Even before I've completed all the medallions, I decided to start testing the other rows to make sense of the pattern and see how everything fits together. The piece you're seeing therefore is messy as it's all just testing: there's knots and loose threads and different elements that I've tried out so it looks disorganised at the moment. But once I've figured out what I'm doing, I will cut it all out and start again.
Yes, there are many problems with this pattern! As can often be the case with vintage patterns, I just cannot make things fit as per the way the pattern is written. If I try to follow just as is indicated, elements end up all crammed in in places but mostly, the collar just won't curve as it should. If I make the neck edge as written, the curve is practically non existent, you'd end up with an edging rather than a collar.
I don't really know what's so different as I feel that my medallions look pretty much like the ones in the photo in the book... so why can't I get everything else to fit around them?
I'm determined to make this work though, even if it will mean adjusting the pattern so that I end up with the right shape and with all elements fitting well with each other.
The finished collar will therefore not be exactly like the one in the book - I feel the changes will be mostly around the neckline - but it will still look close to the original.
Examining it again, I think that my medallions are perhaps tighter/smaller than the ones in the book which would affect all the elements around... but still I don't see that it should cause that many problems.
I'll keep at it!
I remember tatting that same pattern! It was years ago, and I can't find the collar now (might have sold it). Maybe if you just leave out the excess rings at the bottom edging and replace the ones left out with short chains? Make the diamond shape rings smaller? I don't know, but for sure you'll be coming up with excellent improvements on the design! Looking forward to seeing your finished collar.
ReplyDeleteHi Marilee, nice to hear you made this collar! I wish I could see it. Do you remember making it exactly as per the pattern? Thank you for your suggestions, I'm sure I'll find solutions eventually whilst trying to keep as close to the original as possible. :-)
DeleteHi Frivole, I found my collar! Yes, I made it exactly as the pattern and photos have been posted on my blog at Found!
DeleteWonderful! I just went over to your blog, it looks great! I can see that the problem with lack of curve around the neck was also the case for yours although it still looks absolutely fine when worn. I'm glad you found it and thank you for showing us. :-)
DeleteI think you are doing really well examining it before trying to complete it! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue! :-)
DeleteIt is tricky working from those patterns. I’ve made several collars from that book, but not this one. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, yes, I think sometimes they were just much more flexible in how they worked to make things fit and often just a different tension can make such a difference to a pattern. You made other collars from that book? Which ones? It's such a great publication. :-)
DeleteI made the one on net, page 16 in my book, twice, once exactly as in the book and then with variations just so it was different. And I tatted figure 36 collar, page 16. The book was a real eye opener for me in the early 1980s. I hadn’t been tatting very long, and had seen nothing but Coats pamphlets!
DeleteI think my pages are slightly different... is that the one with butterflies on netting? That's a pretty amazing piece. And so is the one in figure 36 - I think I'd like to make that one one day... and the one in figure 65? Agree with you, it's a great book with such a variety of different pieces (bags, collars, etc.) made with tatting. A great inspiration.
DeleteYes, that’s the one, butterflies on net.
DeleteI give you a lot of credit for sticking with this pattern. It is beautiful, but I'd have given up long ago.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane! :-)
DeleteI have never been brave enough to try this pattern. It is beautiful, but it seems so difficult to make those old patterns work. I am convinced the tension used back then was much different to the tension we are taught when we learn to tat *now.* Maybe they just weren't concerned about things like tension and things that got squashed and overlapped. Or maybe they depended heavily on blocking - pulling things into the shape they wanted whether it 'wanted' to lie that way or not. However it was done, the things in those old books are beautiful. Yours looks wonderful, too, and I can hardly wait to see your adaptations. The threads may have been different back then, also - maybe a looser twist?
ReplyDeleteStephanieW
Hi Stephanie, thank you for your comment. I definitely agree with what you say about old patterns! All of the above I think! :-)
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