double celebration

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 Tomorrow is International Lace Day (ILD) and on 28th June is Eleonore Endrucks' birth anniversary. This time we decided to combine the two events into a week-long celebration if you would like to join us. We have a huge collection of Endrucks' original/reworked 44 patterns from Die Schiffchen-Spitzen, 1920, and the derivatives which are housed in 16 categorised directories. For our celebration, we released six Letter E patterns - initial of Endrucks' name. 

The six Es - 

Letter E from E1 by Vani Kattoju 2024 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W5Dvx4LTiFUtwaMI9XkwC8ecUW1FYuPc/view

Letter E from E17 by Manju Talekar 2024 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aPpcIJiYFNTnzRQ9R5n8s54X1PT4paLl/view

Letter E Cursive from E32 by Paola Bevilacqua 2024 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LFhDbOo3UGjw1eMywcz3R4pY76i9CAxP/view

Letter E from E41 by Julie Santos Villegas 2024 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bKKeKLztN35vqCxVGKjSSxfhmTEEJBo2/view

Letter E from E41 by Manju Talekar 2024 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-zQQ0ZQs1NLDmp5xPUAJzTIV3zy1JvTY/view

Letter E from E41 by Ninetta Caruso 2025 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IGsQVjONbkvFY7lVUN5MmzezPpmvUnoy/view

 Most can be tatted up very quickly and if you rotate it slightly we get the letter M! It is amazing that one pattern E41 has generated Three versions of letter E!

Feel free to choose any of the above and give it your own spin - decorate as you wish - or derive your own E from the Endrucks collection!

For lots more patterns and inspiration check out the EP LINKS doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view

If you are on Facebook, here are the links to check out -https://www.facebook.com/groups/InternationalLaceDay/permalink/24271776935747699/ - ILD  group   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1235560633606162/permalink/2416136588881888/ and   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1235560633606162/permalink/2420591988436348 - EP group

💗💖💗 Happy tatting and sincere thanks to all the designers mentioned above and to the organisers of the ILD 💗💖💗

itch scratched

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 From April 2019 to May 2026 - took all of seven years for me to put up the pictorial for curled ring connectors! I had a one-page graphic prepared in 2019 but kept putting it off. The 7-year itch proved advantageous because now I am sharing a comprehensive tatted ring connectors presentation which includes two main types of connectors as well as numerous applications and variations along with tips and options! You no longer need to rummage through your stash of motifs wondering what to do with them, or to worry about finding the right findings for your tatted jewellery! No preplanning, no joining picots needed!

Since this is an image-heavy post, I will try to keep the text to a minimum. You can read all details in the PDF and the links provided below.  

Tatted Ring Connectors

PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vHuQjgEgH2vWSUX8JO5svG737jMM4Q9n/view

Two main types are the Curled Ring Connector (CRC) and the Tatted Ring Connector (TRC) as seen above.

Curled Ring Connector

All you need is a single shuttle to tat picoted rings and a lock join to curl each either individually or simultaneously at the end. 

Curled Ring Connector in progress. These are single shuttle rings curled around desired motifs to connect them.

Collect all your motifs or lace and arrange as desired.

My CRC SOUP bracelet. Here, I have added beads in the center of the 3-way CRCs. 

The large ring at the bottom left will be curled and will act as a toggle for the bracelet.

Detail of the beaded CRC.

First sneak peek here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/04/pattys-square-pattern-and-peeks.html

This is my Italian Connection bookmark made by linking Patty Castagno's Square Motifs.

Notice the 3-way CRC decorating the tassel and its 'empty' counterpart at the other end.

First shared here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/04/my-italian-connection.html

Not merely tatted motifs, these connectors can be used to link sequins! There are even 4-way connectors here tatted with metallic thread.

First sneak peek here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/04/pattys-square-pattern-and-peeks.html

Ninetta Caruso's E37 Iris Pendant uses a triple onion ring to curl around the necklace. And on the other end she worked a curled ring to link to the tatted motif with a split ring between the CR and OR!

First shared here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/10/rabbits-multiply.html

Tatted Ring Connector

All you need is a single shuttle to tat picoted rings and a picot join between them, encapsulating  two motifs/pieces. 

