This year has been the sixth year of the TIAS and it occurred to me the other day that I'd never asked what I could do to improve it.
I'm sure there MUST be improvements I can make so I'm taking notes now in preparation for next year's 'effort'.
I need to know things like are there too many parts to the designs? I aim for around 10 but should there be fewer?
Is each part of the pattern released too soon or is the gap too long?
Do you feel you are obliged to send in comments and/or pictures? I don't want this to happen although I do like to have a first and a final one from everybody just so I can see if it's worth doing another the following year.
Should there be some sort of 'signing in' to do the TIAS in future whereby those people and only those get the links?
I'm also curious as to why so many start and then roughly only half finish. I know things like 'life' get in the way but does it mean that people give up because either they can't manage it or because (when they realise what it is) they don't want the finished item.
I'm also curious as to why so many start and then roughly only half finish. I know things like 'life' get in the way but does it mean that people give up because either they can't manage it or because (when they realise what it is) they don't want the finished item.
Any help or suggestions would be very welcome and I'd appreciate if they were sent to this email address. lovetotat @ gmail.com.
23 comments:
My two sheckles...timing of new releases is just right, I personally really like the "around 10" part size (I thought it was 10 - 12 parts, actually). Sending in comments is a highlight of this tat-along for me. I suspect reading the amusing comments and images is a big draw for readers. As for "signing in," I don't mind either way...wouldn't bother me to do it, wouldn't hinder me from participating. I'm such a fan of TIAS!
Are there too many parts to the designs? No
Pattern released too soon or is the gap too long? No, release timing was good for me.
Do you feel you are obliged to send in comments and/or pictures? No, I liked doing the TIAS but I didn't submit any pictures.
Should there be some sort of 'signing in' to do the TIAS in future whereby those people and only those get the links? I think a lot of people would miss out that way.
I'm also curious as to why so many start and then roughly only half finish? Maybe they do finish but not on time so do not post.
Thanks folks. Just one thing, Michelle, there's no time limit so I'm not sure that this would apply?
I liked the number of parts as well as the length of time in between parts. I've started the TIAS two or three times before, and I gave up because I either made a mistake or I didn't feel comfortable making split rings. Obviously I got over that this year!
One of the best things about the TIAS is that each day's directions fit on one sheet of paper! I felt much less intimidated this year, but I really can't say why!
I love it just the way it is Jane - no changes needed as far as I'm concerned. Please keep on doing it.
I love TIAS mostly, except the time zone part, which can't be helped much I guess. :p
The space between releases could be more regular so I don't wonder when the next one will appear. I get anxious that way. LOL
The best part is in the use of techniques that aren't always the norm, such as lock chain, split chain, etc. I think you get the gist.
TIAS is FUN! Tks, Jane!
I love your TIAS and look forward to it every year. I do not see any reason to change what is not broken. We all know it take's a lot of time to sort one out and think you are fab for doing it. It's great fun and I love to see the picture's and comment's.
I'm with Jacqui... I like it the way it is. In every course or sign-up event there is a huge drop-off factor. That's just what happens, so I wouldn't worry about that. Also, perhaps folks actually are paying but not responding for whatever reason.
Sometimes I fell I must comment, but that is not an onerous task,and I am not sure why it is... A politeness factor? Certainly not worth navel-gazing, and actually well worth the cheeky responses I always get back!
This was my second TIA'S and I look forward to the third!
Fox : )
I, too, enjoy the TIAs just the way they are. I am still working on this year's--had too many irons in the fire and deadlines come up so haven't kept up. Please keep them going. I so enjoy reading and watching for the new steps!
I too enjoy the TIAS as it is. I know that you asked for comments to your email address, but since what I have to say is all good, there is no reason it can't be public.
I like the number of steps, I like the timing of the year, I like the amount of time between steps. All are good, whether or not I finish is on me, not on you.
