refresher samplers

Pin It now! Another quick post with refresher samples. It feels good to refresh one's memory and skills.

There was a time long back when I found it difficult to do a SCMR (self-closing mock ring), let alone Interlocking SCMRs! Hence my trials and study focused on interlocking with normal rings but with shuttle instead of needle - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2014/05/interlocking-rings-using-shuttle.html

Over time I have come to adopt the SCMR as a convenient and often useful 'technique' and effect. And the above sampler is tatted following the pictorials by Sue (His Kid) and Umi & Tsuru. Sue's instructions are clearer while the latter's images are sharper. Hence my model utilizes both instructions.

The bare thread between rings should be long. If you look closely, a couple of segments don't lay flat because i used a relatively shorter BTS.  

There are a number of other ways to make 'flat' IRs - scroll down for all the links here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html

Jane Eborall left a comment and link in my previous post about an Alternate Way to make Josephine Rings. I had tried them back in 2014 and used them to create 3D buds (above) for the Tiny Heart Poppy - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2014/09/tatting-pattern-tiny-heart-poppy-part-2.html

However, it was time for a refresher! And this is what I made last night - 

This time I made the half-stitches in such a way as to leave 'picots' . They create a lovey twist! And they are more stable than Interlocking Picots and can be used for joining with care. However tatting them required a bit of calisthenics and keeping all the loose half-stitches under one's pinch meant the size of the ring was limited. This is not an issue if we remove all slack and snug the stitches without 'picots'.

UPDATE: Is this similar to Mark Myers' Dizzy Double Stitch (DDS)? It certainly appears so. He seems to use the same movement for the half-stitches but makes normal (double stitch) rings instead of Josephine rings. 

And today is International Lace Day. In the morning I wound my shuttle with Lizbeth (s0ze 30), sought out the brown ball (Anchor) and will tat the E14 autumn tree again. The one in the pic has mistakes as I had pointed out here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/impressions.html

Kind of refreshing the model, huh?!

With the reworked tree I would've finished the tatting part of the #colourmeEndrucks project.

Wishing everybody a very creative and happy ILD!

and many thanks to Sue, Jane, and Wendy for their wonderful tutorials!

thrown, floating and 8 rings

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Please note that the post and pdf have been updated on 30th August 2021. In case you already downloaded the pdf, kindly click on the link to refresh the document.

Tatting with an international community throws up interesting facts and ideas. All patterns in Endrucks' (1920) book use 2 shuttles and has plenty of rings made by switching the shuttle in hand - you guessed it - thrown rings! However, as Ninetta pointed out, a lot of Italian tatters have mastered the art of tatting with a single shuttle and ball, and adapting any pattern to suit this. It got me thinking about all the various ways in which we throw off a ring and here is the result of that exploration/stream of thought.

Thrown Ring Methods - a Ready Reckoner. click this link to download the complete document - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PhXhtq9K-WiUbys0dwwZuOIat10hGlB0/view which contains pictorials for each method as well as patterns to practice. Included at the end is a list of Needle tatting resources. 

For several of the patterns, despite having a pdf, I had to give the link to the blog post because the pdf link just wouldn't work the moment I converted this doc into a pdf. Probably some formatting glitch.

 

Following is a limited glimpse into each method. 

Gapsosis - A frequently asked question is how to avoid any bare thread/gap between the chain and the thrown ring. Above is an old pictorial I had done in response to this very question, where we have a trefoil instead of a single ring thrown off the chain - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/05/squirreling-away-gapsosis.html. 

1. Using 2 shuttles. I prefer this method except when I want to create a point in the chain where the ring is.

A thrown ring does not necessarily have to be floating above a chain or ring! It can lie above a join, between 2 chains, and can also face inwards.....

While this 8-ring appearance may not use the term thrown ring, the blue ring is made exactly according to any of the TR methods (in above case, with 2nd shuttle). 

Several other effects can be seen in the above model. Can you identify the thrown ring(s) in each?

NOTE: Although not shown in the pictorials, the pink ring need not be alone. We can have 2,3,or more rings below, with 1 or more TRs above!

All the rest of the methods are made with one shuttle and ball. Compare the colour of the TR and the chain curvature between each method. It is very important that chain stitches are snugged properly before attempting the TR.

2.A. Flipped-Up ring is simply a normal ring that is turned upwards before continuing with the chain.

2.B. Since I didn't like the way it sat, I tweaked it by stabilising and centering the TR with on overhand tie and keeping the ball in front of the work.