Some of my E37 Eye Spy Hearts #2 motifs left over from my trials and prototypes are now linked with TRC or tatted ring connector. More hearts here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/09/timeline-and-play.html

Detail of a TRC in progress.

My E37 SOUPy Vine bookmark with E37 Eye Spy Hearts #1 has a variation of the tatted connectors where the two rings are not joined to each other but to the motifs! More details here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/07/soupy-vine.html

My E1 Happy Hands Linked Bookmark uses the main motif 'hands' to link the tail to the body! More here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/03/linked-hands-trial.html 

My E1 Happy Hands Linked Bracelet has two motifs and the linkage to the body is made with the crossed long beaded picots. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-bonanza-of-happiness.html  

Detail of the crossover picots between the two motifs.

Ninetta Caruso's E1 Happy Hands Necklace uses 3 individually tatted interlocking rings to link the clasp to the lace! Lots more pics and details here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/10/not-just-edging.html

Ninetta uses a similar technique to attach the clasp to the lace in her E2 Fishbone Bracelet. Her pattern pdf also has a detailed pictorial of the process and she has shared two important tips for our presentation as well.

I hope you are sufficiently impressed by the variety and will want to assemble your practice and prototypes pieces to create useable articles and jewellery!

Many thanks to Ninetta for her feedback, input, tips, and proofing!

full of options tatting

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 In our endeavour since July 2025 to update patterns in our Endrucks 1920 Project collection, some PDFs posed a dilemma. For instance whether to leave the E1 shamrock and it's butterfly offshoot in the same PDF or to separate them. A survey in our FB group voted overwhelmingly in favour of the former. We took the opportunity to include a stepwise pictorial, add some missing portions, as well as options to work certain parts through some mini-pictorials.

E1 Happy Hands Shamrock and Butterfly by Diana Howe and Muskaan : 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_D5xY68NyfsKMB4LDr0GUv-WYC0VCba6/view (updated pattern link)

Following are some notable features -

This Way or Tat? (TWoT Notes): This is one of those patterns where many paths and options are possible.  Diana had diagrammed both clockwise and counterclockwise pathways (my E1 Happy Hands Heart from which it was derived could also be worked either way), and my working of the shamrock followed a third. Since it is a two shuttle pattern, just follow the shuttle which is in the right position, but adjust the instructions accordingly.  

I used contrasting colours in size 10 knitting cotton for the pictorial to clearly indicate which shuttle is in use.

Dimpled Yorkie: Since the heart ring is fairly large, it is a good idea to apply the two-step closure option as in the dimpled yorkie. Notice the bare thread on the left, just before the ring starts? It is part of the false picot ....

False Picot: Since there will be two back and forth chains at the base of the heart, a false picot is needed to prevent overcrowding. And the bare threads need to be long enough to accommodate them.

False Picot v/s Mock Picot): I distinguish between a false picot and a mock picot. The former is just bare thread left before and/or after an element to simulate a picot. The latter usually uses an overhand tie, a lock stitch, or a paperclip/spacer to make the picot. False picot is a much more vintage term than a mock picot, often used interchangeably, and the construction is left to the discretion of the tatter. However one should be aware of this since it may affect which of the two shuttles you will be using to continue. Does it coincide with what the designer intended? If not, the tatter will need to adapt accordingly.

Lock Join and Under-Over Join (U-OJ) aka Alligator Join: During my early trials with the original E1 pattern, I finally settled on making a lock join through the false picot in order to keep the chain in place. This was followed by ensuring that the two threads/shuttles were on either side of the picot (one above and one under).  

However the lock join can be eliminated completely and only the U-OJ can be used if so desired. And which thread you wish to keep above and which under is entirely up to the tatter. Just make sure to adjust instructions accordingly.

The first heart motif is complete in the above image. 

Armadillo join: While in the above model we went with the original consecutive joins (picot join on top and lock join below), this can be substituted with the armadillo join as explained in my previous post. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/12/armadillo-join.html . 

Over The Top Join (OTT): This is an adaptation of the U-O join when the space is too small for a shuttle to pass under (or one forgets to position the shuttles ahead of the final chain segment in the pattern). Above image shows Ninetta working it in the 2nd or 3rd repeat.

