multiple celebrations

Pin It now!

Yesterday I wrote about two celebrations of which one is actually a week away. Turns out we have a full house today. International Yoga Day, Father's Day, World Music Day, and our very own International Lace Day all came together on this June Solstice! 

These are my tatted motifs for the day - two from our Endrucks Project and the other a better version of my recent unhappy trial.

My name badge from the ILD FB page. 

Letter E from E41 derived by Manju Talekar.

This letter was tatted a few days back when I was doing the presentation for this pattern to ensure that the correct shuttle and instructions were presented.

And if I rotate the E by 90 degrees, we get M!!! A wee bit of tweaking for it to look better is all that's needed.

Letter E cursive from E32 derived by Paola Bevilacqua.

This one I tatted today! However instead of captured picots I used beads. I wanted something festive.

TIP: Although it called for 2 shuttles, I used a shuttle and ball with beads pre-strung on both! Using SCMR (mock rings) and reverse join as well as any relevant reposition method, I managed to avoid the 2nd shuttle!

Earrings with Interlaced Onion Rings designed by Lauretta Tondelli.

This time her onion rings comprised of true rings and not chains as in the unhappy trial post. I like this Much better!!! Of course since the 2nd and 3rd rings were large, I left a core thread loop (2 in case of the 3rd ring) midways so that the ring could be closed in 2 (or 3) phases. Pretty happy with the result, though I do see the need for improvement.

Also, I had to un-tat and re-tat with 2 less double stitch in each segment of the inner chain to get the proportions right.

The two Es together. Both pattern links are in my previous post. I wonder if I can tat all 6 versions during our celebratory week?

All motifs tatted in Anchor or Red Rose size 20.

So, how did you celebrate the day? 

unhappy trials

Pin It now!

I was impressed by Lauretta Tondelli's experiments and effects which she shared in a FB group a couple of years back (she seems to have left FB when I checked before finalising this post and her posts are missing, too). Always meant to try them and here are two attempts - my first trials. Not happy but more details below ....

Lauretta Tondelli's Interlaced Onion Rings, a trial motif, placed inside a 2D medallion gone 3D!

 

The two images above show the piece from the 'front' and 'back' though it really depends on how you interlace the mock rings.

This interlacing effect of onion rings is made with one continuous chain starting with a small starter picot. Once all three mock rings made, they are interlaced through each other. Lauretta created a cute pair of earrings using this motif as the center and adding a teardrop.

My own reservation is about the third chain which I feel is too long in my trial and also the overall untidy visual. First trials, so perhaps there is still hope for me.

Okay this motif is supposed to be a flat medallion center for another effect that Lauretta was sharing. As you can see, my work has cupped enormously. I realised what was happening but continued nevertheless so that I can make the requisite changes in my next trial. For one, the picots should've been longer.

So now my issue was what should I make with this! It looks cute and has potential, doens't it? So I played around a bit ....

If we upturn the medallion it can make a nice bezel setting and one can add another layer beneath encasing the gem. I was too lazy to hunt around for the right sized gem, though.

I decided to add a base. This is a coil starting at the center with few slope and roll joins as the chain progressed. I should've stopped a bit sooner with a shorter coil.

The reason for the base is my idea to convert this into a miniature basket.

Same 'bowl' reshaped into a squarish bowl or potential basket.

And when I pinched the corners a bit more, ....

Some more pinching so that the cupping looks deeper and with addition of accessories, it can become a flower.

So, what is your verdict? What do you think it should grow into?

Many thanks to Lauretta for sharing her notes and apologies for my bungling ....

picot me roundup 2

Pin It now!

 Continuing from my previous post showcasing the first batch of zhuzhed butterflies, there are plenty more effects to see here. Antonia Lai's Life is Bliss butterfly derived from Endrucks' pattern #32 with decorative picots for #PicotMeEndrucks April 2024.

11. Katie Verna - tatted her first two on International Tatting Day and found them "cute and fun to tat". Such an honour.

She also tried the CWJ. These two-toned motifs show a reversal of colour.

For her next attempt, Katie says, "This time I added beads to picots and attempted twisted picots with a bead. Those twisted picots were devilish--the twists liked to escape as I tried to make the following double knot! Still, a very fun project! Thank you!"

They came out looking pretty despite being troublesome :-)

12. Lauretta Tondelli - in an attempt to recreate a sketch shared by Stephanie Mc, learned to make the Celtic Knotted Picot and though she did not use it in her model below, she did tat a beautiful little butterfly with it.

Here, bullion knots decorate the chains. Notice her onion ring? That's the way she usually makes them - a continuous chain curling on itself.

