Friday 30 March 2018

I love tatting spring

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Spring – the season of new blooms, new leaves, stirrings of the avian community, flitting butterflies, love in the air and spring in the step! To top it all, is the Indian koel with it’s melodious cooing that starts out low and reaches a crescendo – one of the sweetest sounds (but don’t be fooled – it can be quite the mimic!).

Naturally, spring and/or Easter was the topic for this month’s kocham frywolitkę. The task was set by Justyna with a caveat – it must have yellow and green.

Recognise those dyed yellow feathers? 
Yes, they are from our trip to Boston and reenactment of the Boston Tea Party

My entry is this work-in-progress round robin doily. 4 of us are participating in an in-house round robin. It means the doily will not be mailed to the next person. We each tat each doily and only the design for each round is shared in the order of working.

We each got to start the center. This is Coretta’s center. I worked it in size 40 yellow. 
Mine doesn't show it, but she has a beautiful design with very interesting elements, including the free rings.

It was my turn to design the next round. After many trials and tweaks, without intending to, what emerged looked like butterflies!!! So I deliberately chose to highlight that group of elements to bring the butterflies to life.

TIP: To create the butterfly, instead of SLT, I kept making an unflipped 2nd half stitch in the colour that I wanted to show. This worked better for me.

I added a 2nd round in the center to secure the unattached rings of the central round. Although I worked them on the back like a calyx, these orange chains look good as a floret when worked from the front, too. And I might just cut it off and do it in the front once the other rounds are designed. This is how it looks from the back at present ....

This pic is shows the colours as they truly are. 
Scanning tends to subdue the richness.

But where is the green, you ask? 
Hey, I did place the doily on green leaves in the lead photo, didn't I?!
Okay, okay I know it is cheating.

Luckily, my eyes landed on the summer coverlet we are currently using. Huh, it is yellow with green lace!!! And although tatted ages back (and this photo was taken in 2013), I haven’t shared it on my blog yet.
This shuttle-only edging was tatted by my MIL much before my marriage (probably her first lace) and she used & reused it on her sarees, then got tired of it. When she gave it to me, I sewed it down to the new coverlet. 4 long rows, with 2 hiding the joining seams. I only had to tat a short length to cover the last mile.
Goes to show how durable tatted lace can be.

Both these are my entries to the March 2018 … 
Have I told you that each month's entries are summarised and posted by the task-setter on the 2nd or 3rd of the next month. You can check them out any time - real talent and creativity from all skill levels!

 Here’s wishing you good weather and friends
with tatting by your side always :-)


22 comments:

  1. Lovely spring tatting! You've chosen wonderful colors, and your tatting is perfect as always!

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  2. Really awesome tatting doily and a great idea to TAT together with special methods. I really like your butterflies, are amazing. I have one thing about this month topic. We should do some tatting in yellow OR green. It wasn't necessary using both of colours. I thing that the reason of this was the translation, and I know the polish language aren't easy. I still impressed that you can do.
    But I'm very interesting about your "historical" edging. There is beautiful. I wish you a wonderful time :-) Justyna :-)

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    1. Ah Justyna, Google’s translation can be quite confusing at times. But better safe than sorry ;-D
      The round robin does bring out surprises and the next person has to design around it. It is quite fun and challenging, and very satisfying too.
      I don’t think my family or I’ve ever thrown away any tatted lace so far ;-P

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  3. So delicate spring flower and lovely colors.

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  4. The centre looks beautiful and the colours so far are lovely, I do like the pattern

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  5. it is beautiful now and it will be a unique pattern :)

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  6. I also love spring, it is my favourite season. Your butterfly round is very pretty. I will try your alternative for the SLT, it sounds much easier than trying to wriggle the threads around. I am amazed by your MIL's lace and I'm glad tatting "runs in the family" :)

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    1. SLT often leaves a bit of a dip – a full stop – which is why I try to avoid it, Lavi.

      My MIL learned tatting at the age of 50 and could only tat rings. But she made 4 sets of everything for the ladies of her immediate family (2 of which were for future DILs)! And then she stopped. I only got to watch her tatting once :-(

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  7. Your doily adding on is fabulous and really pretty colors too! Do you get any winter where you live? I didn't think so from what I recall. I have bought really old tatting too and it is very durable like you said and I feel like the thread was better quality long ago. I know I totally got off subject. You too have a wonderful week end and enjoy family :)

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    1. Carollyn, we don’t have snow in most parts but we do have winter especially in the northern areas. Which is why I really enjoyed knitting after marriage!
      Yes, I agree about the thread quality deteriorating over time sadly.

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  8. I love flitting butterflies! Lovely pattern, I like a lot your colours' choice and very nice layered effect.

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  9. Thank you everybody :-) I was really excited to show this round - I am quite proud of my work here and equally glad that you like it as well.
    Have a great weekend !

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  10. Śliczne! Wesołych Świąt! 🐰 🐣 🐤 🐑

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  11. Collaboration is leading to wonderful work!

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  12. Beautiful spring in your tatting works:)

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  13. That is such a beautiful start to that doily!!! :)

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  14. Thank you everyone, and happy Easter :-)

    Jane, collaboration is throwing up exciting challenges - it is great to work with talented people who draw you out of your rut!

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  15. Happy International Tatting Day !!!
    (((Hugs)))

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  16. Cudna frywolitka !!!
    Pozdrawiam 🙂

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  17. Happy spring to every one and nice colourful spring tatting.

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    1. Thanks, Alka :-) Hope you are enjoying good weather too.

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