3. Loop Tatted Ring can be used to throw off a ring as well.

4. We all know that the Self-Closing Mock Ring is often used to deliberately create a pointed chain - whether it is a 1ds SCMR or a larger thrown ring.

Direct Tatting. In certain cases, it is easy direct tat a chain and throw off a ring, using single shuttle and ball. Tatting will move from right to left, but the shuttle will be in position to make a thrown ring.

Even if the shuttle is not in position, it can be brought to where we need it, by the following 2 methods -

5.A. Twist Work - I start by making an unflipped half-stitch but instead of snugging. I pull the shuttle upwards (or downwards, if required) such that the threads now switch position and I have the shuttle where I need it. I had explained it here to switch threads after a lock join - 

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nRj_48VHK2LjhcxdQnirXBVweKO6h2ow/view 

5.B. Shoe Lace Trick - we all know this, but I avoid it and prefer other repositioning methods, including twist work. Jon Yusoff has explained this method very nicely here (wish I could get my SLT to behave so well!) - https://tatsaway.blogspot.com/2010/05/sometimes-you-dont-need-two-shuttles.html  

6. Changing Course - When another row/round follows the one with thrown rings, one can choose to shift the rings to the next row/round and make them normal rings. Obviously the direction of the rings will change, and sometimes it may cause ruffling/cupping/distortion. However, it worked fine in the above version - those purple rings were supposed to be thrown rings from the previous round, but I wanted this colour here, hence.... https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/06/valley-of-flowers.html 

I tatted this twice! My intention was merely to showcase the different effects when using each of the methods (lower scroll). But then somebody asked whether I had a tutorial actually showing how to do a thrown SCMR. So, I started over, taking stepwise pics for each method. 

And now I'm calling it a Ready Reckoner (RR), because as far as possible, I have included everything we'd want to know about Thrown or Floating Rings. I would love to get your feedback on this format and exercise. I already have another RR on the way that was started in July in response to a friend's request for help. 

Click to download complete pdf - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PhXhtq9K-WiUbys0dwwZuOIat10hGlB0/view 

lounging by the sea

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...if only ;-D But one can always bring the sea home or a friend can send us the sand and waves, sprinkled with pearls!  

This is a slight adaptation, in trying to manifest Ninetta Caruso's Heart by the Sea in thread, which is the reason for this unusual colour combo. An island surrounded by the sea and pearls, and palm trees!

It'd been ages since I picked my shuttles and you can see how my first attempts failed due to uncooperative threads. The yellow one is in metallic-wound size 20 which was no fun this time. The beige one got stuck while closing! 

So, in my 3rd attempt, I worked the hearts as mock rings (SCMRs). Worked. Notice the extra hearts? I wanted to show partially open oysters with a pearl inside. Not my best effort, but Dr Downplay came out to play :-) I really just wanted to enjoy some tatting time.

And for fun, I used a CWJ to join the small heart to the lower large one. Hmm, please don't, unless the picot is long! While the small heart had a smooth outline, it distorted the large one slightly.

I love the flower she inserted! I chose tinted green to represent a palm grove and the brown crystal could be coconuts?

The tiny seed beads represent the frothy waves on pristine blue waters, hitting the shores! The almost white sands and brilliant blue sea is an image stamped in my mind from the outskirts of Perth (Australia).

TIP: If you start the heart frontside, the pattern will move counterclockwise unlike that indicated in the diagram (starting with A). I was following the diagram only, and hence all my subsequent rings were worked backside. It is only now that I noticed her stepwise pics showing her counterclockwise WIP pics!

In Anchor Pearl cotton size 8, the heart measures 5cmsx5.5cms.

TIP: I started the green motif at the ring marked E in diagram, moving clockwise, so that there was more open space to close out the motif in the end.

Beads used - size 10/0 pearls (rescued as can be seen in their darker tinge!); 2 pearls - 4mm; crystal size 9/0; silver seed beads size 26/0.

For all pearl beads, I used my Floating Beads method - no need to load beads on a shuttle! However, I added one more step - capturing the bead within the first half stitch as in this onion rings method. It was Kathleen Minniti who captured the 'floating ring' in our round robin doily instead of simple FB method. 

This lovely pattern and instructions can be found here - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/02/hearts-friends-and-flower.html I had not realised until I read her post, that the heart is derived from her doily - one that was already on my to-tat list! 

