Flitter's Friends

When I created my tangle Flitter, I realized it was similar to other dandelion-inspired tangles.  I played with a few similar designs in my Tangle-A-Day calendar when I came up with Flitter.

One of my favorites is Dandi by CZT Sandhya Manne.  I especially love using this pattern in garden ZIAs.  It is similar to B'Dylan by CZT Mary Beth Schoonover too, but they build differently.  The third column reminds me of a large AHH by Zentangle®.

I love how tangles can be reminiscent of each other but inspired by unique items or experiences and have different step outs.  We are all surrounded by the same patterns and shapes, which makes them part of our communal artistic language.  It is beautiful to see multiple people be inspired by a similar shape.  Each person brings his or her own ideas and creativity to the pattern making it special and unique.

I know there are other tangle friends similar to Flitter.  Please let me know if you find some so I can include them here.  

My New Pattern: Flitter

My daughter loves the Disney Fairies movies.  They are sweet, fun, colorful, and clever.  The animation is stunning to go along with the fantastic natural world of the fairies.  I enjoy the films too (I'd better since we watch them so often) and would love to think of sweet fairies helping the seasons change.

In the first movie, Tinker Bell, we learn the story of how the fairy is born and learns about her true talent.  I have always loved watching as Tinker Bell is born from a baby's first laugh.  She floats through the sky in a flower seed until she reaches Pixie Hollow, gently lands, and is magically transformed into a fairy with the help of a little Pixie Dust.  I've tried to find an image online, but the closest I can get is right after she is transformed (from The Disney Wiki).  For a feel for the beauty and a look at her seed-turned-dress, check out this video clip from Disney.

The shape of the floating seed has always captivated me.  I was tangling in my Tangle-A-Day calendar one night while watching the film with my daughter.  I started adding simple curved lines until they made a small, delicate cup.  Next I added a swan like stem with a little top to it and added some shading.

I showed my daughter, and she said, "It's Tinker Bell!"  Whenever I use this pattern, she squeals with delight that I am drawing little fairies being born.

I present the step outs for my new pattern, Flitter:

Flitter can be used as a border, a fill, or a focal tangle, depending on your piece.  I look forward to seeing what you create with my fun little pattern.  Let's channel a little fairy magic into our tangling, shall we?

My New Pattern - YAH

While sitting in the waiting room at my doctor’s office, I noticed an interesting pattern on the chair. I thought it looked like Keeko, Nekton, Wheelz, and Hollibaugh were all thrown into a blender. Four tangle patterns walked into a bar....

Anyway, I kept staring at the pattern and figured I’d try to draw it. There is a repeating pattern in the fabric eventually, but every time I tried to figure it out, I lost my place. Then I decided to just try it without worrying about the repeat. Isn’t that how we should develop our patterns anyway—without worry?

I started with randomly placed lines around my piece. Some were in twos, threes, or fours. Some were straight, and some were curved, and the length varied. Next I went in and filled in the larger gaps with additional sets of parallel lines, either straight or curved, mixing up the direction and number of lines. I tried not to worry about where the lines went and just filled them wherever the lines wanted to explore. I filled in the negative spaces with dark ink and shaded the paths where they went underneath others, Hollibaugh style.

When it was done, I really loved how it looked. I think the pattern looks like a basket that someone dropped or squished. It’s not a mistake, it’s now just a loosely woven item still capable of greatness.

While tangling the chair pattern, I kept thinking about the people sitting in waiting rooms every day all over the world. As I drew my lines, I thought about people sitting in these very chairs or ones like them. People were waiting to see the doctor to heal them, to answer questions, to provide solace, or to tell it like it is. Doctors’ offices are crossroads. We are waiting for clean bills of health or good news, and sometimes, we are waiting for confirmation of the worst. We may be facing fears ourselves or for our loved ones. Either way, waiting rooms are places that appear sterile and stoic while buzzing with the thoughts, worries, hopes, and fears of countless patients and family members who have sat there temporarily. So much goes on in those rooms while we wait. So much changes after we leave the waiting rooms of life.

As I drew my lines, I tried not to think about where my pen was going. I drew two lines this way then some curved lines going a different way. There was no rhyme, no reason, no sense, no answers. Like those in the waiting room, there may not be an easy answer for where their lines or paths are headed.

I decided that my tangle looked like a wonky city map. I pictured a directory trying to help people find their way out of the gridlock.

I am calling this pattern YAH, or, You Are Here. We might not know where we are much of the time, and when we’re worried about our health or that of our loved ones, we could probably use a directory to help us a bit.

Wherever you are in life—in your dreams, laughter, or worries—you are here.