the rising sun

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 Hadn't realised that I didn't blog this entire month! Life definitely got in the way.

 

Here's what hubby clicked a couple of days back on Dussehra morning (21st Oct, 2026). It is a huge festival celebrated throughout India in various forms, but basically reinforcing good over evil, the killing of Ravana by Ram. It also marks the end of 10 days of festivities and fasting and obeisance to Shakti in her various forms.

Image on the left is 10x hence resolution is a bit compromised. Taken from our balcony and through the glass window! Our balcony faces east and we get to enjoy its warmth during winter months.

On the tatting front, I haven't picked up my shuttles for many many weeks now. However, the design-along (DAL 2026) challenge is still bringing in new models!!! So I continue to do the pattern presentations.

On a happy, dancing note, I won Marilee Rockley's thread sample giveaway. My very first win and that too such gorgeous threads!!! She has already shipped the package and now I am waiting eagerly with fingers crossed. Also trying to think up projects where they can be used to best effect.

festival tatting

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 I should've posted this days ago but my head is immersed in another project and days kept slipping by. As always happens with me, I start off with a small goal but it keeps expanding and I seem to fall into a black hole, LOL! 

This is Manju Talekar's brilliant adaptation of a leaf pattern into an artistic collage of one of the most beloved and vastly invoked god with an elephant head - Ganeshji! There are interesting stories of how he ended up with the head of an elephant! Manju also added his vehicle, the mouse, and his favourite plate of modaks/laddoos. I'm sure you will find it interesting to read up a bit more about this god who is welcomed home every year and then sent off into the sea! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi

Among Hindus, any festive occasion, rite or ritual, starts with invoking his blessings for an auspicious start. Even wedding invitations have his image or mantra inscribed right at the beginning. 

 E15 Ganesh by Manju Talekar (2024) pattern pdf for #Endrucks1920Project -   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EgXVMpAEsXA0CASayy_rShQHjGGbbQvn/view

Adapted from E15 Leaf Doodle #1 (by Muskaan) which in turn was adapted from Eleonore Endrucks' pattern E5 in her 1920 book titled, 'Die Schiffchen Spitzen'.

There is also a short explanation of a Hidden Picot in the PDF.

Here you see the leaf doodles from which she made the head and used part of the motif to create the rest of the body. The entire collage is worked in several separate pieces and then assembled together. She meant it for a greeting card, but ended up framing it.

I worked the pattern as an unofficial test-tatter while doing the pattern presentation. I still need to complete the ears before I post my version. It tats up very quickly!

With Ganesh Chaturthi on 27th (through to 7th Sep) there is still plenty of time to tat your idol in thread and add to your decorations when Ganpati Bappa comes home!

PLEASE mention the name of the designer, the name of the pattern, and the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project whenever you post your version, as a courtesy to the designer.

Many many thanks, Manju, for this lovely model and pattern!

celebration tatting

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We celebrate the brother-sister bond of Rakshabandhan on the 9th of August this year. So I had this strong urge to collect motifs into rakhis, as I have done a few times over the years. 

I had a collection of these rose and floral motifs from past test-tatting and tutorial exercises, and I had intended to arrange and attach them into a necklace or collar to celebrate International Lace Day (June 22nd, 2025). 

Both motifs are adaptations of the central rounds of Eleonore Endrucks' pattern E42 in her 1920 book, ‘Die Schiffchen-Spitzen’, and reworked by Paola Emilia Rotuletti (2021). (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NgPuAzM83cjVoWvzFaiAIp7UDbuueBB0/view)

The small motif on top is the E42 Roses by Daniela Galli (2025) which she kindly shared for the ILD 2025. Pattern PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HiDjl4A_CkRcRGqpjhEItWqgEI1bGMhE/view 

There is a small and a large rose, both of which can be worked with a ball and shuttle in one pass.