 

Ninetta's E1 shamrock and butterfly versions! Can't thank her enough for all her enthusiastic and prompt support in so many unexpected ways!

Stem : Diana recommended the BDS or padded chain for a stem. However, any decorative chain or cord can be applied such as the lock chain in above model, a pearl tatted chain, etc. 

Never let it be said that tatting is just rings and chains and picots, LOL.

We will soon be releasing the EP Tutorials document which endeavours to list all tatting techniques, effects, and terms used in the Endrucks patterns - original, reworked, and derived. Until then you can find tutorial links in the Tatting Resources tab above (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html).

Please give credit to the designer and pattern, and use the tag #Endrucks1920Project when you post your version of the pattern.

armadillo join

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 Back in 2015 when I first ventured into tatting Eleonore Endrucks' patterns from her 1920 book, Die Schiffchen-Spitzen, (I had started with E22 for the summer homework by Georgia's Online Tatting Class) there were patterns including the very first one where the 2nd repeat/motif joins to the first with two consecutive joins. One is a normal picot join to a picot lying above the line of tatting (on the previous motif) and one is a lock join to a hidden picot lying below (on the same motif).  

I tried various methods to incorporate both joins into one continuous movement but was unsuccessful - the result just didn't seem neat. So you can imagine my immense excitement when I encountered Gretchen Miller's Armadillo Join earlier this year (July 2025)! She came up with it as a solution to linking two pieces of enameled metal for one of her patterns. She uploaded a video here -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JRveDx6Wf4 . When I sought her permission to share a pictorial she was happy to note that the join could be used in pure tatted lace as well. And what I had missed in my 2015 trials was the final step, LOL.

ARMADILLO  JOIN

Gretchen Miller (Tattered Armadillo) July 2025

video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JRveDx6Wf4 

Since I have created a PDF for the pictorial which can be downloaded by clicking this link - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PfM7UMj9YIIW3cA8fEVB1OgaXabFeo_L/view - I will keep the text below to a minimum.

Shuttle 1 - mustard thread ; ball or shuttle 2 - blue thread.

Note: The join is worked with a single shuttle.

Normally, one would consecutively make a lock join to the chain picot below and a picot join to the ring picot above and then proceed with the current chain. Armadillo join allows us to make both linkages simultaneously.....

... by pulling a loop of the ball thread up through the picot above and then bringing it down through the picot below.

Then shuttle is passed through it. Notice how it is basically a picot join, except that the loop goes through two picots on opposite side of the current chain.

But here's one extra step where the shuttle is brought back to the left by passing it under the loop.

The linkage is complete and now all we need to do is remove all slack.

Now steps 7 and 8, I find, require some practice and dexterity to remove slack from all the threads and loop.

Thus we have not only linked the current chain to two picots, but have simultaneously moved across to the right! Clever, right?! 

I haven't been able to experiment and explore it too much, although I did make it backside on the E1 sampler at the top. And my next post will feature a derivative pattern where it can be used.

Many many thanks to Gretchen for sharing this join!

stringing patterns

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Our kitty of derived and adapted patterns in the Endrucks 1920 Project is growing faster than we can process them! 2 more patterns are shared by one of our most prolific members, Reiko! These can be used as standalones or as motifs to connect for a larger piece.

Reiko Akamatsu aka Tatting Musica enjoys playing with arrangements be it the strings of tatted lace or notes on a violin. Get to know her a bit more - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/08/love-for-lace-music-and-nature-driven.html

Reiko's Ninth Symphony -
pattern link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L-RLPsEhmCvsMHhNhQnNI1RUft53G-Hf/view

This central motif, with its sense of motion, is an original pattern by Reiko, and looks good as is.

But add to it a cleverly adapted pattern #5, and we have a possible flower, coaster, etc. 

Perfect to play around with!

Le Cirque - 

pattern link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EycJaFEyknRKhj4FoWkp30wcqjvp1JBD/view

 

This is an adapted arrangement of 2 of Endrucks'  patterns. 

In the center we have part of pattern #40 -  while it is constructed differently, the essence is maintained. 

The next round is pattern #1 with no changes.

