happy hands heart

Happy Hands Heart

- free pattern by muskaan © Feb 2021

derived from Endrucks' (1920) pattern #1

Almost down to the wire, but then hearts are in style throughout the year, especially if they bring happiness, happy hands and hearts with some chocolate thrown in!! And it's a fairly quick tat with not much thread required. So jump right in 💖

Based on the trials here, I worked another (top) last evening and then one more (below) which I am counting as the final pattern. Wish I could've tatted it more neatly, but it will still remain unforgettable since the earth literally shook while I was tatting! Earthquake tremors.

Design TIP: I used roll tatting instead of normal chains or lock chains for the lower segments because roll tatting is the narrowest 2-thread tatted line possible, right? 

There are numerous ways one can tat this tiny heart. I am sharing only one path and method. Feel free to adapt to your imagination (and skill level) but please share your version! Depending on individual tatting tension, you might have to tat one less or more half-stitch for the flushed chains.

Materials: 
Best worked in size 10. In Anchor size 20, this motif is 3cms tall and 3.5cms wide.
2 shuttles wound continuously (ctm). (In my yellow trials I had worked with a single shuttle and ball, using SLT to keep shuttle in hand).

Techniques used: fs/bs tatting, dimpled ring, mock ring, lock join, CWJ & DYJ optional, roll tatting. All tutorials can be found here- https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html

Abbreviations: Sh = shuttle; -/p = picot; + = join; RW = reverse work; LJ = lock join; dnrw = do not reverse work; SS = switch shuttle; CWJ = Catherine Wheel Join (for frontside); DYJv = Dora Young Join variation (for backside); w = wraps )for roll tatting) 

Pattern: (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/02/happy-hands-heart.html)

    Start with Sh1 in hand.
    RingA: 3 - 5 - 5 - 5 + 5 - 5 - 3. RW (this is the central heart-shaped dimpled ring)

    ChainB: p 3 LJ 5 LJ 10. RW
    RingC: 6 + 2 - 6. dnrw. SS

    ChainD: 20 CWJ, 16 wraps, LJ 
    ChainE: p 3 LJ 5 LJ 10. RW
    RingF: 6 + 2 + 6. dnrw SS
    ChainG: 20 DYJv, 16 wraps, LJ 
    ChainH: 3 - 3 LJ. 

    Tie and cut and hide ends. 

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UPDATE (April 2021): NEEDLE NOTES by Pam Hemenway 

RA) 1) Paper clip to hold the ring and pull tight 2) Work to first join and pull off needle to make join.
CB) 1) Picots I picked up with needle point to use working thread would twist stitches.
CD) 1) Roll tatting = ds 16 wraps around the needle ds Hint- hold tight it is a bugger to take out and re-do.

More details and tips here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/04/needling-heart.html 

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Some Ideas and Possibilities -

• Add beads and findings and use as jewellery - pendant, earrings, brooch. Inverted, with beads and a braid/chain, it can work as tikka jewellery for brides!

• Of course, applique on fabric or glue to paper. Motifs can be used anywhere! By the way, that chocolate (Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate) is seriously one of the Best I've tasted. 

• Arrange/sew motifs stacked vertically for bookmark. When joined in a row (with additional picots) we could get an edging or trim, or even a choker! 

• In the above arrangement, it appears we'll need 5 motifs to complete the polygon. Hmmm, I see a possible 4-leaf clover leaf there, too!

• And this is such an appealing Arabesque arrangement! Love the curves.

• UPDATE: I forgot to upload this at the time. The 2 yellow hearts can be worked continuously by tatting the tiny hearts at the bottom as a split rings to climb out of one heart and climb into the next.

So, what will you be making?! Enjoy 💕

UPDATE: Check out His Kid (Sue's) wonderful adaptation of the heart into a mermaid tail, with part of the body as well - http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2021/03/inspired-by-muskaan.html

And now a butterfly! - http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2021/03/inspired-by-muskaan-2.html

UPDATE: Diane Howe adapted this into a Shamrock leaf! - post and pattern - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/03/lucky-hands.html

UPDATE: Aug 2022 - 

There are now so many adaptations of and from this heart - all are listed, with patterns, in the EP doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

All my heart patterns - 

https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1LpHU69wNsQspIHgvt9pihgTNhHFDRBab3I5_MDEYyNw/
All my other patterns - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/patterns-designs.html