Iris Niebach Doily

Tat It And See (TIAS) Doily *

Iris Niebach

* click for direct link to site

This is the Tat It And See (TIAS) that Iris Niebach shared in 5 stages in 2009.

To me, it is a designing marvel . Brilliantly designed to create an elaborate medium-sized doily All In One Pass !!! And with a minimum of “advanced techniques” used !

Yes, it does take time to get one’s head around the orientation of some elements as one tats … Instead of moving in a circle as one is used to, here, we have to move in all directions : back & forth, up & down, in & out, ….

But it is all so much fun because of this challenge .

I found it easy enough to remember the stitch counts (pretty consistent), but the sequence was a whole other dimension even after 2 repeats ! So, to get my head oriented correctly, I notated the step sequence on the Day 5 pic (please scroll down for notated image) . Worked smoothly from then on.

Hats off to the earlier tatters who actually worked the pattern 

without any diagram or picture to guide them. 

At least I had the comfort of seeing some of their work posted on their blogs & knew what to expect .

Threads/Materials Used :

Anchor Mercer Crochet Cotton in Size 20 .

DC (Dark Colour) :  Khaki Brown : 4054-0359   approx. 45m/50yards used

LC (Light Colour) :  Ecru/Cream : 0300   approx 27m/3yards used

Picot Gauge

Measures 9½” across.

Techniques Required :

2-shuttle tatting, SCMR , Double Picot, Lock Join.

Click on each Day for direct link to written pattern

Day 1

 Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

corrected version of Day 5 pattern here

Notes about the Pattern

(Iris has graciously permitted me to share the sequence notation, as well as a few minor typos, etc.)

• The instructions are succinct & direct.
• RW is not always mentioned ; but Reverse Work when switching colours.
• Day 4 of TIAS ends at #37, but Day 5 starts with #39. Day 5 should start with #38 & follow on from there. Thus the total number of steps will be 50, not 51. Note : There is no change in Pattern ; only in the numbering. I have used the amended step numbers in the notation.
• Notations of step numbers on the pic, helped Immensely. The sequence to follow became clear instantly. If encountering problems, print out the notated pic & follow sequence.
• There is a correction made to the Day 5 pattern, which Iris includes in a later post here. All that is missing is a join to an earlier ring, nothing major.
• After Day 4, there are 2 heart patterns that become visible !!! (images lower down)

Notated Sequence of Steps

• #3, 10, 41 & 48 are SCMRs, indicated by a white connecting line.
• Some numbers are in black Only to show up clearly against the background. No significance should be attached to the colour
• Some steps in the notation indicate 2 parts (a & b), merely to highlight that ‘a’ is made first, then ‘b’.
• #38 is the DC chain, as indicted by an arrow. It was too cramped for numbering.

2 Heart Patterns Within !!!

small heart

large, stylized heart

 My Notes

• FS/BS tatting throughout. Initially I tried all frontside, but it was becoming too complicated …
• I tried the LTROR (just to challenge myself & see whether it works), instead of the SCMR. It worked great ! So this doily has Both SCMRs & LTRORs.

TIP : LTROR has one advantage over SCMR when working with 2 colours  ... no colour blips to hide (no extra step required). 

When closing the LTROR, softly, but persistently tug the loop to overcome inertia.  After that initial resistance, the ring closes Very smoothly. 

• In later repeats, I added an anchoring tiny picot at base of either end of long chains in step #24 & 25 and adjoining chains were joined after 1ds. 
• Now that I have experienced the pleasure & effect of size 40 thread (Craftree Mystery TAL), I would’ve loved to try it in the finer thread !
• Blocking was required.
• I’m not completely satisfied with my tatting. Could’ve made the double picots a tad longer so as to stand out clearly. 

Abbreviations  used  above :

RW – reverse work

FS/BS – frontside/backside tatting

SCMR – self closing mock ring

LTROR – loop tatted ring on ring

TAL – tat along

Tatting Resource/Tutorials Used:

Karen Cabrera’s  Lesson #111  Loop Tatted Ring 

Inspiration from some participants :

Vinnie

http://vinniestattings.blogspot.com/2009/03/iris-tias.html & http://vinniestattings.blogspot.com/2009/03/done-at-last.html

SingTatter

http://singtatter-corner.blogspot.com/2009/03/did-you-read-this-book-before-tias.html

LadyShuttleMaker

http://ladyshuttlemaker.blogspot.com/2009/03/tias-5-by-iris-niebachdone.html

(and don’t miss all the other lovely tatting in their blogs !)

http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/search/label/Iris%27s%20TIAS – I came across this only now, while confirming some of the links !

My sincerest thanks to Iris, for sharing her expertise & brilliance

I hope this post inspires a few to tat this, too :-)

happy tatting :-)

Motif #23/II for 25 Motif Challenge