It is possible that those who do take longer to finish feel that a few days after the last step they are "late" and so don't want to send it in. This is one of the first times I have been late, I had a bit of winter blues and actually had to force myself to finish and send in the results. Thanks for that, without you, I wouldn't have picked my shuttles us for another couple weeks. Now I am back on track... well sort of.
Some newbie tatters, might feel that their efforts don't stand up to those of us who have been tatting for some time, and are not sure their efforts warrant publishing. You might suggest that anyone who wants to send in their effort but doesn't want it published could do that as well. I'm a brassy bold old git so I don't mind showing my mistakes and messes to others, but I can see some others might not want to.
This was my second TIAS and really enjoy it. The timing is good. I like the anticipation of not knowing when the next segment will be coming. The 10-12 parts is good because it does not overwhelm.
One suggestion (and you can take it or leave it) is maybe a couple of weeks before let tatland know the techniques involved and where to get instructions. This would help those tatters not familiar with the technique to practice before we actually start. Beginners I think would find this especially helpful and we may have more participate or finish as they would not get discouraged.
I don't feel compelled to comment all the time but do enjoy the talented tatters pictures. I also enjoy seeing the thread choices that are used (good use of advertising for future purchases).
Other than that I say keep it as is and look forward to next year.
This is my first one; I liked the timing and the small portions for each day. I was a few days behind but by the end I was caught up. I haven't commented or taken a photo of it, mostly because I haven't sewn in the ends yet. I had to stop and learn to do split rings. I liked that the pattern required me to learn things like the split ring and lock chain, I've been too lazy about expanding my skills. I wouldn't want to have to sign up, though. I think that would take some of the spontaneity out.
As for starting and finishing, I can only tell you what I did last year. For Christmas I had tatted some gifts, and was a bit burnt out from that. So I was slow getting started on TIAS and by the time I was getting into it the finished goats started showing up. That took the fun out of it for me, so I like that this year you had a separate blog for the pages. I printed the last few ahead of time, but I went so far as to cover all but the 'print' button on my monitor so I couldn't see what was coming up until I was ready. I think that answers all the questions? Thank you! I need to sew in my ends so that I can take the pram to work; my coworkers want to see how it ended.
I like your TIAS just the way it is. Your wacky patterns and fun blogging encourages folks to try and to share. The number of parts is good, the release timing is good, the posting of pics/comments is good. Perhaps one way to encourage folks to finish is to send out a blast (like your announcements of releases) letting us know how many pictures of completed whatsit you have received. I like also that you list in the past the people (and their blog addresses) who have participated along your side bar. I like to go back and "get to know each other" a bit.
Bottom line: keep on doing it!
Thanks again,
Melanie
This was my first year being involved with the TIAS so I can only give my impression of this years.
I loved participating. If I had to sign in, I probably would have missed it. I think that some people join after the first day because they just missed it, so I don't think you should have people sign in. I think that some people are going to drop out in any ongoing project, so that might just be life. Posting the pix was so much fun for me. And reading others posts was fun and funny.
The only way I would want you to change is if it was a bourden for YOU. What I would really like is more of them throughout the year. I would like more people to step us and do one. I'm not a designer, but if I was, I'd be starting a TIAS project. It makes me feel like I am part of a great community and I appreciate it.
Sorry for being so long winded.
Monica, Columbia, MD. USA
Good point about the advanced notice with the techniques. I have been tatting for a long time and learned some new ones. I just looked them up on YouTube to make sure I was doing them correctly, but it would be good to get some advanced training.
As long as you let me into the secret of what it is going to be before you start publishing the bits of the TIAS I see no point in changing it!!! he he
I really like TIAS! The number of parts is good, the small size of each part is good, the timing is good (just after Christmas, so we have something to fill the post-Christmas slump). The sharing of progress photos and comments and guesses is also something I really love. It builds momentum, and that keeps a lot of us going.
I disagree with Phyllis and Monica about publishing in advance what techniques are involved. I think that might stop a lot of people from trying the TIAS! Okay, you did warn about the split chains, but you didn't warn us about the lock chains, the backward-facing split rings, etc., etc. And I don't think you should! :-)
I think the small size of each day's tatting, and the knowledge that we're all doing it together, has encouraged many to boldly go where they've never gone before...
