Monday 16 April 2018

make me pretty please

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Still waiting patiently but the butterfly has not shown up yet. Instead of losing hope, I decided to have some collective fun while we wait.

Ready for a bit of fun to empty your shuttles and use up scrap threads ?

Here's a little pattern - with only 4 rings and a couple of chains. I wasn't going to show a diagram or tatted model, but then succumbed in the fear that you might start throwing your shuttles at me... wouldn't want you to lose or break them now ;-P Hmmm, but I could possibly start my own shuttle collection then - now there's a thought! Bring it on, then ...

The working order and stitchcount is diagrammed on the right (above). 

And below is the written pattern for the ‘skeleton’ -
For directional or fs/bs tatting, rings are worked frontside and chains backside.

“make me pretty” butterfly fun pattern
          
        One shuttle and ball, CTM.
A-Ring : 6 vsp 10 rw
B-Chain: 14 – 3 rw
C-Ring : 4 + (to vsp) 18 – 2. dnrw
D-Ring : 2 + (to C) 18 vsp 4 rw
E-Chain: 3 + (to B) 14 rw
F-Ring : 10 + (to vsp) 6.
         Tie and cut.

I would love for you to decorate this ‘skeleton’ as your heart desires - with picots, beads, or what have you. Be a designer and choose your style & placement of picots, beads, accessories, and colours.

For a list of options, inspiration, and tutorials/resources, please check out Eliz Davis' incredible compilation - An Element-al Approach to Tatting Techniques.

You can post a pic on your blog, social media site, etc., but please do send me a link so that I can share it with everyone.  Or you can email (on my profile page) a pic and I will upload it here.

Do you feel inspired to join? I hope so …
Let’s fly together ! 

21 comments:

  1. Ha ha! After reading your post the other day (thanks for the beautiful pictures and interesting article BTW), I was so sure you'd tat a butterfly! I should have bet ;)
    Thank you for the pattern, it's lovely. I'm not so brilliant with long chains, and my butterfly is bound to end up with non-symmetrical wings, but I LOVE butterflies so I'll give it a try anyway.
    Hope your real-life butterfly will show up :)

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    1. LOL, Slyvie, you know me better than I do ;-P Subliminal messaging, I'd say coz I didn't consciously associate the two :-D
      I hope you have tremendous fun playing with the butterfly and send in photos?

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  2. Lovely pattern Muskaan!! I can see lots of possibilities to make the butterfly pretty. My latest passion is Catherine Wheel Join. wish to tat a butterfly with that soon.....

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    1. I was hoping you'd use some of your dot picots (or CWJ ones), Usha :-)

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  3. How exciting! And if there are any budding designers out there who would like to explore some really different possibilities for prettifying (is that a word?) this sweet butterfly, the Elemt-al documents on my blog offer suggestions for possible substitutes and decorations. It hasn't been updated in a while, but there is still lots to work with.

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    1. Thanks for the excellent reminder, Eliz! I'll add a link to the doc in my post. "Prettying" is a pretty verb :-D

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  4. Lovely pattern for a beautiful butterfly :)

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    1. Thanks, Anetta :-) Hope you give it a spin

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  5. I tried to tat one, but my butterfly can't fly because his wings are too short :-D

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  6. I love this pattern! And, your ability to inspire us! Ok...tatting butterfies here I come!

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    1. As long as our tatting shuttles fly, Anita, we are a happy lot aren't we :-D

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  7. Lovely pattern. So simple, but yet, so versatile. Take a bow. Oh wait, I could add a bow........

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    1. LOL, you sure could, Mel ... waiting with a huge grin to see your bowed butterfly :-D

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  8. Thank you for the pattern, I'm going to try this little pattern, I love butterflies

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    1. I'd Love to see it, Margaret :-)))
      I used up 2 scraps last night with my 1st decoration idea ;-P

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  9. Such a simple and versatile design, thank you! I need to make one. I already have the idea to make antennae out of twisted picots.

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    1. Superb idea, Lavi :-))) Please do share.

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  10. So cute small butterfly and ģood use of scrap thread.

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  11. Thanks! I will certainly try this out...

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    1. I'd love to see your version, Grace! Thanks :-)

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