quest for a tail

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tatting diagrams for 3 braids

3 Split Ring braids / tails 

derived from and for Jon Yusoff’s

Chinese Coin Bookmark 

I shared the completed body in my earlier post. Jon’s original bookmark ends in a long tassel which looks beautiful. Instead, I decided to make a tail, with a possible short tassel or charm at the tip. 

I made a couple of rough sketches, which are now converted into the following diagrams: 

These were my initial thoughts –

Split ring braid #1 rejected right off.
Couldn't decide between #2 & #3 (although I preferred the latter), neither whether I wanted a tassel or a charm.
Nothing to it but to start tatting one side ...

... and the shuttles decided to go with a single coin motif as charm :-)

The stitchcount for the entire tail is same as for the original bookmark.

After completing the charm, I tried to see how split ring braid #2 would look - after all it would be a miniature coin...

Nope, didn’t like it – seemed too angular.
Un-tatted and went with #3 and am very happy with the phase shift in chains !

As with a few other patterns, it was easier and quicker to switch shuttles and tat the chains with reverse stitch (unflipped) – no need to unwind & rewind main shuttle !

With direct chains, all tatting is from the front side, hence no reverse work, which adds to the confusion in such serpentine or magic square-type patterns.

TIP : I also discovered an easier way to join these RS chains with a down join. A down join, followed by the unflipped 1st half-stitch, creates the visibly complete stitch.
Pull loop of SH2 down through picot, pass SH1 through loop and snug. Make sure thread slides freely. 

These tails (and the bookmark itself) can be used as edgings and insertions or beaded jewelry.

Following the Chinese theme, I picked out a few related books ...

Peony was my first Pearl Buck book, and also my first literary window into Chinese culture. It was one of a few books that my friend gifted when she left for the US. While not in good state, I treasure it very much because she spent a lot of thought into which books to be given to which friend.

One thing I always remember from Peony - they wake a sleeping individual with soft music or songs, giving the 'wandering soul' time to return to the body.

Ten Thousand Miles Without a Cloud  This book I read a few years back and it was real eye-opener. Retracing Xuanzang's journey along the silk route in search of Buddhism in the 8th century, Sun Shuyung has woven a beautiful picture of the past and present. We studied a bit about the monk (our history books called him Huen Tsang), but to actually be brought to life in that era was a whole new experience. And to think all this was lost till an interested British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham rediscovered Buddhism in India !

The only thing I missed in this book were photographs. A few more photos would have done wonders, especially when the author was visiting and talking about real monuments, etc.

happy tatting and happy reading always :-)

Books I Read - V

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SYMBOLS

The  Lost  Symbol

After a reading hiatus of many months (except for drooling over my new tatting books), I finally picked up this book from my bookshelf - it had been waiting for some years now !

It is racy. It is informational. It has a few puzzles/enigmas. It is a good pastime read. Some of the clues & symbols were easy to decipher or guess at. A bit lengthy & definitely bulky. But to have the entire story run within a span of a few hours, & with all travails the protagonists have to go through - not believable ! I often wonder when these protagonists get the time to eat, take breaks, etc. - what superman bodies & constitution they must have !

I like the way he interweaves fact & fiction, history & mythology, science & religion, symbolism & realism. One is left wondering how much is fact how much fiction.

The Apotheosis of Washington was an eye-opener. As was the Smithsonian Museum Support Centre

Thanks to the net, I could see what I missed out during our visit there. For images related to Lost Symbol 

The end seems a bit insipid after the build-up, but I'm glad he offered a broad, all-encompassing view of scriptures, etc. even while focusing on the Bible. I like the change in perspective(s) he incorporates ...

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (2009)

The  Da  Vinci  Code

Read this when it first came out. Even as a slow reader, I couldn't put it down & gulped it in 2 days flat !

Again, many puzzles were simple to solve - anagrams, etc. But he has a way of lacing history across eras, institutions, & reality with fiction & illusion in a way that keeps one wondering how far this is true ?!

One wants to just pop into the building being described - no wonder the special Dan Brown sightseeing packages emerged :-)

I loved ‘The Last Supper’ revelation & while many codes were predictable, I did not ‘solve’ the final secret (though it had started taking the right direction)

Sometimes one does wonder do we read too much into the past? Does everything have to be a code or have hidden/deep secrets? Whatever, it was an entertaining read, hence ‘paisa vasool’ Have I felt like taking it up to read again? Not yet !

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (2003)

Angels  &  Demons

Haven't read the book. But watched the movie a few years back. It was quite an experience. It was a premium hall in the multiplex & we decided to take the opportunity to experience it. Imagine our surprise : we were the Only 2 in the entire hall ! Hardly surprising that after this that hall has not shown a single English movie :-D Anyway, we felt like royalty - a private viewing; reclining, very comfy seats; blankets; drinks, lunch ....and the whole hall to ourselves ;-P

Glad we watched the movie there. Now, when it is shown on cable TV, they cut out many of the gory shots/scenes - can be very confusing for someone not acquainted with the story !
The whole movie-viewing experience will remain a once-in-a-lifetime memory !