I jumped into my first TIAS (last year, with the goat) when I had been tatting for barely a month. It really accelerated my learning! If not for TIAS, I might still be thinking that the SCMR is too difficult for me, I might still not be hiding ends... :-)
I really like TIAS! The number of parts is good, the small size of each part is good, the timing is good (just after Christmas, so we have something to fill the post-Christmas slump). The sharing of progress photos and comments and guesses is also something I really love. It builds momentum, and that keeps a lot of us going.
I disagree with Phyllis and Monica about publishing in advance what techniques are involved. I think that might stop a lot of people from trying the TIAS! Okay, you did warn about the split chains, but you didn't warn us about the lock chains, the backward-facing split rings, etc., etc. And I don't think you should! :-)
I think the small size of each day's tatting, and the knowledge that we're all doing it together, has encouraged many to boldly go where they've never gone before...
I jumped into my first TIAS (last year, with the goat) when I had been tatting for barely a month. It really accelerated my learning! If not for TIAS, I might still be thinking that the SCMR is too difficult for me, I might still not be hiding ends... :-)
I love TIAS as it is! It comes at the right time of year, perking us up in the post-Christmas slump. The number of parts is right, the size of the parts is right, the pictures and the comments and guesses are great, and they help to keep us going.
I disagree somewhat with Phyllis & Monica about letting us know in advance what techniques will be required. I think a lot of beginning tatters might be scared off, and that would be a great pity, because it's the ideal way to try something you've been intimidated about. The small segments, the personal online help from you, Jane, the encouragement of seeing other newbies try it — it's hard to find such good conditions for trying it. Besides, it all adds to the element of mystery... :-)
But, it's good that you do let out one technique that might be challenging (last year it was the SCMR, this year the split chain). For me, that makes it more exciting, and more satisfying when you do succeed.
Last year was my first TIAS. I had only been tatting for one month when I jumped in. Never would I have thought that I was ready to attempt an SCMR! But TIAS gave me the courage to try, and I'm really glad I did. And there were many other new techniques that I did for the first time, and it was all a great adventure. Thank you, Jane! :-)
I have enjoyed the TIAS, I have a lot of followers who are not tatters so I get them involved by asking them to guess what it is. Of course this year things went a bit wrong, the sheets are printed just got to get my head around to tatting and get it tatted.
I love the TIAS I can't think of any changes that could be made.
Margaret
This was my second TIAS, and I think the 10-12 design parts is good, not much to fix if a mistake is made, and just enough to do quickly when it is released (evening here). The few days gap is fine, when I forget some nights to check I still have time to catch up.
I don't feel obliged to send in comments and pictures, but I am never backwards in sharing! Others seem happier to do it in their own time and not share, that's ok too. Also, they may feel they need a blog to be bothered sending in their pictures, which I know isn't needed.
Like some of the other tatters, having a sign in wouldn't put me off, but it might 'scare off' some newbies...I wouldn't have participated last year if I didn't have access to the previous years pictures/blog to see what it was all about and if I would be able to tatt that well. I really like being part of this because experienced and beginner tatters can complete this.
As to the 'so many start and then roughly half finish' is simply human nature, supported by statistical theory...for any survey/ voluntary participation if you get 40% completion this is heralded as a win. So to have over 50% (and I recall goats dribbling in last year until around May) then this is a great feat and should be celebrated!
Thanks for another wonderful year Jane, we appreciate your hard work...hope brain cell 3 is having a bit a a rest!
Oops, I thought this post was lost in the ether; that's why i wrote another one! Sorry for the confusion.
Anyway, I have a thought — maybe Day 10 was a bit much for one day? When I saw it, I thought, "Well, no time to tackle it tonight..." And I have to admit, I was also a bit surprised by the smallness of the wheels. I thought, "Really?" But I don't know that much about old-style prams...
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