The Monsterpiece Doily, Round 4 Almost Complete

I guess this round takes longer than I thought it would. Probably because of all the reverse works that need to be done. The previous rounds had far fewer elements that needed to be RWed after they're done. Of well, it's a nice and easy tat; I could almost go into autopilot while tatting it. Almost.

See? Nice and easy. It's a little wavy, but I'm sure it will flatten out so I'm not worried right now. I should finish it tomorrow, maybe Friday at the latest. And no, I'm not trying to rush still. I'm trying to focus on the doily one round at a time. Looking at photos of completed doilys, what I've tatted is almost insignificant compared to the whole doily, so it's too overwhelming to think about. It will definitely be the largest item I have tatted thus far. Of course, the Windmills Doily could dwarf the Monsterpiece Doily in time since it's a motif based WIP. Thread stats: the thread is Manuela no. 20 colour #a055. Look back at previous posts for the thread stats of the other two colours.

That's it for now. We'll see how it goes. I do have another kinda unrelated project I'm working on as well. I hope to get it finished or mostly finished this weekend. I will reveal more next Friday (I think that's the date I picked). Till next time.

Monsterpiece Doily, Round 3

It took a little longer than anticipated, but I finished the third round of the Monsterpiece Doily. I know it might seem like I'm rushing through this doily, but I assure you I am not. I am really enjoying tatting this doily. I do plan on working on other patterns/crafts if the need arises. It's a little time consuming at the start as I am writing the pattern out in shorthand so everything is in sequence, I can keep track of changes I made, and I don't have to constantly keep checking the diagrams. I had to do this with Corona as well. Sadly, unlike Jane E, I can't really share my notes as it contains the whole pattern, or will contain the whole pattern. But I am willing to help anyone who decides to try the pattern after me.

Anyway, I finished this round this afternoon. I got called in to work this evening so I just finished it and took a photo before leaving.

I really proud of myself with this round. I remembered to put in a magic thread at both the beginning and the end. I forgot to put them in at the beginning on the first two round and only added them at the end. I am making sure my notes mention where to put the MTs in as well, um, now. You can see one end of each colour in the photo above. I will have to sew them in. Which reminds me, what size needle would be best to use for size 20 thread? I don't think I've ever hidden ends that way. I checked Jane's site, but she doesn't mention a needle size. Thread stats: the thread is Manuela no. 20 colour #a044. You'll have to check the previous post for the other rounds; I'm only going to mention thread info for the current round.

That's about it for now. The next round should go super quickly so expect another post in a few days. Till next time.

The Monsterpiece Doily, Halfway Through Round 3

I'll try to make this quick; I got home from work about a half hour ago so I'm tired but not sleepy so I'll do a quick update. Here is the Masterpiece/Monster AKA the Monsterpiece Doily as was before I went to work:

As you can see I have round 2 and about half of round 3 completed. And surprisingly is seems to be staying flat. I guess I was worrying for nothing. I'll see for sure after round 3 in done, but the joining picot size might not be as important as I first thought. It might help to make them on the small size, it just isn't as critical. Thread stats: the thread used for round 2 (the cream coloured one) is Manuela no. 20 colour #a055. The thread used for round 3 (the light green one) is Manuela no. 20 colour #a044. I am really enjoying tatting this doily.

That's it for now. Don't expect another update until the weekend; I don't know how much tatting I'm going to get done over the next couple days. Till next time.

The End of Corona, and New Beginnings

I hope no one minds that I took an extra day between posts in order to finish the Corona Doily. I finished tatting it last night near the end of the movie I was watching; this time, I watched Home. Again I didn't get as much tatting done as I would have liked-my eyes kept getting all watery and stuff. Anyway here is the finished doily:

And when I say finished, I mean finished tatting. My blocking board isn't large enough to handle larger items. I will have to get something larger pretty soon. I'm sure I will need it for the Jan Stawasz Masterpiece Doily.  It measures about 9 inches in diameter. Since it's not blocked, that's not very exact. I'll post proper measurements after it's block. As per usual, I used Manuela no. 20 thread in colour number A058.

