Not Again

So I was going to start off by writing about what I tatted yesterday, but I woke up to an ant invasion in the pantry, now quelled, and a message on Facebook that put me in a bad mood. While I couldn't find the group through searching, I was informed of a tatting group where the owner posts pictures that don't belong to her and apparently recruits other tatters to make the pieces for her. Again, I've no direct knowledge, but I was shown a screen cap where at least one of my pieces was included. Honestly it's probably a good thing I was unable to find the group, or I'd be much more livid this morning. I really don't want to join the ranks of designers that stop working because of this sort of nonsense, but I completely understand where they're coming from. I truly don't understand why anyone thinks this is honest or good behavior. If you are reading this, just know that I don't find it flattering, nor ethical and if you're out there doing it, stop it. I'm fairly certain most of you aren't, but I needed to say it.

Back to my tatting then, while I suppress the desire to only post blurry pictures, I did work on a custom necklace yesterday. This back drop necklace needed to be shorter in front which meant I had to redesign the front motif here a bit. I thought I had it all worked out, but then the necklace was too short to fit over my head. You see usually, when you unhook the back there, the chain sections are long enough to slip over your head, but with the changes it wasn't. So I stared at it for a good half an hour trying to come up with an elegant solution. Well, it isn't the most elegant, but I added two clasps to the shoulder pieces. I only needed one, but symmetry demanded two. Now, I need to go back and remove the back clasp to reduce potential confusion, but otherwise it is done.

That's all I have on tap for today. Just finishing this and going back to the woven rose motif while I grumble, 'some people' under my breath. Here's to a better day than the morning has promised.

No Plans

I fear it's settling in again, the no sales malaise. I really ought to stop thinking about it, but it's so ever present and it's affecting my ability to casually create and to buy things. It's mostly affecting my ability to buy things and that's just bothersome. You see what I did there, I attempted to make light of the issue thereby putting myself in a better mood about it. That usually only works when I communicate verbally with someone, but perhaps the act of writing, knowing someone will read it will have the same result.

I finished remaking the pieces that sold a few days ago. One was the back drop necklace and it take quite some time to put together. The tatting itself is fairly quick, when I don't make a mistake and have to redo the same section three times...which I did, but the chain making portion of the project is much longer. I also have the added challenge of getting it done without cat intervention as they enjoy loose chain and beads very much. I'm pausing on my other art project as I wait for some supplies.

After I got that done and listed again, I decided I would play with some patterns I found online in a vintage or antique pattern book. I don't know which as it's not in English. In fact I'm not even quite sure what language it's in. I couldn't read the patterns at all. I usually muddle through but I couldn't even determine where one written pattern began or ended and the worst bit was the very clear images where counting the stitches revealed so many stitch number mistakes that I couldn't figure out what the count was actually suppose to be. One ring would be 3-2-2-3-2-3 and the next seemingly identically ring would be 3-3-2-3-2-3-3 and nowhere on the written page could I find a similar stitch notation. It's like the pieces where constructed by a madwoman and eventually I made some stuff up myself with the photos as references and then didn't take any pictures. Maybe I'll do that today at least.

I have no clear tatting plans for the day. I have a dozen non-tatting things I probably should get to, but that malaise I mentioned wants a sacrifice of tatting in a halfhearted attempt to convince the Universe that we deserve a sale in the shop to keep us going. So I really have no idea what I'll get up to today. Maybe I'll create something new from scratch, that should satisfy the Universe.

So Much White

Well, how about that. I did everything over the weekend that I said I would. When does that ever happen? I mean, weekdays I can get pretty predictable, but the weekends are usually no man's land. On Friday I put together a back drop necklace in white. It's no different than the black one, but man is taking pictures of white pieces a pain in the neck. They don't contrast well on my skin, I have no proper clothing to show it off so I have to improvise and tweaking the settings to show the piece better makes my skin start to look like one of those special sun damage pictures which is not terribly attractive. I even ended up doing a couple of the pictures in black and white to alleviate some of the issues.

