very fishy business

 Oh yes, a special treat for Pisceans and the rest of us as well, here's a fishy fishy pattern to enjoy! 

E43 FISH by MANJU TALEKAR

pattern PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JsRV0DYDD7-coE7QAvZl7LORk1V5Oaiy/view

It started with a game we played in July 2024 - Pattern of the Month where we chose Frau Endrucks' pattern #43 to tat. The pattern had been reworked by Maria Grazia and Ninetta Caruso ( https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JRu7OggaSna0eXDRA2P18dRu6uE4-1J7/view ; https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/01/testing-with-grace.html ). Several new derivatives and applications emerged from that game which will be shared eventually. 

Manju first derived this Granny Square from the same pattern and then she saw a fish and went ahead with the adaptation!

Her prototype. She used some clever little tweaks to get the shape and direction she visualised!

And once she tweaked it to perfection, she quickly belted out several more and made this lovely mobile!

All details are in the PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JsRV0DYDD7-coE7QAvZl7LORk1V5Oaiy/view

This is my test tatting and as you can see the fish faces the other way! 

TIP: Happens in frontside/backside tatting depending on how you start the first element. This is a great a simple way to make a mirror-image model as in earrings.

Worked in Anchor size 40 thread. Wish I had a better bead for the eye - they were either too large or too small. I had tremendous fun tatting it, but getting the pattern presentation and diagram easy to follow/read took a toll. Fortunately, Manju had hand-drawn the entire fish and I could trace over it while diagramming.

And this is Ninetta's version. She was so eager to tat it herself and it really helped coz she noticed one mistake in the presentation which was rectified.

Wouldn't this motif make a great gift for fish lovers and fishing hobbyists, too? Tatters often ask for designs for men and here's a nice one! And the mobile arrangement is ideal for infant's crib or kid's room. And this fish would look good in solids as well as variegates!

Check out our Directories for lots of derivative patterns and ideas from Frau Endrucks' 1920 book - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Yiew

Manju has been a prolific and talented tatter in the Endrucks 1920 Project and has derived several patterns sharing them graciously. She enthusiastically draws and sends us the count. It is my  fault for not being able to keep up. Which is one of the reasons we decided to take a break from our games in the Endrucks FB group for this year.

Many many thanks to Manju for this lovely pattern and all the energy she brings!

And thanks to Maria and Ninetta for reworking and presenting the main pattern!