Sunday, July 11, 2010

Madame Is Not Pleased

#25 Motif Challenge

Yes, it is finished and yes, I like it better than the original design, but my tatting makes me grouchy.  Could be a remnant mood from the high temperatures - I am still too hot.  But, I think I am just very dissatisfied with my tension that is still so inconsistent.

Reading other blogs and admiring other tatters has me comparing my stitches to theirs.  Being such a perfectionist, I see all my blunders and want to tat "like she does".

I know.  Foolish wasted energy.  **sigh**.

The positive happening:  a fantastic find!  


I was in the neighbourhood bead shop "just browsing", (right....) when my eagle-vision bi-focals zeroed in on a vial of beads - amid the gazillion other ones surrounding it; I could not believe my luck!

Just look at the match to the Bre-Aly thread!  Could it be any closer?

There is always a silver lining.  I must keep that in mind.  : )

Anon,

13 comments:

  1. The beads are a great find, delicious candy colours.

    May I know how many plies make the Bre-Aly thread. I have seen it a few times but was hesitant to purchase. I am only keen on 6-ply thread.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi, Jon,
    It is a three ply - a sturdy one, but only a three.
    Fox : )

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Fox!
    I think the motif is lovely! We are always merciless in our evaluation of our own work - just too close to the subject. What a lucky find with those beads!

    :) Ann

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the colour of the beads and I think your Motif is fine and there is nothing wrong with your Tatting, it's better than mine!

    ReplyDelete
  5. May the heat end soon for both you and me!!!!! Can't wait to see what you do with the beads.

    I love to see your work.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the colors! They make me think of newborn babies-what joy! :)
    And the motif reminds me of a flower-hmmm...a newborn flower??? :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. You're still relatively new to tatting. It was probably 3 years before I felt my tension was consistent more often than not. Even now, for instance - T.A.T. - the most common criticism was to watch my tension, practice my tension, little arrows showing a stitch slightly out of balance. Of course when it's blown up in black and white every single discrepancy shows, but I found it frustrating to hear over and over. Some days are better than others and some threads are easier to tension than others. Don't always blame yourself. You mentioned this is a 3 cord thread. I find that 3 cords do not tension as nicely as 6 cord ones. I suppose it is because the 6 cord has a tighter twist and is smoother. Hardly noticeable sometimes when you handle the thread but more so when you tat with it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you all for the wonderful comments, and a HUGE thank you to my tatting therapist - Gina! You are always the voice of reason in all the obsessive " Why is it not right, yet?" idiocy!

    I a truly not a complainer - just a first-born, dyslexic, over-achiever who expects better, faster. Honestly - if it sounds like whining I also need a writing coach!

    Thank, Gina - you keep me sane... sort of!
    ♥ Fox : )

    ReplyDelete
  9. I certainly appreciate your link to my blog and your kind comments about my tatting! I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with the hearts pattern! (I'm curious why you stopped at five hearts rather than the six.) I tatted at least four of these motifs before I got it right, and even now it's not perfect! The long chains are tricky to keep even.

    Isdahara is correct (in her comment on your previous post) about there being two similar patterns - one is by Lyn Morton (England) and the other is by Lene Bjorn (Denmark). However, Lene expanded her pattern and created a gorgeous doily, keeping the hearts theme. This doily was tatted perfectly (back in January) by Liyarra (Australia) with a fabulous HDT by Marilee (Wisconsin USA). Talk about the world-wide web!

    Suneeti's motif is also tatted perfectly and is apparently done with (dare I say it?) Lizbeth Caribbean!

    I used DMC perle cotton #8, and I also made some changes to Lyn's pattern by eliminatng the large picots in the center and adding more picots to the rings at the tops of the hearts. Even though I followed Lyn's pattern, it resembles Lene's! It measures 3" across.

    I can't imagine not having A/C in this hot weather!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi, Kathy,
    Thanks for the explanation - you are good to type so much!

    I did know about Lene's pattern as I first saw this on Liyarra's blog.opto fit in six. Probably because this thread says #30, but tats up very large.

    I am going to your site now, to see if I can find yours...
    Fox : )

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kathy, Yours is so pretty! I'd forgotten how lovely it is! Mine pales.... I think I will try it again. I would love to get my mitts on Lene's pattern.
    Fox : )

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fox, just had to break my time-crunch rule of not commenting so much on blogs to weigh in on tension.

    Gina got it right, of course. (She is so wise for a lass of such tender years!) You are new to tatting. It took me longer than Gina to regulate my tension.

    Right now I am using a 3-cord HDT to tat a spinning wheel glass mat and I notice annoying inconsistencies in stitch tension. Six-cord threads are more even (and stronger) because of the plying process.

    Your tatting is marvelous! Keep it up and before you know it you will be surpassing us all.

    ReplyDelete
  13. ANN! YOU ARE HERE!!! LOL!
    Fox the Gleeful : ))

    ReplyDelete