When choosing the thread/yarn for a project, I will pose the question, who's doing the work - the thread or the pattern? Or to put it another way, the thread/yarn or the pattern may be busy, but not both. Look at the socks in my previous post. That yarn called for a very simple pattern. I usually reserve variegated threads for edgings or small motifs, or alternate rounds with a solid color in a larger piece. If there are several rounds of a variegated thread, the colors may pool or draw the eye away from the structure of the pattern. Some people are better at this than I am and produce beautiful things with variegates.
Last summer, when I wanted to make Dora Young's Square Pinwheel, I had trouble finding a pair of threads I felt like working with. There was a Lizbeth variegated ball (sorry, can't remember the number) with the colors all about the same strength. I thought maybe I could pull it off, since Jane had made a very nice version of the same pattern with an ombre thread, but no, I just wasn't happy when it was done. It's not horrible, but I don't think the pinwheel structure shows up as well as it should. (The scan actually looks better than in real life.) I switched to safer solid colors, sigh.
Incidentally, the technique Dora Young used in this pattern also appears in the Bath Tatting Book of 1865. I've always wondered if she had a copy of that book, or independently recreated the technique.
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I think you’re right, busy thread or busy pattern but not both. The pattern does look better in solid colours, though the variegated one is not terrible.
ReplyDeleteI share your sentiments regarding variegated threads. Your mat turned out lovely.
ReplyDeleteWow, between the Bath Tatting book and Mlle Riego's books, almost everything we know about tatting was already done 💕
I know better, but often I just can't resist. :) The socks look great, and you can see the cables (resembles a braid down the side ....at least to me), it's just not as EASY to see the design with the busy color scheme. Still....the colors are beautiful, and the socks are gorgeous. I like the variegated square, too. Using a variegated thread with fairly 'equal' colors was a great idea. I have to admit, though, the squares for your State Fair submission show off the design really well. All of them are beautiful, though.
ReplyDeleteStephanieW
The first one looks great, but the second looks amazing!!! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your award, Martha. I'm researching both DY and TBTB. Could you tell me the number of the pattern in TBTB to which you are referring please? I'm quite interested.(Judith C)
ReplyDeleteI'm talking about the mesh effect seen in the arms of the DY pinwheel made with rounds of picot, ds, lock join. The same effect occurs in TBTB in the chrysanthemum section of the Second Doyley, written there as L, 1 D, tie. ( or L, 1 D, L, 1 D, tie in the rounds that need an increase.) I'd love to hear more about your research.
DeleteThanks, Martha. I'll look into that. Are you aware that 2024 is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Dora's original book, 'All New Knotless Tatting Designs'?
ReplyDeleteI have a modernized version of one of the edgings in TBTB if you are interested.
Judith.