Monday 2 January 2017

intentions and consolations

Pin It now!
day 8 snowflake pattern by Lene Bjorn

The last few months just got away from me, leaving me with a horde of snowflakes yet to tat for the snowflake tat-along (huh, the last I tatted were in September?!). In a tatting frenzy, I spent the last few days of 2016 trying to catch up. From 9 incomplete I'm now down to 4; with 4 flakes blocked last night and have to be photographed.
I'm too scared to review my 2016 resolutions - there are so many still left on the list. Only consolation is that I did accomplish a few unintended projects, and made a major last-minute leap with this tat-along. 

Eighth Day of December Snowflake
Lene Björn

I love the swirling effect of the blocks in this flake. It was my plan to make at least one snowflake in white and add some glitter. This is the chosen one.
Where’s the glitter you ask? I think it’s too good a pattern to overload or distract with glitter. Some other pattern perhaps ….

Stumbled right at the start, when in my haste I thought it was one continuous tat !

I have a tendency to refer back to the tatted model more frequently than the instructions or diagram. This caused me a lot of confusion while tatting till I realized that ….
Note : Blocks in the diagram and tatted model face in opposite directions!
Finally I stopped comparing my tatting and simply continued to tat as per pattern stitchcount. Smooth.

Block Tatting : A while back, following Grace’s example on Craftree, I did a study of various methods of block tatting. Resulting from that study, I used only one half stitch as a riser. Instead of 1DS or 1RS before the picot, I used 1fhs, and 1ushs respectively. So it was the same half stitch as the one following in the next stitch.

Having decided to make this exactly as per instructions I went with single shuttle and ball. Wonder if it’s just me, but I had to pull out a second shuttle for the clover rings at the tip.
I think going counterclockwise after climbing out would’ve worked better, without the need of another shuttle.

Future Idea : work inner round blocks in one direction and outer in opposite, to compare effect. I adore the pattern, and will be tatting more in future, but without the trefoils at the tip. 

Rnd 1 - 1¼" ;  complete - ~ 3¼"  in Anchor size 40 white
 happy tatting :-)Z

25 comments:

  1. Lovely flake, I do like your Future Idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Give it a 'whirl' anytime, Bernice :-)))

      Delete
  2. I love this pattern and regret not having the book, though I'd like trying it and agree with your idea, that's the same I thought, I like those trefoils too

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ninetta, you are adept at block tatting and can easily make this pattern (or a similar one) even without the book ! An inspired work with credit to Lene :-)

      Delete
  3. Another lovely snowflake! I do not look back at resolutions, mainly because they tend to fall by the wayside by the end of January. I'm not setting any goals this year, either. I find then too restricting! I look forward to all of your posts. 2017 looks to be a great year for tatting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen, Diane :-) And I will eagerly devour your daily tatting :-)

      Delete
  4. If in doubt, read the instructions! Lovely result, you put your study of block tatting to good use.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm literally grinning from ear to ear, Jane :-D And I still haven't learnt !
      I'm so glad you like the blocks - I have found that block tatting depends very largely to the individual tatter.

      Delete
  5. Beautiful snowflake, I afraid I did not finish the challenge due to illness as you know, I put the book away back in the bookcase,
    Perhaps the next challenge might fair better

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A new year, a new challenge, Margaret :-)
      I'm now down to 2 and a half snowflakes & hope to concentrate on other projects by the end of this week.

      Delete
    2. A new year I have one thing planned to do, but as for the snowflakes I am snowflaked out I only got to day 15 I think, although I did find a lovely snowflake pattern over Christmas so I might do that when I have time. I have made your butterfly and when I get home will put that on my blog in a few days. Look forward to seeing your other projects when finished

      Delete
    3. Margaret, eager to see your butterfly ! Please share if you encountered any mistakes or trouble.
      I'm down to almost my last snowflake. But one of the flakes I want to tat again completely. So that brings it back to 2.
      15 is pretty good, considering all that went on in your 2016!
      And the best part is that we can always go back and tat when we feel like :-)

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Anetta, wish you a very happy 2017, too, with tons of creativity to inspire us !

      Delete
  7. A lovely and unique snowflake. If you only have four more to go I'd say you made it really far in the challenge. And don't forget all of the other tutorials, patterns, and pin chicks projects you've done in the meantime!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robin, you are a friend after my heart !!! I'm going to latch on to the straw you throw me ;-P

      Delete
  8. I stumbled over this snowflake and did indeed use two shuttles on the second or was it third attempt. Must admit I did not enjoy making it and it wasn't perfect yours certainly looks a much better example. Also had to give up my challenge of tatting them all before Christmas but may well go back to them later on in the year

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your latest snowflakes from Jane's pattern are very beautiful, Sally !!! I've found myself having to start over for many of Lene's flakes, too!
      Monica (on Craftree) has suggested another challenge for 2017 - tat Any 2 snowflakes of your choice every month, including your own original pattern :-D But I won't participate this year.

      Delete
  9. Hmm, I used the ball and shuttle method for this one, but I didn't have any problems with the outer clovers. They worked fine with the one shuttle. It turned out great, muskaan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oops, I just saw this comment, Eliz. I think my problem generally arises because 1. I don't do a mock picot with a lock stitch, or 2. I avoid SLT. Also, the direction of blocks is opposite in my case - haven't been able to figure out why. This perhaps calls for a re-tat ;-P

      Delete
  10. wow nice pattern. Block tatting I find a little difficult.CanYou guide me in learning it please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Amritha :-)
      About guiding you - I don't quite see why you ask me. I've lost count of the days and hours trying to help you and not hearing back from you - you never follow through and I never know whether you have understood or not or where the problem(s) lies.
      There are tons of tutorials online. If you want a list, let me know & I will send it to you. Sometimes we have to rely on more than one resource to 'get it'.

      Delete
    2. Amritha, I have uploaded all block tutorial links here : https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.in/p/tatting-resources.html
      Try Jennifer Williams' first. Go through other videos and tutorials, too. If you still have problems, let me know.

      Delete