Shuttlebirds has started their
Wednesdays Weekly Challenge after a hiatus of 4 years. I didn’t have a clue at
the time, but when it showed up in my blog roll, I couldn’t stay away. Nicola’s
patterns are always a treat – to see, to follow, to tat. And even though I’m no
fan of tatting animals (except birds, butterflies, & bunnies) tatting long
shapely chains are always a challenge.
Cheeky
Monkey by Nicola Bowersox
Techniques
I used:
2 shuttles, ctm (for 1st
part)
scmr with thrown/floating rings
directional or fs/bs tatting
dimpled chain
lock join
lock join with 2nd
shuttle
switch shuttles
In Anchor size 20, the monkey stands 3" tall x 2.5" wide
As always, the images, notations,
and instructions are very clear.
However, for shuttle tatters, one
needs to choose which shuttle to work with, when to switch shuttles and with
which shuttle to make the lock join.
I sewed in 2 black beads for eyes
later, though they can be pre-strung.
My ‘mistakes’ –
For the right armpit, I didn’t
make the lock join with other shuttle. The ‘twist’ is glaring!
I was so focused on the
stitchcount for the long tail that I forgot to snug the stitches more
compactly.
Long chains are not easy to control or hold shape, but I’m fairly happy with how these turned out. It is a very cleverly
designed and executed pattern and wish my monkey was more perfect.
ÿ|ÿ|ÿ|ÿ
I went through the list of previous challenges and chose the very first one. This butterfly has been
flying around pinterest for ages and I first made it in 2013, before I started blogging. Not satisfied,
it’s been in one of my to-retat boxes (don’t remember which one – I need to
‘organise’ a massive hunt!).
Butterfly by an
unknown designer
UPDATE: Pattern is by Anna G.Vecherskaya in Frivolité 1991, p19.
Read about her here - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5624.asp
The link on the site doesn’t work,
but a quick search through pinterest will throw up the pattern. This is the one I followed (from a Russian book). It is a beautiful butterfly within butterfly design, tatted in one pass!
Techniques
I used:
2 shuttles
scmr
directional or fs/bs tatting
lock join
slt
very small & decorative picots
lock chain
In Anchor & Lizbeth size 40, the butterfly is 2” high with a wing span of 1½”.
Knotted
the 2 threads together and worked a lock chain for first antenna, then worked
the 4 inner rings as mock rings separated by an unflipped 2nd half
stitch to secure.
I
had earlier started with normal rings but horrors, the thread broke while
closing the last ring.
In
the 2nd round SLT is used to keep the chain and rings of same
colour.
Ended with the 2nd antenna, knotting and snipping off ends.
Ended with the 2nd antenna, knotting and snipping off ends.
No
sewing !!!
I
tweaked the stitchcount on the lower wings (outer round) to get this shape.
Trying to play with colour
combinations, though I’m not too happy with the pink shade.
This
old butterfly from 2013 is worked in South Maid size 10.
ÿ|ÿ|ÿ|ÿ
Catch you later, folks
:-D
Challenge well met!
ReplyDeleteI didn't really push myself, though, Jane 😆 A laid back kind of project.
DeleteLovely! Well done!
ReplyDeleteAbout the butterfly, I sent you a pin.
DeleteAh, I rarely go to pinterest now. But I see the pin you sent. The one I followed this time (had saved a screenshot to work from) is also from a Russian book - https://pin.it/yb3lqrym6yl5le
DeleteThanks, Nin :-)
Awesome monkey and butterfly!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThe designs are so appealing, Sue! Thanks :-)
Delete