Tuesday 21 February 2017

a long wait

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I've been waiting for a lot of things this past week, and the wait continues.  The only silver lining is that today I finally took up my shuttles with enough focus & gusto to start tatting my new surprise pattern for spring.
I did fill up a few more pages of my sketch book with prospective patterns.

For the present,  though, let's turn back time. I worked on a couple of antique/vintage patterns a while back. Here's a peek ....

This sampler is from Coats and Clark book #121. Georgia asked for a volunteer to diagram the pattern. I went a step further and tatted it as well, along with a notated pattern in modern terms.

My sampler curved a bit, looking like a lacy collar. But I probably know the reason why. I'm sure it will lie straight if I tat it again.


This was a single-sided scalloped edging from Book 5 by Marie Antoinette Hees. But return back along the same path, and we have ourselves a bookmark. And add a tail with charm, all in one pass.

The pattern was shared in the Jan 12 newsletter from Bella Online. But there a few inconsistencies between diagram, notation, and tatted model. I finally chose to work off the tatted model ; the diagram was too confusing. 

I called this 'Bookmark for a Queen' because of its specially chosen colors, lending a bit of oriental flavour. I 'dedicated' it to the protagonist of these 2 books - Mehrunisa who later became Empress Nurjahan. 
Recommended by my dear friend & mentor Georgia, I had a great read !  And ironically, I liked the 2nd book (sequel) better than the first ! So many memories passed through, having visited many of the places and mausoleums, having studied the Mughal dynasty in our History classes, being acquainted with the architecture and cultural nuances (Mughal culture has confluenced so much down the generations, that some of it was an eye-opener). For a brief few days, I just did not want to take up any other book, so strong was the characterisation by Indu Sundaresan.

Peeping out from between the books is the mini 3D carnation. Perhaps it can be a Persian rose ! The bookmark, to me, symbolises her rubies.


Once my waiting is over, both patterns will be shared. 
Till then,  happy tatting as usual :-)


16 comments:

  1. I'm not familiar with either book. I'll have to see if they're available here. I love that tatted edging. It's something I would use around a neckline. I really like the way your bookmark turned out. It certainly does look like it's studded with rubies!

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  2. I think it's great to diagram old and all tatted patterns, this would make it easy for any person of any language to work any pattern it nice Georgia is trying to get this done and your volunteer work is great😄

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  3. The top one would make a lovely collar. I do like the bookmark, good way to make an edging useful in a different way.

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  4. Beautiful sampler or collar :)I think that missing one ring in your sampler -You have 11 rings,but should be 12 :)

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  5. I, too, appreciate the help you are providing to update and diagram old patterns. Thank you and Georgia. Love the bookmark. Very regal.

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  6. I love the colours on the bookmark, they have a nice contrast to each other. It sure must be a challenge to adapt vintage patterns to the present day, thank you for doing this for us! And I know what you mean when you say some novels seem to spoil you for all other books for a while, but there will be other great ones waiting in line to be read.

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  7. Lovely collar Muskaan. Nice to see u volunteering in writing down the pattern with diagram. It will be useful for all the tatters. The red bookmark is looking very much ornamental because of color combination. Request you for close up of Mini carnation flower if you can. It's looking pretty.

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  8. I am so very glad that you all like the collar & bookmark :-) I also realised that only diagramming might lead to inadvertent mistakes - it Is much better to actually tat a sampler for certainty.

    Anetta, you are Absolutely right --- well-spotted ! I skipped a ring on a chain. Now to snip off those rows, and re-tat. Thank you :-)

    Jane, bookmarks are something I am using all the time, and now DH used one too ;-P Hence the preference to convert edgings into bookmarks .

    Lavi, I gradually got over that feeling with some short stories, and now I am reading another compelling book - Genius by James Gleick. You are right - few books and characters have the capacity to affect us so strongly, and we should treasure it :-)

    Usha, if you click on the blue words, it will take you to the post where there are close-ups (and link to technique). If you wish to tat one, let me know, and I'll guide you through it. Freeform, hence no fixed stitchcount, any very tiny in size 40 threads :-)

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  9. Your sampler looks awesome!!! :) I love the design!! :)
    Your bookmark is fabulous!!! :)
    And your little rose is cute! :)

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  10. I've always wondered what those scalloped edgings would look like if they were turned into a bookmark. The colors you chose are very striking and really bring out the pattern. Lovely work.

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  11. Wonderful tatting. As usual! 💕

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