Today's moan isn't so much a moan but a groan!!!
Back in ancient history, when I learned to tat, the old Penelope and Coats booklets never told the tatter how much thread they needed to wind onto the shuttles to make the design. In 'those' days they hedged their bets and often put 'two balls of ......' and left it at that.
Remember that back in those days too you were never told to use two shuttles. Why? Well because split rings hadn't come into general use so two shuttles weren't needed. After all, what's wrong with a shuttle and a ball if that's all you actually need Oh, one thing I might add here is that if you're going to keep dropping the ball and it keeps running away then perhaps the ball thread wound onto a shuttle will solve that problem!!!
I feel nowadays that I 'need' to put quantities on for each shuttle but I never would dream of doing that, unless asked, as I find adding in new threads is no problem AT ALL. No knots needed either.
So to work out how much thread is needed I usually tat a final motif (or whatever) having measured the thread onto the shuttles. I note the quantity on the them and then make the item. After I've finished I take the amount left over from the original quantity and that's it!!!
BUT, of course, different tatters work at different tensions so I always allow extra for 'loose' tatters. BUT I still don't think it always works!! Now I'm moaning as I hate doing that last bit for a pattern!!!!
The leaves are from Ruth Scharf's design which is to be found here although there are slight modifications as suggested by Judith Connor.
10 comments:
I saw a complaint on Facebook about a pattern that had no indication of thread required on the shuttle. But I tend to think it's a bonus if it's there!
I just wind two shuttles full. Much easier than measuring thread which does irritate me.
I do what you do, Maureen. Wind shuttles full and see what happens. When I measure thread I always find I have more waste when I’ve finished as it’s always tempting to ‘add a bit more’ than the pattern says.
Since I often have trouble counting and measuring, I simply wind my shuttle full and add more thread if needed.
Just like Maureen and I, Diane!!! Too much hassle and that's the worst part for me when a pattern is done to work out how much thread is needed!!! I want to live my life and not count it away in yards!!!
I usually wind the shuttle full, even if a pattern tells me how many yards to use. Anything left on the shuttle at the end of a project gets tatted into little motifs, butterflies, and other 'giveaway' projects. On the other hand, your patterns are pretty accurate when you specify how much thread to use, so when I'm tatting one of yours, I tend to measure the thread, because I know there will not be a lot of 'waste' thread at the end.
StephanieW
For small patterns, i like to have measurements, but for bigger ones, shuttles full, since i will probably use them up anyway. Left over threads can be kept for later or just used up for tiny doodads. If you are talking about adding the thread length to your patterns, i'd say don't worry about it. It seems most people just wind full shuttles anyway.
Thanks StephanieW and Lavi. I appreciate your comments.
Wonderful leaves!! :)
Having published patterns over the years (makes me sound old) I have found that there are tatters who prefer to know roughly the amount of thread needed for a project. If it is a smaller one, they don't need to fill a shuttle, or two, or three. when only a metre of thread is needed. So I try to state the amount of thread with every pattern I publish. NOTE: 'Extender' threads come in handy when shuttles are almost empty.
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