The large motif below is the E42 Flower Motif by Muskaan (2023). It is my 6-repeat adaptation for my E42 Antiks Snowflake (2023). Pattern PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U5J5sjuAA7D0qGPOGnK9RJ83MKdNkWSZ/view

I had used the large motifs to demonstrate three ways of climbing out without the need for split chains. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/11/game-antics.html

PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VFk4ZnBT9ObJxnEKgI6hUkk2wtd_gOD4/view

I love lock stitch aka lock chains and simply picked up the knitting cotton size 10 threads in contrasting colours. I worked with one ball and shuttle. The rakhi motifs are all worked in size 20 crochet cotton from various brands.

 

Just so I remember for future, here's how I brought the motifs together with a Swarovski faceted bead (4.5mm) in the center. Pre-string the bead onto a length of thread and slide it to the center; bring both ends through the layered motifs; adjust and wind one end on a shuttle. 

Now from the ball pull off a length similar to one half of the first thread, leave it aside and start tatting a lock chain from the center. When desired length is reached, remove shuttle and again wind it with the other end and repeat the lock chain with ball thread on the other side. The bead remains locked in.

And for the tips, I inserted a bead through both threads at one end, tied a knot niched with the bead and trimmed off the tails. Repeated it on the other side. This seemed the quickest way to finish off the rakhi/bracelet.

The above large motif is from the original E42 center - notice it has 8 repeats.

In fact each E42 rose is also slightly different with tiny tweaks. It's fun to play around.

All together again. Rakhi traditionally has a thin string for tying. However, for a bracelet, one can use broader braids, which are shorter in length with relevant findings instead of ties.

Of course if tatted specifically for a bracelet or rakhi, one can embellish the motifs with beads, picots, etc. Mine are SOUP rakhis hence plain.

💥💥💥💥💥 

Now I had initially collected the motifs back in May with the intention of making a necklace or collar as stated at the beginning.

I played with arrangements using all the motifs at hand. The above could become a necklace with addition of beads and bling...while the one below could be a collar.

Besides these, I had several other arrangements, including asymmetrical ones but deleted the pics someway along the way.

After several possible arrangements, this is what I found the most appealing and settled on it. Tatted ring or curled ring connectors would be used to link adjacent motifs. However I couldn't get myself to accomplish even this simple task and the lace day passed by without any tatting. 

Who knows if the mood takes me I might even free the motifs from the rakhis and rearrange as a necklace. What is your verdict/preference? Leave as rakhis or make a necklace?

NOTE - These are free patterns but please name the designer and the pattern when you make and post And also use the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project.

Many many thanks to Daniela and Paola - always ready to help and share 💕

Related Posts
Antiks Snowflake pattern and more - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=Antiks
Patterns for Rakhi/Bracelets - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/patterns-designs.html - listed under Holidays, Festival and Jewellery - Hands.

Endrucks, Holidays and Jewellery directories also have some rakhi models -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view

shagun tatting

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 '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! 

doesn't it look like a possible angel?!

My new version using graduated and 'erect' vapour stitch which is more like a picot here. I was inspired by a recently shared Turkish Tatting video by Eftelyanin Mekikleri where there are many more than 3 wraps and the bare thread is not pulled down so that the stitch/picot stands erect. Also, the wraps are followed by a complete stitch rather than the 2nd half-stitch. 

I did it all in tatting. But it was not easy and many of my stitches are not as neat as they should/could be. I had started one in perle cotton but the thread unraveled so much that I snipped it off and started afresh with this Anchor size 20 thread. 

TIP: I suggest using 2 shuttles so that the thread can be balanced again by suspending the shuttle frequently. And use tightly twisted thread, polyester, silk, ....

I winged it and don't really have an exact count for the decorated chain. I started and ended with vapour stitch (3 wraps) but graduated up to 7 wraps.

The motif is 4cms wide and 3cms high.

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

make a forest

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 Pattern for each of The Six Seasons of India derived from Frau Endrucks' pattern #14 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gxz6Q4Qpz_7RtsEx4EFufsVvBYbH5Sfa/view 

Many thanks to Ninetta for reworking and presenting the E14 pattern which made it so much easier to follow, experiment, and tat up.

Please let us know if any link does not work.

The background is my month-old bath towel made from bamboo! Seemed appropriate, don't you think.

I was looking for a light-weight bath-size towel and hubby hit on this. Can't believe how light, super-absorbent, silky smooth it is and it dries super-fast, too, making it ideal for the rainy season .  