13. Lella Loops - two models in needle tatting

In the first (lower) one double picots adorn the wings.

In the second (upper) model she used a cluster of 3 picots and Daniela Ambrosini's "cerchi rigati" or Ribbed Rings - something that was completely new to us! I enjoyed learning this effect with shuttle (links in the Tatting Tutorials page).

14. Maria Renee Contretras de Andretta - sent in 3 models saying "I present you my Monarch butterflies, From Guatemala."

The top one has double picots, while the lower two have adjoining picots in this lovely colourway.

15. Martha Ess - It was such a thrill to see her participating! If you are new to my blog, Martha is the one who uploaded Frau Endrucks' book to the APL and opened up a whole new world to us.

She asked, "Has anyone yet submitted Mrs. Mee's Pearl Stitch, shown here with regular and extra long twisty versions." 

Martha first brought these antique (1862) picots to light here - https://marthas-tatting-blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/amazing-mrs-mee.html

16. Martina Reinhold - also sent in two, the first being from the original itself.

In the 2nd one she used double, triple, and twisted picots. Notice how she has lengthened the pair of picots between rings and also twisted them before joining. 

17. Michelle Forclaz - sent in her lovely 2-colour version

using Josephine Rings/Picots.

18. Muskaan - made just one using

9 types (or variations) of decorative picots. The main objective was to use gathered picots to enhance the shape of the top wings and I was pleased with the effect. In addition, there are twisted picots with JR, twisted double picot, double picots (with variaitons), chain picot, graduated picots, JR, etc.

Details - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/04/taking-wing.html

 

19. Pam Bray - sent in four and kindly shared details. In her own words .....

"First attempt making a “Life is Bliss Butterfly” two colors and beads. Thread size 10 (I think)"

I like the 2 beads on the core thread of the ring topped with long picots that widen at the base because of the beads. Now this is one easy way to make a wide picot without any hassle!

2nd version - "There are four types of picots on this butterfly. It was fun to learn different kinds of picots."

Absolutely love the way her CKP antennae turned out! The other 3 picots include normal free picots, triple picots, and wide picots.

3rd version - "There are four -five types of picots on this butterfly. It was fun to learn different kinds of picots. Designing it is challenging and it is not perfect…"

I can identify loop-over picots, long picots, broomstick picots, crossed picots, and Josephine rings/picots. The antennae are quite cleverly, organically constructed.

4th version with "1. overlapping double picots, 2. Josephine ring downward picot (inside a ring), 3. twisted picot antennas , 4. daisy picots on bottom wings 5. as usual joined picots"

Now that is quite a learning curve, and so gratifying that Pam has added so many new effects to her skill set.

20. Paola Bevilacqua - has a  penchant for creating something new! And she has kindly shared her notes.

Her bookmark version tatted in plain cotton Babylo Sky in continuous tatting, butterflies facing opposite directions alternately. She explains .... "Anyway, after making the first butterfly, I turned the work around and made the second, let’s say upside down, to get the arches in the opposite position, and I went ahead rotating the work at each end of the butterfly."

It would make a nice trim, too.

In the same thread, she decorated the butterfly with small Celtic Knotted Picots alternating with treble stitch picots, and triple picots for the lower wings.

Star Circle - Here's another arrangement of the butterfly motifs in a circle with a perfect pentagon inside! It was a deliberate design decision. Graduated picots and cut picots adorn the inner space without altering the stitch count of the rings, while the periphery is enhanced with treble tatting. In these arches, she did [ch:3ds, 10tds, 3ds]. It makes a beautifully defined outline!

Her 4th version is "A butterfly perched on a poppy" and has inward facing/drop double picot (or more likely a triple picot, though not clearly visible) inside the rings; long picots; adjoining picots; and a Josephine ring on the onion ring body. She tatted the antennae at the end, inserting thread through the joining picot. It is a lock chain with a very long picot, tied back at the base. The picot is cut in the middle.

The inward-facing double/triple picots were made using what Elgiva Nicholls called 'drop' picot. This is what Paola says - "I made the reverse picot ( AA long picot BB, AA small picot BB, ) to close I took the LP with BB."
Basically, --- 2fhs, long picot, 2shs, 2fhs, small picot, 2shs joining the long picot with the 2shs. 

And again our game has thrown up new effects techniques, derivations, ..... These are opportunities to learn something new, dip your toe into designing, practice rarely used techniques, ....

For more such creativity, join me in Part 3 of this roundup, coming soon.

And if you are wondering about numbers, so far 47 models/versions have been shared by 20 members!

..... to be continued

Many many thanks to all our wonderful participants for such inspiring beauties!