Tuesday Tatting Tales – Week 3

· by · in Needle Tatting, Tatting. ·

Last week I had set a few learning goals that I wanted to accomplish for this week. I planned on being able to dazzle everyone with some lovely loops and chains with joined picots for needle tatting. I planned on churning out some fabulous chains and uniform sized picots with my shuttle tatting.

You know that old saying – “Make a plan and the tatting gods will laugh” 😀

Okay so that’s just my fairly new saying.

I hate it when I hear myself trying to come up with excuses for why something didn’t go the way that I planned. So in order not to upset myself I am going to put some yarn in my ears so I won’t hear myself telling YOU all of my excuses!!!

Excuse # 1

Hubby was away for 5 days last week with Charlie, attending Jiu Jitsu Camp. I’m sure the event was something more macho sounding than that but I really wasn’t paying close attention to the specifics. I love that he has a stress busting, anxiety taming, therapeutic activity that works for him.

Patrick’s Jiu Jitsu = Tami’s Crocheting

I chilled out for a good chunk of those 5 days.

Excuse # 2

Kumihimo!!!!!!! I pulled out my brand new Starter Project kit and had some fun!!!

Excuse # 3

I started a new project thanks to Hannah @quietwatercraft for tagging me in an Instagram post that had a picture of a hairpin lace loom. I wanted to make another summer top and I wanted to work some hairpin lace into it. It was all Hannah’s fault!!

*******************************************************************

I was not steadfast with my tatting practice last week. In fact I have nothing to show in the shuttle tatting department. I’m sad to say I think that I even backslid a little here.

I did however, make some progress today with needle tatting. Today was the only day that I practiced. But I did practice for an hour. 😀

learning to needle tat 3

I am going to say success mostly for last week’s needle tatting goals. I did not have any unexpected and unwanted knots taking the thread off of the needle. I did join lots of circles together. I learned that I am not able to use the tip of the needle to pull up a loop for the joining, so I got to use my teeny tiny crochet hook that I have actually never used.

And take a gander at that middle piece – IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING!!!

I am not going to beat myself up for not practicing more last week because there was one big thing that I noticed this week. I didn’t get frustrated at all! I was a little annoyed with myself for going backwards in my shuttle time, but that was all my fault not the shuttle. If I had practiced I would have had a better week.

For next week I will revisit my shuttle goals that I did not complete. For needle tatting I want to put some chains between the joined circles.

Thanks for reading!

~ Tami

And here’s a bonus for everyone that read all the way down to the bottom of this post – a sneak peek at the maxi skirt I’ve been working on. 😀

maxi skirt

 

48 responses to “Tuesday Tatting Tales – Week 3”

  1. First of all, you accomplished quite a bit so don’t be so hard on yourself. The tatting looks beautiful. The hairpin looks lovely. I think it will look awesome on the sleeves, too! And the skirt is simply gorgeous, I would love to see a picture of it on you when you’re done.
    Congratulations on your successes especially because you were not stressed at all.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Lyn! I was really happy that I finally had some confidence when I picked up my tatting needle. I was bummed a little about the backslide with the shuttle, but I’ll get back on track eventually. I feel like I’m pretty close with the needle to look for an easy pattern. I’m very excited about the skirt! I haven’t worked on it in a few days but I am anxious to finish it. I would really like to wear it to my daughter’s high school graduation next week. I’ll be sure to post some pictures showing it off!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • I did get a lot done!! What was really amazing was how quiet the house was all week! Hubby has a way of making the dogs go nuts. I think that they think he’s part of their pack! They were so well behaved while he was away. But when he got back Sunday night – oh my gosh it was like a barking, tail wagging explosion in my house!! 😀

      Like

    • Thank you! My tatting experience has really improved since I stopped trying to make a project and just focused on learning the individual steps. I’m actually feeling like I ‘can’ do this!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      • I think that’s a better way. I’m working on lace knitting at the moment, and just ‘going along’ with long strips. I don’t get so upset if things go wrong! 😉
        (And they do…)

