a collective gift 1

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... of so many snowflake variations and patterns in one place, from a talented group of generous designers!  Perhaps you recall my invitation to design the next round(s) for a Celtic interlaced center - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/lets-design-round-3.html... the DAL Celtic Snowflake 'challenge' as several called it. I loved the response and the models that turned up, some almost overnight! And later, when I requested each participant to share their pattern, they readily complied. I compiled them all in a Google Doc, listing them chronologically as they came in. 

The main reason for this inordinate delay in sharing with you is two-fold: 1) I wanted to synchronise the patterns, adding a diagram to each or filling in any 'gaps', and 2) I wrote an article on this project for the IOLI Bulletin and wanted to wait a decent amount of time. The first objective hasn't been achieved, unfortunately, though I did begin diagramming. For this I sincerely apologise to my designers, but hope to work on it in future.

I have decided to share the document as is since it is the season of tatting up snowflakes! Please note that the patterns are not tested and there is diversity in presentation styles. We hope you enjoy the individual flavour and range of effects, tools, and techniques and also the story behind each! All details are in the doc, the link to which I will share at the end of the visual display of models. Between my article and the Google docs, the entire backstory is laid out . hence I will not repeat it here.

Presenting them alphabetically ---

1. Aleksandra Pawlik - Round 3 designed and tatted within a day!

 

2. Anita Barry - Two different versions, both with Round 3 designed!

 

The difference in backgrounds brings out the mandala effect differently.

Clever use of split rings.

3. Anna Bonelli - Rounds 3 & 4 designed. Makes a nice wheel impression.

4. Antonia Lai - Round 3 designed in single shuttle with bare thread spaces!

5. Barbara Slodka - Round 3 designed with Josephine rings and pleasant pastels

6. Daniela Galli - Round 3 designed and tatted in two shades of metallic threads

7. Donna McDade - designed Round 3 for Five versions! All 5 models have been appliqued on a quilted wall hanging (pic in the doc).

8. Jean Inglis - Round 3 designed. Appears like a flower or wreath.

9. Ladyphoenix tatter - designed Rounds 3 & interlaced Round 4 after discarding two other attempts since it caused cupping.

10. Margaret Davies - designed Rounds 3 & 4 and tatted multiple models till she was satisfied! 

11. Lella Loops - designed Round 3 and also styled a Celtic shuttle to work the interlacing in this round! She is a needle tatter.

continued in next post along with links .... 

oversew and so on

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For the longest time since (mid-1980s) I have wondered what ‘oversew’ meant when hiding tails at the end of a tatting project. I came across it in my Anchor and Coats books. Tried my own methods (including overcast stitch as in embroidery) but none worked out – knotting was the only way I knew and continued with it despite the 'ugliness'. 

Two decades later, on the net, I asked around, to no avail, but I switched to whip stitch some years ago.  Until a few months back when Jean Inglis used the term in her FB post! At my request, she explained and also uploaded a WIP pic. It got me thinking and I obviously had to try it out to compare and contrast with other sewing methods of hiding ends/tails as compiled here -. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/11/beginning-or-ending.html

In my current study, I found two main methods that are commonly used to sew in the ends. Please excuse my shoddy samplers below (the sewing thread/tail should not be visible once it is pulled tight). I have used a contrasting blue thread as tails or ends for the purpose of clarity.

The first is what I will now refer to as OVERSEW. 

Here, we sew the tail Under the cap or waist band of the double stitch, and weave between the legs of the ds - under and over the half-stitches.  Hence a 10 ds count segment will give you 10 stitches front and behind. This method is diagrammed clearly by Jennifer Williams - https://www.cariad-tatting.com/techniques.  

A variation of this method is shared by Lily Morales where we weave between the double stitches. Hence if there are 10 ds, you have 5 stitches under the caps in front, and 5 behind. [the link from The Online Tatting Class is currently unavailable]. 

The second method is WHIP STITCH. Here we sew the tail across the Top of the caps, weaving in between the double stitches. You can clearly see the tail (blue thread) moving over the top of the stitches instead of through the sides. This is my go-to method for 7 years now, when Carollyn Brown uploaded her video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q-JloBBdIM and it just clicked with me.

Jean Inglis'  Mom taught her to tat in 1980 and to sew in her ends as above. She used the term 'oversew'. She unravels the tail and uses the thinner thread to sew and hide, thus leaving a tinier footprint. But look closely, and you realise it is actually the whip stitch! Yet, this unraveling of thread can be used for the oversew methods described above, too.

This is also called OVERCASTING in some literature.

In conclusion, I'd say traditionally 'oversew' would simply have meant to sew in the tails whether you wove the tail under or over the caps; between double or half-stitches. However, if we wish to fine tune it, we can differentiate oversew from whip stitch as explained above.

Feel free to share your own thoughts and experience; no need to hide them!

For an annotated and frequently updated listing of the many ways to start, add, or hide ends, mostly knotless: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/11/beginning-or-ending.html

Many thanks to all mentioned above, and those not mentioned, who constantly help us improve our knowledge, understanding, and skills.