Padded Tatting Solutions part 1

Auxiliary thread techniques

used in 3d tatting.

Back-to-back posts elaborating how I added/used auxiliary thread while making the buds in Tiny Heart Poppy. In the absence of context, the explanation there might have been a tad confusing . Additionally, these 2 methods of adding auxiliary thread can have plenty of uses independent of the current 3D application.

It all arose because I needed the buds to be bigger than the flower center. However, increasing the stitchcount of the 2 concentric rings would only make them floppy ! I could think of only a couple of options – 1. padded Josephine Rings or 2. padded tatting . Since I’d already ‘learned’ the 1^st, I decided to try my hand at the 2^nd.

But how to add an auxiliary thread to the core, now that my 2 shuttles were already loaded CTM ?!

The following is how I tackled that dilemma, along with a step-by-step pictorial of how the buds were made.

Starting with Auxiliary Thread in CTM

NOTE : This method can be used to add auxiliary thread Anywhere & Anytime, not merely at the start.

1. Two Shuttles wound CTM

 

2. Auxiliary thread (black tips) being added to Shuttle 1 

 

3. Shuttle #2 with single thread, but Shuttle #1 with two threads

 

4. Inner/first Josephine Ring started with Shuttle #1. 15 hitches.

 

5. Josephine Ring (15) completed

 

6. Perpendicular Concentric/Onion JR started with Shuttle #1. 

Here Jane Eborall's alternative technique is used.

 

7. JR2 has 22 hitches. One Bud completed.

 

 8. Snip off Auxiliary thread, leaving a tail for encapsulation.

 

9. Encapsulate both tails of Auxiliary thread with Josephine Chain. 

Continue the JC stem for about 5-6 cms. (It is much shorter here)

TIP : When making Josephine Chains (Spiral Chains), I have found the using 2 shuttles works much better than a shuttle & ball. JCs cause a lot of twisting even to the ball (working) thread; hence if the working thread is on a 2nd shuttle, it becomes so much easier to suspend & untwist as frequently as one wants.

Part 2 of this tutorial shows one way of how one can end with an auxiliary thread.