love them. I can't really see any physical difference between them and the normal coloured clovers but they just feel nicer.
Pattern: SweetHeart by Birgit Phelps.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 623.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
I don't care for this particular pattern but uploading as part of my 25.
The Pink Parade (col 145) is a re-order as I found it works quite well either on its own or mixed with other colours. The Purple Splendor (col 129) is a new favourite, such a beautiful blend of shades. Then there's the Tropical Fruit (col 107) which is about as hideous a shade as I've ever seen. Worse even than the gross yellow I got last time.
I tried these new clover shuttles out straight away and I love them. I can't really see any physical difference between them and the normal coloured clovers but they just feel nicer.
Pattern: SweetHeart by Birgit Phelps.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 623.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
I don't care for this particular pattern but uploading as part of my 25.
By George I Think I've Got It
So near and yet.............................................so far.
I tatted the first couple of rings and chains but something went wrong so I started again but didn't take into consideration the fact that I had less thread on my shuttle. I got to the final ring and didn't have enough pink but was struck with the thought that I could make a self closing mock ring! Genius, right? Well it would have been had I not already cut the blue.
I wound on for my second attempt but instead of looking at the amount I'd used the first time, I did it from memory. So I get to the final ring and damn if I didn't run out of pink and do EXACTLY the same thing as before.
Lessons learnt:
1) Don't cut thread till I'm CERTAIN that I've finished.
2) Don't trust my failing memory.
I wasn't as annoyed as I'd expect myself to be because this pattern is a pleasure to make.
Pattern: Heart's Desire by Susan K Fuller.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 142 & col 145.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
I'm so glad that I finally managed to get this pattern done after so many false starts. I was going to say this is third time lucky but technically it's fourth time lucky as the black/red effort below was also from the same pattern but remained incomplete after I decided I couldn't get the chains to look right.
I tatted the first couple of rings and chains but something went wrong so I started again but didn't take into consideration the fact that I had less thread on my shuttle. I got to the final ring and didn't have enough pink but was struck with the thought that I could make a self closing mock ring! Genius, right? Well it would have been had I not already cut the blue.
I wound on for my second attempt but instead of looking at the amount I'd used the first time, I did it from memory. So I get to the final ring and damn if I didn't run out of pink and do EXACTLY the same thing as before.
Lessons learnt:
1) Don't cut thread till I'm CERTAIN that I've finished.
2) Don't trust my failing memory.
I wasn't as annoyed as I'd expect myself to be because this pattern is a pleasure to make.
Pattern: Heart's Desire by Susan K Fuller.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 142 & col 145.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
I'm so glad that I finally managed to get this pattern done after so many false starts. I was going to say this is third time lucky but technically it's fourth time lucky as the black/red effort below was also from the same pattern but remained incomplete after I decided I couldn't get the chains to look right.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Brains!
Pattern: The Brain by Martha Ess.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 145 & col 640 & col 691.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
This works up very quickly as it's so small (2cm across) and the pattern is written so as to be easily followed.
I like this little pattern, it's very cute. I could have done a neater job getting rid of the ends but never mind.
Thread: Lizbeth size 20, col 145 & col 640 & col 691.
Technique: Shuttle tatted.
This works up very quickly as it's so small (2cm across) and the pattern is written so as to be easily followed.
I like this little pattern, it's very cute. I could have done a neater job getting rid of the ends but never mind.
Tattiquette
While blog browsing I saw a really lovely motif that I wanted to make. I read the comments on the post and it was obvious that others were also looking for the source of the pattern but the person who posted it said that they didn't think it was available online and that it was from a foreign (to me) tatting association. Looking at the image it would be very easy to copy but this somehow seems wrong and I'm wondering what others think about the matter of copying a design when it's not possible to attain it any other way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