Then after all the white picture drama, what did I do? Work on something else white of course, because I'm a sadist. I got the white ribbon I had ordered in and spent much of Saturday asking for opinions on the ribbon placement. I used this photo and asked which looked better. The results were plenty, but pretty split and I was getting nowhere until some reasons started to accompany the opinions. Under wins handily at that point. Tacking the lace to the ribbon adds stability so the lace won't be stretched out over the course of the day. It also allows for different color ribbons to act as a pop of color if one is desired. Before I listed it, I sourced ribbon and found a place with an incredible color selection in uniform sizes. I didn't realize it when I ordered this ribbon, but it is an odd size and I can't find any more it's same width.

Once that decision was made I struggled with photos of the sash and got it listed too. I had some black ribbon on hand to demonstrate the color contrasting, but had to list the other colors as custom. It seems like that's pretty standard for most bridal pieces, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Of course I'm under no illusions that this is going to fly off the shelves. I was challenged to make one and I did. I am fairly satisfied with the final piece so the task is complete.

So what then for today? Well, I managed one good sale over the weekend breaking a six day no sales streak that came back the next day, but I digress. I have one collar necklace that needs remaking so I can list it again and that should take up most of the day for me. I can tell you that I have no plans to work in white again for quite some time unless brides start breaking down my door.

Done And Listed

I'm certain that I mentioned my daughter recently advanced to the next grade level in a few subjects that she was enjoying and we finally got in the new books Monday for her Science and History. What I don't think I have mentioned is that the length of the time needed to complete these new lessons has increased...well, a bit more than expected. My morning schooling sessions have begun to stretch out another hour and while I have no problem doing all that is needed to educate the kids, it has left me with less time to get anything else done.  I assume that this is just transitional and as I get used to it, I will naturally adjust my schedule as I've done many times before. Until then I have a feeling that I will be less accomplished, more exhausted and far less interesting online.

As soon as schooling was wrapped, I did get to the one big task for the day, the photo shoot. I employed my daughter for a stand-in to get the focus right and used the camera remote and a short delay to get the necessary back shots. I was quite relieved when they turned out okay. I also trolled the listing on etsy for the back drop necklace to check the other photos and it seems that most of them went with a mannequin so that makes me feel even better about the modeled pictures turning out. I did also get the necklace named, a bit of a tribute there, priced and listed, so at least one task complete.

Now that this one is complete though, I'm, not sure what I'm doing next. There aren't too many awesome ideas rattling around inside my head right now. I decided not to remake the recently sold masks, as I have others listed with the same patterns just in different colors and let's face it, at nearly 300 items, my shop is bloody full enough. So I guess I wait and see what presents itself. I might get back to the sculpture project I keep yammering on about, but I'm still at a loss on which direction that one is going. I'm waiting for inspiration to hit for that too. So I'm leaving you on a Friday with nothing to look forward to on Monday...I'm sure I'll think of something.

The Necklace Is Done

Yesterday was pretty much back to normal. There was schooling and then I sat down determined to work on the embellishments for the front of the back drop necklace and get that made at last. I decided to simply echo the front on the back a bit save for the addition of one large black German crystal. Of course once I finished it, I was suppose to get real photos of it, but did I? No.

As you might image the set up for these pictures will be a bit different than usual. First I have to find something in my wardrobe that shows my back off and I'll have to freeze while wearing it. Then I have to take pictures of my back...not sure how that's going to work, next I'll have to take pictures of the front of the necklace as well. I think I might have to employ my daughter as a photography assistant which might work. I did think about just using photos from the mannequin, but she's in an odd twisting pose and I don't think it really show the piece off right.

If I do somehow manage all that today, I will then have to work out the pricing on this piece that took me days to work out and for once, there is fairly significant material cost to calculate. So, I suppose what I'm saying is, there's a slight chance he piece will be listed today, but don't anyone go holding their breath.

In other news, the pieces I loaned to the Canadian magazine returned quickly and save for a couple of makeup spots that can be cleaned on the inside of a few masks, they're in fine condition. I still don't know if they will ultimately see publication or not though. I sent a note thanking them for the opportunity and asking if they could let me know if they do, but as it's still New York Fashion Week, I think they might be otherwise occupied. I will of course let you know when I know.