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (2000)

Will I buy another Dan Brown book ? Probably not. I think 3 stories along similar lines is More than enough for My lifetime :-)

The  Rule  of  Four

Of course, after The Da Vinci Code, this genre became a fashionable rage ;-P But what dust covers claim are way off the rule ! Was an insipid, forced kind of story with too many deaths. It was definitely Not what reviews claimed. At least DVC was gripping ; this one was ho-hum. I don’t recollect most of the details… but don’t feel like reading it again – once was more than sufficient. My hubby couldn’t get through the entire story even once ! Now This was a total waste of money – and a hardbound at that !

The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason (2005)

The Name of the Rose

Again, haven’t read the book, but watched the movie. Pretty good ! Mystery always captivates, if presented well. And if suspense can be maintained with some logic. Add to it the ambience of a ‘secret society’ & one can be transported back to the childhood days of mystery thrillers by Nancy Drew. Of course, this has more meat & some intellectual stimulation. Love the sprinkling of dry wit/humor. Acting & direction was good, keeping one engaged. The trouble with watching a thriller mystery movie first, is that one rarely wants to read the book ! Unlike a classic or a human relations & feel good genre.

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (1994)

Care to share your reading experience ?

happy reading, happy decoding :-)

Books I Read - IV

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Back to Back Reading

2 Novels by Jane Austen

 Mea culpa. I take full blame.

Some novels, some authors, some author’s novels are Not meant to be read back to back!

I am talking about Jane Austen’s “Mansfield Park” (1814) & “Northanger Abbey” (1817, although first given to publish in 1803!).

Both are coming-of-age stories of 2 young naïve girls.

Mansfield Park

M

ansfield Park was okay.

When I started, I realized that I’d read (And watched) it before, but continued nonetheless, because details were largely forgotten.

The protagonist was a bit depressing, but overall, the story worked out satisfactorily. The end, though, was very abrupt …. as if the author ran out of time, space, ideas, patience, or whatever.

Kind of reminded me of Yash Chopra’s films that start off well enough, with lots of romantic twists & turns, but then come to such an abrupt, unconvincing “Huh, what the ….?!” end ! Stopped watching them, too.

Northanger Abbey

N

orthanger Abbey – to me the only redeeming feature was it’s underlying sense of sarcasm & humor, a story in a lighter vein, despite the frequent “vexations”.

But I could Not connect with the heroine & the narration was not engaging enough (with some proselytizing about novels & their effect/impact on young minds). Maybe if I hadn’t read it immediately after finishing Mansfield Park, I might have found it a bit more pleasing, although her gothic fears were a bit over-the-top. It did, however, remind me of a neighbour we once had. This young teenager was so addicted to RL Stine books (horror fiction stories) that she would wake up screaming at night ! So, maybe if I was younger, I might have appreciated the story/heroine more? I  enjoyed horror back then.

My take on back to back reading

W

hatever their individual merits or demerits, my main point is this :

When you read independent, unrelated, non-serialized stories by the same author, in immediate succession, you discover many similarities & repetitions, which might not have been apparent if reading is spaced out (unless one has an eidetic memory). Back to back reading tends to highlight some “weaknesses” in a writer, which would’ve gone unnoticed by a casual reader. It is a difficult act to pull off with aplomb (although some authors are successful - will talk about such an experience in a future post).

Speaking of these 2 novels, the setting, the basic characters, the supporting characters, their basic personalities, their value systems, their backgrounds, the professions, their state & status in life & in family, etc. etc. were so very similar ! It felt like the writer had a good thing going with the character-building for one story & used the very same framework for the other. While Northanger Abbey was written earlier (with some alterations later), but since I read it After Mansfield Park, I found it quite a drag to finish – had to force myself to get through it.

Again, my impressions may be more biased because of the sequence & timing of reading than actual merits of each story. There could also have been some fatigue in reading about the same period, & same circumstances, & similar romances. But it is as it is.

I did want to read “Emma” again (been a looong time); but I am firmly decided on waiting at least One year before taking it up. Meanwhile, on to some serious reading – too much mushiness, despite a sweet tooth, is not good for my health  ;-).

Disclaimer: These are my personal impressions, not a formal or literary critique, & in no way discount the immense talent of the writer. It is easy to criticize, but so difficult to actually write !

****  happy reading ****

Books I Read - III

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Classic Aspirations

Classics are always such a pleasure to take up & read . There are times, however, when one wonders about the antecedents of certain characters, or more commonly, What happens to them after a few years. Here are some of my all-time favorites alongside their chronological "partners". 

(This is not a review, merely my thoughts/impressions) 

SET 1.

