"But, really, why does anyone create? You feel a... a restlessness inside, a need to make something new, something no one has ever seen before. You want to add to the beauty and the richness of the world with a gift, an offering that is uniquely yours. It's an act of selfishness and generosity, all rolled into one."

-- Bruce Coville,
The Last Hunt

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Odds and Ends, and Beginnings

While awaiting the arrival of the blue threads for the placemats, I added a few more items to my "tatting grab bag". This is the little baggie that I'm going to start carrying with me when I tat in public so I can give little motifs to people who express interest. All three of these are from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns.

I did the "Carnival" motif in Tatskool's "Vanilla Sky" HDT. I can never get this thread to scan right; somehow the pink gets washed out. Tatskool has a much better image of what the thread looks like at the link above. I think the soft colors of this thread go really nicely with the curves of the motif.

I did make one mistake there at the bottom where I forgot to join those two rings. I didn't notice it until I was blocking it. I am learning to tolerate imperfection; still, if I were keeping this piece or giving it as a particular gift, I would re-do it. Hopefully as a grab bag item, it can find a home with someone who likes the colors and doesn't mind the glaring error in the tatting.

Here you go, Diane! Most tatters will recognize this as the "Spinning Wheel Glass Mat". The thread is "Wildflowers" by LadyShuttleMaker. This HDT is unlike any other I've seen with its very short changes and little splashes of color. I love it! In fact, I may decide to keep this one.

This is "Patchwork". It's not a new piece. I tatted it over a year ago and forgot about it until I ran across it the other day. It goes to show that just about anything can be turned into Christmas tatting with the right colors, in this case Lizbeth Victorian Red and Christmas Green.

Since the blues have now arrived, here is the beginning of the first placemat:

Well, it's a start. The pattern is Jon Yusoff's Clover Mat, and the thread is Lizbeth size 40 Wedgewood Dark. So far, the Lizbeth isn't splitting, so I think I got a good ball.

I probably won't post again till I get back from L.A. Hopefully I'll be able to make some progress on the mat while I'm out there.

6 comments:

  1. Love the little motifs and the HDT of thr Glass Spinning wheel is stunning!

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  2. Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! Did I catch everything?

    Carnival is a wonderful little motif, and Vanilla Sky is one of my favorite HDTs. I missed that same join several times. Why not thread a slender ribbon through the two picots as an ornament hanger? Then it will look like a design element! : )

    Wildflowers does make a stunning Spinning Wheel. I think I like this pattern because it looks good no matter what thread is used.

    Patchwork looks great in the red and green, and I love the Wedgewood Dark thread for Jon's Clover Mat. Looks like you're going to be very busy!

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  3. Your tatting and choice of colours is always perfect.

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  4. Tatskool, that's thanks to the availability of gorgeous HDT's!

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  5. All beautiful!

    Vanilla Sky is one of my favorite HDTs as well. It is so pretty here.
    Wildflowers looks amazing in Spinning Wheel.
    Patchwork looks s different in two colours. I would not have thought of that!

    Have fun in L.A.!
    Fox : )

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