grace marks

Continuing with the doily DIP (design in progress) … the next 2 rounds are tatted !

So Rounds 5 (the 2 lower pics) and 6 completed. Started on Round 7, with Round 8 on the app.

I might end soon thereafter. 

I heartily welcome your thoughts, reactions, and suggestions. Would you be interested in tatting it if I wrote the pattern ? It looks better in person than in the pics.

But let me rewind back to last year. It all started on Craftree when a small group informally came together to do a Round Robin. I remained interested throughout, never gathering the courage or confidence to actually attempt anything. And Wow, those doilies are a designer’s dream (and a few of the ladies were first-timers) !

Grace Tan coordinated and updated the thread there and kept encouraging me to take part. She even proposed a RR starting Jan 2017 where we wouldn’t need to send the doily across physically. We could each design a round and share the pattern around.

Even though it did not come about, this remained at the back of my mind.

Only now something seemed to click and the rounds are coming together… I owe this project to Grace’s faith in me.  

I’m still a novice, finding my way around. But I can't stop myself from sharing what I learn from self-discovery and from the tips and advice left by my friendly tatters :-)

Here are a few (in no particular order) for beginners like myself –

Doily Designing for Dummies

Want to design your very first doily ? These few pointers might come in handy.

1. Keep it simple.

In terms of technique, elements, process. There will be plenty of opportunities later to apply advanced techniques or designs.

2. Keep it focused.

A theme can help maintain focus and reduce our tendency to be too adventurous. My doily has a radiating theme. And I have tried to avoid Reverse Work, tatting clockwise from the front. It makes my work very easy and limits my rambling off.

3. Motif - Zone in on 1 or 2 design elements.

Repeating this element with tweaks in placement, number, and size is sufficient to create later rounds. In my doily it is mainly the outward facing ‘rings’ and some wavy chains. (Echoing - see #10)

4. How to avoid or tackle ruffling or cupping 

5. Use tools to design.

eg. Grids. A polar grid for circular projects also helps us see & compare the proportions between old and new rounds, thus reducing trial and error in stitchcount.

Apps. I used Sketch Guru app on my tablet to doodle ideas. Upload actual picture and work off it.

These are only 2 examples of the many available tools, apps & programs.

6. Design ahead.

It helps to think of TWO future rounds so that one has an idea of where joining picots are needed.

One can use a fine crochet hook to make the joins, but remember that a picot brings some height to the round/row. Hence estimating whether the entire round will lie flat or the number of stitches required can be flawed.

7. Lots of picots !

If one cannot think 2 rounds ahead, then have lots of picots in the new round. We can then choose which to join to in new round. What to do with the remaining picots can be decided later in the final version.

8. Prioritize

This is part of staying focused. Once the ‘skeleton’ is ready in the trial model(s), decorative elements such as picots, beads, colours,  can be added in later or final version.

9. Functional highlights & end goals

If a doily is to be placed under an object, that object will hide the central portion of the doily. Hence make sure that the design highlights are where they will always be visible. Also thinking ahead to how you want to end the doily can assist in designing the earlier rounds. (Tablescaping - see #10)

10. Design Features

Check out some fabulous tips on what to keep in mind when designing a doily. 

Spacing ; Filling v/s Featuring ; Echoing ; Avoid over-thinking (muddying the waters) ; Tablescaping ; Spanning. 

See the strength of collective wisdom ? Go seek advice :-)

   

In the 10 points listed, some are direct inputs from Grace & Ninetta, but it is also a synergy of several cumulative factors and forces over time.

These are first thoughts and not a sacrosanct list. Creative minds and hands come up with their own paths and no one path is universal. So pick up your shuttles, don your designer’s hat and get going. See you ‘around’ J

A very special thanks to Grace & Ninetta

and 

salute to the tatting community