CWT Project Almost Done

 Before going to Camp Wanna Tat we had homework to do. It was winding shuttles with enough thread to do the different projects. I did that. I didn't plan on making mistakes where I would cut off the thread and start over. Cue the surprise when I didn't have enough thread on my shuttle for the second earring.

This is the "Wave" earring pattern, by CM-Handmade, taught by Theresa Orren. I have admired this pattern for a long time, but I didn't realize this is what we would make when I wound my shuttle with the beads. The directions given told me what pattern it would be, but I didn't realize it was this pattern. I'm glad I had a few miscellaneous beads with me, as the "large" bead I had strung was not very large. It would have been nice to have a little bit bigger bead, but it still looks better than the one I originally strung. I finished the first earring at camp.

But that isn't what caused my biggest issue.

I am an experienced tatter, having learned more than 40 years ago, and tatted a lot since then. This does not mean that I don't make mistakes. Which I did on the first two rings of the first earring. Twice. Bad enough, I had to cut off and start again. Twice. Third time's the charm, I guess. But it did reduce the amount of thread left on my shuttle. Which I forgot when I started the second earring at home.

I'm now debating with myself about starting the earring again, or adding thread on this one. This is a single shuttle pattern with beads on the thread between rings. Do I want to fuss with this? Or just start it over?

Decisions, decisions.

I look forward to wearing these earrings and making a few more in different colors. I'll use different beads next time and make sure I have enough thread for each earring, too.

"Mistakes are the portals of discovery." James Joyce 

 

Ice Drop Done

A few weeks ago I started an ice drop to verify the pattern, to see what, and where I did something wrong in my Larissa pattern. In the course of tatting it, I miscalculated the size of the gem center. But I found another that would work.

Oops

I found a smaller gem

The gem is smaller but black instead of green. I like the green better, but using the black let me keep going on the ice drop instead of starting over. (Do you see my reflection in the gems?)

The black gem fits the center better

Yep, it worked. It has been a while since I made an ice drop and I felt a bit awkward trying to put the gem in the center. And I’m not used to that much weight hanging around while tatting the rest.

Larissa Ice Drop with a black gem

Ta-da! It is finished! Made with, I think, a DMC size 20 thread, of which the label has been lost for years.

I did make a mistake with one of the chains. I forgot it! I was fortunate that 1) I caught it, and 2) it wasn’t too hard to fix. I’m not telling where the problem child is, because if you weren’t looking for it, (and you don’t know much about tatting) you wouldn’t see it. This one was only made for me, anyway, and I’m happy with it.

I did find that I have some work to do on the pattern. I know I went through it before I published it, but man, did I find a few mistakes. But now I have to take the time to fix it!

This post was almost finished yesterday, and then, Poof! it was gone! Not sure what happened. At least I have time to do it again today.

“There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” Bob Ross

Not part of the plan

There I was, trying out another idea of where I wanted to go with this doily when I noticed something didn’t look quite right.  It wasn’t laying flat like it should have. What was going on?

Something’s wrong

Then I saw it! I’d skipped a chain and joined in the wrong spot!

Mistake found!

Ahhhh! Look how far I had gone before I noticed!

Bummer!

Now the question “what comes next?” is “to cut it off” or “un-tat it”? Either way, it put a damper on my enthusiasm.

After debating about it for a while (several days, in fact) I decided to undo it to keep from having more ends to hide. Great idea, but I have broken the thread several times now, so I’ll still have ends to hide.  Bummer!

Other than this, I haven’t done much tatting lately; instead, I’ve been potting flowers. I’ve done more this year that I ever have, but I have more spaces to put them since we’ve done work on the house.  I got a bit adventurous about it, too.

Tower of Flowers

I have had this rod for almost 10 years and never tried to use it. The rod is formed with legs at the bottom to fit inside the large pot at the bottom, then goes straight up to hold the other pots. I put a couple of bricks and a large rock in the big pot to weigh it down. I couldn’t find quite the right size pots for the rest, but this time I wasn’t going to let that keep me from using it!  Some of the pots are a little light on flowers, but that is easily remedied. I even painted the pots!

Nice thought, huh? It lasted about a week.

Tower of Flowers fell down

Then a cold front came through with a bit of wind. The tower was suddenly much shorter, looking more like a sad motel that has seen better days rather than a lofty, new tower. The top four pots broke. 🙁   I was able to rescue the flowers and re-pot them. They are currently perking up in their new home, a single story group home instead of high-rise apartments.

As the temperatures outside soar, I will probably be doing more tatting and less working with flowers outside. I can enjoy the view of flowers while I enjoy relaxing and tatting, maybe inside in the airconditioning, maybe outside if there is shade and a breeze.

“You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen. ” Paulo Coelho
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Tatted barrette

While looking through a drawer the other day I came across this barrette I decorated a long time ago.  It has seen a lot of wear and tear, and maybe a bit of rough handling.  There used to be three strands of the beads but two were lost somewhere along the way.

Decorated tatted barrette

I know this is made with DMC size 30 Ecru thread.  After all these years, how do I know?  Because I used it a lot back in the early 90s.  I even know what pattern this is.  It’s the skirt of  “Colonial Lady Applique” from Aunt Ellen’s Tatting Handbook.  This one has a mistake in it somewhere, hidden by the flowers.  I made several Colonial Ladies back then, or at least parts of them, one of which I took to the fair.   I noticed that I used white ribbon behind the tatting.  I must have been in a hurry to wear it and didn’t have ecru ribbon to use.

Tatted barrette

I used to have long hair and wore this frequently.  I now have very short hair – this wouldn’t stay in long.

I have a hard time throwing tatting away, even when mistakes are made.  After putting in all that hard work it is a shame to just toss it.  I have bags of things that have some kind of issue that I keep.  I may find some place that I can use it.

Eventually.

What do you do with your mistakes?  Keep or toss?

“Recycling turns things into other things.  Which is like MAGIC!”  unknown

Oops

Cross in Lizbeth  #605 and Manuela #019, both in size 20

This is all I've accomplished in the last two weeks.  I'd finished it off and then noticed that I'd made a very noticeable boo-boo, making a ring in the wrong place.  I'm thinking I'll give it a try to tuck in the ends and touch it up with glue then keep it for myself, a reminder to PAY ATTENTION!  If it still comes out awful I suppose I could cut back both threads to the mistake and redo that last arm.  I'm not sure I like the rings on the chains anyway, so maybe it's just the way it is.

I've been working 10 to 12 hours days for the last week on a different shift than normal, so there hasn't been time or energy to do very much of anything.  I'm finally back to the usual hours but have a lot of things going on at the house so I'm not sure how much tatting will get done any time soon.  This is why it's carried with me at all times, to grab a moment here and there when free moments present themselves.  Here's hoping to many free moments!

"If you don't want to work you have to work to earn enough money so that you won't have to work."

Ogden Nash

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