gratitude

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 Over the past year or more I have been in touch with several tatters be they domain experts, designers, originators, tatting teachers/mentors. They have helped to explain nuances or clarify concepts, particular techniques, which in turn has aided me in hopefully improving the presentation and authenticity of information in the Glossary (and an occasional chapter item) for the book, 'Six T's of Shuttle Tatting' by Net Best which I have the pleasure of editing (I will write a separate post giving more details about the book). 

I will tender a formal thanks with each name when the book is complete (including in the book itself). Yet stepping into this new year it just feels right to acknowledge their general contribution and gracious and prompt help. To date not a single person refused to share their knowledge and understanding and each of them has been prompt in responding. Some have graciously sent me pic(s) of their work which is now included in the book. 

There are a few who I have pestered more frequently, though. Obviously my dear friends Ninetta Caruso and Anita Barry but also Judith Connors whose expert guidance is always welcome.

Angela Edwards is the late author's friend who is doing all the formatting, proofing, and compiling the master copy for the book. She has been a constant and enthusiastic companion in this journey, even acting as a sounding board and converting my UK English, LOL. Without her help it would've become too overwhelming.  

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Bit of a visual treat before I proceed ... above is Barbara Arango's method of making Overlapping Split Rings. She tends to join them (where I had left them unattached ; and a snowflake) and has used them beautifully in several of her designs. Look for her in the FB group, Just-Tatting. 

Above left was my first trial and I enjoyed it so much that I kept going till I got this ring, joining back to the first. I want to add some beads but haven't been able to yet .... will post again when I finish.

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Laurel McFarlane noticed that several links in my past posts no longer worked, especially from Georgia's classes. She volunteered to send me the correct links, often delving into the wayback machine, etc., and diligently compiled them over several months! I am ashamed to say that except for a few I haven't been able to update them all yet. So in the interim, if you come across any, please ask. 

Of course Ninetta has been a huge support with the Endrucks 1920 Project and words fail to express how much I can rely on her and her friendship. I had the good fortune to make several new friends through this project even during 2024.

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During the year, I was also humbled by several gifts during the year, some of which I blogged about, but some slipped by. These included tatted coasters from Bandini, books from Ninetta & Lilas Lace, newsletters/bulletins from Ring of Tatters, IOLI, and a surprise from Judith - their last printed newsletter, another surprise pattern gifted by Edda Guastalla, and threads from Madhur. 

All these goodies do not diminish the joy (and some trials) from learning 'new' tatting techniques, comparing and contrasting them, sharing pictorials, and taking up challenges. In fact my next two posts include my pictorials and explorations. Stay tuned .... what is a blog without readers, huh?!

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A Huge Thanks to all! 

neovintage beauties

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A few days back this beautiful gift arrived from Bandini Maisheri who I've known for a few years through FB and our collaboration on the Bandhan Butterfly pattern. Her mother, Harsha, is the main tatter (Harsha's Creations). You might've come across her extensive works in some of the FB groups and on Instagram. 

Like these doilies above, her USP is combining and arranging vintage patterns into new beauties. And doing what is necessary to fit the purpose, eg. adding a corner for an edging or mat, and so on. The gift was a commemoration of 40 years of Harsha's tatting journey and an appreciation of some little help I might've provided to them whenever approached. I love the coasters and they immediately made their way to my dining table!

Now I think these coasters are unique. We've all seen tatted lace around or encased within acrylic sheets for coasters, key chains, etc, like the one I received from Anita. This set, however, is customized acrylic with a tatted doily covering only the top surface. The doily fits snugly and can be removed, washed, or replaced. 

Curious, I asked my friendly group - Anita Barry and Ninetta Caruso for an international perspective, and Madhur Dadlani for an Indian perspective. Madhur admins a WhatsApp group of talented Indian tatters who also sell their creations and she said she'd ask them if anyone has made something similar. Neither of the three have come across something quite like this and do consider it to be truly unique!

What about you? Have you come across tatted lace covers for acrylic mats? Or something along the same lines? Do tell.

There's a ton more tatted stuff they do and sell, including complete table linen sets, saree and blouse laces, bags, scarves, etc. etc. Mind you I am not mentioning Harsha's Creations for any kind of returns. It was a way to satisfy my curiousity and appreciate the immense work Harsha has done. Wishing her several more decades of happy tatting and spreading beauty from old to new.

