Monday, July 29, 2013

Mignonette?

Hmm, where to start... I guess at the beginning. A couple years ago, oh I want to say 2010, I participated in the OWOH giveaway. I won a tatting shuttle, with a book and an invitation to learn to "Tat". As I was busy doing other things I set it aside thinking I would start "later". Well here is is almost three or four years later, and while unpacking (we moved last year) I found the book, along with some crochet curtains I had started (15 years ago, yikes).
I finished up the curtains first. That was something of a trial as I didn't keep the hook with them so I had to try and figure out which size I had used. So this meant "several" rows where I would crochet then tear apart and start over. Well at least now they are done! I finished them up while working at a friends shop on Friday.
Now to try "tatting".  It was learning how to hold the thread in my hands, coordinating my fingers to move the correct way, which turned out was for me the most difficult, that and maybe learning to read the patterns (Still working on that).
So after several practice butterflies, and four bookmarks, I of course felt taking on a "mignonette bag" was what I wanted to do next. WARNING!  I'm just stating here that this may or may not have been a wise (probably not) move. I have had to, and still need to learn a lot, and no I probably (probably? no definitely) should have tackled something a little less daunting, but after seeing them on Gina Butlers YouTube channel I wanted to try.
There are many good videos on how to tat. The book I had was good, but for me seeing someone in action can be so much more helpful. Gina is one of these gifted and talented people who offer many videos explaining stitches, techniques,  It was seeing the mignonette bags she made that really made me push myself to learn.
Of course here is where I tell you that I contacted her for help, and I could not ask for a kinder more sharing person. She has been just an email away anytime I am not sure, have a question, or need to learn more about this art.
So here is the bottom of my bag. I was stuck here, had to bother Gina as I could not for the life of me figure out where to go from this point. Like I said reading patterns can be tricky. There may be portions that a more experienced "tatter"would know. In this case there was a part missing from the pattern I had.  She was great, and I am getting to the second round of this band on my bag.
I will update the photos later. I know I have not posted in a while. So much going on with work, family and the house. But that's another post....

3 comments:

Terri said...

Happy Tatting ...you are off to a fantastic beginning...looking forward to future project.

Stef H said...

wow! my fingers cramp just thinking about this. but you rocked it.

Stef H said...

well holy crap. i just realized where i was! how the heck r ya? what's been going on? i've been real lax about getting here.. sorry 'bout that. alls well here. son's been living with me for the past yr - hopefully he'll be moving out by the end of the summer. i'm thinking of selling my house - boo hoo - but i live in a modular home (glorified trailer) and between the mortgage and lot rent, i can stand to lose the lot rent. all else is real good.

hugs :)