cascading ideas

Cascade Earrings

Jane McLellan

If you remember my earlier post, I finally got around to tatting Jane’s Cascade earrings – long on my to-tat list. Pattern pdf is on the right panel of her blog here. This pattern was also shared with the Online Class as part of the 52 Earring Project in 2015.

Here’s what happened –

I started with the blue with pearl beads and loved it. Till I pulled away the 7th ring (see last pic) and while trying to unknot the ring, the space only worsened. Discarded.

That craft shop I’d been to didn’t have a good supply of beads. But they did have these beautiful sparkly crystal bead chains/necklaces which I bought in 5 or 6 different colours & was waiting to use them.

Started the next in yellow (Red Heart thread) with brown crystal beads. Meh ! Don't like the thread but needed to do justice to the pattern.

So back to blue with pearls – after all cascade conjures up an image of white froth and blue water! Happy.  Instead of earring hook this time, I used a post, gluing a larger pearl on it.

The pattern is presented with clear stepwise pics and explanation. Although not mentioned, I had to reverse work for a couple of rings. 

I love the clever use of SSSRs in this lovely pattern.

Got me wondering if we could make a small doily or coaster in one pass, without the beads of course. Requires some figuring out.

Floating Beads Substitution

Jane had wondered whether we could substitute the Floating Beads method for adding beads. 
I tried, and yes we can. 
However work starts from the top, going down rather than the original bottom-up sequence !!!

My 2 trials (in yellow) – both aborted for following reasons -

In 1^st one, I used 2 shuttles & split rings and couldn’t figure out how to position 2 threads correctly...

In 2^nd, I went back to single shuttle and SSSRs and this is as far as I reached before giving up. This can be done, but I discarded it only because I didn’t like the mundane shape of rings.

Part of the appeal of Jane’s pattern is the shape of the semi-closed rings – broad at one end & tapering at the other. This shape gets lost if I use FBs. So when 4^th ring dangled away, I cut the trial.

Not a wasted effort at all. Discovered/Confirmed that the FB method works not merely in rings, chains, & thrown rings but also in SRs, SSSRs, and SCMRs. In fact I have a couple of ideas to try out before I post a few pics of each of these.

Oh, and also, I’m not done with the Cascade pattern – I have this idea of adapting it for a bracelet … watch this space - it may take a while coz I'm not tatting much these days :-)

Many many thanks, Jane for sharing your pattern and ideas J

Tatting with online friends and resources is like a never-ending 

Cascade of ideas, inspiration, and learning !