Yup that's exactly how I feel -- a headless chicken running
amok. OR perhaps ... it is all the other
tatting & blog-related stuff that is running amok! Yes that’s it.
Definitely.
Inching it’s way ….
For instance, another Inchie
jumped up - it was lying coiled beneath some other stuff in the box, and then
after a few hours, went back into hiding! So no pics yet. Don’t remember
tatting it; still attached to the shuttle.
Crossing all limits !
Next, consider the SOUP ribbon bookmarks post. It actually broke the time space barrier and jumped from
Oct to Dec ! How ???? And how do I get it to go back with no head to think
with. Okay, I had opened that post to upload a link to the Crown bookmark (found the source); no idea what happened next. Fortunately the old link still works. Notice the date in the url - it still says 2016/10. Huh.
Swept away !
Time crawled very slowly for the last many days as I tried
to overhaul My Patterns Page. I
couldn't get thumb nails of each project to load. So, with a bit Inkscape I
tricked blogger into running with old style film strips. Took up a huge amount
of my time coz I kept reorganising and regrouping, deleting and reformatting, etc.
Mind you, I enjoyed it, but kept wondering why bother – what possessed me
to undertake such a huge task?! Desperately need elves here. I’ve published the
half-done page for now & should get all links up in a couple of sittings.
Any thoughts on this new-look page ?
Running Loose !
Bobbin shuttles often face this problem – the bobbins run
loose after a while. Pony shuttles are particularly susceptible. In response to
a question posted on Craftree, I took this composite pic to explain what I have
been doing for many years now. Works well for me, especially the use of
everyday materials and quick ‘conversion’ to a firm bobbin.
Method 1 : Rubber band &
Tape
From left to right in pic : Insert a smallish rubber band
inside the bobbin hole.
Cover both open ends with a bit of tape.
Voilà ! If it is still a bit loose, add another layer of
tape. That’s all there is to it.
The 3rd bobbin shows how the tape indents
slightly after a bit of use. The rubber band provides enough spring to keep it
all in place while tatting.
4th bobbin is how it looks after reloading bobbin
many times, ie. after a lengthy use.
At this stage, re-tape!
Tape & rubber bands are now part of my work basket.
Method 2 : Pencil Eraser
Extreme right you see the long pencil eraser. Insert into
bobbin hole, and cut with craft knife. Voilà!
In the beginning the bobbin is a bit too firm, but once the
soft rubber settles down & shapes itself to the dome, the bobbin becomes
freer.
After long usage, one may need to add tape to both ends. But
it obviates the need for rubber bands.
Concept : The rubber in
the band or the eraser provides the spring/tension, and the tape holds it
inside. It works beautifully.
Maria had shared a great pictorial using wire tubing to
recondition the bobbin shuttles !
That’s it for this post. Tomorrow I will share my working of
2 quick projects – yay, I’m back to tatting !!!
I think my posts should be shorter, hence the ‘break-up’ -- wouldn't want to scare away my 2 followers ;-P
It will also give me time to get my chickens all lined up☺
