overlapping interests

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Barbara Arango first caught my attention on FB several years back when she tried to recreate a design at the back of a hand mirror into a tatted motif! Since then she has successfully recreated more fabric prints into tatted lace. And in order to get the desired effect, she comes up with her own solutions. Some of these are clever adaptations or applications of existing techniques, though they evolve from her own trials and errors, the fruit of her own labours, without realising prior existence.

My recent post showing a tatted ring made with her overlapping split rings generated quite some interest and a couple of requests to show the steps. With Barbara's permission, I am sharing my pictorials along with pics of a few projects where she used them ... see for yourself how wonderfully they can be applied. Some quick practice patterns are also included but let your imagination take you places! All you need to know is how to tat split rings!!!

In the end, for immediate comparison, I have also included my own 2016 effect where I first coined the term. Links to a snowflake using the effect are also listed at the very end.

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Abbreviations used: Sh=shuttle in hand; CTM=continuous thread method; SR=split ring; vsp=very small picot; ds=double stitch; Ch=chain; - = picot; + = join to; LJ=lock join to.

There is no need to reverse work. The motifs are worked from the front continuously in clockwise direction or from left to right.

A]  Overlapping  Split  Ring  Braid, Barbara Arango style (2019)

2 shuttles (CTM if working in single colour). For pictorial I used two colours - Sh1: pink, Sh2:cream - Anchor knitting cotton size 10.

1. SR1: 8 vsp 5 vsp 8 / vsp 5.

NOTE: While the first ring can be worked as a normal ring, I prefer to start with a SR here so that the shape of all rings remains the same.  

2. Start SR2 leaving a very small false picot.

SR2: 8 +(SR1) 5 vsp 8 / 5.

3. 2nd split ring tatted and is being closed.

4. Two split rings made and you can see the overlap between them.

5. Repeat SR2 for desired length, joining to previous ring as you go.

Practice Pattern for ring, bracelet or choker - 

6. Above is the braid I had shared in the post, using the same count. This can be started CTM as a normal ring, too.

After tatting a few more rings, I joined the last ring to the first, keeping the overlap consistent. Think of this as an ANKARS joining, positioning one ring above the other before joining. 

Pre-string beads to embellish as desired and use as jewellery.

I like the rectangular shape created by the rings with the above count. Got to thinking how even SRs would overlap. 

So, here I used 8ds between each vsp. Rings are rounder, but the overlap is consistent. To get them to overlap more, the overlapping segments need to be longer.

And here are Barbara's projects (2019-2022) using the braid style -

Notice how the rings get smaller?

The applique and embroidered designs on the left inspired her to recreate it in tatted lace and she used the overlapping SR braid effectively.

And to remind you of the practice pattern I shared in my previous post: 

Little 3D Flower pattern - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/02/vee-bit-late.html . 

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B]  Overlapping  Split  Rings , Barbara Arango style #2 (2021)

The same technique as above but used in a kind of onion ring formation, in one pass. Here Sh1 has cream and Sh2 has pink thread.  If working with single colour, use continuous thread.

1. SR1: 5 vsp 10 / vsp 5.

2. Leave a very small false picot and start 2nd split ring.

SR2: 10 +(SR1) 5 / 5. Switch shuttle

3. With Sh2 in hand, continue for chain...

Ch: vsp 10 - 10 LJ(SR1) 10 - 10 LJ(SR2). Switch shuttle

4. One motif of overlapping split rings made, all worked from the front.

5. Start 2nd motif with Sh1 in hand, leaving a very small false picot.

SR3: 5 vsp 10 / 5.

6. Repeat from SR2 onwards for desired length. 

TIP: Instead of a lock join  through the false picot, one can make an under-over or alligator join from the 2nd motif onwards.

Wouldn't this make a lovely bracelet or choker when embellished with a few choice beads!

And here's how Barbara applied it in a doily (2021) -

This is the doily inspired by a design behind a hand mirror. And to get the effect, she cleverly used this formation of the overlapping split rings! Since then she has created several more designs which you can view in the Just-Tatting FB group.

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 Overlapping Split Rings , Muskaan (2016)

It was back in 2016 that I first shared my nascent trial and coined the term Overlapping Split Rings. As you can see from the pic below, my method involves a braid of uneven split rings which are folded and joined back to create an overlap in the center. The SRs remain free in the center creating a distinct 3D and faux Celtic effect. 

SR-A: 9 / vsp 12.

SR-B: 4-1-1-4 / 12.

SR-C: 9 / 12.

Lock join to vsp of A.

One motif created. 

I used this motif to design a snowflake. Despite the immediate help of my trusted test-tatters, I haven't published the pattern here. I called it the Mutant Snowflake. Following are respective posts - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/01/tatting-effects-patterns.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/02/i-love-tatting-3d.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-jinx-of-13.html

We can also increase the number of rings to get polygonal shapes and interesting overlaps!

I realise this is a long post. However, if I didn't post now it would further get delayed. Thanks for your patience in reading this and hope you try and experiment with some of them.

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In case you wish to use leftover threads for trials, here are a couple of pictorials that will help you start knotless with a split ring without CTM - 

How to start with a split ring - PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lKYLoLFEhMycP4YFsemIEyk4TUjn69Q-/view

How to start a split ring with a picot - PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OS_9VdZSoWVSsOtQYT8UVb4nV6exmf2p/view

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Many thanks to Barbara for extending the boundaries! All in the eye of the beholder!