double juggle

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 I'm calling it double juggle, not double trouble, coz I'm thoroughly enjoying myself and only wish I had more time and brain space to spare. I am deeply involved in 2 large projects with 2 different partners and have to juggle between both - I find that my brain is compartmentalised and have to 'get into each mode'. 

First project is my late friend's tatting book I am editing- it is over 200 pages consisting of a manual and a dictionary. This will take many more months but Angela is an enthusiastic and quick worker, providing excellent technical and formatting support and then some more.

Second project is our current tat-along in our EP Facebook group with Ninetta. some of our participants have already completed the entire doily even though 2 more parts need to be shared. They followed Reiko's diagrams without waiting for us ;-D Oh, and the colours and combinations that are emerging are truly inspiring!

Parts 1-4 of #TALmeEndrucks completed in size 40 threads, going for a peacock impression.

Parts 1 & 2 posted here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/01/tat-along-doily.html

PART 3 - After the central 'flower' and the 'basket', we work the first half over the 'handle' of the basket, continuing from Part 2. 

There is one inward picot and the rest is simple rings and chains.

Endrucks worked the entire doily continuously. However we are following Reiko Akamatsu's modified pathway and count.

PART 4 - This is a mirror image of Part 3. Working with 2 colours means we need to switch shuttles before working the floating chains in order to get the same colour, unless one wants to use inward picots or Block Below Tatting (BBT).

I decided to work the lower chain first, then the upper scalloped chain. And since after this pair is made we need to anchor to the base and move to the right, I made an overhand tie/SLT, leaving a vsp space to lock join to later. 

I've used this SLT Picot before in a different scenario - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2015/03/experimenting-with-colours.html

And then again, for a mirror effect so that the last ring tilts accordingly, we need an inward picot on the chain. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/01/measured-picot-on-core-thread.html

As you can see, the first and last rings are reflections of each other. Believe me, I tried the ring 'normally', thinking the chain could be attached to the ring accordingly. But it looked all wrong and I had to undo it. So it is worth the effort.

I absolutely love the clever arrangement of the floating chains. Even if they are not joined to each other, there are so many possibilities - peacock's plumes, a jester's hat, a rooster's tail, foliage, .....what else?

Playing with flipping to see what comes up, LOL. Nothing to write home about.

The blue colour runs a bit and has seeped into the green below.

Fortunately, no more seepage occurred. Parts 3 and 4 are worked twice more.

Part 5 will be released tomorrow as 3 detached motifs and I will share my fun arrangements in a future post. But first I have to get back to juggling the editing and tatting the final part of this cover doily!

tat-along doily

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Our new game in the Endrucks 1920 Project FB group has started. This time it's a tat-along of the cover doily. We are following Reiko Akamatsu's reworking of the original. And we are sharing 2 options. I am tatting it in 2 or more colours without climbing out. Ninetta is working it in one-pass using split chains, etc. to climb out. Of course Frau Endrucks herself tatted it in one pass using shadow/extra chains to climb out.

Tat-along of endrucks' cover doily #TALmeEndrucks jan2023 

Part 1 - Rounds A,B,C. I used the measured mock/inward picot to climb out of the central ring which can be tatted as a true ring or a mock ring.

Interestingly, this is the only pattern where Endrucks starts with a chain (aka mock ring)!!! Hadn't noticed it before. There is always something new cropping up.

Actually this was my 1st attempt where I used false ctm to climb out of the central blue ring. I kept the blue on the shuttle and continued with green ball. So not happy with the work which becomes even more glaring in the pic. 

PART 2 - Rounds D,E.  This is where the difference between individual rounds and continuous tatting emerge. Details are in the notes in the Part 2 pdf.

I tried Frivole's Ending on a Chain to avoid hiding ends but the thread broke and I had to start over.

Tatting as separate rounds gives us the freedom to increase our colour palette. Both rounds can be tatted with one shuttle and ball, including block tatting.

I am going for a peacock rendition, hence the choice of these colours. I chose size 40 and this time all 3 colours I used are from different brands! Green - Swati; Purple - Anchor; Blue - Gopal.

Doesn't the top make a nice little basket?! Would love to tat it separately and fill it with flowers. 

All links in the top right panel of my blog. You are welcome to participate. 

measured picot on core thread

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 It is difficult to get an accurate measure of an inward picot on the core thread which is held by a paperclip or coil-less pin, etc., till the time of joining. 

Then we have a mock picot where the norm is to make an overhand tie and then work the stitches. This is something I have never been comfortable with. 

And it is these that led me to use scrap thread to hold the space, by making a lark's head knot (LHK), which is exactly the size and form of a double stitch. Now this gives me an accurate measure of a picot even when it is on the core thread.

Measured Mock/Inward Picot with LHK pdf  (click to download) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GciBBglABtYVt3Jew5zn6chqhMjLQuqG/view 

1 Lark's Head Knot = 1 Double Stitch

The best part is that we can alter the size as desired! 

For a very small picot, make 1LHK with a smaller size scrap thread;
for a regular picot, use the same tatting thread and make 1LHK;

for a longer picot, use thicker thread for 1LHK, or several scraps for 2 or more LHK. 

The possibilities are endless. The mock or inward picot needn't even be regular. You can easily have an irregular picot with a longer core thread side and barely any space on the ball thread side, if a future join is to be made only on the lower end. 

The marker/scrap thread can be removed once the element is joined and the core thread is locked either with a lock join or with a ring.

Notice how all the picots above are of the same size and all the stitches are the same with not a single thread or bar out of place.

I put together some pics in a one-page pdf to show the steps involved.  Measured Mock/Inward Picot with LHK pdf  (click to download) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GciBBglABtYVt3Jew5zn6chqhMjLQuqG/view 

If you remember, I've used the LHK to join at the beginning - it was called luggage tag loop (Georgia Seitz). eg. Radiant Sun paper clip tatting, Blossoms motifs, etc. (click for search results and patterns). The LHK is also used to add new thread since it gives the appearance of a double stitch. 

Related articles/resources -
Measuring the Picot - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kk6rtyIUvo5JFA5u3vE3ruU2Z7zQ9fuq/view

Adding, Hiding, ... - http://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/11/beginning-or-ending.html