Tuesday 6 February 2018

55 in 5 and 1 in 15

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No, no, please don't leave... This is not an equation !
Just my frivolous statistics.
If you enjoy puzzles, go ahead & decipher before reading further J

my newest buy - Lindsay Rogers' 'Mastering Tatting' !
When I made my 1st one way back, I wasn’t sure about mailing it. It had worked out larger than the required dimensions (see pic below) and I was too caught up in loads of other projects, among other reasons.
loosely tatted original square with reduced stitch square
which now measures 3cms in Anchor size 20
Both factors (& the other reasons) remained the same but I don't know what exactly changed my mind. An email from Usha probably. DH knew all of my reasons, yet I couldn't explain what really happened now.
Don’t regret it one bit! I went on a tatting binge for 5 whole days, loving every moment of it, down to sewing in ends. Yeah, I guess Anita got it right - I’m “an overzealous overachiever” ;-P But the 'competition' is with myself.


So here’s the 'solution' to the title –
55 Brussels squares tatted in 5 days.
And at least 
1 of them was tatted in 15 minutes!

Pattern : Tat a Brussels Monument in pink by Cathy de Greef (Canarithy)

I don’t time myself ever. There are too many interruptions and distractions while life goes on when tatting. However I was averaging about 25-30 minutes per square. Then on Day 4 I happened to start a square just as the news went on on fm radio & I finished the square as the news reader signed off – 15 minutes flat!
Huh, didn’t know I could tat fast. 
Errr, I did have fewer stitches to work – in order to get the right size in Anchor 20, 4 stitch repeats are used instead of the 5 in original pattern.
Day 3 - end of morning session in the warm winter sun !
Day 3 - end of evening session in artificial lights
Efficiency & rhythm could be part of the reason, besides the sheer joy of working the pattern – it had enough variety to sustain my interest.
  • All the materials needed were placed in this chocolate box (see pics above).
  • I tatted 2 sessions per day and sewed in the ends at night (day 3 pics above).
  • I stuck to the same pattern, getting into a good rhythm.
  • Used 3 different pinks to create some variety.
  • Used a ball and shuttle. My Pony bobbin held enough thread for 4 squares.
  • Path used :
I started at the same point where Cathy did but with the ring instead of chain. Worked 2 chains around, then reverse tatted (unflipped/wrapped stitches) the inner chain. This eliminated frequent RW or switch shuttle.
NOTE (update) : To join subsequent chains to this central picot, use the 2nd side of Split Ring join.
Continued to end – lock joining the last inner chain to ring picot and completing the last outer chain.
Ending at the starting point meant it was easier to hide ends later.
And fs/bs tatting, hence started the ring in RODS (reverse order of half stitches), which meant all chains were tatted from the front.

When starting I had no idea how many I wanted to make. Then based on each day’s output I decided to give myself 5 days to complete 50 squares. On the last day I contemplated the title of my blog post & decided to increase the count by 5 - how corny is that ?!;-P  
[starting on Jan 31st - 9, 10, 13, 12, 11 squares]

On day 6, with all squares roll-blocked, dried and photographed, I set about tatting a couple of new patterns that I had sketched earlier. I will show them in the next post. They won't be in pink, though - I'm mighty tired of that colour !
I hope to finalize the patterns today and may include it in the envelope to mail to Cathy.

I did find a few of my old squares fit the 3x3cms requirement, but they are in size 40 (quatrefoil squares) and the brown one (undulating) needed a bit of work. So I was very happy working Cathy's pattern. 

Thank you, Cathy, for a lovely pattern
and for the initiative to put tatted lace on the world map !

18 comments:

  1. Thanks Jane :-) Now to see if they reach safely

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  2. That's fantastic work Muskaan!!! 50 is quite huge stuff. Lovely squares. Wish you could send your own patterns too.

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    1. Hey Usha, where's the 5 from 55 ;-P
      I'm going to finalize my patterns today hopefully, and add them to the envelop.
      I have you to thank - without your email I might not have done this :-D

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  3. Lots and lots of fabulous squares!! :)

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    1. They were Fun squares, Sue ;-P Wish I could've taken a photo of them dunked in a bowl of water for blocking - they looked real cute

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  4. Good on you for completing so many squares. I have a few done and will mail what I have by weeks end.

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  5. Well you stayed very focused and she will be thrilled to get so many and I think in good time. She got my "six" of them (I say shamefully) she took a picture so that was fun too see. Great work hugs from Carollyn 💟🌹💟

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  6. Congratulations! That is quite an accomplishment and for a worthy cause. And you found the motivation to return to your patterns, too. Way to go!

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  7. Well done, mine are still on the way hopefully not lost in the post,
    I am sure our efforts will be appreciated

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  8. Thank you all - appreciate your support :-)))
    Every square counts!
    And there are many who have tatted and sent in many far than these ;-P

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  9. Wow! This is really so beautiful.Love these.Thanks
    clipping path service

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  10. I tried the way you mentioned with the reverse stitches fit the center chains and I like it but I’m having a hard time with the center join.

    For the two that met size requirement today I used the regular method but I want to give your suggestion another go. Maybe it was more the thread I was using than me not doing it right. I need to try again.

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    Replies
    1. a direct tatted chain (using reverse or unflipped stitches) is just like the 2nd side of a split ring. Hence we use the same join as when linking the 2nd side of SR.
      I will update my post, Coretta.
      And Bernice used a swirl join, as I wrote to you. It is also a very beautiful join.

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  11. Hermoso trabajo, yo tambien mande espero que lleguen saludos ee Argentina

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    Replies
    1. Isn't it wonderful how this event is connecting tatters from across the globe, Eugenia ! Thank you for all your lovely comments :-)

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  12. Beautiful design. I learn a lot of things from you. Thanks.

    clipping path service

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  13. Nice article as well as whole site.Thanks for sharing.

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