Many many thanks, Bandini and Harsha, for this wonderfully unique handmade gift, and to my friends who responded promptly with their thoughts and observations.

indisciplined

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Yup, I cannot remain disciplined for long, LOL. Spending too much time at the compy made my fingers itch to pick up my shuttles after a longish break. Well, the perfect foil was our February game which has a bunch of small motifs to select and tat. Another reason was helping out with presentations ....

In chronological order ... tatted for Pick Me Feb 2023 (#pickmeEndrucks)

Judith Connors published her variation of Endrucks' pattern #34 in her newsletter a while back. And Antonia made a slight 'mistake' thus leading her to call it Butterfly edging. The butterfly was clearly visible, but also a heart!

Antonia Lai's Calmful Heart is extracted from that same edging #34.

And these are the Life is Bliss butterflies from the same, as they were being tested and tweaked. The final pattern is the one like the right, but with the wings attached towards the base.

Tatted in size 20.

Stephanie Mc (Tattimic) joined and improvised 2 hearts from #3 to create this Pretty Me Butterfly last year. I enjoyed tatting it, using a SCMR instead of SR for the center. The diagrammed pattern has been updated with written instructions.

Tatted in size 20.

Three butterflies together.

Krystyna Mura adapted #12 into soooo many patterns, one of which is the Garden Cosmos. I haven't used this Lizbeth size 40 shade much and chose it, Turned out the ball had leftover lengths on the ball. 

The original pattern has 11 petals. I ran out of thread on one shuttle and the other was close on its heels. Hence tied off after 8 petals to create this slightly 3D form.

Instead of beads at the tips, I used Victorian sets on the middle third of chains.

Krystyna adds a single bead in the center while on the go. I waited to see how large the negative space was to choose the appropriate bead. In the end I strung fine seed beads (yellow and black) on one of the tails, coiled it around and sewed it down.

This was made possible because of a gift of large-eyed beading needles from Madhur! Now I nave no reason to not use beads, except of course my own lethargy, LOL.

The tails are left coz I might add a stem and leaves later.

So this is my indiscipline - my strong tendency to get distracted!

Many many thanks to all the designers for these beautiful patterns!

on balance

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I wanted to gift a couple of bookmarks and it was a good excuse to try out some of the threads Madhur had gifted (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/09/joy-of-succumbing.html)

Madhur will understand why I especially chose this book as a background. 'On Balance. An autobiography' by Leila Seth. 

But first a bit about the bookmark ...

Pattern is 'Overlapping Chains' by Jon Yusoff and can be found here for free -

https://tatsaway.blogspot.com/p/bookmarks.html

I enjoy overlapping elements and went for a flower and leaf kind of story (hence picots on the yellow 'flowers') surrounded by a trellis.

The first row became fiddly on the way back with a tendency to twist, till I wove it as I went. That kept it in place.

I chose Red Rose size 20, since it appeared to be the same size as Lizbeth size 20. Wrong. It was closer to Anchor size 20, which is thicker than its Lizbeth counterpart.

Hence too thick to gift, especially with the overlapping chains adding to the thickness.

Final measurement - 15cms x 4cms

However the threads were a pleasure to work with. Smooth and a bit soft. Very easy to handle, manage, close rings; even stitches. 

At one end, I placed a picot incorrectly and noticed much later. It was easy to pull up each half stitch till the picot was shifted to the correct position 3 ds away.

The final lace is not as crisp or 'stiff' as when done with Anchor. 

On balance, there's a place for every thread!

'On Balance' is Leila Seth's autobiography. It is a very simply written book and it is this simplicity and straightforwardness that I liked. No attempts at being an 'author'; merely a walk down memory lane. Somewhere somehow I kept sensing glimpses of my mother in her character, her approach, her strength and values. And this bound me at a deeper level. 

As the chapter title shows, Leila Seth became the 1st woman Chief Justice of our Supreme Court in 1991. She has other firsts to her name, too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leila_Seth. I even chanced to meet her on my 50th birthday when we went to watch a movie and she was there with her husband. And as an achiever in her own right, she was later also known as Vikram Seth's mother.

Many thanks Jon and Madhur - an enjoyable journey!

joy of succumbing

Pin It now! The joy of succumbing to temptation - a temptation resisted for years! Well, a little guilt colours the joy, but the thread colours brush it aside!

This is what arrived on Sunday. Opening the carton and this is only the top of 2 layers, with a total of 52 balls of thread!!!

A gift from Madhur Dadlani of the Unending Doily fame - a master tatter and admin of an Indian whatsapp tatting group (of which Usha Shah is also an admin).

