one is here

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Remember this? Well, the Summer 2020 IOLI issue has arrived and I am so excited to hold the magazine in my hand! The previous (Spring) issue is obviously lost, though editor-in-chief Prabha has generously assured me they will send in another copy. 

Hubby was so excited to see the article, co-authored by my prodding pardner, Anita Barry, that he has now urged me to reveal my real name and use/include it in future. So, meet Meenakshi Jain, popularly known in the tatting community as muskaan ;-)  Most correspondents already know my name and Georgia Seitz gave me one of the best compliments when I told her the meaning of this Sanskrit term,  'eyes shaped like a fish'. She said, I was 'meant to tat! Rings are often called oeillets and shuttle is called fish (because of it's shape) in certain languages.'

Back to the publication. It is the last article in the bulletin, and the only exclusively tatting article. But there are so many interesting articles to go through and the images have already inspired me to convert those laces into tatting patterns!

Bookmark adapted into a Mat - WIP

One of the distractions a couple of weeks back was test-tatting a bookmark pattern for Ruth Perry. I liked the central round rings made with balanced double stitches and decided to work it as a square mat instead. It is still a work in progress and can be worked in one pass - several magic pathways are possible! However, I ran out of threads and have shifted attention to completing the hanky edging.

In Anchor size 20, this is just over 7" long. The thread is probably 20 years old and considering the deceptively large amount used up in just this, it might be sufficient to complete the entire mat. Have some ideas in mind to introduce another colour...

This is a multi-purpose pattern. Work it as a single square motif or a beautiful bracelet with ribbon woven through the rings! Or with multiple rows, as a mat! 

Download Bookmark-8-2020 pattern here. She has several more patterns, including a beautiful new Celtic Knot Tatted Square, that I am resisting for now.

laying out the magic carpet

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A few months back, a call for free patterns was sent out for the IOLI Chapter Gift CD, which Anita forwarded to me. Long story short, instead of a single pattern, I sent in the magic square derivative ideas and patterns since this can make a good group project. I enjoyed collaborating with Shemene – she was prompt, accommodating, and enthusiastic.  

https://sites.google.com/internationalorganizationoflace.org/2020-ioli-convention/convention-info

Now that the CD is out, I am sharing the entire package with my dear readers. There are no new patterns, but some have been converted into pdfs, along with the Magic Square deconstruction series.

There are about 80 Charter Chapters in IOLI alone, besides the numerous local groups. With so many tatting groups active around the world, I hope some of you will enjoy the enormous opportunities and new perspective this activity can provide, and will take it up as a workshop or group project. But please send/leave me a line so that I can join in your creativity.

Here is the entire list of urls –

Magic in the Magic Square – complete article with loads of ideas and accompanying models  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bynpB4cDMTkVBiKu16A_8qRL1Qn3K4yq/view?usp=sharing

Magic Heart - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UFju_wctrzLeDMogxZ4Q3F5KH8ktIUOr/view?usp=sharing (this is a new diagram for the motif)

Bonds of Love Rakhi - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5MqI5ByadI4OHNGWndfMGVRaEU/view

Bonds of Love Bracelet - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5MqI5ByadI4Wm9LSDd1dURvaWM/view?usp=sharing (single-page version)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5MqI5ByadI4cm96OXlPaEdEbDQ/view?usp=sharing (stepwise pictorial version)

Better Than Nothing bookmark - https://drive.google.com/file/d/14y2uVcHnD7P0bxxIZQjPsJWV8uxSOOJY/view?usp=sharing

Magic Square Cross - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zpgW3TWP2P9aB2tKsKtoUPJqXNne1b-h/view?usp=sharing

I forgot to include the crosses in the above group pic! The bookmark and other models have all been gifted or used up. One of my favourite Asterix stories - Asterix and the Magic Carpet - partly because of it's India connection!

I have created a Google Docs file titled THIS  FROM  THAT wit ideas generated, extracted, or derived from existing patterns. All new ideas and their actual conversion to lace will be added to this file. Here's the link -  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bQMr97vyWITzsnS44ZYaMDRhCLYI8eTvemZhq0QlO8o/edit?usp=sharing

Earlier this year, my work was published in 2 issues of the IOLI Bulletin. Anita had been pressuring me to send for a couple of years in order to promote tatting. I finally took courage and spent time to prepare the presentations. And as gratitude, it seemed fitting to share our joint hearts patterns.

Add new thread WITHIN a ring (in the Spring 2020 issue) –https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g5GJz1rdzdKqpfw51Cm8lGptsY5S73ca/view?usp=sharing  

Buddy Hearts co-author Anita Barry (in the Summer 2020 issue) – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1frJpMRiHu5fOEH9Zs3VANVGIURZA126_/view 

The heart patterns were already shared as a pdf, but a few small tweaks were made for the article. So I am not creating a new pdf.

Oh, and if you prefer a single page diagrams-only version, then here it is - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DZFxEDvEwe-rPUv1evgPaxic1sbaEnHC/view

And this is how the cover looks scanned, courtesy Anita…. 

I was supposed to receive a complimentary copy of the magazine back in April. It did not arrive, probably got stuck in the lockdown situation. Sadly I have no physical nor digital copy to see or show. A few of my well-wishers enthusiastically let me know that they had seen/read them. The editor, Prabha, does not make a single change to the articles sent in and prepares beautiful layouts.

Although I have identified a few more things I would like to share, it is difficult to find the time to work diligently on them. Hence, I did not send in anything for the next issue.

A very special thanks to Anita for prodding me beyond my comfort zone and also for proofing the articles. And to the wonderful editors for accepting.