Wonder why I find this my go-to for comfort?! Is it because it increases in girth so fast, the knitting cotton being a size 10? Perhaps, because it is easy on my eyes when working late into the night and secondly I have been so involved with sample tatting that I couldn't take time out to tat larger doilies. And since my resolution is to keep the design simple, each round tats up real quick.
This is how I started Round 5, but noticed that the previous round started to cup. Tried tugging on the new round, but realised it wouldn't work and the stitch count needed to be modified.Pages
Saturday, 3 May 2025
comfort tatting
Tuesday, 22 April 2025
just so tatting
Over the past few weeks I had been receiving versions of the DAL 2025 challenge and I was feeling very inspired and motivated, itching to design/tat. While I couldn't focus on adding another round for my own DAL version, I picked up a motif I had worked for the glossary and decided to tat around it. My aim was to keep it simple.
For many samples I have been using Anchor knitting cotton size 10. This is very thick but smooth and a bit loosely twisted. Sometimes it is necessary to be attentive while tensioning the stitches to keep them uniform. Nevertheless, I do enjoy tatting with it. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to use such thick pieces in SOUP tatting. So I am happy that this has now become a good size for a coaster (9cms across).
Sharing the pattern for the Just So Coaster if anybody is interested. I was simply winging it but it lays flat.
- It can be worked continuously in one pass by climbing out with mock picots, split chains and split ring. Trace the path before you start. Otherwise, enjoy working as individual rounds and play with colours. 2 shuttles are required only if you wish to tat it in one pass.
- Count for each round is marked in a different colour.
- It starts with a central ring with long picots, followed by two rounds of chains lock joined below.
- The 3rd round is a scroll with rings and chains. I wanted the smaller rings to overlap a wee bit but they ended up only squished together. Both small rings are joined to the same picot of previous round while the large ring is joined to the hidden picot above the lock join.
- Again a chains-only round with medium sized picots.
- And if working as separate rounds, it is a beginner pattern with only rings, chains, picots, picot joins and lock joins and each round can be worked with a ball and one shuttle, CTM.
Friday, 18 April 2025
hospital tatting
A question that has constantly plagued me .... Which came first - patient or patience?!
So anyways, turns out we started a new line of treatment (basically injections at stated intervals) in order to get rid of the oral steroids. I only have a 50/50 chance but any little decrease is better. So off we tromped to the hospital again the next day which required a few hours of hospitalisation for observational purposes, and along came my shuttles again. Following are the motifs I tatted as a patient patient. All in Anchor size 20.
I gave away a couple of butterflies. One lady noticed the hook on my shuttle and asked whether this is how crochet hooks are made nowadays! I explained to her that it was a shuttle used to make tatted lace. She bemoaned the fact that nobody wants to wear or use handmade stuff any longer.
These came home with me. I have decided that it is better to glue them on cards or bookmarks and then gift randomly. Easier than explaining what one can do with the motifs, how to wash and block, etc. So, whenever I'm in the mood, I'll be gluing them to card stock and adding a bit of background.
Monday, 14 April 2025
playful tatting
I had started tatting these cute balloon dog doodles couple of days before ITD and realised that there were a couple of elements left to tat, which started off my 'shagun tatting' for the day! Of course, I later found the time to tat the heart, too! Actually my list had contained a different heart which I still haven't gotten around to tatting. Some other day, soon, perhaps.
Sarah Nielson shared two versions of her Balloon Dog Doodles - 2D & 3D. You can download the pdf from her blog here - https://laceandbees.blogspot.com/2025/03/balloon-dog-doodle.htmlNow this 3D version I like. It does look like a dog frolicking in the park or flying high! Very happy indeed.
Technically, the highlight of this 3D doodle is the Folded Split Ring.
- Sarah suggests folding one half against the other before closing the SR, a method she learned from Jane Eborall's Turtle pattern (2012). My two attempts on the legs didn't give me a sharp fold. [http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/SwanTurtle.pdf]
- Hence for the ears, I chose to do the half moon split ring by Sabina Carden-Madden (2003) [https://web.archive.org/web/20110625190617/http://www.paradisetreasures.com/hmsr.html]. I got a much more defined fold or crescent.
- We are spoiled for choices! I had used Martha Ess' (2007) folded rings method (node stitch) to fold the SR in my jasmine braid here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/03/fresh-fragrance-of-jasmines.html.
Overall, I am happy with these doodles - fun and quick and excellent doodles to embellish cards, etc. Some time in the future I will paint some background to give them a context, a story ;-D
Many many thanks to Sarah for these innovative and fun doodles!
Related Posts -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/04/shagun-tatting.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/02/in-fold.html
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
shagun tatting
'Shagun' is a Hindi word derived from Sanskrit which denotes good omen, auspiciousness, a token, .... Though it it is associated more with Hindu rituals, we also use it in daily life to commemorate an event, an occasion, or any good news with the elders blessing the young with a symbolic token. Or if we cannot perform an entire task, some small part of the ritual/task is started on an auspicious day.