Many thanks to Ninetta for sharing her pattern and also for creating a lovely pictorial for my Block Heart ( I need to update the post). Both were chosen for the Un Coure Per Te event in the very active and inspiring Italian facebook group - Chiacchierino:Filo, Amore e Fantasia. My heart is late for the event, but I'm happy to have tatted something! And there's an event every fortnight, so join in!

influential intrusion

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It all started when Grace Tan saw the intruding picot and brought out her long-stalled pattern. She thought it could be used in her serpentine pattern and simplify the working instructions. And I was one of the first few she roped in to test tat Endless Hearts Braid with Corner.

Grace adapted her heart patterns into an undulating length of lace - a clever symmetry - and a larger heart for the corners. The frequent directional changes take a bit of getting used to, but soon one can set a rhythm. It still needs some concentration, especially if one resorts to fs/bs tatting as I did, in two colours, trying to keep the blips at the back. I had to draw my own diagram for reference initially.

 

Inward facing  picots - She substituted the Intruding Picot (ip) with Ninetta's Face Inward Picot (FIP), although the ip worked for me (above pics) in the 3rd and 4th corners. FIP was my first time and it was not easy to tease out the leg in perle cotton. I followed instructions for the braid, using FIP in first 2 corners.
Encapsulating Picot Join (EPJ) - I got to try out this new blipless join that can link several elements together at a later time. As the term suggests, it is a picot join that encapsulates or traps another element or picot. More elements can be linked to the same point later as well.

Sometimes I got the EPJ looking almost invisible from the front, at other times a thread bulge was visible. I played with many tweaks, such as up and down loops, etc, but need more study in thicker thread to figure out how best to avoid that thread to make it consistently indistinguishable.
Layered Picot Join - My 'easier' alternate to EPJ -

1. Make a longer picot on the ring such that it can span the chain(s) that it intends to encapsulate.

 

2. Keep this picot at back of work and make a normal picot join through Both picots simultaneously. 

3. This is how it looks from the back. 

Note - these pics were taken when I was working backside. 

 

4. This is how it appears from the front - the join is invisible here.

5. This is how the hook will be inserted through both picots when working frontside.
And a 4th element can be joined to that same picot through the back. I love how clean the chains look - the join is invisible.
Drawback - the rings tend to lie slightly below the chains, but with sufficiently long picot, it can be avoided. Mainly, there is a colour bar at the back (clearly visible in #3).
Turn Chain (tc) - Of course there are several other ways to work this, as outlined in Grace's post. Overall, I limited myself to very few tweaks and substitutions, trying to largely stay true to the pattern. I have used many ways to turn a chain, but stayed with her version of turn chain which was to simply rotate the stitches in such a way as to reposition them, like this Twist Work (TwW).
There are also several applications to this versatile pattern! -

Add a drop crystal and beads for a beautiful V-shaped necklace or collar; or a square collar to sew on!

Without the corners, it is easily a braid, bracelet, bookmark, ring, choker, etc. 

In Anchor Pearl cotton size 8, the braid is 1" broad ; 2 hearts = 1.5" long. The entire frame is 3" on the inner edge and just over 5" at the outer edge.
All in all, a good learning experience with tons of ways to work it.

Romancing With Life - an autobiography by Dev Anand -

This all-hearts pattern seemed a fitting frame for this true karma yogi's life, work, and joie de vivre perspective. Ageless, who died at 88 with his boots on and with more energy and curiosity than his juniors by generations.

Dev Anand needs no introduction to Hindi film buffs and Indians in general (isn't that top left pic just great?! - the 3 great contemporary heroes). But my international friends, can you identify who he is with in the top right pic?! This hardbound book is a feel-good read for the most part, dwelling mostly on his various loves - be it nature, mountains, films/film-making, women, beauty, etc. There are more areas and depth one would have liked to read about, but it is understandable how the entire focus was on romancing.

dandy options

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 Solai S asked for help with Teri Dusenbury's Dandelion Chain Link Bookmark after seeing a few recent versions inspired by mine. I needed to refresh my memory by reading the pattern and my blog notes. Huh, turns out I already had the SCMR in place of SQDR idea back then. Time to test it!

SQDR = split quadruple directional ring. It is basically a split ring but has only 1ds on the first side and the rest is worked on the 2nd side, using reverse (unflipped or larks head knot) stitches. Working moves counterclockwise. Rings thrown off the center are worked with same shuttle without any switch. 

If shuttles have different colours, there will be 1ds (on 1st side) that will of one colour and the rest in 2nd colour.

SCMR = self closing mock ring. This is a chain that closes into the shape of a ring. Working moves clockwise, and rings can be thrown off by switching shuttles.

It makes no difference if shuttles have 2 different colours - the entire SCMR with thrown rings will show the same colour stitvches.

