spiraling into distraction

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Sometimes one just Has to! No excuses.

My first trials of Lenka’s Spiral Rings (her blog has some exquisite tatting and jewellery). Based on the tutorial by Ninetta. And also an attempt to try it on treble tatting as seen here.

For the braid, after first 2 rings, instead of a lock join I used the Ring on Picot method, without any join. It like it – subsequent rings remain flush, no gaps.
Notice that my failure to post the shuttle before closing the 3rd ring caused a twist.

TIP : I think the ring should be not be closed too tight as we often do in regular tatting. However, unlike my initial belief, leaving some bare thread (as in half-closed rings) is not necessary either. There is, however a design element there. If we do not close completely, we get a larger spiral compared to a completely closed ring.

Tried the counter-spiral as per instructions for the first one (3rd last from top). Works nicely, but since the ring is twisted or turned, the back comes to the front. I wanted the stitches frontside. 
There are 2 ways to do it –

1. tat the ring backside (RODS), then pull into a spiral as instructed, or
2. turn work, tat the ring backside (RODS), then turn back to the front and pull into a spiral. (2nd last ring from top).

I was running out the scrap thread, so managed only one spiral ring with treble tatting. It was enough to give me the confidence to proceed. I’ve been ogling at that gorgeous happy piece!

So, here is the medallion of off-side spiral rings using the treble stitch (tds). Peering into Ninetta’s model, I counted off 8tds and the exit was from the 3^rd tds.

Work progresses in counterclockwise direction ie. each new ring is to the left of the previous one.

Now here again I used Patty’s ring on picot after the 1^st ring. But see how close the 2 rings come? (the 2 dark pink spirals at the bottom). It looks like an overlapping spiral chain. A good design that can be used in future. But for the original effect, for the rings to curve gracefully and the spirals to show distinctly, a lock join is preferable.

No more dead end or single shuttle split chain (SSSCh) to create curlicues! These rings are so much easier!!!

So much for my distraction and fun in learning something new. Back to my other projects …. Although I haven’t cut off the thread – hoping to continue with another round(s).

Many many thanks to Lenka for this spectacular effect

and to Ninetta for sharing how to do it.