game antics

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 The saga continues from my previous post (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/11/flaky-antics.html). 

We chose the Antiks Snowflake pattern for our November 2023 game in our Endrucks FB group - Snowflake Me Endrucks. This name was chosen to indicate that we can try to adapt a pattern into a snowflake. We've derived snowflakes with E17, E3, E37, E31, E12, (see Snowflakes and Stars Directory)  but not as a game. We wanted to open the possibility of repeating the game in future with a different pattern.

Antiks Snowflake pattern (an E42 adaptation and extension by Muskaan) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U5J5sjuAA7D0qGPOGnK9RJ83MKdNkWSZ/view

We have a wide spectrum of skill levels in our FB group be it tatting or linguistic. Hence visuals become important. This flake has a few tricks. Ninetta offered to take stepwise pics! Hence we prepared an entire Supplement which has the detailed pictorial as well as a lot of other info, options, and links. 

Snowflake Me Supplement - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VFk4ZnBT9ObJxnEKgI6hUkk2wtd_gOD4/view

  

Ninetta's version in Lizbeth 10, colour 686. Hmmm, I wonder how her fingers, used to dainty threads, worked on this large thread, LOL.

Ninetta also uploaded a video demonstrating how to make the Split Chain!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hKfqa3LHnUor9UAen7sdqPgzZe0elU2I/view . 

She had actually done a couple more videos but this was the best. This is the kind of backroom activity we are engaged in to provide a wholesome experience!

Like I said before, we are beginning to use this as a platform for learning and bridging any gaps in tatting knowledge, while making it easy and accessible to all levels of tatters.

The Antiks snowflake uses Split Chains to climb out, and we already have some tatters who learned to make them for this pattern after watching Ninetta's video!

However, in case a tatter does not wish nor have the time, there are a few optional paths one can employ to climb out to the next round.....

 

Three such options are explained in the Supplement and each of these can be worked with a ball and shuttle, just like for split chains : 

How to Avoid Split Chains -

1. Bare thread space with a double lock join - an extension of what Mlle Riego did in her Bunch of Grapes (1850) single shuttle pattern.   (yellow model)

2. Shadow Chains - Frau Endrucks (1920) method   (purple model)

3. A continuous spiral - this one is more visually organic. (green model)

Pattern for this Rose Motif is also included for practice.

The main pattern pdf as well as the Supplement has more tips and links, including to the original ANKARS site (https://ankars-club.ru/). It is worth reading, given the common misconceptions about this technique.

Coincidentally, in November, The Online Tatting Class (TOTC) also did a few classes on ANKARS. You can access their articles and patterns here - https://www.theonlinetattingclass.com/ankars-patterns. Their YouTube site - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOnlineTattingClass

Many many thanks to Ninetta for all her contributions!

flaky antics

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 This time I have a snowflake pattern to share. It is a mix of the old with the new; partly derived and partly original; and I thoroughly enjoyed putting it together, though it got entangled in some flakiness midways. 

I call it the Antiks Snowflake which is a play on words and techniques; a combo of antique, ANKARS, and the antics involved in getting it just right! At the center is a 6-point adaptation of Endrucks' pattern #42 but the outermost round is all mine.

My first trial and prototype combined. Blogged about it here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/03/antics.html. I was so out of practice with split chains! By this point in the final round, I had decided on which tweaks to keep and was happy that it would lay flat. Ran out of thread but it had done its job.  

After a couple of weeks I returned to tat a proper model along with the pattern presentation. Notice anything? Sigh, yes, there are 8 repeats as in the original Endrucks' pattern #42! I had kept wondering why the arms were so squished in and after wasting my precious Lizbeth white, I stopped. Foggy head leads to a flaky flake.

And since I had sent the same pattern to Anita Barry for test tatting, she too, worked an 8-point flake! She used this to decorate a purse and it looks gorgeous against a deep blue background. She displayed it at  the IOLI Convention this year.

I chose a different Lizbeth size 20 and went to work again, this time making sure the pattern was for 6 repeats. 

Tatted one more, this time in Olympus size 40 to consolidate the pattern and presentation.

And I didn't expect her to, but Anita actually tatted a second model with 6 arms in Lizbeth metallic! Now that's commitment.

Her help was also valuable in arranging the written pattern more systematically and clearly. 

I sent an article with this pattern to the IOLI Bulletin for their Summer issue. However, since they ran out of space, it was published in the fall issue above - IOLI Bulletin, Fall 2023 edition (Oct 2023, Vol 44, N.1).