Madhur has been gifting threads to tatters for years and offered to send me several times. My refusals finally wore out and this time I succumbed because several of the shades/variegates are not for sale.

These are 16 balls of size 40 and 2 metallic in size 20 on the right. 

Love the variegates! And there's a grey too!

And these are the remaining in size 20.

Brands range from Red Rose to Gopal.

I still haven't tatted from this stash, but my first impressions -

1. There is no sheen to the threads - similar to Anchor threads which have lost their Egyptian cotton sheen.
2. The size 20 is thinner than the current size 20 from Anchor. This is a huge plus because the Anchor 20 now is more like Lizbeth size 10.
3. I like the feel of the threads - they appear soft.

More observations after my trials ....

My Unending or Scrappy Doily adorns my dining table and is visible in several recent pics.

Sorting and storing took up half a day but I managed to fit everything in clear boxes. But the size 20s,  got separated and are now lodged in 2 boxes - reds and yellows in one box and the rest in the original large box.

Thank you so very much, dearest Madhur! 💖 Hope I can do justice to the shades.

Hat's off to India Post, too.

welcome intrusions

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It has been amazing - the interest and the exploration that has already moved far and wide ... almost overnight! I cannot thank my tatting mates enough for their enthusiasm and for embracing the potential of Intruding Picot (ip)!

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/07/what-intrusion.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/07/picot-is-posted.html

In chronological order -

Wally Sosa - This multi-talented and creative lady had also discovered this picot, calling it 'Evil', and dismissing it! Above is a nice comparison between, and combo of, normal and intruding picots.

Wally Sosa - Introducing the Rolled intruding picot! She combined her rolled picot with the ip to create such an interesting effect. And there's more - she has already tatted a beautiful motif/pendant using these and will be sharing a tutorial soon. Can't wait ....

Ruthie May - She interrupted her doily to try out her first intruding picots (thankfully she didn't close the ring - who wants to open a ring?!) and she has created this lovely pearl tatting/Maltese ring effect! It is something that had not occurred to me.

Ninetta Caruso - Can't keep her away from metallic threads and beads ;-D
Such a wonderful Beaded ip - as seen from front and back! Think of the scope for play....

Anita Barry - Independently, she came up with the Pearl tatting effect.
In the trefoil, one can see the dimpled effect in the side rings, and she has pulled up the ip in the middle ring! Creates a matted/woven effect.

Anita Barry - sent in this exploratory trial piece as well. The messy one on the right makes me think of snipping the ip and ruffling them!

This is my Filled Ring trial using ip. Didn't come out right, but I can put it down as proof of concept at this stage. Had thought of twisting them, but that was too fiddly. However, it can be quite easy if done on a chain.
I want to try it with SCMR. I also want to try it with folded rings and chains. Could we weave them as well or am I getting way ahead of my skills, head in clouds?
Lots of homework ;-D

UPDATE : Jane McLellan created a lovely bookmark using interlaced rings and intruding picots! Check it out - https://janemactats.blogspot.com/2020/07/muskaan-bookmark.html

Present Summary -

So, what a spread, with many more ideas to try out besides a downward facing picot - Rolled, Pearled & Maltese (using a single thread is now possible!), Filled, Beaded, Dimpled, Ruffled (inside!), Mock rings, Onion rings, bead in center of ring and other functions ..... this is just the start of the Intrusion!
UPDATE : I have used it successfully with dot picots, dot picot strings, double picot, twisted picot, and even a half-closed ring with twisted picot as it's base!


And speaking of welcome intrusions, a few more prettified butterflies flew in after 2 years! Did they get lost in migration - I hope not. Care to send in more Make Me Pretty Butterflies?

Corinne worked her cute version for an event by Association Francaise de Frivolite.

 Krystyna Mura posted her version - I couldn't even recognise it - so great is the transformation!

Madhur Dadlani was inspired by Corinne's version and posted this cool freshness!

Original skeleton - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/04/make-me-pretty-please.html

Flown in versions - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/05/not-one-but.html

Local variants - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/05/i-love-butterflies.html

Keep Intruding, dear tatters. No 'stings' attached :-))) 

Happy Diwali

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I’m a day late (maybe not, it is a 5-day festival!) because I couldn’t decide whether to post this mangled piece or not. It is my very first trial with lots of mistakes. Also the shape of the diya (earthen lamp) is not exactly as I had visualised or sketched. Nevertheless, mistakes and all – here it is, with best wishes to all...remember it’s the thought that counts !

