Monday moan

Front side/back side tatting.  Is it important or not?  

Personally I don't think it is.  Not at all - BUT I do do it when I think it's going to be for a competition (not that I've entered one for years) or if I'm going to scan a piece for my blog (which I usually do!!).  

As a lot of us give our tatting away then it's probably a good idea to do what I think is the original way of tatting - with disregard to the way it may look.  That's just making the knots the same way on both rings and chains.  

The point is that the receiver of the tatted gift won't know there's a 'right way up' or a 'wrong way up' and when they plonk their doily (or whatever) on a table that won't even occur to them.  So I'm trying to say that it honestly doesn't matter to most people and certainly NOT to those who know little about our craft!!!

I've never seen mention of front/back in any old books or leaflets and I think it's a modern idea.  Well, within the last 20 or so years.

So today's moan isn't really a moan - more a discussion point but I'd love to know what people think.  

Lots of fingers and a couple of thumbs!!!

Off on another glove adventure!!!  This pair is already spoken for and I hope that they do finally get finished although I keep getting sidetracked by lesson plans!!!  

I’m enjoying my knitting and so, so glad I decided to teach myself the continental way to 'manipulate' the needles.  

I'm missing the variegated yarn, though!!!  I did buy some more variegated from a lady in the market a few weeks ago but I'll probably not use it this winter.  

Asking questions

First of all I must thank all the Etsy sellers who I contacted over the weekend.  You all graciously answered my query without asking me why I wanted to know the answer.  

The reason for my impromptu research was because a friend had bought a pattern and when she came to print it it was 10 pages long although the actual pattern was on only 2 pages.  

This set me off on my quest to find out the average size of patterns of the same  type and complexity (small coaster/doily size).  The reasoning was because from the 'get go' I've always tried sooooo hard to save on paper and ink when I produce a pattern.  This has and always will be a big factor for me as we're destroying our planet and I want to do a bit to save it.  I do spend a lot of time trying to fit all the instructions on as few pages as possible.  

The most interesting result of my research was the number of designers who hadn't even thought about that side of things as they (like me) mostly work digitally.  I haven't printed off any of my own patterns for many, many years.  Several designers were very surprised to learn that people actually do print but I have quite a lot of friends who like to work from paper just like they also prefer a paper book.

One or two said that they put in a lot of instructions on how to make the pattern too.  Now this is fine for somebody who is just starting on their journey in our craft but for old timers then it's so annoying.  I had a pattern shown to me not long ago and because of the amount of 'help' that was given the actual pattern itself was lost and I honestly couldn't follow it.  It was also in two languages as well.  A great effort on the part of the designer but REALLY confusing to read and follow.  I gave up!!!

Personally I think a pattern of a small coaster/doily size should be at the very most two or three pages long and just stick to giving the instructions to work the design.  I don't see the point of so many pictures or explanations let alone a 'front page' and fancy large fonts.  If you come across something  you don't understand then just ask Mr Google or the designer for help.  Also coloured backgrounds (particularly black) are a real ‘no, no’.

Just my opinion - what do you think?

Difference between a mock ring & SCMR?

This question is bothering me now.  Over the years the terminology seems to change for tatting abbreviations.  Like the ‘ring on chain (ROCh)’ has now become a TOR (thrown off ring) which I find confusing as I always thought a TOR was a ring thrown off a ring. 

Today I want to discuss the SCMR v MR.  Now this is a technique that the Houtz brothers revived in their book ‘Tatting the GR-8 Self-Closing Mock Ring’ which was published in 1999 although it had been around long before that.  

Now my question at this point in time is what IS the difference between a SCMR and a MR (mock ring)?  OR is there a difference?  Can somebody explain as I’d always ‘assumed’ that a SCMR was a ring thrown off a chain and then joined back again at the start of the chain and that a mock ring was a pretend ‘ring’ like this.

Can some expert ‘out there’ please please explain the difference as I was trying out a new pattern for somebody and the start was a ‘self closing mock ring’ and, of course, I set off but couldn’t see how the ‘ring’ was a thrown off the chain as it didn’t return to the place I’d left at the start either.  So to me that would be simply a mock ring.  I know that people will tell me that a mock ring is a self closing mock ring and vice versa but I personally think there should be a difference.  I know that this technique can be made several ways and one way is something that I’d never considered until discussing this with Judith Connors - that is by using an swirl join or, as it’s sometimes called, an alligator join.  Judith never fails to wake up my brain.  She pointed me to Rhoda Auld’s method on pages 56 & 57 which is really interesting and also to Elgiva Nicholls book too although I must admit I haven’t had time to look at that yet.

