tatted ball or bead - a puzzle

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free pattern pdf

 For a creative person, inspiration can strike any where, any time, any how! Keep one's eyes and brain open all the time....

This is what Anita Barry wrote to me on Oct 31st, 2018 -

" 23 years ago my mother, a quilter, gave my young boys a quilted fabric "Amish Puzzle Ball. I looked at yesterday and saw a series of joined rings. I tatted the Amish Puzzle Ball! It's 3-D "

The above pic shows both the sewn and tatted versions. 

This also happened to be her First 3-D pattern! She filled the empty space inside with cotton.

She quickly sent me the pattern - written as well as a hand drawing.

Tatted Amish Puzzle Ball pdf - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rOEnNcKfYqdly8QitJiJcUibt-SvYYcF/view

It is made with 2 shuttles, ctm. It consists entirely of equal-sized rings and split rings. 

Using the same concept, the size of the rings can be altered to change the size as desired.

They could well be tatted beads!

The Italian Chiacchierino FB group is holding an event 'Braccialetto Pandorino' or pandora's charms with tatted beads. One example is this pallina or small beaded ball by Ninetta Caruso - https://www.flickr.com/photos/ninettacaruso/8743041975/

There are several variations and beautiful versions are being uploaded enthusiastically, worked in metallic threads, beads, and imagination!

This triggered my memory of Anita's tatted ball or bead. 

I had been so excited, that before the end of the day I had tatted the ball using leftover Anchor size 20.  Before closing the final rings, I inserted a playing marble inside. This was a simple trial tat and I hope to do justice to it some time.

I haven't found my original; only the image from 4 years back. And it led to Anita's pattern and diagram which had slipped my memory.

I surprised her with an Inkscape diagram (I am currently in drawing mode!) and we put together the pdf for all to enjoy.

Click on the blue text to download the single page Tatted Amish Puzzle Ball pattern - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rOEnNcKfYqdly8QitJiJcUibt-SvYYcF/view

Many many thanks, Anita, for always sharing your creativity and fun patterns 

with me and the tatting community.