Friday, January 1, 2016

Oh, Susanna!

Once again, we traveled to Alabama to visit Mom and I had my tatting on my knee. That's the only way I was able to finish my Jan Stawasz Masterpiece in 2015.


I am thrilled to pieces with this doily. I still need to block it so that it looks exactly right, but a little steam press sure helped make it look presentable!

I plan on putting this on my dining room table, but that will have to wait. I started rearranging my sewing room today and the table is filled with stuff.

So, how long did it take? Just over a year. I started this doily December 29, 2014, and I finished it December 31, 2015, just before we crossed the Alabama/Tennessee line. It's 32" across in size 20 Lizbeth. I can't imagine tatting anything bigger than this!

So what's in store for 2016? I'm not sure yet, but I think I'm going to avoid large projects for a while. This doily really ruled my life for the past year, and I want to do a little experimenting in 2016. What are your tatting plans?

45 comments:

  1. Oh Diane, your doily is stunning!!! :)
    My hubby stays it is very beautiful!!! :)
    You did an awesome job on it!!! :)
    Can't wait to see what you do this year!! As for me, I have several Christmas gift ideas already and want to start early so I don't have to rush(hopefully), and to actually finish and work on things which have already been in progress and set aside far too often!! :)
    Happy New Year to you and your family!!!

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    1. Thank you, Sue! I am thrilled to have finished this piece. I'm not sure I have another this size in me!

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  2. Diane, it's beautiful! Thank you for sharing with us - it's been fun to watch your project come to fruition. Congratulations!

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    1. Thank you, Erin! Now I hope to have some more interesting posts!

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  3. Wow oh wow! It's absolutely gorgeous! Well done!

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    1. Thank you, Michelle! I think 2016 will be devoted to smaller projects. ;-)

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  4. Pristine !!! JS would've been very pleased to see it :-) Quite a monstrous feat you accomplished there, with all the snips along the way.
    Will be eagerly awaiting your new journey, even if they are smaller projects ....
    Happy New year :-D
    I just want to continue along the path I took in 2015, building skills along the way, And trying to get more of the backlog finished ... nothing very interesting ;-)

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    1. Thank you! This piece was a real test of my patience. Hopefully, I will be able to accomplish more in the coming year.

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  5. Your doily is beautiful! Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  6. So, Diane, what took you so long? :)) it is magnificent! Congratulations. I'm so pleased for you that it was completed before the new year. Nicely finessed.

    I know how you feel about large patterns. Until the past few days, I didn't think I'd ever do a really big one again, but now I'm not so sure! I'm looking at all the choices but there aren't a lot like the large Renulek or Stawasz designs out there.

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    1. Haha! Just think of how quickly I could have finished this if I hadn't made so many mistakes! Oh, I know I will tat another large piece, but not starting today! ;-)

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  7. Absolutely gorgeous work. I've started a Jan Stawasz. I will post my progress on my blog.

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    1. Thank you! I know you will love every minute of tatting it!

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  8. It is an absolutely gorgeous doily! I am so inspired to start a big tatting project myself.

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    1. Thank you! I wasn't sure I had it in me to finish this, but knowing that it took others a year to tat it gave me hope!

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  9. Bravo Diane!!!! It will look spectacular on your table.

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    1. Thank you, Bev! Today I will work on clearing off the table. ;-)

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  10. Well done - I breathed a sigh of relief when mine was done and then instantly missed it!!! Plans for 2016 - to meet up in the flesh with you and SAS again! You have been WARNED!!!!

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    1. I know the feeling, Jane! There are some unfinished large projects in my sewing room, so reorganizing is my priority right now. Thanks for the warning... I'll be ready!

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  11. Very impressive. I can't believe it took you a year. you are my inspiration to finish my doilies which are far from being as big as yours. Happy New Year.

