What Round IS This?

     Last post I had finished round 8 of the Stawasz Doily 1. Now I have started on round ... er ... uh ... well, I am not sure. I think 9 comes after 8. The diagram shows VIII for the one I just finished. I see IX and X, but they come after this one. It seems the diagram did not label the last few correctly. Then, too, perhaps since this round is a series of 24 medallions added one at a time, they don't consider it a "round". Well, to me it is 9 and there will be 11 rounds.

     I have completed the first three medallions (24 required). They are about an inch across. The previous round finished at about 7 inches so this will make the doily 9 inches when the round is finished.In King Tut thread, this is still going to be a respectable 11 or 12 inches across. I did not expect it to be that big.

Serweta 1 Round 8

     I went to the monthly meeting of the Palmetto Tatters Guild yesterday. I got there first so I just sat and tatted until someone else showed up. Then I helped bring in the essentials and went back to tatting. We had a good time and there was even someone new to meet. I like to meet other tatters.
    The lesson was making a tatted elastic bracelet. I did not make that one. I just would not wear it and don't currently have anyone to give it to. I kept the pattern so I could do it later. What I did do was finish round 8 on the doily I have been working. Here is a photo. It is on a towel. I ironed it so the outer loops wouldn't twist.

    This doily has been slow. I am sure now that if I tat a lot my shoulder will let me know it was too much. I was right. I finished it off just after I got home and all night the shoulder kept me awake. It was worth it, though. Round 8 is done and now to round 9. I hope to post a picture of that soon. It is medallions around the outside of round 8. It will probably take a while.
    Serweta 1 is what the book calls it. I think serweta means doily in Polish. Google says tablecloth. Maybe it is a tablecloth. I am doing it in King Tut so the thread is tiny. In size 20 it will be a lot bigger. I did try translating it backwards. It seems that doily in Polish is serwetka. Perhaps K in the spelling is a diminuative, like "little tablecloth"? Here is one of the great things about tatting. It is international and you can learn new things about languages. I never let a language keep me from getting a new tatting book.

Still Here and a Little Better

    Yes, I am still here. It has been a few days since I posted so I thought I would update on the doily I am doing. I have not been going full tilt on it so my shoulder can rest a bit. I have gotten more done than I realized, though. No, I have not ironed or blocked anything yet.

     I am a little over halfway on round 8 of 10. I forgot to put the tape measure in the photo, but the doily measures 7 inches across for this round. Round 8 is not hard, but the one thing a bit "unusual" is that when you make a loop of 11 rings,  then you have a chain to connect to the next 2 picots. Because of the direction it curves, you make the last ring of the loop, reverse work and switch shuttles, letting the one you have been making rings with become the "ball" thread. Once that chain is done, switch back and carry on with the next loop of rings. I don't know about you, but I think little things like that make tatting more interesting.

Sugar and Spice

    I have not been tatting much this week. My shoulder has been killing me. I have had a hard time sleeping. I looked online at possible causes and the one that makes the most sense is an injury to a muscle or ligament. I put the shuttles down and let it rest. The pain has not gone, but it has lessened enough for me to sleep. Tatting seems to irritate it, sort of like repetitive stress syndrome.
    So, this morning I decided that I have been working getting my house cleaned out and such just way too much. I did something different. Have you heard of a website called "Replacements.com"? It turns out they are only about 160 miles from me. I left at 6:30.

    I went in with a list of what I wanted and they had it! They had it all listed online but I did not want to trust it to Fed-Ex. I arrived about 9:30 and left for home about 10:15. I got back at 1:00. I almost ran out of gas, but when I filled up, it turns out I had enough in the tank to go another 100 miles. (I love my Prius).
    So now have filled in and have a full service for 8. I needed the things in the picture, a few plates and a couple of bowls. I inherited the set from an aunt that died 35 years ago. It is Johann Haviland, Blue Garland. Not cheap, but worth it.
    Tomorrow I will be gone all day again. I will be tatting. We have a meeting of the Palmetto Tatters Guild. I can't wait!

A New Year's Resolution?

    I resolve to - finish this doily. And block a few others that need it. Ok, ok. I know that is pretty lame, but I can keep those resolutions. I really don't get into the resolution thing. I usually just do what has to be done.
   So. I have started round 8 of 10. I am dreading round 9. There are motifs all around that are done individually, which means tails.

    You may notice that I like to do continuous tatting when possible. If you look at where I started this round, I started with a chain. I did the split chain to come out of round 7, but usually I am on a ring. Not this time. At least it was not difficult. I just don't remember ever doing that.
    Some have asked how big this is. After round 7 I show 5", unblocked. It will probably be about 8 inches, best guess. When I am done I will measure it and we will see just how small King Tut thread makes it. I would bet it would be twice that in size 20.

Merry Christmas

    It is December 25, 2019. Merry Christmas. I hope you and yours are happy, healthy and enjoying the time together.
    I have been tatting more of the doily and thought I would post an update. I am now on round 7. Last post I was going to take the doily to the Palmetto Tatters Guild meeting and so I did. I am glad I was on the round I was on because, don't you just know, I left the pattern at home. Fortunately it was a pretty simple round and easy to memorize. So is round 7, but round 8 will be a bit more complicated.

I am making good headway on this. I have been tatting while watching the TV. Once in a while that causes me to have to untat something because I don't pay attention. It is not so bad, though, once you get used to the King Tut thread size. It is tiny, but works exactly the same as size 20.
     Now perhaps a little wassail...

Making Progress

    I have been busy lately, cleaning out the house and getting paperwork done, but I have made some progress on the doily. I am into round 5 on this one now. There are 10 rounds. Does this mean I am half done? NOOOO! Remember, the rounds get longer as you go further from the center.Half way is probably something like round 7.

    This one is a little challenge so far, not difficult, but you do need to pay attention. For instance, in round 4, the chains constantly change. There are not 2 in a row that are the same. Round 5 is a bit more forgiving. Only one real chain count and 2 differing rings.
    I will be taking this one to the Palmetto Tatters Guild meeting this Saturday. I have missed the last year's meetings so I am really excited to be able to get to one.