2 August 2010

Monday, Monday

If anybody out there thinks I have a method in my designing then think again!!!!  Well, perhaps I do - it's called madness!

I use lots of different approaches to a new pattern but I never design on paper or with math as my prop! I can't 'do' math anyway - watch me struggle with adding and subtracting when I'm shopping!!!

Probably the easiest way is to just 'tat it' and see what happens.  Sometimes nowadays I draw (on the computer) too.  

This kiwi had me flummoxed for ages.  I couldn't make a start.  I'd downloaded lots of pictures of kiwis and studied them until I thought I knew what your 'average' kiwi looked like.  I always do this when tackling an animal.  

Well in the end I decided to 'just start' (after doing a rough drawing on the computer) and see if I could break it down into sections.  One trick I've learnt is to use two shuttles and two colours so you can 'track' your progress.  This time and for the first time ever I 'did a bit' and tied and cut, did a bit more and tied and cut.  

In the first trial (the grotty coloured picture below) I did the body (see the knot at the top, right?) and then joined on above the legs to do the under neck.  Then I did the top of the neck and the whole thing didn't look too bad!!!  

Next to try and do it in 'one hit' with just the one tie and cut at the end.  The brown version underneath does just that.  BUT I'M NOT HAPPY with it yet.  NO WAY!!!

At the very bottom is the rough drawing I did.  I got 'lost' on the neck!!!!



8 comments:

Margarets designer cards said...

Looks great and it looks like a kiwi, well done Margaret

TAT19540 said...

Love your birdie! Two colors make it easier to tell what it is, but what do I know. Now how about a Budgie?!!

Ridgewoman said...

It is really interesting to see the kiwi 'evolve'. I tried designing ONCE, never again ~ just not my gift. My ideas were all too complex for the finished product.
I can understand why you aren't happy with it as yet ~ but you will conquer it in the end as you always do ~ and it will be fantastic.

xxP

Gina said...

ROTFL! Well...I could only see the very 1st pic while I was reading the text and my first thought was of kiwi fruit so I was a little confused. As I scrolled down, I thought - this doesn't look anything like a kiwi. And then I saw the critter! hehehehe...wondered why you would tat the kiwi fruit anyway???

Iris Niebach said...

I sent you my brain cell 3, did you recieve it and did it work well? Because I have now a lack of brain cell 3 and don't recognize the bird, have to take a look into the encyclopedia! How do those ideas come into your mind?

shannon_in_love said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUUx5FdySs

have you seen this. its a kiwi video. i immediately recognized your tatting as a kiwi.. so your doing something right!

Jane Eborall said...

Thanks, folks. Shannon_in_love - the video is great - I see they do have a little tail!!!! Very helpful.

Rosa Goncalves said...

Oi amiga, adoro os bichinhos ficaram lindos, ai se eu adorava saber fazer este tipo de trabalho , adoro, as suas ideias fica sempre lindas, jinhosssssss Rosa

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