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test-tatting
for Jane Eborall
do you really think
her patterns need testing ?!
I’m sure we’ve all seen Jane’s latest necklace. It is such a
beautiful piece – simple elegance ! So when the opportunity to test tat it
came, I grabbed it, even though (or perhaps especially because) I consider
myself bead-challenged.
Don’t get me wrong – I love beads & admire all the
exquisite beaded tatting & tatters who can accomplish it. Beads add not
just beauty & ornamentation; they have functional significance too – adding
more colours, adding texture & dimension, bridging spaces, eliminating
auxiliary threads, …. you know more than I do. It’s just that when I work with
beads, my eyes get all beady, my threaded hands get all knotty, and my head
goes for a long beaded spin ! Time seems to whirl away while my tatting seems
to crawl. So beads go from affecting my eyes, to hands, to brain, and the whole
Time dimension :-(
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| Trial 1 : vintage threads Anchor size 30 ; size 9 beads ; finished length - 2" |
Instead of the necklace, I chose to tat only the earrings.
Loved it !!! It was fun because large beads were used & no stringing them;
and a great learning experience. It also turned out a blessing in disguise,
because this bead in SCMR has solved a problem I was facing with one of my
patterns. Thanks to Jane at so many levels :-)
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| Trial 2 : Anchor size 20 threads ; size 6 beads ; finished length - 2½” |
My Notes :
- When closing the SCMR half-way, keep enough loop space on either side of bead. This eases joining back. Learned from the 1st trial.
- There was some mismatch between threads & beads which has stumped me. But the pattern is very forgiving.
- Instead of lock join, I used the outer thread join (Teiko Fujito). With LJ I was getting a distinctly visually split ring (as seen in the lowermost ring in both versions ; see arrows in pic below). The outer thread join reduced the colour blip at both ends of ring, giving it more of a complete circle effect.
- Bead within half SCMR is a great bridging technique for making a pattern in one-pass !
I didn’t have to refer to any tutorial ! My beads &
attaching findings learning is taking shape ;-P
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Filet
in Silhouette
I had been admiring Amanda’s filet tatting projects on Craftree for
quite a while. Recently she offered to create a tutorial tat-along.
How could I stay away ?!
Finally started yesterday. Went pretty smoothly.
Her directions & instructions are very clear & well
laid out.
My Notes :
- I used size 20 thread, hence increased chain stitches to 6ds for each chain segment.
- Ch5 can be made to face outwards as Ch1 & all the other chains in that ‘line’ (eg. Ch9, 13, etc).
- I used directional (fs/bs) tatting.
- The striver acts as a tiny picot gauge in position B, when used after the SLT . In position A, it acts as a barrier while including the tiny picot.
- Not all chain turns require an SLT & SPB. I could accomplish most of then with SPA, which, in effect incorporates an SLT, but around the striver.
- The construction using the strivers & SLT is also reminiscent of the Celtic Knotted Picot discussed in the overhand tie here
Incidentally, I have used what I called the “SLT picot” in Round 6 of Renulek’s Wiosna last year ! I wanted to change colour midway
through a chain, but the pattern called for a small picot too (see pic below). I didn’t use a striver, just SLT, then a small picot. SLT or overhand tie helps to switch shuttle positions.
So, Lesson 1 (partially) is how far I got when I had to break for dinner &
chores. But it must’ve been on my mind 'coz I filleted my own finger !!! Gotta
give the shuttles a break :-(
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A doily tat-along by Renulek
Rounds 9 & 10 (size 40 cream Anchor thread)
Round 9 measures
10½”
A simple rings and chains round. So I went with direct
tatting (reverse stitch) for the chains. I find it easier/faster to switch
shuttles & work from the front than reel in & reel out the bobbin in
main shuttle & reverse work. Worked counter-clockwise.
Yes, there was some ruffling, but Renulek had assured us
that it will go away in a few more rounds.
Split chain to climb out to round 10
Round 10 measures 11½”
Went with normal 2-shuttle tatting, since there were
frequent floating rings. Didn’t make sense to do direct tatting. So working in
clockwise direction, with reverse work & switch shuttles.
Again used a split chain & split ring to climb out for
round 11.
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That’s all there is for now. I have finally taken
photographs of my recent projects, so you can expect more posts soon :-)
Thanks for reading
along …
and