It would certainly help a certain OG who is brain challenged to have a positive definition of the differences and then I can take off the technique page on my site which isn’t needed.

A BRAGGING post

A post which has NOTHING to do with craft work whatsoever although I suppose it could be classed as ‘crafty’!!!

Last weekend the dishwasher died.  It wouldn’t start properly but it did fill with water.  It did get going once but again left a large puddle in the bottom.  Time to get out the destructions (instructions!).  The dishwasher is almost nine years old so there were several options to consider.  Either get the repair man out or get a new machine.  As we only run it about 3 times a week we also talked about whether we really needed another one. 

Then I remembered my lovely friend Joan who takes computers to bits and re-builds them when necessary so I got out my phone, got onto Youtube (just like Joan does) and found a video on how to fix the machine.

Now I’ve always been really good at taking things apart (thanks to my brother who once took MY clockwork train to bits to see how it worked) but I’m not so good at putting them back together!!!  BC3 can never remember where the bits go back!!

Knowing this bad trait of mine I did take it apart carefully although I struggled with the little white ‘cover bit’ that had to come out as it was in an awkward place behind another ‘black bit’.  With the aid of a toothbrush (no, I didn’t steal Nick’s) and after wiggling a little round thing a bit I decided to put it all back together and try it out.  

The result?  Well it’s working better now than it has done for a few years.  There must’ve been something in that little round wiggly thing, I think.  So, £s saved and another thing to add to my list of skills!!!

Second glove done!

Here it is!!  What you’ve all been waiting for - or not!!!  The second glove done and now they're a pair!

So, what's on the agenda next?  I think another pair of gloves!!!

Feeling sad

Well it seems that 65 years worth of experience is of no use to some people.  

If you ask for help then PLEASE accept it with graciousness and not bite the hand that's trying to feed you advice.

Monday moan

Today’s little grumble is about the effort some people seem to think needs to be put into tatting.  By that I mean making a huge mountain out of a mole hill.

I've one to moan about today.  Posting the shuttle before closing a ring.

I tried that idea for several months (posting the shuttle through the ring before closing) and after a while stopped to seriously think about it.  BC3 doesn't 'do' thinking seriously very often.  

So then I tried going back to my old ways (and a LOT faster too) of not bothering and came to a eureka moment when I realised that (for me) it wasn't about posting the shuttle but just about holding the final ds of the ring firmly so it didn't twist.  It also didn't make a BIT of difference to being able open a ring after closing!

A picture to cheer you up after my moan!

One glove done

Finally got the one glove done.  

You'll be sad to hear that I've ordered more yarn for more gloves so no more tatting to show for a while.  Which doesn't mean that I'm NOT tatting but more that I've nothing to show you as it's all design work which will be submitted for lessons next year.  So far I've only got three done and I really need 6.  I'm working on number four which is causing me some headaches!!!

Back to glove talk - the second of the pair shouldn’t take long as the fingers and thumb are already done.  Watch this space!!!

Glove progression

After the fingers have been made it's time to join them and start the long journey down the hand.  NOT forgetting the thumb, of course.

As the pinky finger is lower down the hand than the other three fingers you need to work a few rows before joining that one in.  You can see that in this picture.

Also it's easier to change from the original dpn's (double pointed needles) to two circular ones (the same size, of course).  This is weird as you work with them but not in the round.  Actually it's really easy but my first attempt last year was a puzzle!!!  The pattern needs to be read carefully.  I'll give you the link again here.

I'm so proud

To show you a picture of Judith Connors with her Order of Australia Medal which she received on Tuesday from the Governor. 

Well deserved, Judith - tat on.

Thanks, Ruth, for the photo.  Much appreciated.

More fingers

There’s something about knitting gloves that is so satisfying - particularly doing them from the fingers down to the cuffs.  

Not sure why that’s so but it might be just ‘me’ who enjoys this challenge.  

Can you see the markers on these fingers?  Joanie gave me those when I last stayed with her in Florida.  They’re so, so useful.  I’ve noted which colour represents which finger in my notes app so that I can keep my BC3 happy!  

These gloves need dpn’s (double pointed needles) and TWO circular needles of the same size.  Well you don’t really need the circular ones but I found it so much easier  to use those for the part below the fingers/thumb when I last knitted gloves using this pattern.