The post is long because I am showing 3 alternate methods of working the Dandelion motif, all using the SCMR instead of SQDR. A lot of tips are also thrown in, giving the tatter an opportunity to pick and choose steps as desired. Feel free to skip the working you do not intend to make. 

And for even more options on ways to tat a central ring with several thrown rings, read the article, and download the tabulated pdf. 

 

Note that since thrown rings in SCMR are worked from left to right (a to e, in above left image), the start and end stitches of the SCMR are as notated. It may also be a good idea to make the motifs first, then make the chain link surround (the black rings in above bookmark), joining on the go.

Please follow the original pattern for stitch count and instructions, making necessary adjustments. The following is merely a depiction of alternate methods of working and/or using 2 colours. And knotless starts.

A. Single colour, 2 shuttles, wound ctm (continuous thread), SCMR with thrown rings.

Red - shuttle #1 ; Yellow - shuttle #2

 

A-1 : Loop Sh2 as if starting a chain. Bring Sh1 around the pinky once .... 

A-2 : ... to hold open a loop of Sh1 and start SCMR with 5ds.

 

A-3 : Making the 1st thrown ring with Sh2.

A-4 : Closing the 1st thrown ring off SCMR

 

A-5 : Follow pattern to make 4 more thrown rings, finish SCMR with 3ds, and close the open loop after passing Sh1 through it. Continue with stem using Sh1 as core and throw off the next ring.

A-6 : Follow pattern to complete the motif. Notice there are 2 tails that can be hidden in the chain link later.  

TIP : For a standalone motif, and to avoid sewing in tails, hide one tail in the last stem ring, and tat the final segment (10ds) of the stem as a floating chain as I did here for the rose. 

Tutorial -  https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2015/03/dead-end-start-to-split-chains.html

The tails in above motifs are not hidden in order to keep my options open for future.

B. 2 colours, 2 shuttles, SCMR with thrown rings    

Red - shuttle #1 with teal thread ; Yellow - shuttle #2 with pink thread  

  

You can start by knotting the threads. I prefer a knotless start, tatting over tails in separate elements.

B-1: (left image) I usually cross the threads as seen in left image. Each tail is hidden in a separate element.

(right image) This time I simply placed the tails one above the other and continued as below.

 

B-2 : Wrap the threads as above, holding a loop of Sh1 open.

B-3 : Work 5ds of the SCMR, tatting over tail.

 

B-4 : Switch shuttle and work the st thrown ring, switch shuttle to work the SCMR stitches,....

B-5 : and continue to make the rest of the thrown rings and 3ds to complete the central ring.

TIP: Notice how I inserted the pink tail inside the open loop, and also passed Sh1 through the same loop.

 

B-6 : Now close the loop/SCMR. But for Version 2 of pattern, we need switch threads for green stem stitches.

B-7 : The most common solution is SLT (showlace trick). I prefer to avoid it. Instead I did TwW (twist work) as in this bookmark. With Sh1, make an unflipped half stitch, but while tensioning, ensure that the shuttle moves to the top, thus repositioning threads and shuttles into desired positions.

 

B-8 : Work the chain with Sh2 core (hiding the pink tail), thrown ring with Sh1, and chain with Sh2 again. At the end of this segment, TwW to switch shuttle positions.

B-9 : Continue and complete the motif. The tails can be hidden in the chain link later.

C. 2 colours, 2 shuttles, SCMR with thrown rings, starting from bottom, ctm 

Red - shuttle #1 with brown thread (and later with lavender) ; 

Yellow - shuttle #2 with brown thread 

C-1 : Wind Sh1 with stem thread; pull out a length from the ball and cut. Pass this end through the respective chain link ring (if you make this frame first, as per original pattern), and wind the rest on Sh2. Thus, we have joined, with no tails to hide at the start. 

In my standalone model, a picot space is held open with a paper clip (dead end start). Thus, if the motif is worked first, this paperclip picot can be used for joining to the chain link frame.

Work the stem and leaves.

C-2 : Snip off the Sh1 thread, leaving a tail (the shuttle at the bottom of pic) which can be hidden under any element. Sh2 becomes the core thread shuttle for SCMR. 

Wind lavender on a shuttle, tat over tail to hide end and work the SCMR with thrown rings as per pattern. (add thread on chain)

C-3 : Close SCMR and hide ends.

It's been over a week since I heard from Solai, and have no idea whether she has started the bookmark and has any issues. But this seemed like a good opportunity to try out the substitution idea and share with you. 

So, pick up your shuttles and get started :-) What colours will you use?

One more question - do you like the size of the images? Any changes you would like to see in the presentation?