Tuesday, September 6, 2011

On Hearts And Other Simple Patterns

Yesterday went down pretty much as expected. We took a family walk in the morning. We watched the husband play video games, believe this is one of the kids favorite things to do and the while time I tatted, working on the two orders in queue and their replacement bits. After all this though we headed to the in-laws so the kids could swim and play with their cousins and eat the barbequed meat I mentioned yesterday. It was during this period that I did something mildly interesting.

I was finishing up a tatted ring, so I had brought my size 20 thread with me. When it was done, I just started playing around and decided to see the difference between the yarn I used for the scarves and this thread by working the same pattern with it. Of course the differences go way beyond just size as yarn creates a floppy mess that has a nice drape and the small thread creates a firm shape. Then I abandoned my earlier plan and mucked with the pattern.

Have you ever noticed that so very many patterns seem to have a flower or heart that can be created with them. It reminded me of how easy these variations are created and I do wonder how many people did start this edging and see the heart I saw. I'm sure it comes out a little different for everyone, but at the end you can still see the pattern it came from and I guess that's the point I'm trying to make.

When you really want to make something different and new, you have to go twelve steps beyond. You can start with the same edging, but don't stop with a simple outline. Start with the edging and build upon it until the starting point is just one small element or a lego in a much more complex structure. Some times it's nice to just doodle like this, just make small changes here and there, I still do it all the time obviously. Just don't ever assume that you were the only person to make that small leap. he problem comes with that assumption and when you stop here and never move on those twelve steps. No, there was no good reason I called it twelve steps other than to illustrate that it's more than a few.

So let's see, today I have another custom order to tackle. This time it's a ribbon bracelet with red ribbons. I also still have a couple of pieces that need remaking and schooling is back in session. It's going to be a long day, I can already feel it.

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