"It's a String Thing" #97 Tiles

Happy second day of Summer and happy "one day after Father's Day" as well.  This week we used a string line that suggested the word DAD and tangles that began with the letters D and A along with Maria Thomas' Umble.  Let's take at look ~

Please note that the pattern names will be abbreviated as such:
Double D's - DD
All About V's - Vs
Diamonds and Squares - DS

The first tile is mine - a Father's Day gift for my dad.  He is a faith filled and loving father to my six brothers, myself, and our families: twenty-two grandchildren and seven great grandchildren to date. He would add that it would not be possible without my mother and they celebrate their sixtieth anniversary this year.  A remarkable life and a remarkable man...

Tangled Tidbits -
*string line of DD
*Vs poking out from two corners
*lined variation of DS

From Sarah Antoinette ~

Here is my entry. I was a bit shy about such what seemed to be a difficult string but once I had sketched my tangles it all melded together and I'm quite pleased that I did it! Great tangles this week! [my blog]

Tangled Tidbits -
*very organic look to the tangles
*creative variation of Vs
*good use of shading to color in the patterns


A very warm welcome to Jai aka The Yorkshire Tortoise ~

This is my entry for this week's Challenge. Very clever of you to make the string look vaguely like the word DAD although when I had finished I preferred it upside down. Mine looks almost as if a zip is being undone and revealing the Umble. I have managed to do all four tangles this week and the diamonds and squares I did in two different variations.
 find it here [on my blog]

Tangled Tidbits -
*two lovely variations of SD
*rows of a doubled DD that merge into single ones
*multiple layers of Umble

From Carmela ~

I liked the string and the chosen patterns.
Also the new pattern Umble is very beautiful.
Thanks. my blog 

Tangled Tidbits -
*dark, sparkled loops of Vs
*aura-ed DD
*lovely layers of Umble


From Annie Taylor ~

I really enjoyed this week's string thing challenge - and I have since made the tile into a card for my dad for Father's Day.
There were some new tangles for me and I liked the intricacy - if rather busy - of my finished tile. I expected to make more of Double D, which I thought had so much potential, but I didn't have space. I will definitely be using that one again.
Great combination and lovely string.

Tangled Tidbits -
*beautifully intricate tangles
*four finishes for Umble
*super sparkle and shading


From Cathy Cusson ~

I love this string! It was so much fun to play on! I used umble, diamonds and squares, and double d's. Lots of fun this week!

Tangled Tidbits -
*DAD is beautifully clear
*single rows of DD along the string lines
*lace-like look to Umble

From Juul with "Gros bisous" ~

...I really like "umble" very much and will use it more often for sure.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*dark and doubled DD
*aura-ed Vs
*thick dark lines of Umble

From Sally Sheldon ~

This week's challenge was fun! I wanted to keep a sense of the DAD so with the patterns which were new to me and lots of shading I think I did this. It gave me a good chance to practice shading and I like how the A turned out. Thank you so much for each week's challenge. 

Tangled Tidbits - 

*DD string lines
*dark sparkled loops of DD
*wonderful shading


From Beverly Gotthardt ~

I managed to get all 4 tangles on my tile. I had not attempted these tangles before but I quite liked the result that came out of my pen.
Thanks for the great String.
Link to my blog 

Tangled Tidbits -
*delightful rows of DD
*marvelous maze of Umble
*curly Vs

From Deb Jacob ~

... String Thing#97 - pretty close to 100! Loved these mostly new to me tangles. Double D is so versatile - I think I'll be using it a lot. Umble is lovely as well. I didn't think I would like the Squares and Diamonds pattern - I'm more a fan of curvy and round lines, but it is wonderful as well. Congrats on Mel Mel. Love it - I'm also a big fan of nature tangles and do so love flowers. Here's my rise to your challenge. I used a larger tile for this one. The challenge to me was leaving some white spaces. I seem to want to fill every inch of space on the tile...