It is a very nicely laid out presentation and Liz, the editor is always very diligent and helpful.

Their back cover carries a pic of the flake, too!

Interestingly, both Lizbeth 20 and Olympus 40 work out to the same size!

Now, now, don't go too far. Thought I'm flaky enough to forget sharing the pattern link?! Ah, see, the saga continues and I will share the link in my next post. 

... to be continued...

Many many thanks to Anita and Liz!  Excellent collaboration. 

multiply me roundup 2

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 I enjoy doing roundups, despite the time it takes to collect, notate, organise pics. The reason is that I get to see them up close and often notice something I had seen before. Little tweaks, embellishments, etc. Occasionally the tatter gives us some details when they post; most often they don't. Hence, roundups are an eye-opener. 

Continuing from my previous post (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/11/multiply-me-roundup-1.html), here are the remaining models for #MultiplyMeEndrucks Oct2023 game.

7. Margaret Davies - 3  We have another regular player in Margaret, always with her own take. 

Inspired by the bead placements in my earrings, Margaret tatted this lovely parure! I'm sure she will share more details when she blogs about it. (https://margaretsdesignercards.blogspot.com/)

8. Michelle Forclaz - 3 also tatted 3 motifs but just look ---

Now isn't that one super cute turtle! It is great to see what another tatter sees.

Her second, and

third motifs in soft shades while playing with options and effects. Notice how she inserted a single round of beige in the pink rosette!

9. Paola Bevilacqua - 3  Paola is never far behind either!

The Iris pendant complete with a 2-colour split ring braid. It appears like she used 3 shades in the pendant.

Her 5-point adaptation to cover the top of a bauble ornament, and

a 6-point adaptation at the lower end! Both motifs are sewn together with the same thread.

10. Silvana Buonvino - 3  Always happy to see Silvana's regular and enthusiastic participation in our games!

Her first motif in metallic threads and a few beads sewn in later.

Iris pendant in gold with white seed beads and a lovely cord for the necklace.

This came in a yesterday as a wonderful surprise. The Multiply Me Flower Flake where she shortened the chains between the arms to (2 - 2) and used long decorative picots instead of wide picots.  

11. Alicia Fullana - 2  Our new member

She appliqued the first motif on a bow neck shirt. Notice the colour switch in the rosette. And  she clearly did not use lock joins.  

Her second motif is appliqued on a short sleeve shirt!

12. Antonia Lai - 2   loves to participate regularly, too!

Her first Iris pendant, and

her second Iris pendant! She started tatting with metallic threads quite recently.

13. Cynthia Dooley - 2  is one of our needle tatters. She tatted both these bookmarks a while back, but we asked her to enter them in the game. 

Her first motif as a square with a lovely ombre effect, and an interlocking SR braid as tail, ending with a 3-layered flower charm.

Her second motif is displayed as a diamond with the tail emerging from a tip. Here the charm is a 2-layered flower. 

It's a great way to use motifs and also to learn techniques.

14. Debra F. Cox - 2  an enthusiastic learner-tatter

Lovely shade of blue, and I love the addition of grey. She says she's working on a multicolour mat. Waiting to see how it turns out!

15. Mariola Siwek - 1  I got to see her beautiful tatting when she participated in the DAL Celtic Snowflake 'challenge'.

She took up the task of flattening the Multiply Me Flower Flake (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/10/wanna-multiply.html) and used double picots instead of wide picots.

She shared her simple solution - start with an increased count in the rosette and reduce the number of rounds! Beyond this, she did not change anything. It's a beautiful variation.

I will try to upload the final pdf including these variations as soon as possible. 

16. Martina Reinhold - 1  our first-time participant and hopefully a regular.

This vibrantly coloured motif with alternating colours in the rosette, is her submission.

17. Reiko Akamatsu - 1   our hugely talented volunteer and participant!

She tatted the Iris pendant as a motif. She actually worked a half-finished prototype/trial before making this lovely version.

18. Riva Nudelman - 1  We are getting to see more of her tatting ...

A beautiful rendition in two colours!

And with that, we come to the end of the roundup for or October game. There are always a few straddlers that I show in a separate post. 

In this post we have 12 tatters with 24 models including variations. 

This brings us to a total of 18 participants and 66 models, with numerous variations and adaptations! [UPDATE 17th Nov 2023: 5 more models have been received, taking the grand total to 71!]

All the images are uploaded to our FB album and the variations are uploaded to respective Directories. Links are at the top of the right panel in this blog.

Many many many thanks to all our participants for multiplying the joy

of tatting an Endrucks pattern and creating more derivatives!