I'm becoming very frustrated with this doily, "Trefles" from La frivolite fine et precieuse. I have spent so much time snipping and re-tatting this week, that I haven't taken time to blog. Round one is the only one that turned out the way I liked.
At the end of round 2, I noticed that some of the chains overlapped, probably not a big deal... right?
However, after round 3, some of my clovers seem lop-sided, and the chains don't look neat and smooth. This picture is after a little stretching and steaming. Nope, it's not the look I'm going for. Maybe round 4 will help pull everything into shape.
I think not! Look at the way my rings are stretched. This is my third attempt at this round. I've tried a different stitch count, which seemed way too big, and I've tried using larger picots. None of the changes I've tried look right to me.
Since I have a Christmas deadline, I'm really thinking I should set this piece aside and work on something else. I chose it because my sister-in-law asked for an open pattern so that the beauty of the wood would show through on her newly refinished table.
Has anyone else tatted this doily? Did you make any changes in the pattern? Or, do you have recommendations for a 14" doily? I'm open to suggestions!
There must be some sort of ds destroying fog in the Tat-osphere this week as I have had a similar situation!
ReplyDeleteAre you certain you have not missed some small instruction in the pattern? Sometimes I cannot believe what I ignore or misinterpret, though I have read and re- read the words.
Putting it aside even for a day really helps me.
I think you will figure it out!
Fox : )
I haven't done this pattern, so I can't help, sorry. It's always difficult to know whether to carry on and hope that the next row pulls everything into shape or to redo a row. It would be a shame to have to start over with a different pattern!
ReplyDeleteWell I know what I'd do - quit!!!! I consider myself a 'realist' and if something was giving me that much hassle I'd walk away and bury my head in the sand!!! Now, which way to the beach for the sand?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jane! What about the Jan Stawasz doily that you finished recently. Could you part with that one as a gift, as it's already finished? (I think I might have difficulty doing that!) Also you made a gorgeous oval doily in 2012. I liked it even after the seventh round! In any event, I'd put this one aside!
ReplyDeleteIf you change even 2 ds in every element of the round, no further round will fit. If you want to see, how many ds are missing for laying flat, cut every motiv between the rings and look at the space, which remains, when it lays flat. Now you can estimate, how many ds are to add. But...as I already said, no further round will fit! Better, quit!
ReplyDeleteAlmost looks like there should be 2 rings that don't connect before the joining ones. I not familiar with the pattern. Do they have a picture of one done? That's weird.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the pattern but after all this I think I would quit while I still had time to re start another pattern.
ReplyDeleteMargaret
I hate the thought of wasting all that time! - so I would press on.
ReplyDeleteThe other thought is that since round doilies are essentially rows of edgings, perhaps you could cut off round 4 and pick something that has a bit more "give"in it? That way you aren't discarding all your hard work, and the piece will be very special. Treat it as a handkerchief edging - measure the round along those lines. You've done heaps of hankies!
Looking back at the picture in the book that you showed in a previous post, the chains of round 3 do have that same "squashed" sort of look. Round 4 in the book looks like it should fit perfectly, so I don't know what's going on there. If it were me, I'd probably finish the round, block the daylights out of it, and see what happens. If it still won't lay flat, or if the blocking makes it look too stretched, then I'd cut my losses and pick another pattern.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm still a newbie as far as doilies are concerned. But I'd agree with those who say to quit, or at least put aside this doily for now.
ReplyDeleteOthers will be more qualified than I to say what doily you should do instead. I have my list of doilies I really want to do, though. The one that comes to mind right now is Lucky Clover, p. 80-81 of "Tatting Patterns and Designs" by Blomquist and Persson.
I have had a close look at the pattern in the book, and it certainly has quite a squashed look to the chains in rounds 2 and 3. The picots do need to be pretty big to allow round 4 to work... Are you using size 20 cordonnet, although it shouldn't make any difference I have sometimes found some patterns don't like changed thread sizes.
ReplyDeleteI know I said I would have a go, but I haven't started it yet, :( but I could put other stuff aside...
Otherwise Linda Davies has some pretty and classic doily designs on her free pattern page.
I probably would have tossed it out the window. I don't seem to have much patience if things aren't working out in a new pattern. Then I'd choose a known pattern that I've had success with before. But, that's me. I hate working under pressure with a deadline.(at least in tatting)
ReplyDeleteSometimes stretching the bejabbers out of a round can work. Take a look at this one: http://marty-tatsall.blogspot.com/2012/02/little-doily.html
ReplyDeleteStill, if it's a gift, I'd probably quit and go with a known quantity. If it doesn't work the way you want, it might be too late to start over.
Looks like a great attempt!! So frustrating when things done tat up the way the look in the picture. Hope you either succeed soon or find something else you can get done in time!! :)
ReplyDeleteLet me preface my comment by saying that I am one to soldier on (painfully, stubbornly -- never say quit) BUT in this case I WOULD QUIT. Iris and Jane and Jane and Kathy and several others have offered up good advice. Let me look around for another option for you, if you haven't already found one.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job trying to make this doily work though. Top marks for stamina!