I started the Jan Stawasz Masterpiece Doily AKA The Monster Doily. Here is the first round:

I blocked it after I tatted it this afternoon. It was cupping a bit. Sadly, I fear this will be a constant problem-again. Since I don't read Polish, I don't know what Jan says about the pattern in the magazine. Using Google Translate on my phone didn't help much (the word garlic kept coming up). I did go back to one of his books and read about his method of tatting. He mentions making joining picots very small, "as small as possible", to make the pattern nice and stable. The centre flattens out nicely, but I don't know about the next rounds. I started the second round after the centre was dry and photographed, and while it's not cupping yet, it looks like it might after I have made several more repeats. How did everyone else who tatted this doily make out? Did you guys make your joining picots very small? Did all the rounds work out regardless of picot size (they were "average size", not too big)? Since I am right at the beginning I might restart the doily now and try smaller joining picots. It was a pretty quick tat. Since I foresee me working on this for a while, I don't want to  screw it up too badly now. I've had this issue with Jan's patterns in the past, and it is my main frustration with his patterns. And yes, I know I might be worrying about a nonissue here.  I would love people's thoughts on this though. I don't want to have to block every row before tatting the next one, especially once it's larger than a foot or so in diameter (remember it'll be over 30 inches in diameter once completed, give or take).  Oh, the thread is Manuela no. 20 in colour #a022. I'll be honest here, I really like this colour.

That's about it for now. I have to get ready for bed and I have a number deal with before I go to bed. Till next time.

Corona Doily Round 10, Almost

Well, I've been tatting since my last post. I really do want to keep tatting and blogging regularly. I haven't gotten as much tatted as I'd like, but does anybody? I should have gotten more done after my last post, but I think I spent more time watching the movie (Monsters University) instead of tatting. I've also done a lot of retro tatting. More than I'd like to admit. Anyway, here is the doily as of a few minutes ago:

I'm really enjoying tatting this. It's still a little wavy, but this final round is helping. I will block it when I'm done. Which should be by the end of the weekend. Hopefully. Not much else to say so I provide the customary thread stats. This is Manuela no. 20 thread in colour number A058.


Finally, I have chosen the colours I will be using for the Jan Stawasz Masterpiece doily! Here is a photo:

What do you think? I kinda copied Jane E. a little. These are all Manuela no. 20 thread. I not certain if these are the same size as size 20 Lizbeth or the Anchor Aida that Jane used. These have over 100 metres more thread per ball than Jane's thread but are the same weight-50g. They all say 400 metres. I'd love to hear peoples opinion on my colour choices. The colours look fairly accurate on my monitor. Anyway, till next time.

Corona Doily Rounds 8 & 9

You know, posting regularly gets easier every time.  Like Diane, I am finding I am tatting more often so I have something to blog about. Days off help too. I'm surprised at how much I have gotten done over the last few days, tatting wise anyway. I did manage to get other stuff done too. I have tomorrow off as well; I had to work last Sunday, so my long weekend is this weekend. Anyway, I managed to get not one, but two rows completed on the Corona Doily. Yes, you heard me correctly!

Here is the doily with round 8 completed. Yeah, I know, it probably doesn't look like anything new was added. There is, in fact, a round of just chains tatted since last time.

Now it looks different! Somewhat. Round 9 has been completed here. Nothing to report about these two rounds. They both went pretty quickly. In fact I had more than half of round 8 completed by the time I went to bed the same day I post about round 7. I figured I'd keep going onto round 9 instead of doing another post. Hope nobody minds! And again, as a reminder this is Manuela no. 20 thread in colour number A058.

That's it for now. I started working on round 10, which is the final round for the doily. I haven't made a full repeat yet, but since I'm going to watch a movie yet tonight, I hope to get several repeats completed before bed. Till next time.

