"It's a String Thing" #25 Tiles

What do you get when 18 tanglers from around the world apply a single pattern to the same string line?  A multifaceted feast for the eyes!

Yes, that is a bit of a 'play on words' because the pattern used this week is Lynn Mead's new tangle  Fassett.  You can click here to see the step out as well as Lynn's beautiful examples on Tangle Patterns.

Charlotte Carpentier said that this pattern was a "cool one" and it "rather screamed snowflake" to her -

This is also the first black tile she completed. Congratulations to Charlotte!  It does have a wonderfully wintry feel to it, especially the dotted swirls and white shading.

CZT Brenda Urbanik completed the challenge on three of the Zentangle® tiles:  the original, black and Renaissance.  In the process, she has made it challenging to pick a favorite...

...This one is gorgeous in its simplicity - 

 The blank spaces she left create a lovely elegance.
This one is striking for her mix of highlights and shading - and again that elegant space - so yummy!

She completes her trio with this beautiful contrast of white on black - such a treat!

Brenda has more about her tiles here on her blog.  She also sent very complimentary words about this tangle pattern that echo my sentiments - 

I just want to say well done to Lynn Mead for this tangle, it's absolutely magical, just connecting the tips of the nesting triangles and this beautiful pattern evolves seemingly out of nowhere! I loved working with this tangle, thank you for selecting it this week.

Using the term "nestling triangles" is a wonderful way to describe the step out for this tangle - especially when teaching someone else how to draw it.  Thank you for that Brenda.

CZT Sue Jacobs said that this was a "fun tangle to play with..."

She thought that it would be perfect to contrast white with black, so she "colored alternating black sections in with IDenti-pen and then did the tangles with white Gelly roll pen.  The other sections are tangled as usual."

Tanglers make note of that technique!  The result is just beautiful.  Sue also features here tile here on her blog.  

Audrie Weisenfelder said that she found Fasset to be "very user-friendly."

Once she started she said that she just "zipped along."  It is so pretty and the grey paper she used makes the white highlights glow.  Audrie also features her tile here on her blog.  

Anna Houston from frigid British Columbia warms us all with this tile :)

She also had very complimentary words for this pattern.  She wrote, 

This was a very relaxing tangle to draw; it really embraces the spirit and philosophy of the Zentangle method, I think. Amazing how you just couldn't help but make stars, no matter what method you used( grid or not) I cheated a bit when I drew a couple of stars outside the lines to make it overlap the other string compartment. Once again, good fun.

In Zentangle terms - that is not cheating :)  Strings are suggestions and she worked her pattern beautifully as she pushed her pattern passed the string lines - wonderful work!

Cathy Cusson echoed the sentiments of many tanglers when she wrote, 

There are tangles you love at first glance and those that . . . . well, you know. The first thing I usually do when a new tangle is posted is add it to my massive notebook. I looked at fassett and maybe it was the exhaustion of the week or whatever, but I put it aside not even adding it in. Thinking I would get to it eventually. My brain couldn't wrap itself around the steps. Then you picked that tangle and not even with others, but a monotangle! Oh dear. I had to go back and rethink my feelings on it and give it a go. I discovered I really love it. It is not as hard as I thought and has such lovely variations. Thanks for opening this up to us. I might have missed a really lovely tangle.

Ahhh, and this tile reflects her appreciation for the pattern - lovely, elegant, serene...just beautiful!

Robin Gosland is very new to Zentangle. This is also the first time she has tangled on the suggested 3 1/2" square sized paper -

With this first tile, she "wanted to do something other than just fill in the various sections."  She built from the center out on this first tile and "soon it was a fun twisty pillar shape."  She wanted to bring out the star shaped flowers so she added some color -

For her second tile, she played with using the tangle on a grid.  She "overlaid a grid on top of the string" and really liked the pinwheel shape that emerged.  She said that she "kept everything minimal" because she
"liked the blend of the string and grid so much and wanted that to show."  It's lovely.