This is what I try to do every International Tatting Day! This day is also very special for personal reasons and I tend to be busy elsewhere. Yet I make it a point to pick up my shuttle and thread and tat at least a ring or two and not let the day 'pass by' ;-D Despite a very busy first half, I managed to find time from evening onwards and actually completed not one but two motifs! One had only 2 rings and a chain left to tat (I'll share this tomorrow) while the heart motif I started from scratch and completed!
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doesn't it look like a possible angel?! |
For more Vapour Stitch info and links - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/09/variably-padded-lines.html and a few effects - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-years-flow.html
My previous E28 hearts & pattern from prototype to tweaked versions and a beaded jewel version - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/yet-another-heart.html and https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/04/happy-tatting-day.html Pattern PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rWqmDAd51VwxOqtt9spD-FIX5zYDAUE/view
I had more shagun tatting to share - something tiny and fun, but will continue in a couple of days. Time to juggle ;-D Meanwhile I also have much more to share on the vapour stitch as well when I can take some pics ....
I hope you did much more than shagun tatting, like I ended up doing ;-D
Tuesday, 1 April 2025
happy tatting day
Friday, 14 March 2025
lets go clubbing
aha, don't get the wrong idea! The reference is to clubbing of laces to create a new version! And being Holi, it's an excuse to play and party with friends today.
So, Bandini approached me with her pattern to do the presentation and also share with the community through my blog and I couldn't say no. She very cleverly joined two edgings on either side of a central braid giving rise to a broad tatted lace that looks quite different from its individual constituents.
Lace Club Border by Bandini Maisheri (2025) -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aVWxNtGBoRlK9Hmx3UScuKHMvillA-4o/view
This is my small WIP sampler in size 40 showing the central SR braid and one edging joined to it.Another fun aspect is that each can be a standalone edging, too! So we get a LOT more in this pattern than a single broad border!
Tuesday, 11 March 2025
colour me happy
As we approach Holi, the festival of colours, happiness came my way through friends who participated in my design-along challenge!
On a lark I had converted my motif into a DAL challenge here and am so happy to see the motifs flowing in, along with respective patterns!!! Instead of waiting, let me share the progress so far. Interestingly, 5 of the 7 current participants are my Italian friends. They never fail to impress.
Compiled in this document, Muskaan's 2025 DAL Challenge - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mQmdXWXQmcbXQ48nRz9FBeTJf_DoJqKz/view Save this link and read for more details and updates (and larger images).
In the order the first image appeared ....
Daniela Galli
Paola Bevilacqua
Silvana Buonvino
Michelle Forclaz
Adriana Tomanin
Lella Loops
Muskaan
I've tried to keep this post short and direct since all details are already in this document -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mQmdXWXQmcbXQ48nRz9FBeTJf_DoJqKz/view
There are no words to profusely thank Daniela, Paola, Silvana, Michelle, Adriana, & Lella!
Most of them had participated in last year's DAL Celtic Snowflake challenge, too! You can join any time you wish and contact/tag me when you do! I'm sure most of these models will inspire you to take up the challenge. It doesn't matter if you tat with a needle or shuttle, if you haven't designed before, ... you can do it!
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
update with video
I have tatted 3 double stitches in a ring in this demo. Hope it helps. Please excuse my clumsiness and background. Like I said, videography is not my go-to format, and I shot this in one go ;-D
Comparison -
What I later realised is that this in one of two ways to make a lark's head picot join (LHPJ) or lark's head join (LHJ)! Watch Karen Cabrera's Lesson #101 - Lark's Head Join.
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
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!
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!And once she tweaked it to perfection, she quickly belted out several more and made this lovely mobile!
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.
Friday, 28 February 2025
DAL 2025 challenge
Well, I wanted to show some techniques/effects for glossary entries and decided to create a motif to incorporate them. It resulted in a very simple motif, nothing fancy. It may not even be original though I did not refer to or look for any patterns. and it's still a work in progress.
I kind of like how it looks so far and it could very well be the starting center for a larger motif, if you wish to participate in yet another Design Along (DAL). Tat this two-round motif and then design as many rounds as you wish around it. Sharing your stitch count/pattern is highly appreciated. All will be shared in my blog.
NOTE: I started with a single-shuttle rosette with the intention to cut away later rounds and reuse it for other samples, hence I cut off the thread and hid tails. However, you are free to climb out by making the 6th ring a split ring. Remember to use two shuttles for continuous tatting.
ringA: 5-6-6-5. do not reverse work
CR: 10-10. Curl around any rosette ring.
Chain: 2 (-2)×9. Repeat all around.
Hope you like the motif and would be interested in designing and tatting more rounds. Leave a comment or contact/tag me on Facebook or Instagram.
My next round is already decided which is why I have all those picots in the 2nd round. Will share when it is finished.
Some of my previous DALs can be found here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search/label/DAL
And tutorials/videos for all techniques can be found here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html
UPDATE (12th March 2025) - the first batch of lovelies! -- https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/03/colour-me-happy.html
Friday, 21 February 2025
overlapping interests
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)
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.
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.
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 5.4. 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.
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/02/i-love-tatting-3d.html
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.