It has been just over a year since I started shuttle tatting and I can really see the difference in what I can achieve now--my picots are more uniform, my tension troubles have eased, and I no longer am intimidated by small thread sizes, adding thread to a shuttle that has run "dry", or Jan Stawasz patterns.
Well, ok, maybe the Stawasz patterns still make my heart go thump, but more in a "Let's do this!" way, rather than a, "Yeah, right" manner.
Not that his patterns aren't incredibly challenging, because they totally are. And not that I have mastered his technique, because I totally haven't. But, I did successfully complete my first Stawasz pattern and am on my way to my second:
I find his patterns so satisfying to work. They are so...solid, but so delicate at the same time. I have his second book on order and can't wait to add it to my ever-growing collection.
Oh, and speaking of my ever-growing tatting book collection, I got another book in the mail today that I am pretty psyched about...I have a bunch of Russian tatting books (because, you know, I live in Russia) and someone offered to swap one of my books for a Japanese book:
This was such a satisfying experience, if anybody out there has tatting books they want to swap, just let me know! :)
In the meantime, I'm goin back to Stawasz-land! :)
I've been tatting for a long time now-36 years - an I found even a difference in my work in the last four years, I've been working on the same piece throughout that time. I wonder if the next four will bring the same? Your JS looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) I love how tatting is an ever-changing gift :)
DeleteI like your attitude towards tatting (and your tatting is beautiful) and It is fun to see my own progress and I have been working on an old historical pattern and as I try to understand it I wonder how the one who invented it thought of it, and where she was at in progression and how did she do it with such little pictures? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) Those historical patterns are so interesting--I often wonder how they managed to make up such intricate designs without the pictures, little or otherwise :)
DeleteBoth pieces look wonderful!!! :) Can't wait to see that doily finished!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am working hard and have half of the next round done! :)
DeleteBeautiful patterns and equally beautiful tatting :-)
ReplyDeleteI so agree with your take on learning ... I have been tatting for 2 decades but it is only this year that a whole new world of tatting techniques and possibilities, including dimensional tatting !
Now it is like learn something new, apply it, go on to the next,.... building one's skills and repertoire. And there is just not enough time because more and more enticing and exciting things keep emerging ;-))
Wishing you all the best
Thank you so much!! I agree, there is not enough time for tatting! I have only been tatting in the Internet age and it has changed so much recently, so I can't imagine how much different it was 20 years ago!! :) Thanks for commenting and your complement :)
DeleteYour tatting is beautiful. I recently have acquired the same japanese book. I thought it was lovely
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am so happy to have my new book, I can't wait to get started with it...but I also got another Jan Stawasz book, so now my heart is torn! Too many tatting books, not enough time! :)
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