Tuesday 20 October 2020

multiples of 7

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 and a voracious scissor!

My journey leading to this destination - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=swirling+butterflies  

Ta-daa! My variation of Ninetta Caruso's beautiful and multi-technique Swirling Butterflies doily, with due apologies. But let's continue from the last post where I had worked split round 10 to make all motifs similar, preferring to work the butterflies separately.

I've used numerous little tricks to keep my working smooth but those are mostly personal preferences, not compulsory.

ROUND 10 (part 2) - Cedronella, and 'Hugging' Butterflies variation.
Each of these 3 butterfly motifs has no tails to hide, since threads end at the head and tails are snipped into antennae. In each case, a short length was left at the start to finger-tat the final few stitches in the split ring head.
The profile butterflies are identical mirror images, one worked frontside, the other backside (optional).
To attach the side butterflies to green chains, I used the luggage tag loop at start and Dora Young Join, thus showing a complete stitch at both ends of the body.
TIP : For maximum overlap of wings, keep the joining picot in previous ring as small as possible.

Remember the lasagna I showed last time? Well, what does this look like, with the motifs turned under? I couldn't resist the sensation of autumnal forest floor.

ROUND 11 (a variation) with butterfly (Cedronella) and leaflet motifs
Oh, the heartache of having used that dark green! None of the lighter colours worked for the final round. Following are the 3 trials I did ....

Hubby gave me a lecture that the final round should be a dark shade, DUH (the all yellow was his choice)! But in 20/20 (or was 2020 at work?) hindsight, the flower motifs should have included cream, leaving me with the dark green or brown for round 11.

I was so disgusted by the end of this that, with the gracious permission from Ninetta, I worked on a different final round which was required in order to link the adjacent flowers. I visualized inserting cream leaf and flower motifs (from the earlier cream rounds) on the outer margins. 
But when Ninetta sent me her idea of placing the florets on the inner side, I loved it. And the free butterfly I had fit perfectly! So I made 7 of these between the 14 large flowers. I attached the wings directly to the green chains in a bid to decrease the darkness.
And then inspiration struck. What if I make an EPJ (Grace Tan's encapsulated picot join here). Even though there is no layering. The one on right neat, but the one on left shows the picot - my insertion was incorrect, but I didn't re-do.
Always options!
On the outside, I went with my original idea of leaflets linking adjacent flowers. This is similar to the ones on round 4, with an extrapair of rings. One shuttle. Attach thread with a luggage tag loop, tatting over tail. The 1st ring is joined to the next green chain. On the way back from the tip, 5th and 7th rings are joined to adjacent motif. I deliberately layered it slightly to hide some green.
Again 7 such motifs. And love the gentle swirl they create.
Going for minimal instead of inserting 14 motifs inside and outside.

UPDATE : For a continuous swirl, the leaflet motif can be worked between all 14 motifs.
But if one works 7 motifs in the opposite direction, they can appear like a laurel wreath over Motif A (the ones without butterflies) - like those on Roman Emperors!
It was fiddly to insert these motifs, though. And my scissors had a field day! There are still 2 butterflies I'd like to change, but it's a wrap. Hence if a tatter wishes to make this variation, it is advisable to do it simultaneously rather than at the end. 
After soaking to block, I remembered a snipped chain! Oh well, Mr Downplay decided to let it be! Can you spot the snip?
But in a moment of weakness, Mr Meticulous took over and I fixed it ;-P

The final doily just touches 14 inches across the widest part, worked in Anchor cotton size 40.

This is the colour palette. The black labels indicate the threads are about 15-20 years old - vintage. 
It was already late night and I 'threw' the doily on my dining table in order to keep it flat. And suddenly the swirls and butterflies came to life! Quickly took a couple of pics. Hubby is happy, too, and approves the choices ;-P

My sincerest thanks to Ninetta for choosing me to tat this wonderful doily. It kept me happily engaged (except for the last stages where it kept my scissors engorged ;-P) as a tatter and learner. Hope some of the learning rubs off in my future designs. 
Her pattern presentation (in Italian at present) is Stupendous! What an eye for detail - both in the text and and the schem
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2018/08/spiral-rings-with-treble-tatting.htmlatics. She also included detailed pictorials of elements and techniques used here (many of which are already shared in her blog). I just wish my colour placement had been a bit better. Oh well ...

Complete list of posts so far (chronologically) (click on blue link) : 
Ninetta

My posts (including the tat-along) -


18 comments:

  1. I guess I am in the minority. I LIKE the dark green. It matches the center, it makes the yellow 'glow,' and it gives great visual contrast with the lighter colors. As you have discovered, though, it can be near impossible to find a good 'ending' color or colors, if a dark color comes close to the end of the doily. Your tatting is beautiful. Your interpretation of Ninetta's pattern is fantastic.
    StephanieW

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    1. Thank you so much, Stephanie :-))) I think part of the 'problem' was being able to highlight the blue butterflies, which wasn't happening in any of the trials.

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  2. Beautiful! Wow, that table really is perfect for it! Also, I am very happy that you liked tatting it. Thank you very much for your help, all your great tips and variations 🥰🦋

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    1. We are admiring it every time we pass by - I have left it on the table :-))) I Loved the entire journey, as you well know, Nin.

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  3. Yes, I too think the dark green is fine. The doily is absolutely magnificent. Hats off to you and to Ninetta. I haven’t had a good look at Ninetta’s version. I’d like to see the differences. Ninetta, I think you need to make a more ta-da presentation of yours!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jane :-))) Oh, Nin's new version is sublime and I do hope she unveils it fully for everybody to enjoy.

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  4. Have to say that blue is the perfect colour for the butterflies.

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    1. Glad you think so, Jane :-))) One works with the shades one has in a particular size and I am pretty happy with my stash. It is still surprising that Anchor here does not have certain shades at all, such as grey.

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  5. Such an inspiration!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

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    1. Aah, certainly appreciate your enthusiasm and value your perspective, Mel :-)))

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  6. It's awesome!!!! :) Since your hubby is happy with it, has he claimed it as his?? My hubby wants to claim all mine, but there are a few that he is not allowed to claim!! ;)

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    1. Ah yes, Sue, I remember that 2nd blog you started just to hide away the tatted doilies and gifts for fear your hubby would claim them all 😃 Mine does not lay claim (even cards I make for him get back to me 😄😆😉), but has wholeheartedly approved of it on the table.

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    2. It's so nice to have a hubby who appreciates or at least likes your tatting!! :)

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    3. So true, Sue - icing on the cake 😉💗

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  7. Cudowny wzór i cudowna serweta, jestem pod wrażeniem:)

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    1. Thank you so much, Renata :-))) And I am enjoying seeing it everyday ;-P

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  8. I haven't followed this one closely, but the finish is lovely!!! It makes me think of a carefully laid out garden with a path around the center. Also the yellow motifs remind me of sunflowers. 😁

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    1. You paint a pretty picture, Emily! Thank you :-)))

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