are you playing?

Continuing with the next round … I am still tatting on this first trial piece hence there are a few limitations.

It is a simple round when tatting from a pattern. But it took me well over an hour to get it to look ‘good’ – there was a lot of retro-tatting! And I also changed the right side chains – all facing inwards didn’t look good at all, unlike the sketch.

As before, I invite you to work as you please, tweak and adjust as you will, sway my heart! The notes are for reference only.

The 1^st round pattern (prototype) is in the previous post here.  

SWAY MY HEART

prototype round 2

Pattern, Notes  &  Ideas

1. This is mainly a chain round with 2 tiny rings at the bottom.
   
2. I pulled out about 3/4^th yard for core thread, continuous thread.
3. It can be made with shuttle and ball, ctm, if the ring at tip is worked as a mock ring.
4. Since I would be constantly placing the motif on the drawing, I started on the top left side, using direct tatting (reverse or unflipped stitches) - no reversing work!
   
5. Stitch count is given in pic above. I would reduce the 12 chain on top left to 10 ds.
6. The first chain segment on the bottom right after the 2 rings, faces INWARDS - hence the count is in brackets. All the rest face outwards.
7. For the join between segments, I did not use a lock join. Instead I pulled the core thread through picot and passed shuttle through it (remember I was direct tatting). This creates a bit of texture, but more importantly it gives a clean dip, enhancing the curves. I did not count the join as part of the chain.
8. When placed over the sketch, it coincides fairly well overall. But I still want to increase the asymmetry a bit more.
   
9. Now I had this idea to continue around the chains for stability, hence left the threads uncut. But I was also apprehensive that the concentric chains would become too thick. My solution – roll tatting! I do wish there were picots to join to - I will include it in the final pattern. You, on the other hand, can pre-plan your strategy and options.
   
   TIP: I didn’t remember to jot down the rolls/wraps, but just like in Josephine chains, I wrapped 5, then adjusted/smoothened and snugged. It kept the long roll-tatted chain looking good. 
10. My other ideas for this round – a. work it in finer thread to keep emphasis on main heart (round 1) ; b. add picots (frayed!) to left side chains and also to the left side of the central ‘ring’ to imitate a gentle sway, a soft breeze :-D

Remember #3 – alternate ideas to stabilise the long chains in round 1?

I remembered one more way to make the round 1 chains stiff. Add up and down beads after every stitch, as in this necklace. 

Please share your thoughts and your work ... So far I've seen 2 beautiful hearts of which Carollyn has already tweaked and has offered to share her counts.

All my heart patterns can be found here.