The other day I saw this in my Handwoven eNewsletter:
For Women Only:
How Do Fibers Help You Cope with Life?
The University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, is conducting a research study to explore the role of textile hand- crafts such as weaving, spinning, knitting, felting, and quilting in women’s lives. The research team says that, surprisingly, very few studies have ever examined the relationship between fiber crafts and mood. The survey is brief, and the study will run until the end of February, 2010.
If you would like to participate, click here for more information and a link to the anonymous online questionnaire.
It is too bad that a separate tatting category isn't included in this research study, but there is a "lace making" category, as well as a place where you may enter in your own craft choice.
When I took the survey I typed in tatting.
Whether or not you choose to participate in the survey, how does tatting help you cope with life?
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tatting, Interrupted
This week's Tatting Tea Tuesday post arrives a day late and maybe even a dollar short.
It has taken awhile, but The Sprout finally figured out how to delete an entire blog post while I was typing the final paragraph! Grrrr...
It is a testament to my love for him that I let him live.
I can't possibly recreate yesterday's post from memory, so here is the short recap. No tatting this past week.
Instead, I spent many hours researching household appliance reviews and the government's Cash for Appliances stimulus program. Clothes dryer is dead, dishwasher is dead, clothes washer declared dead on principle (it is over 12 years old). AND last evening we discovered a broken window that needs to be fixed before pumping more hard earned heating dollars (literally) out the window.
It has been a tough week.
But today I saw this Felt Holly Corsage on marthastewart.com and thought, "what a great start to a mixed media project for the holidays!"
Add tatted holly leaves on top of the felt and Voila!
(I know, we're all in the throws of Snowflake Madness or Tatted Gift Madness or whatever you are calling your holiday handcraft frenzy. Another project? No thanks.)
I plan to print this out and save it for next year. A nice, easy solution that actually reduces tatting tension levels!
Here is a sneak peek at a new holiday project I have allowed myself to start. It is related to a Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. Hopefully, I will be able to blog about it in a few days.
Lavender Shuttle Motif
© 2002 Mark Myers
It has taken awhile, but The Sprout finally figured out how to delete an entire blog post while I was typing the final paragraph! Grrrr...
It is a testament to my love for him that I let him live.
I can't possibly recreate yesterday's post from memory, so here is the short recap. No tatting this past week.
Instead, I spent many hours researching household appliance reviews and the government's Cash for Appliances stimulus program. Clothes dryer is dead, dishwasher is dead, clothes washer declared dead on principle (it is over 12 years old). AND last evening we discovered a broken window that needs to be fixed before pumping more hard earned heating dollars (literally) out the window.
It has been a tough week.
But today I saw this Felt Holly Corsage on marthastewart.com and thought, "what a great start to a mixed media project for the holidays!"
Add tatted holly leaves on top of the felt and Voila!
(I know, we're all in the throws of Snowflake Madness or Tatted Gift Madness or whatever you are calling your holiday handcraft frenzy. Another project? No thanks.)
I plan to print this out and save it for next year. A nice, easy solution that actually reduces tatting tension levels!
Here is a sneak peek at a new holiday project I have allowed myself to start. It is related to a Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. Hopefully, I will be able to blog about it in a few days.
© 2002 Mark Myers
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Round 3 Complete
Done yesterday during Tatting Tea Tuesday, after switching tea flavors. Hee, hee! Italian Chamomile soothed me through the ring re-opening. After a short blog surfing break (you guys always make me feel better) I switched to Lemon Ginger tea and worked the final stitches and end-hiding bits.
What do you think?
Tweaking...
Taking a cue from weavers, I think I will try pairing this wonderful HDT with black or a coordinating solid to bring out the beautiful colors.
Is it just me, or does the Sweet Heart get lost? Birgit's heart makes such a stable and attractive center. It just won't do to have it get lost in the kafuffle.
The gap between the bumps is not pronounced enough for my tastes either. I will rework the pattern to give it a deeper plunge.
A long, maybe even twisted picot connecting the bottom tip of round two to round three would be good too. Oh, the possibilities!
What do you think?
Tweaking...
Taking a cue from weavers, I think I will try pairing this wonderful HDT with black or a coordinating solid to bring out the beautiful colors.