So, onwards and upwards!!!

Hitting the doldrums

I may be a bit quiet this week.  

Now stop cheering all those reading this post!!!  

The fact is that I’ve got many things in the pipeline that I can’t share with you as they’re not ready and are waiting for Covid to sort itself out!!!  

So whilst on a roll with another design for a teaching project I suddenly decided I simply HAD to knit.  I get these whims from time to time!!!  Gloves are the current project as one of my daughters mentioned she could do with another pair!!!  

A start has been made!!!  These will be fingers to cuffs again as I like the way of working.  Here’s a link.

Dorset buttons

Well having seen Diane’s Dorset buttons I had to have a go myself.  I remember doing some many years ago but had forgotten how easy they are but how they are quite a problem to get looking good.  Diane’s leading the way with making them while I think that I’ve now given up - at least for many more years!!!

I declare it finished!!!

It's finished with the trimming on the back too!

I took a trip to visit my daughter and family a week or so ago and my son in law took some photos of me wearing the silk top.  I can 'see' this over a black top with black trousers so I may eventually wear it but I'm not sure I'll ever attend an occasion where I can!!!  

If not I'll wear it to scrub the kitchen floor!!!  I'll miss it as it was an enjoyable upcycle.  Now to look in the charity shops for another project.  I'm realising after almost 78 years on this planet that it's not as hard as I thought it would be to mess around with altering clothes.  Mind this was a big alteration from an oversized man's shirt to a wearable top!!!

Beads assembly continues

The best laid plans of mice and Jane never seem to work out!!!  If you'd have seen the mess I got into with trying to assemble this with the invisible thread you'd have laughed your socks off.  It was so, so frustrating and in the end I gave up.  It was fine (well ish) adding the invisible to the beads and then onto the piece of dowling I found BUT when I picked the wood up the whole thing instantly tangled and it was impossible to sort out!!!  

The air was blue around me as I spent a good few hours trying NOT to give in to the problem but in the end I had to declare it 'NOT a good idea' and abandon it.  Now the problem with invisible thread is that it is truly invisible but when tatted with it does become sort of 'not' invisible and doesn't produce a pretty result.  Well,  not in my opinion.  

This was 'after the invisible' and before another decision was made but more about that later!!!!

This looks so much better

Now that I’ve added the ‘shadow hiding’ edging this looks a lot better.  I’m really beginning to like this project a lot.

The back is a bit plain though so I may do an edging along the yoke at the back.  I’ll ‘wait and see’ about that, though!!!  

Starting to pull it all together.

Back to the beads again.  Now I’ve got almost 20 covered beads it’s time to decide exactly what I’m going to do with them!!!  

I’ve got it in my mind that they’ll dangle in the living room window as a sort of decoration.  They need to be sparkly so I’ve added lotsa beads to the bottom of the big covered beads - well to dangle from them.  The original pattern which can be seen here also shows how to add beads to the actual tatting around the bead - well, on the largest one but it does take a phenomenal amount of beads to do that.  None stringed onto the thread before starting, though.

In this photo you can see some of the beads assembled but I don’t like the thread showing.  I need to get into the tatting cupboard to find my invisible thread.  

Top of the day to you!

Just thought I’d use a silly title today!

BUT I do have a closeup of the top of the silk top I’m working on today.  

These two buttons are really pretty and complement the top really well.  What I’ve done since is use a short length of round elastic and have anchored that to one of the buttons.  A loop of the elastic can now be taken over the other button to fasten the blouse/top together.  I’ve tried it on but need somebody to take pictures of it.  Now which neighbour is in at the moment?!?!?

Shirt progress again

In the photo below you can see why I was concerned about the ‘shadow’ of the facing but having done one edging I decided to sew it onto the edges of the top to see what it looked like!  You can see that I took it right round the neck too and also you can see that I definitely need another strip to hide the shadow although I think that when it’s being worn it won’t ‘show’.  

Anyway I thought I’d pin on the buttons too just to get an idea of what it’ll look like!!  I also found some VERY pretty buttons that I was given years ago that I’ve added to the top as fastenings - yet to be decided on, though!!!  

If you look VERY closely you’ll also see some black showing at the centre of the back.  That’s the label saying ‘Thai silk’ which I’ve sewn back in.  

Yet more!!

Beads!!!

I’ve only done the top two - the other smaller ones were found when I tidied the tatting cupboard up last week!!!  I’d obviously done them with a project in mind but that must’ve fallen by the wayside as these were in a project box all on their own!!!