Made with size 40 & 50 threads. I worked the diya in one colour wound continuously. For the flame, I added 3 colours on tapestry needles to weave a 3-coloured Cluny flame. The stripes go from broad to narrow, and there are 2 yellow shades in there, along with the maroon. Don't look too closely, as a courtesy to me ;-P

I will work this again in size 20 at a more leisurely pace and reshape the diya, too. Diya is my favourite symbol of the festival. See my previous attempts here (tatting) and here (mixed media).
I also intend to use this and another flame idea on a tatted candle for a more universal appeal and application. Hoping for better results ...

And an update on the “unending” Scrappy Doily – Round 6 is completed and it now measures 5”x4”. Yes, the oval shape has held with graduated larger rings around the acute curves.

In a moment of ‘un’decisiveness, I snipped off the tails. I want to continue with a few chain rounds, but realised that there are odd number of rings on this round! Have to work out how to overcome this imbalance before I continue. Guess I'll just add another round of mock rings taking care to even out the number. It will be another confirmation of the doily keeping it's shape.

happy festivities J

school photo day

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tatted butterflies, square and oval doily

In my previous post I uploaded a school photo day (of all the Coloured Cluny butterflies). But guess what, one of them was too knotty or too shy to face the camera! Found it only when it peeped out from under the looms! 

So here’s a special group photo in celebration, this time with an old teacher standing guard. 

Can you spot which one was missing? (answer at end of post)

A group of butterflies is called a “flutter”, so ...

Question 1 : What should a collective or group of tatters be called ????

This large butterfly is the Butterfly Medallion No. 169 from a 1916 Corticelli booklet. 

I found the pattern here. I followed the rewritten pattern, but some counts are missing.

I’d intended to work it in size 40 white for it’s delicate lacy effect. But with so many cuts and ties, what's the harm in colouring it up to highlight the floral wings?! 

 These are the individual pieces, to be joined later with a pretty trim around each of the ‘florets’. I had to add stitches to floret chains to accomodate the decorative picots.

Re-tatted the body and made twisted (floating) picots this time.

I continued but have already unravelled & re-tatted a number of times. 

With so much back and forth, I am no longer enjoying it. 

So did it get mutilated or transformed? 

To solve that mystery, stop by tomorrow – you may be in for a surprise!

Sparkle Fusion is Usha’s new medallion 

fusing together the dot picot string and variable treble stitches. 

I had the pleasure of test tatting it - her swirl join variation. Worked in Anchor size 20. 

She uses this method of tds variation with the instructions similar to these. 

A variable tds creates a nice little peak or scallop on the outer edge of the stitch! 

Scrappy Doily after 5 rounds 

In Anchor Size 20, it is now 4” x 3¼” – I got my oval !!! 

All those suggestions have helped. Too many tatters, unlike too many cooks, did Not spoil ;-P 

Placed on the grid to confirm. 

Click here for earlier musings & notes. 

The truant butterfly !

Question 2 : Should this Coloured Cluny Butterfly be called Ready to Fly butterfly?

One of the names has 2 votes out of 3 (not saying which!), but what’s your choice?

Eager to read your answers ....

flutter by with tatting , always

a slave to urges

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I’ve been pretty lethargic these last few days – picking up the shuttle and/or Cluny loom for short durations only. Reading, watching tennis, and now housecleaning (Not my favourite urge, mind you) seem to occupy my time more than my passionate urge to tat. Oh, and I fought my urge, staying completely off the grid for a couple of days - detox, perhaps?

But I couldn’t resist the urge to tat this latest from kukkatatting! It’s her 94^th scmr medallion and I love the picot flowers all around giving the snowflake a flurry look. Except for the ones on the tips, the picot flowers are linked to each other, and I missed out one attachment. 

Worked in size 40 thread, it measures over 7cms across. I hope she does not mind me copying her pattern. In case of any complaint, I will delete this post with due apologies.

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After a few days of musing, here’s how far the Scrappy doily has come. I absolutely Loved all the advice I got (thank you once again, gracious tatters/crafters), and it has guided me in this round so far.

I started by sketching an outline of the 4^th round (which you may remember was ovoid), and then sketched a couple more lines around it to balance out the asymmetry. 

