Here we go again!!! Another moan from the old lady in England!!!
My moan today is really about new designers. My goodness we do need them as I'm going to fall off my perch one day along with others of my generation.
A few months ago I helped a lady with her pattern which she was going to publish and sell on Etsy. Great. Pattern was nothing exciting really but I couldn't find a copyrighted one so off we went on an adventure. She was a delight to help as she took all suggestions on board (unlike another who gave me the sack and blocked me from seeing their work on Facebook a year or two ago!).
What really surprised me was her lack of knowledge about the very, very basics of the craft. Even about hiding tails at the beginning of the work and she didn't use an obvious technique to add a bead which made (IMHO) a much better way of working a large bead into the design rather than sewing it on at the end.
Another issue that has been annoying me INTENSLY is the trend for new designers (and now their followers) to change tatting terms that are already well established. IF ONLY they would get more experience and do more research into the craft they would realise that most tatting terms have been established for many years.
I'm particularly thinking of the new 'trend' to call a ring on top of a chain (originally RoCh) a 'thrown ring' when a thrown ring is actually a ring thrown off a ring. This is shown on this video. The current trend is for people to call the ring on chain a 'thrown ring' or 'floating ring'. PLEASE can we all stick to the established names? It's causing much confusion to oldies like me and to the upcoming youngsters too.
Do your research, PLEASE.
Almost everything, and probably everything, that you mention is already documented in your pattern and techniques site that you so graciously allow us to access for FREE. I see no excuse for people to not be able to "look it up". Sometimes it is just sloth. Let someone else do the work for them.
ReplyDeleteTim Kaylor - I think a lot of the problem is those who start designing before they really know the craft. That’s where a lot of copyright infringements occur too. Lack of research.
ReplyDeletePeople get very excited about designing, go off half cock perhaps.
ReplyDeleteJane, thanks for your thoughtful approach to this, and for your generous way of helping a new designer. I agree with you about the established tatting terms. I saw a cute design on Etsy, and I purchased it. Now I totally understand your concerns about some designers (and this one will remain unnamed). I could not follow the diagram without many trial and error attempts. By the time I was finished, I had re-written some instructions so I could make this design again should I wish to do so. Sadly, it was NOTHING like a Jane pattern with a clear diagram and written instructions too! Your patterns are clear and you're generous to share them with us! I'm writing a book, but I want to thank you so much for all you share with the tatting world.
ReplyDeleteAm I guilty of this one? Are you making a distinction between "thrown ring" and "thrown off ring"? I thought a "thrown-off ring" was any time the second shuttle was used to make a ring after doing a switch shuttle so the curve of the chain (or split ring) was not disturbed, and that RoCh and RoSR were alternate terms. I think I picked this up from osmosis of assorted people speaking of throwing off a ring from a chain. Is it acceptable to use this verb form? I don't say "thrown ring" at all. It sounds like I need to clean up my act on this one.
ReplyDeleteOh my dear Martha. You’ve one of the people I know takes the greatest care to stick to what has gone before. We’ve had many discussions on how to explain techniques etc. I think the funniest new thing I’ve read is ‘true rings’. I’d love to meet a lying ring - one that can’t tell the truth!!! Your patterns are so easy to follow and if you do need to you explain unusual techniques very well. Is there a difference between ‘thrown rings’ and ‘thrown off rings’? They are new descriptions for rings on chains which (to my poor old BC3) explains that they are a ring that sits on top of a chain!!!! It’s all very complicated and the whole craft seems to be getting more complicated as the years go on.
ReplyDeleteGoldenMom - thank you for not naming the designer in public as it could’ve been embarrassing for both of us. BUT we ought to save others from this type of problem which is what I’d like to do. Perhaps new designers will read this and stop and do their research first. There’s a lot to be said for simple designs but even those need to be well explained. I’m always happy to help the newbies but sadly not many ask for help.