muskaan's T*I*P*S

Thursday, 18 August 2022

a bonanza of happiness

I wonder if you remember my intention to write a series of 3 articles for the IOLI Bulletin, about our Endrucks 1920 Project (which got published in the Summer issue); how one simple pattern spawned a bonanza of derivatives (this will be published int he Fall issue); and lastly on Frau Endrucks and her book/presentation (in the works).

So, for the 2nd article the first pattern in her book was chosen. Several reasons but what tilted the scales was the fact that so many tatters had adapted or adopted the basic motif from the edging and transformed it into different shapes and styles. It symbolised the collaborative cooperation of our Project; without this coming together, the Project could never have been carried out so successfully, and continue to carry on. I have tried to capture this comity of our international tatters through the bracelet.

Happy Hands Linked Bracelet - muskaan

Colours were chosen to represent our diversity of backgrounds - different lands, different races - yet our hands worked together. I will share the pattern and more beading details in the next couple of months.

Happy Hands Edging with Corner - Antonia Lai

Antonia modified the edging slightly by adding an extra ring, spacing out the motifs and making it easier to tat/join to previous motif. However, she also designed a 90 degree corner and shared it enthusiastically! It is a clever design - shift one motif outwards and we have a corner. And the edging can be sewn over the fabric or around the fabric - both work perfectly.

pattern pdf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fsiET9ZJvXSD0kcAMKsuUNZt-rznFkO9/view

Lea Di Palma

Lea followed the original pattern (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/03/balancing-act.html - that pdf needs some tweaking) but instead of using 2 shuttles she worked with a ball and a shuttle. Notice how flexible the edging is to embellish the curvilinear table runner neatly.

Happy Hands Brooch - Lea Di Palma

One single motif in metallic thread and selectively placed crystals - such an elegant brooch for her equally elegant dress. As you can see, it is a quick tat, too. Pair it with matching earrings and we're ready to party!

You can choose your favourite method to add the crystals in the center of the rings, and one crystal is looped over the picot. Findings as required.

Happy Hands Heart - muskaan

Remember this heart from the same motif? I tatted the dark one recently to confirm the shuttle changes. It was so depressing to find a fault which was traced back to my original pictorial! Hence all diagrams and pdfs were/are being updated.

Pam Hemenway had enthusiastically and kindly shared her needle tatting notes. All this is included in the pdf now, along with some ideas to arrange the motifs.

pattern pdf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RdV42A2FzkVsNH1cBNsX8TdD6pCBl7s2/view

This heart spawned quite a few patterns!

Happy Hands Mermaid Fluke/Tail - Sue Bradham

first shared here - http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2021/03/inspired-by-muskaan.html

Sue felt the heart looked like a mermaid's tail. Hence she adapted it, adding a body, and working it all in one pass! She graciously sent her notes which Ninetta Caruso helped to decipher into a shareable pattern.

The body is such a clever and perfect design with overlapping rings giving the impression of scales. After tatting the tail (heart) and climbing out with a split ring, one shuttle is cut off and the scaled body is tatted with a single shuttle.

pattern pdf:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N4OAs_KhhX3LG1L348eFAX9EJJbwvN2b/view

These are a few of the spawned patterns from #1, with lots more to show. Over the next several weeks many more pattern pdfs will be shared as and when they are finalised. Meanwhile you know where to find all the modernised pattern pdfs - in the Endrucks 1920 Project document!

Many many many thanks to Antonia, Lea, Pam, Sue, and Ninetta

- words fail to express the gratitude and happiness towards your continued contribution.

Monday, 15 August 2022

pretty me heart fun

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Now that all the main patterns from Endrucks' 1920 book are in modern format, barring 2, Ninetta and I decided to start holding occasional events in our FB group. The first such official event or Game of the Month is a simple heart that tatters need to embellish or use to embellish something. We also decided to open it up to our non-FB tatters, if you wish to participate.

pretty me aug 2022 - Endrucks 1920 Project Facebook group event

Do you remember this maroon heart I shared here (now updated with diagram and written pattern for alternate path) - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/06/to-and-fro-inspiration.html

We chose it for the event in our FB group and are throwing it open to all tatters.

