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Beaded Lock Chain Earrings

test-tatting for Jane Eborall

do you really think her patterns need testing ?!

I’m sure we’ve all seen Jane’s latest necklace. It is such a beautiful piece – simple elegance ! So when the opportunity to test tat it came, I grabbed it, even though (or perhaps especially because) I consider myself bead-challenged.

Don’t get me wrong – I love beads & admire all the exquisite beaded tatting & tatters who can accomplish it. Beads add not just beauty & ornamentation; they have functional significance too – adding more colours, adding texture & dimension, bridging spaces, eliminating auxiliary threads, …. you know more than I do. It’s just that when I work with beads, my eyes get all beady, my threaded hands get all knotty, and my head goes for a long beaded spin ! Time seems to whirl away while my tatting seems to crawl. So beads go from affecting my eyes, to hands, to brain, and the whole Time dimension :-(

Trial 1 : vintage threads Anchor size 30 ; size 9 beads ;
finished length - 2"

Instead of the necklace, I chose to tat only the earrings. Loved it !!! It was fun because large beads were used & no stringing them; and a great learning experience. It also turned out a blessing in disguise, because this bead in SCMR has solved a problem I was facing with one of my patterns. Thanks to Jane at so many levels :-)

Trial 2 : Anchor size 20 threads ; size 6 beads ;
finished length - 2½”

My Notes :

1. When closing the SCMR half-way, keep enough loop space on either side of bead. This eases joining back. Learned from the 1st trial.
2. There was some mismatch between threads & beads which has stumped me. But the pattern is very forgiving.
3. Instead of lock join, I used the outer thread join (Teiko Fujito). With LJ I was getting a distinctly visually split ring (as seen in the lowermost ring in both versions ; see arrows in pic below). The outer thread join reduced the colour blip at both ends of ring, giving it more of a complete circle effect.
4. Bead within half SCMR is a great bridging technique for making a pattern in one-pass !

I didn’t have to refer to any tutorial ! My beads & attaching findings learning is taking shape ;-P

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Filet in Silhouette

a Filet Tatting tat-along tutorial by Manda-tory

I had been admiring Amanda’s filet tatting projects on Craftree for quite a while. Recently she offered to create a tutorial tat-along. How could I stay away ?!

Finally started yesterday. Went pretty smoothly.

Her directions & instructions are very clear & well laid out. 

Related Links : Craftree thread ; preparation ; Lesson 1 ; Lesson 2

My Notes :

1. I used size 20 thread, hence increased chain stitches to 6ds for each chain segment.
2. Ch5 can be made to face outwards as Ch1 & all the other chains in that ‘line’ (eg. Ch9, 13, etc).
3. I used directional (fs/bs) tatting.
4. The striver acts as a tiny picot gauge in position B, when used after the SLT . In position A, it acts as a barrier while including the tiny picot.
5. Not all chain turns require an SLT & SPB. I could accomplish most of then with SPA, which, in effect incorporates an SLT, but around the striver.
6. The construction using the strivers & SLT is also reminiscent of the Celtic Knotted Picot discussed in the overhand tie here

Incidentally, I have used what I called the “SLT picot” in Round 6 of Renulek’s Wiosna last year ! I wanted to change colour midway through a chain, but the pattern called for a small picot too (see pic below). I didn’t use a striver, just SLT, then a small picot. SLT or overhand tie helps to switch shuttle positions.

So, Lesson 1 (partially) is how far I got when I had to break for dinner & chores. But it must’ve been on my mind 'coz I filleted my own finger !!! Gotta give the shuttles a break :-(

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Wiosna 2016

A doily tat-along by Renulek

Rounds 9 & 10 (size 40 cream Anchor thread)

Round 9 measures 10½”

A simple rings and chains round. So I went with direct tatting (reverse stitch) for the chains. I find it easier/faster to switch shuttles & work from the front than reel in & reel out the bobbin in main shuttle & reverse work. Worked counter-clockwise.

Yes, there was some ruffling, but Renulek had assured us that it will go away in a few more rounds.

Split chain to climb out to round 10

Round 10 measures 11½” 

Went with normal 2-shuttle tatting, since there were frequent floating rings. Didn’t make sense to do direct tatting. So working in clockwise direction, with reverse work & switch shuttles.

Again used a split chain & split ring to climb out for round 11.

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That’s all there is for now. I have finally taken photographs of my recent projects, so you can expect more posts soon :-)

Thanks for reading along …

and

many thanks to Jane, Manda-tory, & Renulek 

Related Posts :  SLT picot
Common threads - overhand tie

outer thread join 

Wiosna 2016 Rnds 1-3 ; Rnd 4 ; Rnds 5-6 ; Rnds 7-8