Tangled Tidbits -
*DD string line
*light and dark variations of Umble

*vanishing point of SD

From Ingrid Coventon ~

Congratulations with your newest and very lovable tangle pattern Mel Mel. It is a lovely one with all it's variations. I will use it a lot because I love organic tangles.
Enclosed my tile for challenge # 97.
I left some lines out of the string and intended to use all suggested tangle patterns but somehow it ended like this. I am ok with that. The patterns I used were new to me. Umble is interesting to draw and see how it ends up in a tile.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*the tangles defined themselves!
*aura for DS
*highways of Umble



From Lynne Harvey ~

Thanks for the welcome last week - my first submission.
This one WAS a challenge - not sure about it yet ... Maybe it was the colors I chose, or the fact that I tried to emphasize the "string" with pattern, or the number of spaces the string created ... but it feels too linear to me - not the soft flow that I usually get ... I started it over three times. I wanted a masculine look - even though two of the patterns were very scrollie (is that a word?), so I chose tan paper, and black and brown Micropens. I decided to emphasize the string line. I took some liberties with the enhancements and made up a few of my own variations. Then it looked dark, so I decided to give it a "glow" with white charcoal pencil ... maybe a little out there ... The colors photographed well I think. I did enjoy trying out these patterns. My blog

Tangled Tidbits -
*wonderful glow created with white highlights
*lace-like Vs
*light look of DS

From Jane Glotzer ~

...Sweet new pattern for your daughter-in-law to be...hope to try it out soon!
Fun string for the dads for #97...Had just learned Umble, so I jumped in with that...love it, so I kept at it for a while--:) tried a teensy variation or two...was headed for a monotangle once again, but threw in a touch of the Double Ds in the corners at the end.
Wishes for a great father's day to all the great dads out there!!

Tangled Tidbits -
*shading defines the string areas
*in the middle string space, two variations of Umble with the same details lines
*just a touch of DD


From Portia Hyde ~

It turned into the traditional “Father’s Day Tie” when I wasn’t looking!
I think my hubby might have one with that design!

Tangled Tidbits -
*I have seen that tie before myself :) - great image!
*DD and Vs in Umble
*dark and dotted border for Vs - and inside Umble, oh my!


From Joanne Hawes ~

Dad string took me until I started drawing out the string to realise what it was! Lol my brain isn't working tonight! So here I am back ( since I forgot to do last weeks!) learning 4 new tangles and I like umble though mine needs some practice before I start trying to put it in a non square hole! Double ds are a nice border pattern with so many different ways to do them. :). 100 is getting closer :) :) so excited to see what special thing you end up doing for it!?

Tangled Tidbits -
*vibrant Vs
*string lines of DD
*super shading

From Sidney Kapinos ~

It's fun to mark Father's Day with a challenge tangle!
My entry is attached [and on] my blogLooking forward to seeing the results.

Tangled Tidbits -
*DD along the string line and as a filler
*delicate rows of Vs

*Umble weaves through two string sections

From Sharyn Penna ~

I am sooo looking forward to trying my hand at your new tangle ... Hope it will be in the next prompt!
This week's prompt had an awesome string! I've seen but never used any of the tangles. I got carried away with Double Ds and found it makes a pretty neat grid. All About Vs filled the Ds in half circles. I'll have to work with Diamond and Squares another time.
Happy Father's day and first day of summer celebrations!

Tangled Tidbits -
*Mooka curls of DD in a DS grid - very creative
*Vs in varied directions!
*Tipple and great shading

From Becky Welty ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*DAD sweetly spelled out with tangles
*eye-catching alternating DD
*orbs for Umble

A very warm welcome to Marla Mendenhall ~

Newbie, I, one month into the exploration of the mystery and magic which is Zentangle, I came across your site yesterday and delighted in your string challenges. What beauty. What talent. What imagination. Mightn't I give it a try?
Perhaps not. The string was daunting - yipes - but more, three of four patterns were new to me, and I hadn't tried the fourth. Sigh - then ... What did I have to lose, other than several ruined tiles and a few handfuls of hair? Gung ho.
My first attempt was chaotic and forced, but when I awoke this morning I muzzled my left-brain critic and allowed my enthusiastic child out to play. I think the result is très fun and a bit Art Nouveau-ish. The second one was just a lark.
My beloved father has passed, but I'm sure he'd be pleased I'm making use of tuition he paid for art school four decades ago.
Thank you for being such a gracious hostess for this beguiling and liberating craft. Quoth the Arnold, I'll be back.

