Thread Comparison and Join Keeper

We were in AlberQ  for  a day and went shopping, as we don't go but every 4 to 6 months, it is quite a drive for us, and I found a couple threads to pick up and try out.

    The yellow is  Coats & Clark, size 100, and is a polyester wrapped polyester.  I would have thought it would be a little stronger then it is, but it's quite fragile, and it takes a lot of very slow tatting, and patience,  for it frays easily.

      The result, if you have the patience is pretty and delicate  and I have posted a sample here for you.

The white is Lizbeth size 20, and yes, that is a dime in the picture :D just to give you an idea of the tinniness of the little piece, the stitch count is the same for both little samples, just to make the sample fair in the size comparison.

I also find that when I am working on a project, I often have trouble  with that very first /last joining picot, it  (for me) tends to get lost in the work, worked in, tightened up etc, so I thought I was rather clever and made this :D

Now when I make that  very first one, for the finishing join, I just slip this in and whala, no mistaking it, that is my finishing join! and it isn't sloppy, I don't have to fake a join, I don't twist anything trying to force it etc.   I used a regular fine stick pin for sewing, clipped the end off with my jewelry nippers, and just curved the end up.  I left enough tail so it hangs and doesn't get in the way, but not long enough it "gets in the way" and the little ball keeps it from falling out :D.. I have used it a few times now and when I come to the end of the motif or project, I slip it out, and poof, make my join easy as pie :) Also since the little pin is smaller than your average picot, the join is invisible when I make it! I am so tickled with myself :D

Happy tatting!  

Bree

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