Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Long time, no blog!

I've been having way too much fun to play with technology. Yes, I've been taking a quick peek at blogs every day, and I've been checking emails, but I've been having so much fun playing with thread, there's been no time for blogging!


I've been spending a lot of time test tatting for Lynne Urwin, and enjoying every minute of it! This is Lorna's Wish, a design that looks fabulous with the outlining in a different color. This is Lynne's tatting, not mine!


My first attempt was in purple and green. I must have a different tension with my chains, because I had to increase the number of chain stitches to get everything to fit. Tension is everything!


My second attempt was in blue and green. I was able to use Lynne's stitch count, but I had to remove the bottom ring to make it work for me. I also decided to use Catherine Wheel joins on the outer rings for a smoother look. It's been a while since I've attempted the Catherine Wheel join, and I had to keep my YouTube video open for most of the last round. They're not perfect, but I had fun trying! I could not figure out how to use both the join and the picot on the rings to make it look right. I'm going to keep trying with this pattern, because I think it's so pretty!


I haven't been tatting the entire time. I took a break to work on my first Puzzle Impossible. I ordered all four sizes and started with the easiest. The next one is 25x25 pieces, then 7x7, and finally 12x12. I think these will be fun when grandchildren are visiting!


Doodle Ice Drops give me a mental break. I can pretty much tat them without thinking about what I'm doing!


The next pattern I tested for Lynne was Rock & Roll. Isn't it pretty? This one is wrong! I misread the directions, and this looks nothing like Lynne's pattern. With every ring and chain, I would look at Lynne's picture to try and figure out what I did wrong. I couldn't see it. I decided the best thing to do would be to start over. I was getting the same results.

Then I used a technique I used to do with crochet doily patterns. I read the pattern out loud and realized I had forgotten to reverse my work after the large ring.


Success! This is Lynne's Rock & Roll Ice Drop as she intended it! Well, sort of... I didn't start with the basic Ice Drop pattern as Lynne did, so there's a row of chains missing. When using the slightly larger glass gems, I use the one pass method. Now that I know what to do, I'm going to hunt for the right size gem and tat Lynne's pattern as written!

9 comments:

  1. Lots of fabulous Ice Drops!!! :)
    Very interesting puzzle!!

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    1. It's been great fun test tatting. I can see why you enjoy it so much. The puzzle was fun to put together. I'm looking forward to the more challenging ones!

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  2. Some pretty alternative designs by Lynne for the ice drops. The pink and white one looks so dainty.
    As we're 'self isolating' we are using the time by doing some jigsaw puzzles. The present one is of the Eiffel Tower, quite taxing because of its shape!

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    1. I love seeing other tatter's designs, and getting to test tat for them is a joy! I'll have to look for an Eiffel Tower puzzle. I would love the challenge!

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  3. I like the purple and green one best, it looks like an orchid. I like your read aloud technique, I’ll try it next time I get stuck.

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    1. Dave chose the purple and green, and I'm glad he did. It's very cheerful! I think reading aloud slows me down, forcing me to read details I frequently miss.

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  4. Wonderful range of ice drops and good on you to practice techniques! 💙

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    1. You've got me practicing my front side/back side tatting on Ice Drops! Your comment got me to thinking that the more I practice the more natural it will become. Maybe I'll be ready to transition to using the technique on larger projects!

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    2. :-D Personally, I think it is worth the effort and practice and gives an improved finish overall! But the underlying theme should always be Enjoyment.

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