And it was a LONG, LONG, LONG road home from Disney!
The first day in the car I tatted during Baby Doll's naps. She's a little obsessed with shuttles, hooks and thread. I totally get it, but apparently I'm stingy so I had to wait until she was SOUND asleep before I made my move. I made two more motifs from Minitats by Patti Duff. #51 in blue and #7 in white, both with a few beads added for fun. It was a SWEET tatting day!
But on Day Two, somewhere in Mississippi, the unthinkable happened... Tatting became VERY contrary and troublesome, and after a bout of huffy breathing, I banished it to the darkness of the bag for the remainder of the trip. It sounds harsh I know, but I HAD to stand firm.
So how did I fill the remaining hours in the car? By singing along obnoxiously to elevator music with my husband, both of us ignoring groans from the children, and keeping my hands busy working on my Baby Bow Tie Quilt.
I have been working on this quilt for some time and have about 200 blocks done. The blocks measure 3.5" square. I have about a third of the blocks I will need for a twin size quilt. I enjoy making them and pick up fat quarters of 1930's reproduction fabrics here and there to add to the mix.
Tatting and I made up quickly after we got home and I made this motif with cluny leaves designed by Stephanie Peters. I liked making it SO much I ordered a book with more cluny patterns!
I think the tatting motifs and quilt blocks make handsome pairs!
A while back, a friend suggested I not use some fabrics for my quilt because they didn't look good together, but I want a scrappy look and believe in the end that they will all "go." And that reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite books:
"And then while you're livin' your life, it looks pretty much like a jumble o' quilt pieces before they're put together; but when you git through with it, or pretty nigh through, as I am now, you'll see the use and the purpose of everything in it. Everything'll be in its right place jest like the squares in this 'four-patch,' and one piece may be pretty and another one ugly, but it all looks right when you see it finished and joined together."
13 comments:
Anne,
Those clunies are wonderful! I love all the little motifs in this post. You stitching is precise and beautiful.
I am curious about the Cebelia #30. when I started tatting I bought some colours in #20, which I also needed for the TAT courses. But, I find it soft and fuzzy and a bit thick.
Your motifs look so elegant and the thread looks a lot different from mine. Of course, it could be your tatting and nothing to do with the thread!
Is there that much difference between the two weights?
Can't get over that beautiful cluny piece! Good stuff!
Fox : )
I have been looking for the book you mentioned by Stephanie Peters.... Cannot find it. Just what a need - another tatting book!
What are the particulars, Ann? I am so curious!
Fox : )
Hi Fox!
You have MADE MY DAY!!! Thank you SO much!
It's kind of funny, I have some Cebelia #10 (which I used for the cluny motif) and Cebelia #30 (which I used for the other two motifs), but no #20. I looked at both sizes I have under a magnifying glass and the #10 did not appear to be fuzzier than the #30. It can't be a difference in tatting, I'm wondering if it could be climate.
I like both weights very much. I tend to use #10 when I am trying something new. Like clunies - I practiced with #10 and made the motif with #10. Now I'm starting to practice with #30. I'm thinking that when I try a cluny piece, I should always do a few trial clunies with the thread I'm using, sort of like knitting for gauge.
The book I ordered is Cluny Tatting Designs by Joy Botchlet. It's a booklet with 17 designs. I ordered it from Handy Hands and it is supposed to arrive tomorrow (fingers crossed)! It will probably open a whole new can of worms for me though and I will have to learn more skills. That's always the way!
:) Ann
Your quilt blocks look beautiful! All of them. . . and just like your quote says when you are finished they will all go together!
I really enjoy your blog. I have learned so much from everyone's blogs. What a wonderful thing, the internet. I just wish I had more time to spend on the computer. lol
Thank you Enlightened by Angels!
I enjoy piecing. It's relaxing for me and I love the colors of the fabrics. At the rate I'm going, it will be a LONG time before I get to see all of the blocks together - but that's OK with me!
And yes, I really enjoy the internet and especially the blogging community. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to get to know other people who enjoy the same hobbies I do. I am continually inspired!
:) Ann
Love your new motifs. The one with cluny leaves is especially beautiful and so perfect -- I'm always amazed at your ability to pick up new techniques.
The bow tie blocks all look wonderful together. I think it's a mistake to make a scrap quilt too matchy -- I feel those 30's reproduction fabrics can sometimes be a little too cute. The manufacturers just don't bother making reproductions of the uglier prints. If you send me your address I'll put together some real vintage 30's fabric scraps that you can add to your blocks if you like.
Thank you Martha! I'm glad you like what I've been working on.
I always think with a scrap quilt, that it should look like, "Well, that's what I had!" and you are right, it is hard to find many truly scrappy looking reproductions.
Thank you for your wonderful offer! I would LOVE to have a few of your vintage scraps!!! Perhaps I could send you something as well?
:) Ann
Hi again, Ann! Thanks for the response. Maybe it is the climate - it is humid in Toronto and I can't compare it to your habitat, as you didn't list it!
The book is very good. I got it a while back. Most of the patterns are useful; however, the illustrations are all hand done. But, good value all in all!
I like to study Fils at Dentelles's work for cluny inspirtion.
http://elisadusud.canalblog.com
Fox : )
Stopping bye to say thank you for entering my giveaway. Good luck to you in the drawing.
Aahh, quilting ... something that I can dream of at the moment.
Hi Fox!
OK, I'm getting a LITTLE obsessed with this thread thing! I found #20 today. It doesn't seem to be much different from #30. I tried, but failed, to get a good picture of them for comparison. It's not very humid here in Texas, but then we don't have to run the heat very much, so the air in the house isn't dry. I did read that thread becomes brittle as it dries out, but I'm still not sure if that is it.
I haven't actually noticed a lot of fuzziness with your motifs. I did go back to April on my blog and saw that the same thread was tatting up differently then. That is a time of year when I usually have a problem with my hands being dry. Since then, I've been using using lotion a couple times a day when I know I'm not going to tat and my hands are pretty smooth.
Reading about thread today made me want some Egyptian thread. It sounds really good.
I was excited to get my book today! It DOES look good, but I'm going to have to enlarge those diagrams if I'm to have any hope in making something out of it! Thanks for the link - she does AMAZING work!
:) Ann
Hi Jon!
Thanks for dropping by! AND for hosting your giveaway - I know there are TONS of people (including me) hoping they are among the lucky winners!
Between tatting, quilting and sewing I ALWAYS have something to keep me busy and I ALWAYS have things to dream about!
:) Ann
Your motifs are lovely! Those clunies are fabulous! Nice work. :)
Thank you SO MUCh Tatting Chic!
Ann
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