Download the one-page pattern pdf with diagram, model, and written pattern and begin decorating - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t3DhpAeXUBi4oZegOty-q5Ux-zfntdYf/view

There are several paths one can take to tat the heart, including starting from a different point. While only the basic path is shared in the pdf (which should be easy for needle tatters and relative new shuttle tatters), I updated my blog post with diagram and written pattern for the path shown there initially. Check it out if you prefer to tat clockwise all from the front - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/06/to-and-fro-inspiration.html

This is my tricolour earring prettification. We are celebrating 75 years of Independence today and I see the Tiranga (our Tricolour) everywhere!

Worked in Anchor Pearl cotton size 8.

I didn't have time (or the right size/colour beads) to decorate further.

A small ring 8ds was added in the topmost heart to hold the hook.

I used my Floating Beads method to attach the teardrop without stringing it on the shuttle.

UPDATE - The following explanatory para is added in response to a couple of queries -

How to interlink the hearts -

Each heart was interlaced in a very simple manner through the final chain. Start from the topmost heart, then work your way down. So, tat the 2nd heart till the very end but leave the last chain unattached. Cut off tails and then insert the 'free' chain through the 1st heart, join to the base of the starting rings, tie and cut and hide ends.

Repeat the same when interlinking 3rd heart to the 2nd.

NOTE: For fs/bs tatters, start the 2nd heart with backside rings so that the final chain is on the right.

There were other ideas such as decreasing the heart sizes (hut didn't have colours in required sizes); joining at the tips (but I kind of preferred this free-style effect with a bit of twisting when worn)....

The heart is Eye Spy Heart from Endrucks' edging #3 which I spotted when tatting the square derived from the edging.

Use beads, decorative picots, tatting effects or techniques, or colour-play to make the heart pretty or use it to make enhance the beauty of something else.

We have already received several variations of the heart pattern, besides beautification, and those patterns are also being shared! You can join our FB group with your version of the heart, or simply send the pic to either Ninetta (https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/ ) or to me, with your name and any project details you might wish to share.

There is a special album (pretty me aug 2022) to collect all pics though at present it is missing a lot of the pics which members have shared on the Home page; and a hashtag for a focused search - #prettymeEndrucks.

So are you ready to participate? This is such a quick little pattern that needs very little thread! Come join the fun. Remember the butterfly beautification project where I received a thrilling response - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/04/make-me-pretty-please.html ? Can we expect a similar response this time, too?

All patterns from Frau Endrucks (main and derived) can be found here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

Saturday, 13 August 2022

har ghar tiranga

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Celebrating 75 years of Independence (August 15th) with a tatted version of my flag.

Har Ghar Tiranga campaign is about flying a flag in each home. I chose to tat a flag around a 1947 coin.

It's so good to look out the balcony or window and see flags flying merrily in the monsoon breeze.

I've been sharing my tatting progress this entire August. Now it was time to assemble.

Saffron - I used marigolds to symbolise sacrifice and auspiciousness. My original intention was to have the 'petals' raised up. Couldn't accomplish it since these flowers are so tiny.

White - waves in water symbolise peacefulness, serenity, peaceful coexistence.

Glued in overlapping layers.

Green - I used leaves to symbolise prosperity though it denotes faith and chivalry.

As expected there are gaps in the green rectangle, which were later filled with single or double leaves, as required.

For the pole, I tatted an onion ring using metallic silver thread, size 20. Then I couched over doubled up strands. The pole could've been thicker, but oh well ....

Ashok Chakra - the emblem represents the eternal wheel of law. I used the 1947 coin from hubby's old collection. It was the discovery of this coin that flagged off my idea early this year.

Flag tatted in Anchor Pearl Crochet Cotton, size 8, measures 13.5cms x 9cms.

saffron - 00316 ; white ; green - 00245 ; blue - 00133

This is how the edge of the coin looked after the split ring braid was wrapped around it. I had wanted to outline the coin, but without adding bulk. Since I didn't know how to go about it, I had left it as is.

Then inspiration struck! Wound my shuttle and threaded a long tail through a needle. This tail acted as the core thread and I worked chains between rings using reverse stitch (direct tatting). The needle came in handy to slip under each ring.

And this is how it looks with a chain passing through the SRs.

A close-up of the simply encircled coin.

There should be 24 spokes on the wheel which could easily be sewed in with finer thread, but I left it open so that the coin face and date is clearly visible.

I was pleasantly surprised that gluing everything together was accomplished in a single day! Today I merely filed in the gaps with extra leaves and flowers, and worked the pole.