Corona Doily Round 7

I had hoped to post an update last night, but it was a bit late when I finished tatting this round. It was pretty easy tatting but since I had to work the last several days, I didn't get as much tatted each night as I hoped. I'm off for a few days, so I should get more done. Anyway, here is the doily at the end of round 8:

I think it is looking pretty good. It is staying fairly flat, so it should only need a light blocking once it is done. I think one of the problems I have been having is that my joining picots are on the large size compared with Judith's. I am also using size 20 thread instead of size 40. That shouldn't be a problem in tatting though. As a reminder, to you and me, I am using Manuela no. 20 thread in colour number A058. This was one of the ones I purchased from DS9Designs earlier this year.

The next round should be fairly quick; it's just chains. It's funny. Like Diane, I am finding I am tatting more so I can have something to post. As I tat this doily, I am thinking about my next project. I am pretty sure it will be the Jan Stawasz Masterpiece doily. I am not sure what colour(s) I will use or if it will be white/ecru. I think I want a few colours, as I like how Jane E.'s is turning out. Since I'm sure it will take me awhile to complete, I have not plans for it at this time. It will be rather large as well; the pattern states 84 cm when done in size 10. I will probably use size 20 maximum. Anyway, till next time.

Corona Round 6

Here I am again! I've been faithfully working on the Corona Doily since my last post. Of course I had two days off from work during that time too, which probably helped. And since it's Labour Day here in Canada tomorrow, I have tomorrow off too which I plan on spending a fair amount of time tatting. I should be able to speed through the next round. Actually the next several rounds should be fairly easy to complete. I'm going to try and post at minimum every three days, give or take. This means you may see rounds/motifs in progress, and not just items finished weeks/months ago. But since many other tatters post tatting in progress, I can too. I'll try and mix in other stuff too.

So, here's the doily as of last night:

Surprisingly after I finished tatting this round, the doily is mostly flat. The centre rounds are little wavy, but it's not too bad. I wonder if my tension on the solid chain rounds are a little tight and that's why it turned out wavy. I am glad I didn't change the stitch count. I decided not to block it after round 7. As you can probably see, I chose to end the round with a split chain, so I could climb to the next round. As a reminder, the thread is Manuela no. 20 in colour number A058. I started round 8 before going to bed last night.

That's it for now. See you in a couple days. Let me know what you think. I am trying to respond to comments as well. Oh, and if I seem to disappear again for an unusually long time-more than a couple weeks, feel free to let me know. I really plan on posting regularly.

I'm Back!

I think I say that all the time. I really mean it this time. I plan on posting at least every couple of days for a while. I doubt I can do it daily. This is an, experiment. I want to see if it will help with my anxiety issues. It appears that I am suffering from an anxiety disorder not depression as I initially thought. Lots of tatting, and/or other crafts, arts, whatever you want to call it, and lots (in theory) of writing/blogging about it will part of my recovery. This will also include finally getting some of my own designs written out and made available to other tatters by some means-for sale or free, not sure really.

I have been doing some tatting in my absence. It is the doily I mention in my last post. The pattern I am working on is one of Judith Connors, from her book Contemporary Tatting New Designs from an Old Art. 

This is the centre of the doily Corona. I used Manuela no. 20 in colour number A058. It's a nice baby blue colour. I'm probably going to keep this doily for myself, but that might change depending on how it turns out. As you can see, it's fairly flat after a bit of blocking.

Since I have been working on the doily for the past few months, I can show more progress tonight.

You remember how I said the centre was mostly flat after blocking? Yeah, that changed after I tatted the next four rounds. I am wondering if I should have changed the stitch count a bit. I guess time will tell. I am currently tatting round 6, which joins all the triangle motifs together. So far this is round staying flat. I think I'm going to block the doily again when I am done tatting this round. I hope to have the round finished in a few days. I'll post an update in a few days.

I haven't decided what my next tatting project will be, but I think it may be Jan Stawasz's Masterpiece (Monster) doily. I purchased the magazine that contains the pattern back in June.  I will probably have to rewrite the pattern as I tat it much like Jane E. and I assume others.

Till next time.