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    1. Thanks, Christine! I think I could have finished it much sooner if I hadn't made so many mistakes! Maybe I should make another just to see if I can improve my tatting time. ;-)

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  12. It is absolutely beautiful! What a wonderful accomplishment. Such large pieces drain me, even though they are so beautiful when finished. I'm not sure if it's boredom that hinders me or if it's the feeling of never finishing the task! Congratulations on this gorgeous piece.

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    1. Thank you, Cindy! Yes, at times this project was draining. I did much better once I figured out I worked better by dividing each round into sections.

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  13. Fabulous, fabulous! Congratulations. Glad you finished before the end of the year. Thanks for sharing the process with us,the snips as well as the triumphs.

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    1. Thank you, Jane! I was so excited to finish before the end of the year. Now I can focus on other projects!

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  14. Congratulations that is one piece of magnificent tatting, a true masterpiece and a wonderful heirloom.
    Well done does not seem to sum up how brilliant it is.
    My plans for 2016 is not starting the monster doily, I don't feel I could do it at the moment.
    Margaret

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    1. Thank you, Margaret! The only way I was able to carry on was to set small goals. Still, because of all the mistakes, it took much longer than I had planned.

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  15. Congratulations! This is is stunning piece and I am surprised it only took you one year! Happy new year.

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    1. Thank you, Mica! Just think, if I had worked every day and paid close attention, I could have finished much sooner! ;-)

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  16. I find it stunning! I've enjoyed watching you work on it and admire the skill you have. I know you mentioned not being able to work on it once because you forgot your picot gauge. I'm working on learning how to use one and trying to move from rank beginner to at least a medium skill tatter. My goal for 2016.

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    1. Thank you, Ruby! Just keep trying. Some of the things I do now seem so simple, but I remember struggling to figure out what to do at times.

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  17. congrats! It looks perfect. [and, i hope you are feeling better]

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    1. Thank you, Carol! I do feel better, but I still have the cough. I sure am ready for it to go away!

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  18. What an achievement Diane! Congratulations on a magnificent piece of tatting.

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    1. Thank you, Joelle! Now I need to learn to perfect my stitches. ;-)

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  19. Congratulations Diane! The doily is beautiful, and your persistence has really paid off :)

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    1. Thank you, Robin! Persistence was certainly the key to this gigantic piece!

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  20. Anyone who finishes this amazing tablecloth (more accurate than 'doily') should get some kind of 'Jan Stawasz trophy' or at least a certificate! It's a marvelous testament to his outstanding design and the talent, skill and patience(!) of the tatter!

    It really didn't seem obvious to me that it ruled your life, as you made so many other things while you were working on it! And I didn't recall that you started it last December - I would have guessed around May! I also am amazed that you worked on this in the car! ("Banjo on my knee" LOL!)

    It's magnificent heirloom piece, and will look fabulous on the table. (Good thing you don't have a cat, though!) CONGRATULATIONS!

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    1. Thank you, Kathy! My trophy is the finished piece, and I think I'll be hanging on to it for a while!

      Maybe I should have said that ruled my tatting life. I felt guilty if I turned to another tatting pattern, knowing that I had a goal of finishing in a year.

      Daughter Joanne has told me that she would love to have this one. However, she has a cat and I told her that when she no longer has a cat, it will be hers. The thought of one of her furry felines reclining on this seems wrong!

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  21. That is Stunning i hope mine turns out half as good as your did

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  22. How incredibly gorgeous! It just goes to show that everything starts looking up when you near the Bama line :) (speaking as a north AL born-n-bred soul). I can't even imagine being able to do something so big and beautiful. Congratulations!

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  23. How incredibly gorgeous! It just goes to show that everything starts looking up when you near the Bama line :) (speaking as a north AL born-n-bred soul). I can't even imagine being able to do something so big and beautiful. Congratulations!

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  24. I finally found the post of your finish, it was worth the hunt. It is beautiful! I've been working on my size 150 doily of this pattern and posting on Craftree. Xstchntat

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    1. Thank you, Rachael! I was very happy to finish it. However, I still need to block it. I'm sure I'll feel more inspired once I've cleared the space in my dining room. ;-)

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