TWoT 2 : Back to Basics !

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That’s exactly how it felt ! I don’t remember tatting many rings-only patterns when I first learned, especially not with bare thread space. This time it was different – it felt like I was starting from the basics of tatting design.  I have learned (and am still learning) a lot while working on this series.

The This Way or Tat? series starred with a Preface – Quo vadis ;

then an Introduction with practice patterns (pdf here)

Continuing from where we left off in the Introduction, here is the first set - diagrams for Rings Only scenarios.

UPDATE (Oct 15, 2016) : In case the link does not work, here is an updated, revised pdf with new link --- TWoT? Set I Rings Only updated

This Set was taught in Georgia's Online Tatting Class On Oct 10, 2016

This Way or Tat? Set I - Rings Only Updated

This part consists of a guide to read the diagrams ; many small but graded (difficulty level) patterns for practice and exercise ; and questions scattered throughout the document.

Answers will be shared in the next post.

I am grateful to Rachael Mohler & Eliz Davis for graciously & enthusiastically sharing their patterns, 

and to Renata who equally enthusiastically permits me to share her doily links for this series.

I hope you have tremendous fun playing with the patterns, while keeping a close eye on the whats and whys.

I will share my own thoughts, pics and working of the wreath and square motif patterns in next post, along with some links and answers.

My own practice patterns are pretty basic, while incorporating some application of the diagrams.

These 3 patterns constitute this collage-in-the-making called …

Ring In The Bouquet !

The bouquet comprises of rings-only patterns worked with a single shuttle in size 20 thread.…

Wiggly Flowers

Forgot to join the picots in the 5-petalled yellow flower, making it fidgety. Noticed only when I started to work on the pics at my desktop. Hence the name. Maroon flower is the prototype.

Butterfly Liberated

I have struggled to design a simple butterfly. This time, it wasn’t that difficult! Hence this name.

The maroon one in topmost pic was the prototype where I deliberately left out picots.

Laurel Leaf

 Shape of this leaf had always appealed to me....

 but I joined the leaflets a bit differently, to create that mesh-like effect.

I can’t believe these or similar ones haven’t been done before; even so, I created them from scratch. 

Wiggly Flowers were easy. 

Butterfly Liberated took 1 trial. 

Laurel Leaf took 3 trials. 

When I started to design and tatted a prototype of leaf and butterfly, I searched Google, Craftree & Pinterest. The way I worked them is a bit different from the ones I found. I will willingly give credit to any designer if you can guide me....

These patterns are deliberately shared only as diagrams in this file. However, I will upload all patterns to My Patterns page, properly formatted, with written notations. These are all free to use, even if one does not want to follow the exercise.

download pdf here :  This Way of Tat? Set 1 - Rings Only UPDATED pdf

pdf for pattern only : Ring in the Bouquet

All feedback and criticism is appreciated and welcome – it will help me improve on the next diagram sets.

Inchies 

While comparing the Set diagrams to practice patterns, I wondered if I could design a square using outward facing rings. These 2 Inchies (yes they are exactly 1” squares!) are the result of a quick tat. The right (pink) one was made first, then the beige one. These are prototypes, and I need to better them … but I like the potential of these simple airy square medallions that can be joined into a larger fabric. 

Meanwhile, I am thrilled to see at least 3 tatters working this series (3, or at least 2 More than I had anticipated,since Eliz had committed to it :-D !) 

Read Eliz’s excellent observations and applications of the previous exercise and how Ninetta has applied the exercise to her current doily project with curled rings !!! Mama Martin left a nice comment here, on how it helped her.

Set II comprises of Chains Only diagrams. But I doubt there will be these many practice patterns ;-) Hope to share it in about 10 days ...

happy tatting always, whichever direction you take :-) 

Related Posts : Preface – Quo vadis

Introduction

UPDATE (Oct 8) : Left-handed tatting by Eliz Davis
My working of the Hen n Chicks Square Motif & Ring Only Wreath

UPDATE (April 2021): While I try to find the time and focus to complete this series, please check out these links:

TWoT posts and TWoT Notes.

Practice patterns: 

Chains-only: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/12/all-in-chains.html & Rosette Enchained snowflake 

Rings & Chains: Minarets in the Sky; Aspiration snowflake; Hidden Rose Snowflake (rings & chains) - 

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r4OmXX_c5LjFebMN2UbSNiYqXYETLmoridK0X1YIQco/view 

Mark Myer's Luster Snowflake  Paths/choices when climbing out with a split ring . pictorial pdf.

Lock Join Plus series - several methods that can result in change of direction, colour, etc. including when climbing out. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/07/lock-join-plus.html