Is it just me, or does the Sweet Heart get lost? Birgit's heart makes such a stable and attractive center. It just won't do to have it get lost in the kafuffle.
The gap between the bumps is not pronounced enough for my tastes either. I will rework the pattern to give it a deeper plunge.
A long, maybe even twisted picot connecting the bottom tip of round two to round three would be good too. Oh, the possibilities!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Heartbeat Away...
AUGH! It's frustrating to be so close and yet so far from completing this project. It is the project [original SweetHeart by Birgit Phelps, © 2003] I have been picking up (and putting down) since July.
The thread is Tatskool's lovely Rainbow Bright.
See that top ring there? The partially open one showing signs of an extended wrestling match? I am determined to reopen that ring. I have been working at it for over an hour now.
Not sure if my nerves or the thread will break first!
So it is time to unwind with a relaxing cup of Italian chamomile herbal tea and redirect my energies. Perhaps even write the instructions for round three and draw the diagram for this pattern.
UPDATE: Perseverence pays off! The ring is undone.
The jury is still out on whether this heart will have a pronounced enough gap between the bumps at the top, but I like the length of the point at the bottom. (That negative space around the tip is a bit floppy...some tweaking may be needed there.) And I'm not sure if the variegated thread is overpowering the design. Perhaps pairing it with a color-matched solid. Maybe black to lend a stained glass look?
Can you tell I'm one of those types who can go on indefinitely tweaking? LOL!
Moving on.
Sharon Briggs has said that once you start, you will find inspiration everywhere you look. Look at this surprising source of snowflake inspiration.
Image Source: Wegman's Garlic Naan
Graceful little flake, isn't it? Because it is printed in a warm green, it reminds me of henna paste or an ivy plant. The dark green, bell-shaped bits could either be rings or Clunies. The dots could be joins or Josephine rings or nothing at all. The outlined edge could be large clovers or onion rings or dimpled rings or ...
Sharon, (if you are reading) you are a bona fide tatting genius!
Does this image inspire you? If so, please, please share. Would love to see where this leads you.
Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful. See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!
Friday, November 20, 2009
A Hush Falls
Today's post is a culmination of tatting angst and a nod to the hush that seems to be falling over Tat Land of late.
Please join me as I pour a tall glass of "Iced Tea" by The Carpenters and fracture one of their best loved songs.
I know you were expecting to hear the tune, "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)".
I had originally planned this as a Tatting Tea Tuesday post and it was my attempt at a tie-in. Yes, I hear the crickets...
I freely admit I am not as good at Tatting Tea tie-ins as Gina the Tatting Goddess. But I can fracture a quote (or a lyric) with the best of them!
There's a kind of hush,
All over Tat Land tonight.
All over Tat Land.
You can hear the sound of lacers mid-knot.
You know what I mean.
So listen very carefully
Get closer now and you will see what I mean
It isn't a dream
The only sound that you will hear
Are lacing shuttles [needles] clicking into high gear
Before Santa appears
What? More crickets?!? Y'all sure are a tough crowd.
Before you start lobbing rotten tomatoes, here is a fascinating PDF file. It is a tatting story that The New York Times originally ran on February 2, 1913. The title of the story was Tatting Rest Cure for British Brains.
Can you believe that under the headline it said this? "beats playing solitaire" Oh sweet mercy!
I particlularly was amused at the spelling of the word doily : "d'oyley."
Another amusing bit was the term "toilet mat." Today, wouldn't a toilet mat be one of those fuzzy rugs that people use to accessorize their bathroom decor? I'm pretty sure that in 1913 they were referring to a lacy dresser scarf or some such.
Now, the next time you find yourself in the loo, the words "toilet mat" will pop into your head. LOL!
Remember — Tatting, it beats playing solitaire!
(To come full circle, it seems The Carpenters released their version of the Neil Sedaka song, "Solitaire" in 1975 and it reached 17 on hit charts of the day. As a kid my first LP was one of The Carpenters albums. Just more useless trivia...)
I know, I know...don't quit my day job. Aren't you glad I shelved this topic in favor of dishing on HDT stash?
Have a great weekend!
Please join me as I pour a tall glass of "Iced Tea" by The Carpenters and fracture one of their best loved songs.