I’ve been ‘avoiding’ yet another project that I’ve been working on for weeks and weeks so I think I may go back to it soon.  I’m not happy with how it was working out so I think it might be yet another design that never gets into the public domain!!!  Maybe going back to it with a fresh mind will help but I’m not very optimistic!!!  To give you a clue - it’s a square pattern.

Carrying on with the shirt

Well the facing for the neck and front of the shirt went really well.  I am taking things very slowly as I don’t want to spoil the silk in any way.  

I’ve machined it to the body of the shirt and then ‘stuck’ it down on the inside (rather than stitching it) with some of the ‘wonder tape’ hemming stuff.  I’ve seen it called all sorts of names so here’s a link so you know what I’m talking about!!!    It’s one of my favourite sewing ‘accessories’ and seems to last forever too!!!  I've used miles and miles of it over the years!!

Now to hide the ‘line’ where the edging sort of shadows through to the front I’ve decided the top needs some more tatting so I’m doing a very, very simple edging for it using the same thread as the buttons.  I’ll probably do another strip on the edges of the fronts too.  Here’s the start of the edging which I took a picture of a week or more ago.  I can work on the sewing part of the top in the daytime (well, afternoon) and the edging in the evening so progress should be fast - unless I fall asleep, of course!!!

Monday moan

Before I start my usual curmudgeonly Monday moan I’d like to add to last week’s post.  I totally forgot to mention the bible of tatting written by Judith Connors.  Here’s a link to this book which should be in every designer’s possession.  If only it was then last Monday’s moan may never have happened.

Today’s moan is something I picked up from a comment by another tatter somewhere else.  Probably during a flying visit to Facebook which I avoid as far as possible.

Signing and dating patterns and also adding contact details are today’s moan.  When I started putting my patterns out on the internet in the very, very early days of it’s existence I didn’t date mine but did add my name!!!  It was pointed out to me that it would be a ‘good idea’ to add the date so I started doing that immediately.  Nowadays there are a lot of designers who aren’t dating or sometimes not even putting their names on either.  This can prove very frustrating if there ever becomes a copyright question on the pattern and could be an impossible thing to prove who’s came first.  

It’s also important to put a contact email address on each pattern simply so that the person who wants to work it can get in touch to ask questions.  Sometimes I get questions about patterns I did almost 20 years ago - that really does ‘strain the brain’ (poor old BC3) sometimes!!!

Although I played with Dorset buttons many years ago this is the first I’ve done since then!!!

Just two more!

There's something so relaxing about making these large bead covers!  Must be because BC3 can work mainly on 'autopilot'!!!

I have two other design projects which have now been abandoned for a while and which I really ought to get back to now I've forgotten them so I can tweak and 'get rid' of them out of my aged brain.  BUT the appeal of the beads continues!!!  My apologies.

Today it's all about buttons!!

As you all know (least those who follow my blog or visit my website) I do suffer from a mild obsession with buttons!!!  My tatting cupboard overflows with them (well, not quite but I do have rather a lot) and my favourite are the tiny shirt buttons which I make into earrings or bracelets.  

So the silk shirt has (or rather, had) 12 buttons on it which included those on the cuffs too.  Now what to do with them!  Add them to the stash or use them instead.  I decided I'd use them and on the shirt too.  As they came off it they should then go back on!!!  There's logic in there somewhere but please don't ask me where!!!

Now I don't 'do' plain very often but I did want something very simple so that they don't deteriorate from the gorgeousness (wow, that's a real word!!) of the silk.  

Here's what I've come up with.  You'll see that I've used a slightly creamy thread in order to contrast with the whiteness of the silk.  BUT now what do I do with them?  Or rather, where do I put them?!?!?! All will be revealed!

Beads are 'in' at the moment!

Well with me they are!!

I seem to have got quite a collection of the large beads and if I'm not careful they're going to multiply even further and cause me more 'grief'.  I'm an odd sort of person.  I don't like too much in my stash as it sort of overwhelms me and I feel as if I ought to be using it or 'getting rid' of stuff.

After a couple of months of trying to downsize on the amount of things we've accumulated throughout the house I'm feeling the need for more decluttering so using up the beads is one way of dealing with it all.

Here are two more!!!  

The silk shirt progress

So the shirt is progressing slowly.  I'm showing you closeups of the neck today and the possible length of the sleeves.  

You can see that I've turned the buttonholes in and am about to add a facing to go down the front and round the neck.  I've scooped the neck out a bit too.  

