Sunday, March 21, 2010

Shamrocks, Equinox and Spring. Oh my!

Yesterday I posted joyfully about successfully completing my shamrock cookie quest.

I credit the four-leaf clover I found on Friday.


Saturday was the vernal equinox aka the first day of Spring. A few days earlier the Spring equilux passed virtually unnoticed.

Equinox means equal night. Equilux means equal light. Cool, huh?

Something I didn't know (thank you, Internet) is that for Persians, the vernal equinox also marks the start of Nowruz, their new year.

Happy Spring and Joyful Nowruz! Tonight Silly Hat Central will feast on Persian fare to honor enlightenment and new beginnings.


Spring Flowers
Warm, pleasant rays have begun coaxing crocus from their sleepy beds.


The Sprout and I have ventured out for walks and playground adventures beneath balmy blue skies. The two hounds are frisking about in youthful abandon. This verve has spread to my tatting.

See this 3D flower?

The Jessica Rose by Sharren Sarver Morgan © 2006

It is an example of my ongoing color conundrum study.

The color changes in the flower are as short as in the edging below, but in pastel tints. My love turns to hate when the color volume is cranked up to bright.

Spring Flowers Bookmark by Julie Patterson © 2002

Why do I hate this edging? Can someone please tell me?

Are there too many colors overpowering the design? Or is it in the intensity of the colors that suck the life out a beautiful bookmark goes wrong?

My hate turns back into love after switching to two solids (again in muted tones).

Spring Flowers Bookmark by Julie Patterson © 2002

This lace just sings, doesn't it? It has a light, delicate appearance that mimics blossoms on a vine.

For anyone interested, here is a thread breakdown:
  • The Jessica Rose – Signature quilting cotton, size 20, pastels, and Majestic/Handy Hands size 80, color 829, Christmas Green
  • Spring Flowers 1 – Signature quilting cotton, size 20, brights
  • Spring Flowers 2 – vintage Star tatting cotton, shade 125, and DMC Special dentelles, size 80, olive green

Julie Patterson's design is the shape of beauty. It would make a stunning handkerchief edging. I intend to use it as a trim for a future quilted ball ornament.

Whatever use you may have in mind, tatting it is a joy. And working through the color issues has breathed new life into my tatting.

6 comments:

Miranda said...

Yeah, with such a busy variegated thread you lose the shape of the pattern. It's just too much for the brain to cope with. With the two solids, and especially when one of them is green, it becomes definitely flowers on a vine. You could maybe pair a subtly variegated (as in shades of just one color) with a solid green, but I think that's about as wild as I'd want to get with this pattern.

That thread probably does have its place, but it would have to be a simple pattern, and one that's not intended to represent anything in particular.

Tatskool said...

Forgot to say, make sure you press your 4 leaf clover, that's a treasure for ever, I have had mine since i was at school.

Michelle said...

I have to be honest, I find it hard to think of a pattern that would make me like that bright variegated thread. I think the other version you made is much more pleasing to the eye, my eye at least.

Gina said...

The bright colors would be delightful trim on a child's bright solid color tshirt. I think it's just not right for this particular use - as a bookmark. I wonder too, if you had used a bright solid green for the vines if the bright flowers wouldn't have made more sense?

Fox said...

OKAY... Just to be cantankerous, let me just say that I LOVE the bright colours! They make me happy! Just because I have zip colour in my wardrobe and seem to wear only black and white, I find it funny that I love the wild variegated thread - or maybe that's why I do! But I do.
Fox the Drab : )

Krystle said...

The offending thread reminds me of those Light brite toys we had as a kid, the ones with the little plastic pegs that you make designs with that are backlit.....

The color change is just too short I think.