Hope you enjoy tatting the trees and creating a forest.

Related Posts -

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/impressions.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/autumn-fireworks.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/07/six-seasons-of-india.html

six seasons of India

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When asked how many seasons are there, the prompt answer is 4: spring, summer, autumn, winter. But where is the rainy season or monsoons - a major part of the Indian climatic cycle!  

How many seasons do you have in your country?

In India we have 6 seasons. In this peninsular landmass that prides itself on various kinds of landforms, the foliage changes from the coastlines to plains to mountainous terrain. Hence we don't see the vibrant fall colours in the plains. I visualized the tree motif as the majestic Banyan (Indian Banyan, Ficus bengalinensis - the national tree of India) and the equally majestic Chinar (Chinese banyan, Platanus orientalis) for autumn and used the same motif to depict the six seasons for #colourmeEndrucks June game in the Endrucks 1920 Project FB group.

It is very interesting that the names of four seasons are male names. Varsha is a common female name; is it because rains are the source of life and due to the dependency on monsoons for an agricultural lifestyle? And Grishma (for warmth) is a rare female name. Ritu means season and this is also a common girl name.

Following pics show each model and my seasonal impressions through shades and picots. The only changes I made are to the ring which is diagrammed; the rest of the pattern remains unchanged. My notes are scattered throughout in bullets.

Endrucks' pattern #14, reworked and presented by Ninetta Caruso -  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mWiQTu_9oVPYpX_1MsObBRR7n1MJWr80/view

Threads  

• The shades used. All size 40 threads from different brands.
• Ball (browns) and one shuttle (greens) throughout.
• I often used scraps of leftover thread and in some models you will see the messy addition.

Vasant/Spring 

• Tiny picots in sap green to represent new shoots.
• All joining picots are small.

Notice how the front tree has fewer rings - mistake! The one behind is correctly tatted.

Grishma/Summer  The sun's rays slipping in through the foliage!  

• One joining mistake in the chains between 6th and 7th rings. Picots are longer to show growth.
• Number and size of picots to indicate the season, as indicated in the ring diagram in each image. Overall ring count remains same as in pattern. 

Varsha/Monsoon or Rains  Lush dense solid foliage in the monsoons!

• Deliberately allowed the greens to show through the trunks for a more organic feel.
• No symmetry in block tatting, following Endrucks' style, again a deliberate choice for that organic look.  Hardly discernible at a glance.

Sharad/Autumn Many of us who have visited Kashmir have certainly seen the Char Chinar in Srinagar - four trees in the four corners of a small island in Dal lake!! It is such a common place to shoot romantic songs in movies.

• Reduced the size and number of picots here.

Again tatted a second one because the first one had mistakes.

Hemant/Pre-winter in my city is more about haze and air pollution. And a lightening of the greens, many of which start to fall. This is why I chose this shade.

• Used reverse join or sometimes simple transposing of threads to change colours/direction, while keeping the green shuttle active at all times.

Shishir/winter Covered in snow, no picots on the rings! 

• Watch out for the chains between 5th and 6th ring. It had escaped my notice and I kept bungling in the first few motifs. 
• Second point of mistakes initially, was where to join the chains. This is block tatting, but notice how cleverly it has been adapted to create these spreading arms.  

• Started and ended with a knot, leaving short tails. This, too was deliberate since these were meant to be glued on paper in a kind of landscape collage with some painting and beads added. Couldn't get around to that before the end of the month, so now I have a little something else in mind to use these. Most probably turn them into bookmarks for our new game of the month - Mark Me Endrucks!

Future/missed Ideas I had a lot more ideas going in - eg.

• leaves sprouting in a second layer or randomly on the trunk branches;
• onion rings for denser foliage;
• adding beads as a third colour to represent flowers, fruit,...; 
• using different motifs to represent different seasons; and so on. 

Turned out I didn't have the right size beads for size 40 and no time to tinker around. As it is, I kept making silly mistakes while tatting - the reason for 8 motifs (and one discarded at the very outset) instead of six. Thankfully I figured it out and then it was smooth sailing and enjoyable.

Related links -
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/impressions.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/autumn-fireworks.html