Saturday, April 26, 2008

Black & White Top Edging Trouble

Well...I've done 2 repeats of the black edging I've planned, and have stopped to say it's definitely curving the wrong way! I don't know why but my straight edgings always seem to curve on me. So I know I need to modify the pattern somehow, if I don't I'm going to get a ruffle and that's not what I want. Even though I hand sew tatting on it would still ruffle with the tatting going in a rainbow shape and the surface to be attached is a U shape! LOL So a plan of action must be taken!
So, if any of you experienced tatters out there have any suggestions to get this pattern curving concave instead I'd greatly appreciate it! I was wondering if just joining the picots on the chains that join differently would do it or if I also need to change stitch counts. See in the middle area the bottom 2 picots get joined together and I was wondering if I joined the top 2 instead and leave the bottom one free would do the job?
Since I'm going to cut and start over, and end up hiding ends anyway, I'm just going to fill a second shuttle and do it 2 shuttle as suggested. The only reason I wasn't in the first place is I didn't want to cut and hide ends! LOL

6 comments:

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I'm not a tatting expert, but I would join the top 2 and leave the bottom one free like you said. I would also increase the count on that bottom chain so that there were 3 picots instead of two. It sure will be pretty when it's finished!

Unknown said...

Wow, What to do. You could do like Diane said, sometimes if you play with the tension (0f the stitching it down, not the tatting, mind you) You can get it to do what you want and not pucker up on the curve, I had tailoring and design once and that's what I would do. Does that make sense? Email me if you want me to explain it in more detail. It looks exquisite so far! Can't wait to see it all done. See, Black's not so bad.

Melissa said...

Are you talking about the sewing in on the shirt tailoring? I don't think that would work it is very much curving the other way...like no way around it! LOL I already tried tension of the tatting though and that's not working either, so I'm thinking pattern alteration for sure.

Unknown said...

LOL...No, Melissa, I wasn't calling the sewing of the edging on a shirt "tailoring"...lol I was citing a tiny bit of background I had as a source for my reasoning. As for tension I tried to make it clear I was NOT talking about TATTING I was talking about more tension in the sewing down of the edging in parts of a straight edging (tatted or not) to get it to conform to a curved edge. If your read the previous post it says "play with the tension (0f the stitching it down, not the tatting, mind you)" I merely mentioned that I had a background in tailoring so you'd know that from that background that I made my guess that's all....no one is calling you a tailor, Melissa, don't worry...LOL...and noone is telling you to change the tension in your tatting, it's perfect.... Any other questions just email me directly so I can explain them...Your blouse is going to look so pretty once the edging gets on there. :)

Unknown said...

P.S. I think you're right about the alteration in the pattern. I personally shy away from straight edgings being sewn on to a curved line unless I'm willing for the lace to look puckered....that may be fine for machine made laces, but tatting....not so much....lol

Liz in Kansas said...

I agree with Diane - join the top two picots and increase the length of the bottom chain so there are three or even four picots. I think that chain between the motifs is the key to whether the edging curves and which way. You do nice work by the way. Nice little picots all the same size. I've been tatting for years and still get picots of every size!