I know you were expecting to hear the tune, "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)".
I had originally planned this as a Tatting Tea Tuesday post and it was my attempt at a tie-in. Yes, I hear the crickets...
I freely admit I am not as good at Tatting Tea tie-ins as Gina the Tatting Goddess. But I can fracture a quote (or a lyric) with the best of them!
There's a kind of hush,
All over Tat Land tonight.
All over Tat Land.
You can hear the sound of lacers mid-knot.
You know what I mean.
So listen very carefully
Get closer now and you will see what I mean
It isn't a dream
The only sound that you will hear
Are lacing shuttles [needles] clicking into high gear
Before Santa appears
What? More crickets?!? Y'all sure are a tough crowd.
Before you start lobbing rotten tomatoes, here is a fascinating PDF file. It is a tatting story that The New York Times originally ran on February 2, 1913. The title of the story was Tatting Rest Cure for British Brains.
Can you believe that under the headline it said this? "beats playing solitaire" Oh sweet mercy!
I particlularly was amused at the spelling of the word doily : "d'oyley."
Another amusing bit was the term "toilet mat." Today, wouldn't a toilet mat be one of those fuzzy rugs that people use to accessorize their bathroom decor? I'm pretty sure that in 1913 they were referring to a lacy dresser scarf or some such.
Now, the next time you find yourself in the loo, the words "toilet mat" will pop into your head. LOL!
Remember — Tatting, it beats playing solitaire!
(To come full circle, it seems The Carpenters released their version of the Neil Sedaka song, "Solitaire" in 1975 and it reached 17 on hit charts of the day. As a kid my first LP was one of The Carpenters albums. Just more useless trivia...)
I know, I know...don't quit my day job. Aren't you glad I shelved this topic in favor of dishing on HDT stash?
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What's in Your Stash?
Please forgive this quick post, I have a couple of burning questions for HDT lovers:
Are you a HDT hoarder? A user?
How much HDT is in your stash?
Lately I have been feeling
Don't get the wrong idea. I don't regret a single (or multiple) skein purchase. But I know I won't be able to use all this gorgeous thread in the pre-holiday hustle, either to make gifts or to shorten my "must tat" list.
Let's face it, I currently possess enough threads (not just HDTs, but total thread stash) to last multiple lifetimes. Yet I still must have more hand-dyed thread.
As radical and absurd as it may seem, HDTs don't always bring out the best in a pattern or design. Sometimes it is better to pair a variegated thread with a solid. And yes, there are times when only a solid color will showcase a design to its best advantage. But I'm no expert in making those weighty decisions. Still very much a novice!
Back to the pretty colors. LOL!
Looking over the photo, I see a shortage of rusty red or blue-blended colorways. (Excepting Tatskool's awesome indigo and blue skeins, of course.) There is also room for something deliciously creamy (maybe some Vanilla Sky?). Maybe some Helm's Deep...
See how easily I enable myself?
Could you help me assuage this wicked HDT craving?
Show me your HDT stash. Don't hold back. It will help me put mine into perspective.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Isn't this pretty?
Isn't this a pretty little gift card holder?
Prairie - Keyring Card Pouch
A Kindred Spirit
The creator of this hand-made case hails from Auckland, New Zealand. And she lists HDT as well as tatting and lace among some of her favorite things.
How did I come across this cleverly decorated case? I stumbled upon it after window shopping the latest hook pen arrivals to LadyShuttleMaker's Etsy shop.
nzjo has a few different styles of card cases and other items in her Etsy shop, if you care to browse.
Although I paused at the price, I don't doubt that the cost is totally in line for a custom-made item. Especially if the needle artist is creating the tatting herself.
I'm putting one of these on my Wish List for Santa.
[*scribbling.sounds.of.pen.on.paper*]
Dear Santa,
I've been an exceptionally good girl this year...I have kept my HDT purchases within budgeted limits (barely), blogged with discipline and kept my online and real life responsibilities in balance. If you could slip a keyring card pouch decorated with tatting and silk ribbon embroidery under the tree, I'd be ever so grateful.
Thank you, Santa!
Yours,
IsDihara
[*gently.blows.across.paper.to.dry.the.ink*]
You are welcome to use my hastily scribbled note for your own Letter to Santa.
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