Spiral Snowflake / Medallion
This snowflake is my serious foray into 2D designing. I am
more comfortable with freeform & 3D designing and my challenge is to try & create flat pieces with repeating motifs/rounds. Starting small
with this 2-round medallion. Can it go further to create a mosaic or a
multi-round doily ? Time will tell.
The
Design Process
The pattern came to me one night when I was on the brink of sleep (as often happens!). In the dark, a tablet is a handy device to jot down ideas immediately, without waking/distrubing others. But Kaleidoscope app is a bit limiting, since I cannot jot down notes alongside.
Installed the Sketch Guru app & this is the first sketch I drew on it, along with my thoughts. A no-frills skeleton.
Next step was to determine where each element will be joined, which led to inclusion of picots at those points (#2 in pic below). And a possible option to use folded rings instead of chains.
Sketch & skeleton is fine, but what about the stitchcount ?!
From position of picots, I guesstimated the stitches for
central round. My thumb rule was to use a certain number & its multiples to
keep things simple & easy to remember. I think this idea came from all the
tatting one has done & from reading Sharon Briggs’ design tutorials. Sharon ’s tutorials provide
a very practical & visual understanding of design in tatting.
And it worked the very first time round !!! So much so that
in Round 2, on the 3rd repeat itself, I felt comfortable &
confident of it's flatness and embellished it with Josephine Knots.
The only change I made in final version was to reduce 1ds
from the chains in Round 1.
Lucked out or more appropriately collective wisdom at work again :-)
Lucked out or more appropriately collective wisdom at work again :-)
Since this had started out as a free pattern for beginner to
intermediate level, the pdf contains detailed notes, including links for
tutorials, & pattern instructions that will hopefully be of aid. There is
also a table for the thread lengths required in each version, size 20 thread. For
this post, I am uploading only the diagrammed pattern & the pictorial. And
of course some more pictures !
The Pattern
If any help is required, you know where to reach me :-)
The Models
1. Basic Pattern
In the prototype, rings & chains in Rnd 1 were in different colours. (see #4 prototype in above pic)
2. Beaded Version
In the prototype, rings & chains in Rnd 1 were in different colours. (see #4 prototype in above pic)
2. Beaded Version
This is what I originally made....
3. One Pass Version in single colour
To tat the medallion in one pass, start with a blind chain
(or dead end start to chain) in Round 1.
To climb out from round 1 to 2, make
the last ring a split ring. For all the rest, follow pattern instructions.
4. Layered Flower/Medallion Idea
Playing with the models for a layered effect....
I hope to carry this off-center theme in future designs as
well – that is my overarching Design Concept
for this year, for Susan Fuller’s Tatting Design Class. Whatever I design, I hope to have some off-center
element(s). Here it is the outer chain joins & Josephine Knot that gives a
spinning, spiraling effect. But it could well be a ring, or …. I have a few
ideas sketched/jotted down … can I tat them is the question ;-D
happy tatting :-)
This motif is so cute! Thanks for also sharing your design process.
ReplyDeleteThose are awesome!!! Thank you for sharing the pattern!!! :)
ReplyDeleteDearest Ninetta, Marilee, & Sue , I'm so glad you all liked it :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, we ALL like it! What a neat little flake. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks & hugs, StringyDogs :-D
DeleteThis is VERY cute. Downloading now. Thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah! Hope you enjoy tatting it :-)
DeleteOoh, thank you. I've downloaded and saved the pattern for later, it's definitely one I plan to try.
ReplyDeleteWill look forward to that, Jane :-)
DeleteI love your little spiral snowflake, and I love this blog post that explains so clearly how you designed it! Yes, I myself like to use one picot every three ds to make a design. Love the layering effect - I'm keen to see where you go with that...
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace :-) I've used different paths to designing before. One that I particularly want to share is the Neemiss snowflake process. I guess no person or project has one single path.
DeleteThe future of this is germinating somewhere in my mind :-)
Love the way you have designed your snowflake, and thank you for the pattern
ReplyDeleteMargaret
Lovely snowflake. Thank you for the pattern, sometimes I can find time for it.
ReplyDeleteThank you & most welcome, Margaret & Marja :-)
ReplyDeleteHope you get around to making it someday .
beautiful work again Muskaan. how kind of you to offer the free pattern, I only wish I knew how to tatt.
ReplyDeletehugs Suzanne xx
I'm sure you will one day, Suzanne :-)
DeleteThis is wonderful and glad I checked in to see your sight I missed it, sometimes it get lost in all the sights I have joined and my lack of blogging as often did not help. Love this design and I downloaded it too great fun and tips as always, Thank You Muskaan :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking forward to your version, Carollyn :-)
DeleteEncore de pures merveilles <3
ReplyDeleteMerci, merci beaucoup chere Emilie :-)
DeleteSorry to bother you again muskaan, but I had a go at tatting this pretty snowflake in one colour, and I have a question (I got overconfident and forgot to transform the last ring into a split ring, and made a hash of opening it, so will have to start again anyway).
ReplyDeleteIn the instructions you suggest to "The medallion can be tatted in one pass. Start with a blind chain (or dead
end start to chain). To climb out from round 1 to 2, make the last ring a split ring. For all the rest, follow pattern instructions."
I am not clear how to connect the last split ring to the dead end chain: do I just lock join the split ring before the first stitch? Thank you.
No bother, lovestoSwatch (huh, Now I see it with the capital S 😲).
DeleteWhen you start the dead end chain, there would be a tiny space/picot at the beginning (I probably should've mentioned it) - it can be held with a paperclip.
When you reach the last ring, remove the clip and using the shuttle closest to this chain, make a lock join.
Then continue with the SR and out of the round to next.
Hope this helps?
Feel free to ask anytime 💕
thanks so much, I'll try that - it sounds obvious now, so I feel silly having asked the question ☺️
DeleteThanks so much for your help!
Hey, lovestoSwatch, remember 2 tatting adages - 1. the only silly question is the one not asked ; and 2. The knot does not care how it is made!
DeleteMay tatting always bring you happiness 😊😍