Robin also wrote about her tiles here on her blog.

Annemarie said that this was not very easy, but she "managed to make a tile of it."

Yes, she certainly did and a very pretty one at that!  She posted it on her blog as well.  Thank you for persisting Annemarie.

Ragged Ray also said that she noticed the natural star shape that appears in the middle of Fassett.  She said that by just "widening the lines that join the middle to the outer...magically these stars appear!" 

After filling an entire sketchbook page with variations of Fassett, she chose the ones that "complimented each other very well."

And they do - so pleasingly.  The stars really shine in her beautiful variation of the tangle.

She writes about her tile and pictures another pretty tile here on her blog.  

Annie Taylor said, "It's a wonderful and exciting new pattern..."

Annie added a pop of pink and the single tangle of Fassett provides the loveliest of compliments to the rest of her tile!

CZT Margaret Bremner said that she was "rather taken with this new tangle too."  She placed the intersection of the string lines a bit off-center and said that she "liked the top right corner where she only did 2/3 of a Fassett!"

Margaret illustrates beautifully how this tangle pattern can naturally form a border - when tangled as designed, but especially when completed the way she did hers.  Margaret playfully added circles to her darkened spaces.  Lynn, this should make you smile!

Lonett said that she liked Fassett "very much".  She found no lack of possibilities.

She adds that she can create a "static and a dynamic effect by using this tangle."  She has created the illusion of movement in her tangles.  It is lively and energetic.

Lonett posts it here on her blog as well.  

Sue Agnew said that she loves this new tangle because it behaves in a similar way to Puf.  She adds, "It's just so miraculous to join corners of concentric geometric shapes and suddenly have a third dimension appear!"

Sue has a wonderful way of making that third dimension appear in all of her tangles with her signature sparkle.  The contrast of the large and small tangles and the way her lines followed the curve of the string line make for absolutely gorgeous tiles.

The Tangling Tutor said that she was determined to "tangle in every square of Carol Ohl's 2014 Tangle-a-Day Calendar" and since there were snow days in the 'Deep South', she had time to complete her pages practicing Fassett - what fun!

She added a bit of red and incorporated Pearlz nicely to her string line and larger tangle - both beautiful additions.

Amy Curtis, in her lovely style completed this colorful tile - 

Amy writes, "I was not pleased with my first few practice attempts at doing Fassett. I thought I'd be so glad when this tile was done. But I actually ended up really enjoying it once I could get into the groove. This tangle also showed me just how much I really enjoy grid work."

We all get to enjoy the fruits of her labors with this - it's delightful.  The wavy lines are a spectacular variation, aren't they?

Jackie Becker said that she must have turned her tile "the most times ever doing this one."

That's good to hear - and a great reminder to tanglers everywhere - turn your tile often!  

Jackie also used varying sizes of the tangle for a wonderful contrast in her string sections along with great shading and balance of her light and dark sections.

Joan Delony sent in two terrific tiles - 

She varied her tangle sizes too - and look closely at her largest tangle on the right...she added a smaller Fassett in the middle - ingenious!

She added darkened circles in the middle of her tangles (above right) for another lovely variation.

A N D now....after all of those marvelous masterpieces....the tile for honors this week was sent in by

Jenna Wheatman from the UK.  

She writes - 

This was a great tangle, so many simple variations just by adding more or less triangles, and triangles! I would never have guessed this tangle was created with a few simple triangles. I had a go with small and big, more and less lines and this is my favourite attempt attached. 

It is easy to see how this could be her "favourite" one.  The tangle pattern is thick and rich and dotted and sparkled and churning and shaded a n d simply fascinating!

Thank you Jenna.  I have a little something coming in the mail for you to commemorate the day.

Many thanks to Linda Farmer at Tangle Patterns and for String 025 and very special thanks to Lynn Mead for her FABULOUS new tangle Fassett.  

Do stop in tomorrow for "It's a String Thing" #26!