refresher samplers

Pin It now! Another quick post with refresher samples. It feels good to refresh one's memory and skills.

There was a time long back when I found it difficult to do a SCMR (self-closing mock ring), let alone Interlocking SCMRs! Hence my trials and study focused on interlocking with normal rings but with shuttle instead of needle - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2014/05/interlocking-rings-using-shuttle.html

Over time I have come to adopt the SCMR as a convenient and often useful 'technique' and effect. And the above sampler is tatted following the pictorials by Sue (His Kid) and Umi & Tsuru. Sue's instructions are clearer while the latter's images are sharper. Hence my model utilizes both instructions.

The bare thread between rings should be long. If you look closely, a couple of segments don't lay flat because i used a relatively shorter BTS.  

There are a number of other ways to make 'flat' IRs - scroll down for all the links here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html

Jane Eborall left a comment and link in my previous post about an Alternate Way to make Josephine Rings. I had tried them back in 2014 and used them to create 3D buds (above) for the Tiny Heart Poppy - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2014/09/tatting-pattern-tiny-heart-poppy-part-2.html

However, it was time for a refresher! And this is what I made last night - 

This time I made the half-stitches in such a way as to leave 'picots' . They create a lovey twist! And they are more stable than Interlocking Picots and can be used for joining with care. However tatting them required a bit of calisthenics and keeping all the loose half-stitches under one's pinch meant the size of the ring was limited. This is not an issue if we remove all slack and snug the stitches without 'picots'.

UPDATE: Is this similar to Mark Myers' Dizzy Double Stitch (DDS)? It certainly appears so. He seems to use the same movement for the half-stitches but makes normal (double stitch) rings instead of Josephine rings. 

And today is International Lace Day. In the morning I wound my shuttle with Lizbeth (s0ze 30), sought out the brown ball (Anchor) and will tat the E14 autumn tree again. The one in the pic has mistakes as I had pointed out here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/impressions.html

Kind of refreshing the model, huh?!

With the reworked tree I would've finished the tatting part of the #colourmeEndrucks project.

Wishing everybody a very creative and happy ILD!

and many thanks to Sue, Jane, and Wendy for their wonderful tutorials!

two clever

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Too clever by half! Definitely not. They are truly two very clever tatters, teachers, designers and keep inspiring us with their creativity - Ninetta Caruso and Edda Guastalla!

Ninetta Caruso's Gold Rope Chain - my Rose Gold version

For my interlocking split ring and rope chain pictorials, I had used thick thread. Further, in order to avoid a bare thread spanning the side of each ring, I left the bare thread space shorter than required. Both factors created a gentle spiral, not the rope chain effect in Ninetta's original. I Had to satisfy my scientific curiosity, hence a quick tat with metallic thread.

TIP : The length of bare threads between successive rings determines the amount of twist; and the visible effect can range from a gentle wave to a tight woven rope.

Stringing beads on 3 strands of Anchor metallic embroidery thread that kept splitting was taking too much time. Hence no seed beads.
Much happier with the twisted effect, though could've been better. These are certainly addictive and I stopped only when the shuttles ran out. My fear about the thread were unfounded - the rings closed easily - and only 1 or 2 strands could have worked smoothly as well.

Edda Guastalla's Two Rings (Interlocking) Bracelet/Chain (catenella 2 anelli)

I was very impressed with Edda Guastalla's easy interlocking rings! Such fun, too, besides being practical....

• no need to string beads, except the one (or more between the twin rings).
• can use up leftover thread lengths to empty shuttles
• no need to hide tail ends
• only one shuttle required
• easy travel or 'handbag' tatting project
• several variations possible - colour, size, symmetry, etc. 
• TIP : eg. One can create a diamond shape instead of simple straight chain. Start with twin rings, then make 2 sets of twin rings within the same (these could have an asymmetric stitch count to move the edges further apart), and a 4th set within both 2nd & 3rd sets to bring them together again.

Red Rose metallic thread size 20. Used up several leftovers that were at least up to 25" long.

TIP : These twin rings can be used effectively as connectors! Remember these curled ring connectors (CRCs) which are essentially the same twin rings curled around motifs to link them? Instead of curling the rings, one can simply insert thread to make the twin rings.

Two lovely addictive interlocking rings! Vastly different in execution and skills, yet brilliant in conception and creativity. Many many thank to both ladies.

The rope chain reminded me of the double helix structure (closer to the quaternary structure) which led me to these books ...