 Original : Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

Need I say more ?! Few would not have enjoyed it, and I am certainly not among them.

I have enjoyed not just the book, but also several movies & TV series based on this classic. Always a winner.

Pastiche : Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James (2011)

Then along came PD James’ “Death Come to Pemberley”, which traces events a few years after Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy get married, with crime & murder thrown in.

Can’t say I was too impressed with this book. It had some mystery & a whodunit curiosity, but the 2 protagonists were shown to be very weak, helpless individuals, who just seemed to wait for events to unfold without any control or idea of how to cope with problems. After P&P, it was a let-down to say the least – not in the writing style, but in the characterization. Maybe the fault lies in my own idealization of characters?!

Disclaimer : I don’t remember reading any of PD James’ earlier novels, hence my opinion is no reflection on her greatness & popularity. It is tremendously commendable that she penned a novel at that late age !

SET 2.

  

Original : Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

As a young girl, I quite romanticized this book & it’s characters & have enjoyed the movies & TV series based on this novel. Mr Rochester, however much he is criticized today by ‘feminists’, held a certain fascination for me. For some reason, the most poignant scene in one of the series (probably the 1973 BBC miniseries) was when the now-blind hero calls out in forlorn despair to Jane thrice. And a rags-to-riches ‘Cinderella’ story is always so inspiring, even if only fiction ;-)

Prequel : Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966)

A beautiful journey into The Caribbean & thoroughly enjoyed reading about the native as well as Creole culture. I also love the fact that the author traces the life of the mystery woman, Bertha – a lesser, obscure character in the original, rather than the protagonists. Although, like ‘Rebecca’, she was always present in the background. Yes, the ‘original’ hero is painted as a dark man, but the Jean’s use of multiple voices to narrate the story brings to light each character’s emotions & rationale.

Inspired (?!) : The Evil Genius by Wilkie Collins (1885)

Shortly after reading Jane Eyre this time, I took up this book. 

Imagine my utter surprise when the first few pages read Exactly like Jane Eyre !!! The story starts off with almost the same setting, similar characters, similar events ! Fortunately, later events take a slightly different turn & there are discussions on marriage, divorce, domesticity… It was interesting to read the views of those times in relation to the present. The ‘heroine’ seems to be constantly at the wrong end of destiny, naïve, & indecisive. Definitely not one of his best books, but nevertheless, a quick read for a lazy afternoon.

Would love to hear your thoughts & perspective ....

Happy Reading :-) 

Books I Read - I

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Looking for good fiction ?

Quick reads for that lazy afternoon ?

A different perspective ? 

Here are a couple of books that I enjoyed. Both cater to different moods, but are love stories with a difference !
As chance would have it, at the beginning of 2013 as well as 2014, I happened to read two wonderful books, both with a Pakistani connection. Nothing deliberate, but a happy coincidence !

1.  “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” by Helen Simonson

This book had been on my to-read list for some time, based on some review & I finally bought it in early 2013.

It is a pleasurable read, reminiscent of Wodehousian language & humour.

Set in a small village in UK, it exudes an old-world English charm. The simple flow, witticisms, subtle humor, English manners & etiquette, Asian customs, etc. have all been interwoven in simple language.

Love blossoming between two elderly, lonely individuals from very different cultures, but with their own sensibilities & ideals.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story; one can breeze through it. Yet, for all its lightness, there is room for thought. A perspective into the needs & travails of senior citizens.

A feel-good book that I can go back to again !

2.  “In The Orchard, the Swallows” by Peter Hobbs

As Dec of 2013 came to a close, I bought this book at a flea market for just Rs 50/- (that’s less than 1 USD !!!). The title & very simple cover captivated my attention at first glance. Boy, was this book totally worth the read !

An exquisite story about love & power & the Power of Love.

It is a very short book, with equally short & succinct chapters. Even with my snail’s pace, I could’ve finished it in one sitting. But there was something so binding in its languid narration that I just could Not read more than a few chapters at a time. The shortness & slow pace of writing are in keeping with the narrator’s own traumatic experience & I simply could not bring myself to force the pace. To do so would be a betrayal to all that the unnamed narrator had undergone & felt. One needed to imbibe it within oneself.

Yet, it is not a depressing tale, in that it does not dwell on the harsh & unjust imprisonment. Instead it is a story of how love sustained hope & life.

But the blurb says it best.
"This is a beautiful & tragic story that so delicately charts, with profound & devastating effects, the parallels that exist between love and power. It is rooted in the present yet has the timeless quality of a myth; like a jewel, it contains more light than seems possible." - Hisham Matar
"Not only has Peter Hobbs produced a timely study or regional transition & its human cost, he has written a terrifically fierce love story. Rarely do contemporary novels possess such refractive power & emotional sincerity. What an acute, brave book this is." - Sarah Hall

Blurb of "In the Orchard, the Swallows" by Peter Hobbs

Happy Reading !