Tangled Tidbits -
*such lovely tiles to accompany even lovelier prose (if that were possible!)
*DD small and large
*Vs cleverly tangled into and A


From Susan Theron ~ and on her blog...

Tangled Tidbits -
*curved and straight lined grids for DS
*sparkled Umble
*floating DD


From Peggy Kohrmann ~

...I had a bit of difficulty with double d's and when it did get used it is tiny. All about V's seems to be tough to make in anything but a single line but I enjoyed the variations. I love Umble and all the crisscross.

Tangled Tidbits -
*delicate single DD
*continuous Umble, beautifully shaded
*pops of red hearts


From Lily Moon ~

...here's my tile for your weekly challenge.

Tangled Tidbits -
I have a new name for Lily - Tangle Master :)  

*breathtaking variations of Vs - note the puddle-like circular aura
*sparkled and shaded aura

*Printemps in Umble



From Karin ~

thank you for the challenge!
Today it´s cold and rainy outside, so it´s really relaxing to tangle and enjoy a cup of tea.
For me this challenge was a very difficult one and I tried to use all patterns.
I really liked “umble”!
Greetings from Germany

Tangled Tidbits -
*dramatic dense Umble
*Vs run lengthwise between the string lines
* two variations of DS

From Felicity Strohfeldt and here on her blog ~

As It’s Father’s day in SA and many other countries, your string was perfect. Dad in this home is a very, creative person with many talents, but always humble, so Umble by Maria Thomas was very appropriate. Then for the A of my tile I used All about V’s by Ksenija Vojisavljevic, they reminded me of hearts and the love we all owe the DADS in our lives. Now our children’s DAD is Willie, who made a career of music - a music teacher and organist all his working life. Even to this day he plays the organ in our congregation here in Laaiplek, Velddrif. He’s a innovative choirmaster and stage director. For many years, he produced the Passion of Christ, at Eastertime, along with many a school production in our town. He is passionate about good music and although the hearing is not so good, he still listens to the great classical composers, only a little louder these days. My Double D’s by Judy Murphy doubled up as pretty, musical harps to celebrate Dad’s musical genes. He also makes wooden toys. Artwork that needs precision, so Diamonds and Square by Deanne Stewart-Mills were the way to go to honour Dad’s talents and celebrate Father’s day.
To all fathers wherever you are: Happy Father’s day!!
... Oh yes by the way, I practising Mel Mel right now!

Tangled Tidbits -
*a fitting tribute to such wonderful Dads
*lyre looking DD
*fabulous depth with dark rounded angles of Vs
*two awesome takes on Umble

From Efie van Rekum-Derksen "wit love from Holland" ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*interlocking loops of Umble
*Vs string lines
*creative combinations of patterns

And now the tile for honors this week was sent in by...

Ilse Lukken ~

Ilse first joined "It's a String Thing" forty-four challenges ago.  She wrote:

Voilà: my entry for this week ;-)
I had fun tangling!

Tangled Tidbits -
*bold contrast of white and black
*super shading
*SD fit into a triangular string section
*rows of delicate Vs


Congratulations, Ilse!

I have a little some thing coming in the mail for you.

Thank you all for sharing your work so generously with the rest of our tangling community. 


Many thanks to the creative minds behind the tangles we used with my string ~

Double D's by Judy Murphy

All about V's by Ksenija Vojisavljevic

Diamonds and Squares by Deanne Stewart-Mills

Umble by Maria Thomas  

Check back Tuesday afternoon for "It's a String Thing" #98!
It will feature my new pattern Mel Mel.