This motif can be worked continuously if desired by exiting the last split ring at the appropriate point.

Incidentally, since there are 10 repeats, the rounds can be interchanged with the Happy Hands Sunflower (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/03/happy-sunflowers.html ) for more variety.

We hope to add complete diagrams and written pattern in the coming months. For now, Reiko has graciously shared her drawings and notes along with some close-ups.

Check out the burgeoning free patterns in our Endrucks 1920 Project document -https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

Many many thanks, Reiko, for your generous participation and inspiration! 

Let the music continue 💖

not just an edging

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Oooo là là

This stunning necklace is tatted by Ninetta Caruso for our Endrucks 1920 Project. An adaptation of Endrucks' 1st pattern!

But let me get the nitty gritty out of the way first, some of which has already been shared.

Edging pattern #1 from the book German book ‘Die Schiffchen-Spitzen’,1920, by Frau Eleonore Endrucks-Leichtenstern. The pdf shared earlier is now updated with a lot of cleaning up and additions. 

Above we have a straight edging, a circular edging, playing with 2-colours, and with a modified pathway for mirror imaging.

Happy Hands pdf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IRlJ7bnx-c27PYtgXymx_ps-KL2pen_m/view 

This collage shows some of the several paths ranging from 

1. the simpler but unsymmetrical original. However, it starts with a chain and moves from right to left;

2. the modified symmetrical adaptation which starts with a ring. This central ring is worked as a thrown ring from 2nd motif onwards (hence different colour) and the edging moves from left to right;

3. playing with some colour positions using Reposition Methods, and where the 1st motif is worked with 2 small side rings and each subsequent motif with only the right side ring to be made. Ninetta finds that this is easier than making the left ring in repeats.

4. (see square edging below) 2 small rings on each motif also makes it easier to keep the threads in place. 

These are but a few options and each tatter can follow their own path. 

This is Antonia Lai's adaptation of the edging as well as the addition of a corner, giving us a nice square or rectangular frame. - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fsiET9ZJvXSD0kcAMKsuUNZt-rznFkO9/view

Happy Hands Linked Bookmark was shared here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/03/one-month-several-years.html

Pattern notes are included in the updated pdf above.

Happy Hands Linked Bracelet is almost exactly the same as the bookmark, except for using numerous colours and beads, and a different tail, etc. I made this specifically to represent our common efforts to create, complete, and continue the Endrucks Project.

If only the gold and silver beads sparkle in the photos as they do in real, sigh.

Pattern notes included in updated pdf.

 

This is my sampler from 2019 in Lizbeth 20 where I conceived the idea of a necklace and played around with bead arrangements. However, I knew I would never do justice to it, hence asked Ninetta to step in and she did so willingly and in such a spectacular fashion!

And now for the awesome part! This is a very short video Ninetta sent with her Happy Hands Necklace pics. And here is the link, in case - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dOwk3l0vei-RApDrBPeJCe06FzpBeaqC/view

These are her work in progress pics. She used treble stitches to add height and texture to the chain arches between motifs.

She substituted the hand rings with swarovski crystals.

This is the clasp at the back.

And a close-up of how she used tatting to join the necklace to the clasp.

The cabochon is attached later using this pattern - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2020/06/pattern-for-tiffany-bezel.html

As seen from the back.

The clasp and part of the necklace. This could so easily also become the front!

Notes, as well as tutorial links, are included in the updated pdf.

And Ninetta tatted yet another as a gift! 

Remember all these goodies are included in the updated Happy Hands Edgings and Adaptations pdf - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IRlJ7bnx-c27PYtgXymx_ps-KL2pen_m/view

The Sunflower coaster ( https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/03/happy-sunflowers.html )  which was earlier a part of it, has been removed. I am in the process of adding diagrams to the pattern and cleaning up the presentation as a stand-alone. For the impatient tatter, I can send you the old pdf; although I'd prefer patience ;-D  

All modernised patterns and so much more can be accessed from the EP doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

Ninetta, my true partner in crime (PIC), thank you from the bottom of my heart! 

I'd also like to thank Winnie Ho for her feedback which made me 

re-think and re-do the presentation. Hopefully, it is now better laid out

with plenty of choices to work the pattern.