I was really drop dead lucky in that I found a lovely piece of fine cotton fabric in my stash which is going to make the facings.  Well that's after I've made a pattern for them, of course!

Monday moan

Sorry if you're bored with these moans but they're probably useful to somebody somewhere in the great 'scheme of things'!!!!  

Today I'm moaning about abbreviations in patterns.  

When I started tatting in 1956 (yes it was shortly after the demise of the dinosaurs) everything was written in longhand which was a big struggle to follow.  No diagrams were in the leaflets and booklets I could afford with my pocket money.  

Nowadays we have excellent diagrams and shortened notation too.  Abbreviations are the 'normal' in patterns and are very welcome, believe me.  But there's one thing that I'm noticing more and more and that is new designers inventing new names for the simple things that we 'oldies' know by the original ones.

I was looking at a pattern yesterday and I saw tp.  Now what is tp?  I looked for the list of abbreviations and there wasn't one in that pattern!!!  I guess that tp is vsp (very small picot).  Or it could be 'talking point', 'top picot' or even 'try picking' (your nose!!!).  I had a guess in the end that it was vsp.  

I do wish new designers would check what the 'normal' method of notation is instead of inventing their own.  Don't ask me where I saw this pattern as I haven't a clue but there are many out there using 'new' names for what are already acceptable instructions.  

Thankfully the practice of calling 'abbreviations' 'legends' has on the whole been lost as that really did annoy this aged old git.  A legend is a story of olden times etc and not a list of abbreviations.  Still, that's history now in Tat Land!

Back to the beads again

Two more of the beads covered.  Wonder if I can keep this up!!!

Back to the 'day' job!

Now this is progress over the last week since I started on the shirt.  I'm going very, very slowly with this as I respect the silk very much.

You can see on the top photo that the collar has gone and on the second photo I'm opening up the front too having, of course, removed the buttons!!  I've also cut off the cuffs as well.  I'm also wondering what length to make the sleeves but that decision doesn't have to be made for a good while yet.  

I thought working with black was bad enough but working with white sewing threads while deconstructing this is a LOT worse.  The silk shines so much and it's a case of slowly, slowly, catchee monkey!!!!

The evening 'job'

We've got sash windows on this old house and where the top window slides down there's a little 'shelf' where my solar jiggly things sit.  I've got crocheted curtains (I did them years ago) below the shelf for privacy and I'm bored with those but still need to leave them up.

So I've decided to make some sort of 'dangly' thing to hang between the crocheted curtains and the glass but I wanted 3D too.  Out came the big beads!!!

I'm using this set of patterns.  Here are the first two.

A shirt

During our massive tidying up session over the past six weeks or so we found a shirt in Nick's wardrobe.  

It's MASSIVE and he said I should take it to the charity shop.  I don't think it's ever been worn and it's shiny and gorgeous as it's made of Thai silk.  I'll add the photos I took in the sunshine (a rare thing) although they've come out with a blue tinge.  The shirt is actually a gorgeous white.  

I'm going to make this my next project!!!  This will be the 'day job' as I'm playing around with tatting in the evenings.  More on that tomorrow!!!!

Monday Moan - please save the planet

So today I'm going to moan about patterns.  

So what really, really BUGS me is the people who are producing pages and pages of 'paper' to write down their patterns when the same thing could be done in 3 - 4 pages at the most.  

Then they charge for the pattern and leave the customer to have to pay out even more to print out all those pages.  Lots of patterns I see for sale are many pages long (often into double figures) with HUGE font and waaaaay to many pictures.  Please, please, please let's resolve this 'my pattern has got to be big and fancy so people think they've got value' mentality and aim for clear, concise instructions.

Remember, people, a pattern is merely instructions on how to achieve the finished piece and NOT a tutorial on every step taken to get there.  Those parts are techniques and not the pattern.  It can also confuse the person working the item because they've learned another way to do certain techniques.  

I suggest that before buying a 'digital download' you check how many pages you are committing to printing out (contact the seller and ask for a sample page too) and whether some of those pages are merely 'headers' with nothing more than the designer's and pattern's name on.  

Can we please try to save the planet for our kids and grandkids.  I'm so looking forward to your comments on this moan.  

Now for a picture to cheer you up!  A Motmot bird.

Final post on the jacket

As promised yesterday - the inside of the jacket!!!  As you can see (or rather NOT see) there is no patchwork stitching showing on the inside!!!