        Liked by 1 person

  4. I like that skirt. I also like the idea of husbands having hobbies. Husbands should always have hobbies. You know, because I have hobbies. I’m also enjoying the realistic journaling about learning how to tat because you’re no doubt helping people understand the amount of time you have to spend learning (teaching yourself) so they know this is a skill to build on. Looks like you had a breakthrough on the needle tatting, right? That’s satisfying.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks!! I did have a needle tatting breakthrough! I’m still a little wobbly on the joins but that just needs more practice. After I roll some chains in to the mix I may be ready to try a simple pattern! I definitely prefer the needle over the shuttle. I still want to learn both but needle will most likely be my go-to. I’m glad I decided to show the good, bad, and ugly side of tatting. I would hate for someone to give it a try and then instantly abandon it. I almost did at first. I also almost didn’t post all my tatty failures either. I really appreciate everyone’s support. It encourages me to keep at it. Regarding hubbies with hobbies – it’s nice to have individual interests. You should see us talking to each other about our respective hobbies. Well it’s more like – you should see one of us with eyes glazed over while the other talks about his/her hobby! It’s our favorite running joke!! 😀

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thanks Kate! I’m happy with everything I did get done, but I only wish I had spent a little bit of that time practicing the shuttle tatting. I’m so glad that I never have any ‘real’ deadlines for anything, I get distracted too easily!! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks!! I love hairpin lace. I don’t use it nearly as much as I would like to. The trickiest part is when you turn the loom, but it doesn’t take long to get comfortable with that. There’s like a billion ways that you can join the strips. I think joining would really appeal to your “macrame” side as some of the methods can get very intricate. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Well Tami, l that makes me feel better. I was reading about all the stuff you’ve done this week and I thought that was in addition to the tatting. It’s reassuring to know I’m not the only one whose projects expand beyond the time available to do them. But your tatting is looking pretty much like tatting! Good job.
    Jan

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Jan! It’s those ‘pop-up’ projects that aren’t originally in the schedule that throw the whole plan off. And I think I love those the best!! You never know when inspiration is going to hit so you always need to be ready for it. I’m so happy that as far as my craft projects are concerned there really are no deadlines other than the ones that I make up for them. 😀

      Like

    • Oh I can’t wait to see all of the fun stuff your wild imagination is going to come up with this summer!! What exciting things do you have lined up? Any big projects?? 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      • I WISH I had great ideas for crochet projects. 😂 My goals are more along the lines of finally calling the plumber about a leaky faucet (it’s getting pretty bad) and getting the house painted. Although crochet related, I signed up for a correspondence course on teaching crochet. Theirs a certificate and everything when finished. 🙂 I want to make more videos and work on my next book even though the other one is still waiting to see the light of day. Hah! Lofty goals. I’m on summer brain. I make no promises. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      • Haahaa Summer Brain!! Love it! The crochet teaching certificate sounds fun! You do need to get that book out there. I’m on the waiting list!!! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

  13. You’ve been busy! The maxi skirt is looking good 😊! The hairpin is pretty! And the necklace is gorgeous! You are doing something great, my friend, no worries if you need a break from one of your projects 😉.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Tati …[Tami] … were you relaxed and actually doing rather well because you put your mind to doing what you wanted and longed to do.

    OR …..

    Where you all lovely and relaxed and doing well because . . . “Hubby was away for 5 days last week with Charlie”???

    Not trying to cause a stir but . . . . jus’ wonderin’. 😉
    squidges and love ~ Cobs. x 😄

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dearest Cobs!! You have hit the nail right on the head there!!! Hubbies are rather a lot of work, as I’m sure you know. It was a treat to have only me to worry about making comfy. When he first was trying to decide whether or not to go I jumped right in and said -You should GO!!
      I’m already looking forward to next years Jui Jitsu Camp!!
      I hope you are having the best week ever!!! ❤ 😀 ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  16. There’s this amazing beach cover up worked with the hairpin lace. I would love to try that’s. My craft store people looked at me like I was crazy when I asked about the loom (my local craft store target audience is carnival people). Your top is on its way to amazing though and the skirt looks great! Do you make the pattern as you go?

    Liked by 1 person

    • LOL I ordered my loom from Amazon. I’ve seen some gorgeous beach cover ups too!! Lately I’ve been making up the patterns as I go along. I’ve had some really good luck with them turning out the way I wanted them to. With the skirt I’m literally deciding what stitch to use as I start a new row. For the hairpin lace top I’m taking notes as I go along. I’m not sure if I will write it out as an actual pattern. I’ll wait and see how it turns out. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks! I’m really happy with how the hairpin lace is working out on this top. I was going off of a ‘design’ I had thought up when I was falling asleep one night and had no idea if it would even work. I’m still crossing my fingers that it turns out okay. I’m about halfway done with it. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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