Tuesday, April 24, 2007

What I learned.... and a slide show Tour

I was nervous to finally meet other tatters because I just knew I would learn I was doing everything wrong for the last umpty ump years. My biggest surprise was that I knew more than I thought I did what I didn't know was all the terminology. I thought I needed to learn the Reverse Stitch, encapsulation and wrapping. To my surprise I already knew how to do this and they are all one in the same. I've been calling it split work. Another surprise was watching everyone's hands while they tatted, I saw a few different styles including my own...I didn't see anyone who tats like I do. I tried some of the other styles but I think I'll stick to my own. I did learn some very valuable concepts that I am already implementing in my own designs such as mock picots, the direct method of tatting and split chains and my favorite...clunies!
In one of my classes a couple of the other girls and I proposed the idea of a "TatPedia". It would be a place on the Internet where tatting concepts would be clearly laid out and all the different names we use for that concept would follow. It is something I wish I would have had access to all this time, it would have cleared up a lot of frustration and confusion I have had in the past. I don't feel that I am qualified to do the "tatpedia" given my lack of knowledge on the subject but if you feel you could do something like this please let me know so that I can add the link to this blog.
To my great surprise and delight my "Reflection of a Butterfly" took third prize. It was a real honor considering the excellence of all the other work.
I had a wonderful time with my grandmother. Everyone was so nice to the both of us. I am hoping she might want to come again next year. I finally met, in person, my Internet tatting friend Jen. It feels like we've known each other forever, but now I can finally put a face to her name.
On to the slide show: I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted, I was so distracted by all the commotion, but I think this is a nice little glimpse of the wonderment that was the Shuttlebirds Tatting Convention. I have credited the pieces that I knew who the owners were, and some of the other work was collaborative. If you see something that belongs to you and I didn't credit you, firstly I apologize and secondly let me know and I will correct it!

Please enjoy the show.

4 comments:

Eliz Davis aka Tatknot said...

Thank you for sharing these pictures. The tatting is inspiring and it is great to see the faces of some of the people I've met through the internet.

Eliz

Melissa said...

Your TatPedia is a cool idea! Have you seen the MSN tatting groups? They have so much info and any questions you have can usually be easily answered! I'm impressed with them. I thought of them when you told of your TatPedia idea.
Melissa

Gina said...

Thanks for the peek into the workshops! I've met many but there are many I haven't met in person yet too. Beautiful work! I love seeing what everyone has done.
:-) Gina

Anonymous said...

Words can't express how much I enjoyed your slideshow! Such creativity!
Loved the play of colors. I hope you keep the slideshow up for a while so I can come back and visit to get inspired when I need it? Tat care!
Linda B. :O)