So today's tasks aside from the necklace photography are few. I do have a couple of masks I could remake, but I'm not sure I will. There are always a few pieces that I take so long to sell that I can't see bothering to remake them. I suppose I could list them as custom pieces so the option is available to have me make them in the future without me expending the effort unnecessarily. That gives me nothing to do in the present though...I guess I'll think of something.

Work and Sadness

Yesterday worked out just as I thought it would. The entire morning was a wash. There were meetings and errands and lunch with the in-laws. By the time we were back home the day was half over and I hadn't touched a thread nor a piece of jewelry. I thought about letting the entire day slide, but I felt I really needed to get back to work so I started on the final back drop necklace piece. 

It took a lot of measuring and cutting chain and twisting wires, but I got all the chain pieces put together. I know I should have started with the lace, but the final look is shaped by how the chain turns out so I thought I'd try that first. Honestly, I think its really neat with the swarovski rounds dotted throughout. Of course it also took forever to make up. I would have been done with the piece if I'd gone with plain chain, but I digress. I did manage to get the tatting for the back all done up and I am really pleased. I don't even think I'm going to have to stiffen it now, but I'll test wear it first to make sure of course. So today I'll get the front lace made up. It will have a large crystal as well as a few rounds hanging from the lace to not only embellish, but help with weight distribution. Now that the back is heavier, the front needs more weight as well. That should be the whole of my day.

I almost started the blog with this, but I couldn't follow this news with frivolity, so I got that out of the way first. Before I blog every morning I read through the blogs I follow. Well, that's an exaggeration, I read a few without hesitation and I scan the titles of others. I only do this early in the morning so I just read on Jane's blog that Gina of Threads of Tatting Goddess has passed away. Hers was one of those blogs I always read...always. I had some wonderful conversations with her and I always looked forward to her comments. I am personally very saddened by the loss of her voice in tatland and the rest of the world. I looked to few for advice, opinions and the occasional gossip and she was one of them. I wish that I had known her longer or better. I just needed to share a little myself, but If I dwell too long I'm gonna get weepy. Thanks for everything Gina, you will be missed.

Back

Hello Monday. So, it's time for the weekly weekend recap. I did indeed pull down the mannequin and get designing on the back drop necklace. Now, if you're wondering what that is, it's a necklace meant to hang long in the back, usually worn by brides with a backless dress. I looked high and low for different design ideas for this, but there were only two basic designs I could find. One is a single or double chain hanging straight down the back ending with pearls or crystals. The second is a single, double or sometimes triple chain draping down in the back at different levels. All of them have simple fronts with a pendant. Obviously I couldn't just settle for either of these concepts as I needed to add tatting and well, I wanted it black and a bit dramatic too.

So this is the prototype. I don't generally make up whole pieces including chain work as a test, but there were so many factors with this one, I needed to. I used some bulk cheap chain I got at the craft store and didn't bother to embellish anything. I just wanted to see if I could get it to hang right, not strangle the wearer and well, be at least a little like I imaged it. Here we have the back and front view. I posted this up online to get feedback since I was very much in unfamiliar water and the only real complaint with the design was the shoulder flowers.

Those were tatted around metal rings to add stability and weight to the design and I made them first before any of the other bits and thematically, they don't really fit. So after after the feedback, I changed their design to reflect the scrolling in the other pieces. So now I'm asking for your opinions on the whole piece as well. The final piece will include a black crystal in the center bottom of the front piece, the chains will also be embellished likely with black swarovski rounds and I'm still debating the degree of embellishment of the other lace bits. I also still deciding whether the pieces will need to be stiffened or not. You know I personally prefer the lace soft, but will all the chain connections, I'm afraid misshaping with occur quickly without help. Perhaps I will just stiffen the back pieces. See, still working out details. I'll try to get it done up today or tomorrow, but no promises since there is so much to work out.

Other than the work on this piece the weekend was fairly normal and uneventful. I got a couple of smaller sales and I'm getting ready to do the taxes since the last of my forms should be available this week. So, totally not looking forward to this week...at all.