free together

The florets fell off the tree and got threaded into a bracelet! This is my Independence Day bracelet, with a stylised representation of our tricolour (or Tiranga,  as in Union Jack or Stars and Stripes).

I remember using the Indian flag colours in tatting twice before - unintentionally in the Spring Garland , and intentionally in Ninetta's Girotondo . But neither had any blue in it.

Each colour has a meaning attached to it. Saffron for strength and courage; white for peace; green for growth and prosperity. The blue crystal in the center represents the Dharma Chakra - wheel of truth, or righteousness.

I'm sure you can choose colours to symbolise your own flag if you end up tatting it.

FREE  TOGETHER  BRACELET (aka Tiranga bracelet)

This is a very simple pattern. Worked in Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8. 

Each of the 12 rosettes is tatted separately. 5 rings of 5-15-5, linked in a circle, made with one shuttle.

The 'toggle' is made as follows :

Rosette : [4-12-4]x5 . To reduce tail ends, work the last ring as a split ring (4+12/4), joining to 1st ring. Then add new colour to make the chains. Each chain is 14ds, lock join. After completing the round, snip off one thread and add 3rd colour. Each chain here is 16ds, lock join.

Tat over tail at the start of each round, and hide previous tail within new element or whip stitch. Refer False CTM and/or Adding new thread to chain (tutorial links In case a link does not work, substitute .in with .com)

I had to improvise a lot while assembling the flowers! Lots of false moves and backtracking, but I am more than happy with the result - the overlapping of flowers is exactly how I'd visualized it.

Without boring you with details, here's how the final assembly happened - Start 3 spiral or Josephine chains, one in each colour. At the beginning, I held open each chain with a paper clip. In the end, it was through these tiny open spaces that thread was inserted to secure the tassel.

We no longer need the shuttles. Beads and flowers are strung through these 6 strings in this order - blue crystal, flower, 2 pearl beads. Repeat till all 12 flowers are strung. End with desired length of pearl beads, 1 blue crystal, the 'toggle' flower, 1 more pearl, knot together, leave a length like a stem for the flower, and knot again. Snip. 

This bunch of threads makes it easier to grip and insert through the spiral chain spaces and pull the flower through, to hold the bracelet in place.

Now here's a behind-the-scenes solution. It turned out that the blue crystal could carry only 4 threads, and was small enough to pass through the flower center. My solution : Depending on the colour of the flower which follows the blue bead, thread the crystal and flower with 4 threads of the other 2 colours. The 2 remaining threads are inserted Between 2 rings of the flower, on 'opposite' ends, and knotted securely Behind the flower. This holds the beads in place, takes care of the unstrung threads, and maintains the overlap!

I could've snipped off 1 thread in each colour, but I liked this solution and nothing is visible. Hence, make sure you have everything pre-planned and pre-measured ;-D

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Almost every Indian household starts the day with "utterly butterly delicious" Amul butter ;-P

As I scroll through this 50th year celebration book (2012) - Amul's India - it is like refreshing and revisiting the various facets of India and Indians - a fun way to review history through their weekly slogans! It would not be an exaggeration to say India's Amul. 

They usually avoid controversial topics, focusing more on the positives and achievements. To tell a story in a few short words using clever puns, portmonteaux (mostly bi-lingual), and wordplay - just too good! It is a great book to spend some moments with any time of the day!

To my Indian readers, how many of you look forward to Amul's ad every Wednesday? I still remember almost leaning out of the train on my way to college, to catch a first/early glimpse of the new hoarding every week! Now of course, I quickly skim through the newspaper to see what the polka dotted girl has to say.