Three cups of tea into Tatting Tea Tuesday and enlightenment finally sets in.
Tatted by Is'Dihara Thread: Lizbeth® 40 #163 Blue Ice & #149 Peacock Blues Beads: size 11 blue seed beads & a disc bead measuring just under 1.3 cm (1/2 inch)
Motif 15 - Celtic Snowflake
I cannot say enough good things about this new pattern from Jane Eborall. It is easy to tat with clear diagrams and instructions. And look how pretty!
That said, this snowflake suffers a bit from lackluster decision making.
It started out "right" enough. I carefully chose the pattern, thread, beads and even read through the instructions twice.
Tatting merrily along, I completed the outer section without realizing that using size 40 thread would require adjusting the stitch count around the central bead of the inner round.
Cue Mantra
I Make These Mistakes So You Don't Have To.
But I was stubbornly committed to size 40 and had already tatted around the bead.
'It will work out,' I told myself, and didn't go back to readjust the stitches.
Lackluster decision number two: adding beads to the joining picots around the center bead. (The instructions do not call for them, and a careful examination of the photos on the pattern reveal no beads added to these joining picots.)
At this point I should have excised the offending bits with scissors and started again, wiser for the effort. But I tatted on, this time contemplating a cupped center.
'I'll pin it to a satin ball and everything will be fine,' I rationalized, 'It is too pretty to stop now.'
Once the inner round was finished it seemed that a simple steam press would fix the problem. But after pressing, the crumpled side rings of the clovers stood out clear as day.
The scan says it all. Ah well, perhaps a fourth cup of tea...
Hubris itself will not let you be an artist.
~ Larry Wall
Postscript: As pretty as this snowflake looks, it deserves to be redone in size 20. I would tat it again in size 40 if I could find slightly smaller beads.
Enjoy these lace and tea-themed links as you browse Tatting Tea Tuesday posts today.
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| Celtic Snowflake © Jane Eborall - 2012 |
Motif 15 - Celtic Snowflake
I cannot say enough good things about this new pattern from Jane Eborall. It is easy to tat with clear diagrams and instructions. And look how pretty!
That said, this snowflake suffers a bit from lackluster decision making.
It started out "right" enough. I carefully chose the pattern, thread, beads and even read through the instructions twice.
Tatting merrily along, I completed the outer section without realizing that using size 40 thread would require adjusting the stitch count around the central bead of the inner round.
Cue Mantra
I Make These Mistakes So You Don't Have To.
But I was stubbornly committed to size 40 and had already tatted around the bead.
'It will work out,' I told myself, and didn't go back to readjust the stitches.
At this point I should have excised the offending bits with scissors and started again, wiser for the effort. But I tatted on, this time contemplating a cupped center.
'I'll pin it to a satin ball and everything will be fine,' I rationalized, 'It is too pretty to stop now.'
Once the inner round was finished it seemed that a simple steam press would fix the problem. But after pressing, the crumpled side rings of the clovers stood out clear as day.
The scan says it all. Ah well, perhaps a fourth cup of tea...
Hubris itself will not let you be an artist.
~ Larry Wall
Postscript: As pretty as this snowflake looks, it deserves to be redone in size 20. I would tat it again in size 40 if I could find slightly smaller beads.
Enjoy these lace and tea-themed links as you browse Tatting Tea Tuesday posts today.
Caterpillows
Think you are a savvy tatter? This crafty caterpillar makes doily-hideouts out of flowers.
DIY Tea Gift
The Edible Crafts Team over at Craft Gossip has shared this lovely tea tidbit: Make your own calming herbal tea and find links to packaging supplies HERE at Country Living.
Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful. See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!
I feel your pain! The tatting is beautiful, thought the motif has an...”issue!” Well, we can’t all be perfect! Thanks for the entertaining post. All Tat-land will relate!
ReplyDeleteFox ; )
it still looks pretty even if the side rings are a bit squashy. I liked the look of it and really didn't critique it until you mentioned the difficulties you were having.
ReplyDeleteThe colors and beads look really good.
I think it's beautiful. I love the pattern and the colours you chose. The beads go so well with the thread, and who doesn't like a little bling!
ReplyDeleteLovely colours. Oh well some experiments work and some don't. We wouldn't have known if you hadn't told us!
ReplyDeleteI think your snowflake is beautiful!!! :) And great color combination!! :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful snowflake
ReplyDeleteMargaret
Beautiful! Love the icy-cold look!
ReplyDeleteI like this kind of Celtic tatting where you make sections that are inserted into others. It seems that with this pattern you could interchange parts from one snowflake to another, since the points are simply pulled through the chains on the inner rounds.
ReplyDeleteI like the colors here and didn't notice anything 'wrong'!
The snowflake looks pretty in the colours you chose, except for the slight bowl. Ah well, now you know to tat it in #20 or adjust the beads and stitch counts, that's more important. Happy Tea Tuesday on your next endeavour.
ReplyDelete