A team that revolutionised the scientific and medical world comprised James Watson and Francis Crick when they unraveled the DNA structure based on Maurice Wilkins' results. Of the 3, the former 2 are more commonly credited.

Francis Crick. Discoverer of the Genetic Code by Matt Ridley

This paperback is a 2008 Harper Perennial edition of the original 2006. It is a rare insight into the life, work and thoughts of Crick. An engaging read, as are most of Ridley's books.

A Passion for DNA. Genes, Genome, and Society by James D Watson

2000, Oxford University Press. This paperback, with high quality paper, is a collection of Watson's lectures, essays, commentaries on diverse topics and the wider impact and implications of the discovery. 

Having already read Craig Venter's autobiography, it was interesting to compare notes from both perspectives. 

I found Watson was the more conventional and conservative one compared to Crick, though I admired the latter's principles and highly intelligent mind.

Rummaging for all these books brings bittersweet memories - the happy hours spent reading and discussing (hubby & I love Genetics!), but the sadness that I cannot now recall all details. A poor memory that needs huge refreshers ;-D

locked in a rope

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Part 3 - final post of the chain maille pictorials, based on Ninetta Caruso's posts. You can find my previous pictorials here - Part 1 ; Part 2.

So far, we have seen 3 methods/variations (and more listed) of the Interlocking Split Rings that create a 3D chain maille effect. The chain or braid so made, whether with 1, 2, or 4 shuttles, remains linear with clearly distinguishable rings. Ninetta has cleverly twisted the chain into a rope that spirals on itself! Let's see how ....

D. Interlocking Split Rings - Rope Chain

ref : Ninetta Caruso's gold rope chain pictorial

(interlocking split rings - chain maille variation of Kathy Niklewicz's method)

The only difference from the pictorial shared in Part 2 (C), is that instead of pulling a loop through the previous ring, in order to make the next ring, the loop is pulled through the last TWO rings. This collapses the rings, bringing them closer and also creates a gradual twist.

Red is shuttle 1 with cream thread ; yellow is shuttle 2 with variegated thread.

All split rings are 10/10 (since the thread is thick)

 

D-1 : 3 interlocking split rings have been made as in C here. Insert hook from the back through previous 2 rings....

D-2 : ... and hook the shuttle 1 thread ...

 

D-3 : ... pulling it to the back.

D-4 : Pull the loop long enough to wrap around the hand to make the next split ring.

 

D-5 : As in previous pictorial, leave some bare thread before starting the 1st side. 10ds made. Ensure shuttle2 thread is inside the loop.

D-6 : Leave bare thread and work the 10 unflipped stitches for 2nd side.

NOTE : I was so focused on the steps and photographing every detail, that I missed the larger picture! Leave More bare thread I  order for each ring to twist more into a rope-like weave.

 

D-7 : Close ring.

D-8 : Repeat steps to work as many interlocked split rings as desired. As the rope grows longer, it starts to twist - hence the term rope chain. The rope looks superb from the side!

D-9 : This is how the rope looks from the shuttle 1 side.

E. Interlocking Split Rings - Beaded Rope Chain  

ref : Ninetta's Rope Chain bracelet in black and silver with red beads

A short pictorial that follows the previous (D), but with a bead added before each ring. Of course, more seed beads can be added along the edges, etc.

 

E-1 : String beads on shuttle 1.

E-2 : Before starting 2nd ring, move bead to the base. In image, a bead is moved before starting 3rd ring. Insert hook through 2nd ring to pull back a loop for the 3rd ring. These will form a chain maille as in Part 2 (C).

 

E-3 : 3rd ring made. Now we start the rope chain variation. Move bead to base of previous ring (not shown in pic), insert hook through rings 3 AND 2 ...

E-4 : and pull back the loop for 4th ring. 

TIP : Try to be consistent in the position of the threads throughout. I kept the bare thread and loop 'behind' the bead always.

 

E-5 : 4th ring complete and bead brought forward before next ring. Notice how the rings are now very close together, with greater overlap. The chain maille interlocking effect seems to get lost.

E-6 : Insert hook through rings 4 AND 3 to pull back loop for next ring.

 

E-7 : Repeat steps from E-3 to desired length.

E-8 : As seen from the side.

This rope can be quite addictive! I stopped only on running out of thread. Notice the twist?

To finish, beads are strung through the leftover tails, ending with a 6-bead ring/flower, and hiding the ends within a few beads. Add a clasp to the starting ring for a bracelet or a necklace.

