Tatting Pattern : Neemiss Snowflake

Neemiss Snowflake

I ended my 1^st ever 25 Motif Challenge with a free pattern & am starting/continuing the next round with another free snowflake pattern. This time, though, it is my very own pattern, right from scratch ! Not derived or adapted. Nothing really new about the elements, but it’s a big start for me.

The designing has a slight history which is reflected in the name I chose for it : “Neemiss”. {No, I did not misspell “Nemesis”, although it IS an  anagram, coincidentally! It Has helped in a reverse fashion by breaking my shackles of 2D designing, hopefully.}

Back in late June, I tried my hand at needle tatting. And I realized how easy it was to design with needle tatting because one could easily unravel & redo any element … no need to cut & discard, etc., just go with the flow. That’s how I created a pendant. However, when I tried to convert that into shuttle tatting, I faced a problem & the pendant started to turn into a circle (story of my tatting life!). Easy conversion is possible Only if the needle, thread, & shuttle conform to the same size. I used a needle that was suitable for size 10 or thicker thread, but converting the pattern into a size 20 shuttle pattern required major shifts in stitchcount.

So that is the reason for the name : A Needle tatting Miss (as in mistake, omission, error), hence, “Neemiss” (in my defense, I enjoy wordplay)

This is a 2 or 3 round pattern, depending on where you want to end – 2 snowflakes in one ;-))

It is a 2-shuttle pattern that can be done in one pass, using 1 or 2 colours, or as separate rounds.

No stiffening or blocking required, since the 3^rd round creates a relatively stiff ‘border’, keeping the shape intact.

UPDATE : This pattern is now in Acrobat format with written instructions & diagram here : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5MqI5ByadI4a3RSbVpTdEY5UmM/view?usp=sharing
Feel free to download & use :-)

Threads used :

Anchor Mercer Size 20 : White ; Navy Blue w/ White (variegated) : 4054-1210

Size of Snowflake : ~ / < 3’

Abbreviations :

Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Sh – shuttle R – ring RW – reverse work Ch – chain JK – Josephine Knot SR – split ring	JR – Josephine Ring S&R – Slope & Roll join LJ – Lock join vvsp – very very small picot	N – node/Victorian set fhs – fisrt half stitch shs – 2nd half stitch pds – padded ds (2 wraps); also called dds, spds, BDS, etc.

Round 1:

Composed of 2 sets of alternating trefoils, chains, & Josephine knots. 

A Split Ring will be required to move out of this round, if you want to make it in one pass.

Sh1 : white ; Sh2 : blue

Using Sh1 :

R : 3 – 3 – 6. RW

** Ch : 6, JK6, 6. RW

Small Trefoil :

R : 6 + 3 – 3

R : 3 + 6 – 6 – 3

R : 3 + 3 – 6. RW

Ch : 6, JK6, 6. RW

Large Trefoil :

R : 6 + 3 – 3

R : 3 + 8 – 8 – 3

R : 3 + 3 – 6. RW

Repeat from ** till 5 trefoils made. Before starting 6^th trefoil, join the Ch to base of 1^st ring made. RW

R : 6 + 3 – 3

SR : 3 + 8 / 3 + 8. If you want to start the next round afresh, then make this a normal ring (3 + 8 – 8 + 3), tie & hide ends.

Round 1 complete.

TIP : Keep the joining picots Within the trefoil rings small (as indicated in pic), if you want the rings to broaden/stretch out. If the picots are long, the shape of the rings will be more spindle-like.

Round 2 :

Consists of chains, Josephine Rings (as thrown rings), very very small picots, & Slip & Roll joins 

(or Lock join if preferred). No Reverse Work, but Switch Shuttles to make the thrown ring (JR).

Using Sh1,

If one is continuing in one pass, make a mock picot & start :

JK 8

Ch : 1, vvsp, 12, S&R join to picot where 2 trefoils meet.

** Ch : 11, vvsp, 1, JR8, 1, vvsp, 11, S&R join

Ch : 12, vvsp, 1, JR8, 1, vvsp, 12, S&R join.

Continue around repeating from ** till 1^st JR reached. Join with Lock Join to base.

If desired, one can end here. It makes a nice flower shape with 6 petals !

Round 3

Consists of chains only, that are made up of Victorian sets/Node tatting, & padded tatting.

NOTE :

Node Tatting notation :

Each node (N) comprises of 4 half stitches (4N), repeated either 4 or 5 times (4N4 or 4N5). Thus

4N4 means : 4fhs, 4shs, 4fhs, 4shs.  (16 hs in total)

4N5 means : 4fhs, 4shs, 4fhs, 4shs, 4fhs. (20 hs in total)

For the pattern, you may need to add or reduce a couple of hs, depending on your own tension. The objective is for the node tatting chains to lie niched against/just adjacent to the previous round chains.

Joins : While I prefer Slope & Roll joins, it can be substituted with a Lock join.

Switch shuttles (if using 2 colours).

Using Sh2,

Make a lock join to the vvsp on the left of JK of previous round.

* Arch Ch: [2 ds, 2pds(2), vsp, 2pds(2), 2ds, S&R join or LJ to vvsp].*

**Ch : 4N5, S&R join to base

Ch : 4N4, S&R join to vvsp, repeat from * to * to make Arch

Ch : 4N4, S&R join to base, **

Repeat from ** to ** till you reach starting point.

Tie & cut. Hide ends. Or cut a longer length to make string/loop for hanging.

I ran out of Sh1 thread midways through the last round. So, if tatting in size 20, you can easily load/reload accordingly.

In case I have missed something in the pattern writing, 

please let me know through comment or email (on my profile). 

Your feedback is Always welcome :-)

happy tatting :-)

Happy Holidays & a Great 2015 !

Motif #1/II for 25 Motif Challenge

Click for details on Victorian Sets/ Node stitch

Click for discussion of & links for Padded Tatting