Wednesday 27 May 2015

new book

My dear tatting friends, Today I want to tell you about the process of making a tatting book. 1) I have an idea: this time I wanted to create edgings and motifs with more than two colours and flower designs. 2) I put down the designs: the first ones are not so good, but are going progressively better. I try working with 2 shuttles in one hand, with 1 shuttle with two bobbins, but than I find other more comfortable solutions. I get totally trapped in creating, more and more ideas come to my mind and there seam to be no end. This process has some interruptions, for example for other projects like knitting, and lasts about a year. There are motifs, where the stitch count is so complicated, because they have to be perfect in patchwork combinations, like squares or hexagons, and I have to work always 3 or 4 to see, if all is perfectly flat. For some pieces I modified the stitch count up to 6 times, working 24 pieces. 3) A lot of patterns are created, but now they have to find a destination, they have to embellish objects. I have to buy or create objects (towels, clothes, boxes, earrings, braceletts, broaches, and so on). An additional difficulty is to match the colour choice, which gets the more difficult, the more colours are engaged. And I have to redo the patterns, working the requested length or quantity. 4) Now I have to open my notebook and start to put down the designs. First I make the diagrams: but...I dont remember, how the program goes!!! I have to remember and to exercise a lot of functions, therefore I let pass a lot of time before I get really encouraged to start. Once I start, the diagrams go, including the moments in which the computer does not start, the program crasces, the computer closes without saving the corrections. 5) After the diagrams I make the written text in 3 languages, german, english and italian. Before I get to write the texts, I will have a period of depression, doing everything else, than writing. Every evening I say to myself; tomorrow I have to work at my book! Than I stay up, start looking television (when I'm not engaged with my grandchildren), then I play the piano for hours, then I read news at the pc, do some translations, but the notebook remains closed. But at the end I start, and the the work flows. 6) Finally the diagrams and texts are ready, but...the testing of the patterns gives evidence, that the explications are not so comprehensible!!! Depression and stop of works for weeks. Then I take all my energy (perhaps the weather in the meantime got better and the sun cancells depression)and work on the description to better them. And I work on all particular instruction, making them as clear as possible, designing very difficult diagrams. 7) I print all out and be very satisfied. Then I start to read and find a lot of errors, mistakes, missing numbers or signs. All has to be controlled and controlled again up to 10 times. 8) Now my tatting tester is testing the patterns, but I myself go all the patterns through and retest all the diagrams and instrucions. 9) I'm at this point at the moment. 10) Now the next thing to do is to send the pages to my talented designer daughter Gloria Pizzilli, who will do the lay out. After that the book will be perfect and ready to print. Oh, I forgot: if there are those persons who scan the book and publish it on the world wide internet, al this work is - as we say it in german - for the cat! No, I have to modify this: it is worth for you very special people!!! Thank you!!!

11 comments:

il mio chiacchierino said...

fammi saper quando esce il libro, io ho tutti i tuoi libri e voglio avere la tua collezione complimenti ciao Iris ed un saluto a Gloria ed a tuo Marito

Margarets designer cards said...

I look forward to seeing your new book
Margaret

Madtatter80 said...

It will be fun to see what you have come up with. The good thing is that experienced tatters are the only one that can do your patterns and they know how hard it is to make a pattern so they would not copy your work for others to have free. At least I would like to think this :)

Robin Perfetti said...

Such a tedious process, yet the desire to create can overpower the difficulties.

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I think people who "steal" patterns don't have a clue as to how much work goes in to a publication. I look forward to your new book! Your patterns are always a challenge for me, and I enjoy tatting them!

muskaan said...

I have been waiting for your book to be published -- the glimpses you provided were Very tempting :-)

The entire process of creating , designing, writing, test-tatting, etc. that you have explained is very enlightening. All that labour is 'forgotten' once the 'baby' is born :-)

Your tat-along doily has been peeping out of my to-try, to-learn list for quite some time. The way all your patterns are made in one pass, even though SO elaborate & intricate, is mesmerising . I will be starting soon, I hope.

My best wishes :-)

Marilee Rockley said...

Excellent description of the creative process! It will help people to understand that designing takes much struggle and hard work.

Bernice said...

How wonderful to share your process with us. I hope your new book will be very rewarding to you and a treasure to us in the tatting world. I have often admired your patterns although not attempted one... yet.

SWtrompeter said...

Such hard work to create, but it is all worth it. Your designs are always very beautiful.

Martha said...

Thank you for describing all the hard work that goes into making a tatting book. Most people have no idea of the effort involved. I admire your patterns so much.

Jenn said...

Thanks for sharing your process :). Your designs are beautiful and I look forward to your book release :).