There is a tendency for a horizontal thread to show up across the side of each ring. It could be the shuttle1 thread across the 1st side of ring, or shuttle2 thread across the 2nd side (as in my first trials in previous post). 

TIP : To Avoid Visible Bare Thread : By keeping the bare thread at the start of each side of split ring short, this horizontal bar can be avoided. While the bare thread is important to create a play and twist, keeping it as short as possible eliminates its visibility.

Ninetta's TIP : Another possible way is if we use 4 shuttles instead of 2, as in Ruth Perry's models. Or one can use a thread colour and size where it is not immediately visible.

This is it for the present, although I will some day come back to try out other methods (see complete listing here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html), as well as a couple of project ideas I have applying these effects. I did intend to tat with metallic, but time is at a premium and I need to get back to completing the hanky edging as the deadline quickly approaches.

Longtime readers of my blog may have noticed that I rarely create pictorials of something that is already in public domain, preferring to cite links, unless I have something different or something more to offer. Or, as in this case, when a tatter specifically requests. Hence I cannot thank Ninetta enough for her gracious permission to upload these pictorials, and her willingness to provide valuable feedback and insight. 

And by extension, my thanks to all tatters, teachers, designers mentioned in these 3 posts, who were instrumental in adding a valuable link to our ever-growing Tatting chain!

locked in play

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Continuing from my previous post where 2 methods of Interlocking split rings (chain maille style) were uploaded. Again, I follow Ninetta's post to share the 3rd method based on Kathy Niklewicz's method and then its further application in the tatted rope chain.

I first tried Kathy's single-shuttle IR method (along with other methods) in 2014 here. Ninetta took it a step further by using it to create a truly 3D effect. This variation is photographed stepwise below.

C. Interlocking Split Rings - Chain Maille

ref : Kathy Niklewicz's Interlocking Rings and Ninetta's Method 3 variation

Red is shuttle 1 with cream thread ; yellow is shuttle 2 with variegated thread.

All split rings are 8/8.

 

C-1 : Unlike the earlier methods (refer previous post), in this case we can safely close the split ring. 

C-2 : Through the closed ring, insert a hook from the back and hook it to shuttle1 thread.

 

C-3 : Pull a loop front to back through the ring, as seen.

C-4 : Pull out enough of the loop and note the position of each thread(s). 

 

C-5 : Wrap the loop around your hand just as in the earlier methods. The static end of loop is is to the left (where stitches will start) and the moving shuttle part goes around, emerging toward the right.

C-6 : Leave some bare thread (indicated by hook) and start tatting the stitches for 1st side of SR.

 

C-7 : Wrap loop around hand for 2nd side of SR; leave some bare thread (notice the yellow segment) and begin unflipped stitches. Note that the 2nd shuttle thread is within the loop.

C-8 : Stitches complete on both sides.

 

C-9 : Close split ring. 

C-10 : Repeat steps to make as many interlocked split rings as desired.

The advantage of this method is that one does not have to remember to insert the shuttle before closing ring. The disadvantage is that bare thread can be visible from some angles.

A very small variation of this method is used to create the rope chain.

Jane McLellan has used the same method to create a chain maille with a single shuttle and regular rings.

Ruth Perry probably pioneered the modern technique and has created beautiful effects using only chains or 4 shuttles where the bare thread can be eliminated. Teri Dusenbury has instructions for the same using 2 steps and finger tatting here.

This method of pulling a loop through a previous element to tat a ring has also been demonstrated by Patty Dowden to make wonderful rings on picots. 

And don't miss this recent video by Edda Guastella who creates a variation of the chain maille using single shuttle.

Unfortunately, this series will run into a 3rd post dealing with the rope chain, to avoid an avalanche of pics. Instead let me show you my very first chain maille trials.

Above are my Day 1 trials, in Anchor size 20 threads. On the left sampler are my trials of the 3 methods and variations. 

Can you spot the rings that do not look interlocked? Although I do not fully understand why that happened, I think the following TIP might help avoid such mistakes, because there is a tendency for the loop to get stuck at the base of the previous ring -

TIP : 1. After completing 1st side, tug at the core thread that is on the lower right (where you would start the 2nd side stitches). You will notice that the 1st side moves towards the right under the previous ring. 

2. In the 2nd image, the 1st stitch of 1st side, is visible on the right. So you are now sure that your ring is interlocked correctly, and can continue to tat the 2nd side.

3. Tat the 2nd side of split ring and continue with the chain maille method you are using.

Part 3 will be the final post for the present. Of course there will be more projects in the future when I try out the several methods and effects listed above.