Also, I increased the size and number of rings at the starting end to overcome that missing ¼^th inch. I haven’t needed to add too many additional rings along the side, though. Let’s see how it turns out. I’m enjoying the figuring out process, without applying high-end mathematical calculations ;-P

ÕÖ×ÖÕ

And a couple of weeks back I did finish sewing in Jane McLellan's leaf braid edging on to my MIL's saree. I didn't want to end up with all the sewing in one go (blossoms motifs and edging together). This is actually a pic taken much earlier.

ÕÖ×ÖÕ

Meanwhile, I Have finally made the Cluny Butterfly and will share it once I finish writing the pattern. Lots of trials and friendly feedback, but may still need to be test-tatted, so get your shuttles and scrap threads and Time ready for a request :-D

I need help

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So you may remember that I’m trying to make my Scrappy doily oval instead of round. This is round 4 completed.

Now I’m not really going for pristine and perfect here – it’s simply a fun relaxing recycling project. Nevertheless I would surely like the doily to be oval And keep it’s shape throughout. I’m hoping it ends up as a doormat - it is already pretty dense and stiff and some fabric below will make it durable.

Question #1 - How do I achieve it? 

I made the end rings on both rounds slightly larger. But the Rnd 4 ones on the left bottom (in pic) are larger still. I got it to look ovoid there. The other end, though, has a wider arc. I will make the rings large in Round 5, hoping to repeat the left side. 

Will it be sufficient? Any other suggestions before I begin?

Question #2 – Provided I am satisfied that the oval is symmetric, Should I continue with normal rings in later rounds? Will the oval shape continue? After all, I cannot keep increasing the size of rings ad infinitum.

From round 3 onwards, I added a very small picot for attachment so that I have a decorative picot overlying the next round (as seen after round 4). I kind of like it.

The 2 threads you see emerging after each round are because these are mock rings (scmr), not normal rings. I have only one shuttle filled with white thread; the coloured bits are all loose scrap threads - they come and go ;-P

I've not decided how to fill the center yet, but no hurry there.

At the end of 4 rounds it measures 3¼ x 2¾ inches, but one side is ¼" longer than the other. All Anchor size 20 thread.

scrappy doily and scmr

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For the last few days I hadn’t picked up a shuttle. Housework was partly to blame, leaving me too tired to continue with my Blossoms motifs (I was on a whirlwind spree and the count is now up to 20 - halfway mark reached!!!). So, I took up sewing the edging on the saree – somebody (meaning me) has to do it!

Last evening, I didn’t even have the concentration to sew. But Madhur Dadlani's Unending Doily had been at the back of my mind as a wonderful way to empty shuttles and use up all the scraps! Picked up a shuttle and started.

My rings are ( 4-3-3-4 ). I started with 3 normal rings (white), then switched to SCMR.

Why? With scmr, I can use up almost every last bit of scrap thread, since they will only form the stitches. Can you see where I have a part purple part blue ring? Easily possible with scmr.

And I can have a continuous core thread throughout, not having to refill the shuttle every time.

To secure the scmr, I made an unflipped half stitch at the base.

I had first thought of making it rectangular, but I think with random colours, it is best to go circular. Although, here I am aiming for an oval and will decide on how to fill the center later. Hope the shape will hold.

It’s still scappy, fresh off my shuttle, with no blocking.

So far these are Anchor size 20 scraps, and the 2 rounds measure 2”x1½”.

Do you see this turning into an Ice Drop?! A future project :-D

SCMR - self closing mock ring -

And on the topic of SCMRs, a Japanese tatter (kukka tatting) has been applying the scmr to small medallions and so far she has reached a count of 91 lovely medallions/motifs using scmr!!! I've been following her journey from the start, but it's a pity that I can't leave any comment on her blog. Do check it out. 91 scmr motifs !

Split SCMR
And Tim Kaylor has worked out a way to split the scmr in regular tatting (ie. when working with only 2 threads!). Randy Houtz’ split/scmr uses 3 threads. Tim has put up a video too. Now to try it out…

(added later in the day...) 

After some thought, this is the realisation I’ve come to –

Tim pulls open the scmr, exposing the core thread, then uses a split chain to cover and bridge the core thread.

Which is similar to what Dora Young did in her KM Ring (Knotless Method Ring). And Rachael Mohler did a slight modification by not closing the ring completely, then covering the open core thread with the knotless method (i.e., a split chain in modern terms).  

So it is basically the modified Dora Young’s Knotless Method Ring (a mock ring worked in 2 parts by anchoring with a lock join & doable with a single shuttle) on a SCMR! 

Clever, nevertheless, and opens up vast possibilities.