Showing posts with label Sara D. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sara D. Show all posts

Tuesday, 15 September 2026

DAL2026 roundup 3

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Blogger is refusing to update our blog feed so I can't say how many in blogland will be able to see this post. But let's focus on the beauty that has been pouring in, requiring a 4th roundup post, soon, after which I will make the patterns public! Relevant links at the end of this post. As usual, the order of presentation follows the chronology of who started the design-along DAL 2026 Challenge first. 

There's a lot happening like when I woke up this morning there were 3 new participants along with a couple of patterns from earlier participants waiting for me!!! Oh, what fun! 

And you might recognise the individual motifs in the lovely mat below? This is Linda Mazerat's Arborea, made by joining 9 of her motifs! She received lots of accolades and requests for the pattern. I have been working on the English presentation and should be able to upload it soon. 



Donna McDade - is back with the rest of her motifs!!! Some of them were sent at 4-30 in the morning - does she ever sleep?
Version 5 - has a 3-D center and a chains-only outer round!
(pattern ready)

Version 6 - has a nice colour-play and another chains-only round!
(pattern ready)

Version 7 - Donna felt this was a very simple round with only a split ring braid. But I like the shape that emerged and the potential to add more if picots are added.
(pattern ready)

Version 8 - Now isn't this just too cute with a great shape?
(pattern ready)


15. Sue Bradham (His Kid) - added 3 rounds, two of which involve a repetition of the center rosette with a very floral appeal overall! 
(pattern ready)
She has been sharing her progress in her blog - 
https://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2026/08/tatting.html


16. Jon Yusoff (Tat-a-Renda) - True to her designing prowess, Jon designed a single round covering a large space, seamlessly  moving in and out!
(pattern ready)

Her first attempt was the one on the left which is also pretty, don't you think? She worked the 2nd version in variegated thread which she felt masked the design. Hence the final model in pink.

17. Sara Dougan - This is Sara's very first attempt at designing! The picot flowers really perk up the scroll.
(pattern ready)

18. Paola Bevilacqua - has given staunch competition to Ninetta's model by designing 8 rounds! She also added a bit of dimensionality with curled rings. 
(pattern ready)

As you can see, most patterns are already completed in PDF form with inked images as well as short notation text. A few have diagrams. The previous two roundup posts are also being updated as and when the pattern is ready. My aim is to release the document by the end of this week, after the 4th roundup.

Hope you are enjoying scrolling through these lovelies!
... to be continued ...
Related Posts
Muskaan's DAL 2026 Challenge - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2026/08/time-to-play-again.html

Many many thanks to all participants ranging from budding to experienced designers, playing with such enthusiasm and determination! 

Saturday, 15 June 2024

picot me roundup 3

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 I had shifted Ninetta's entries to this Part 3 in order to equalise all 3 posts. And then I got caught up in a lot of other stuff and this post got delayed. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise 'coz a few more butterflies fluttered in! 
Game - #PicotMeEndrucks April2024
Pattern - Antonia Lai's E32 adaptation 'Life is Bliss butterfly' 
Objective - Use ornamental picots to embellish the butterfly motif. 
Roundups and details - Part 1  ; Part 2

21. Ninetta Caruso - started a virtual butterfly effect when she used Celtic Knotted Picots! Many members used the CKP, albeit in different ways, as you would've seen in previous roundups.
Calling it her Frilly Butterfly, she says, "This is the frilly butterfly that I got, ....  I tried for my first time the "Celtic knotted picot", developed by Sabina Carden-Madden, I followed her tutorial shared years ago, that luckily can be reached again using the wayback machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20190108165755/http://www.paradisetreasures.com/ckp.html. Thank you for the fun! It's wonderful that in tatting we never stop learning!"
To me, her CKPs themselves looked like tiny butterflies!
Her 2nd entry was even frillier than the first one and she called it the Fluffy Butterfly.
She says "This is my fluffy butterfly, ... these are "layered picots", they are called also floral picots or ruffled picots, it is like the Victorian set but with picots between sections of half stitches, it's a technique already found in Priscilla's patterns."
The top view is in the inset.

22. Reiko Akamatsu - started this circular edging with a series of butterflies.
It's still a WIP and the amazing part is that she does not seem to have altered the stitch count at all. A truly versatile motif!

23. Sabine Robert - joined us for the first time with 3 versions!
She says, " - I start tatting with this Life is Bliss Butterfly pattern (2nd project, after some trainings). Not so easy, I need to do more and more"
One can already see her progress and improvement! And adding beads is not always easy for a new tatter.

24. Sara Dougan - is a new member, too. 
She used a combination of long decorative picots, double picots, and butterfly picots!

25. Silvana Buonvino - sent in these delightfully coloured versions!
Besides the pearls and beads, she used double picots, triple picots, and Josephine Picots. She asked whether the JPs could be made on rings and tried out the suggestions for her 4th butterfly! 

Voila, her 4th entry has Josephine Picots on rings as well as on chains! 
Silvana embellished her own skills along with the butterfly! 

26. Stephanie Mc (Tattimic) - shared her ideation and design process and has promised us the pattern, too!
Her 3 idea sketches (which inspired Lauretta Tondelli to learn the CKP) for which she asked for feedback.
The 3 versions that finally emerged. The one on the right uses balanced double stitches to stabilise the long "wobbly" chains and a scroll of rings and chains for the bottom wings.
She says, "But then, I still didn't have any picots, which wouldn't do for a #picotmeendrucks, right? So I asked myself how I could add a shape inside the largest loop and still use the crocheted picots suggested in the list of ideas (I like it! It's so super cute!). That's when all hell broke loose, because it meant to rethink again the initial pattern (so no real onion rings, for exemple), and I ended up with the design you see on the left. 
That being said, thank you for the initial challenge, haha. It sparked my imagination!"
And what a spark it is! 

The metamorphosis process in thread!
She says, "And here are a couple of tests I made along the way. I often see people wondering how to create new design. That's one way to go : trial and error, haha."
This is proof that designing is not always easy, despite the numerous paths one can take to convert an idea into thread.

27. Vani Kattoju - heeded my request and shared her 3 versions though she was not fully satisfied with her working. Appreciate it, Vani!
She says, "My first attempt at using vapor picots, Mrs Mee picots and tuft picots. A little Not so perfect butterfly." 
She used a mix of double picots, "...layered picots and twisted picots."
 
For her 3rd version,  "I tried daisy picots as the highlight along with few double picots."
This motif has been the vehicle for a lot of first learnings and practice makes perfect.

28. Wanda Salmans - created 5 versions and blogged about each of them.
She says, "My first try at the Picot Me Endrucks April 2024 Game of the Month. The one on the left is the pattern adaption by Antonia Lai. I started it several times - it helps not to be tired or distracted when starting something new. For the second one, I played around with picots. I used HH20-126 Purple Splendor."
Her 2nd version has overlapping double picots and twisted picots. 
Her post - https://www.wandasknottythoughts.com/2024/04/playing-with-butterflies/
3rd version is decorated with chains on long picots, giving a scalloped edge to the wings. She has used several bits and pieces on her 'Safety Pin Brooch'.  
Read all about it here: https://www.wandasknottythoughts.com/2024/04/safety-pin-brooch/
Both 4th and 5th versions use what Mark Myers' called the Picot Lock Join. It is basically a lock join made with the 2nd shuttle to a picot and the basic join in inverted tatting. 

29. Lou Bunker - made sure her butterflies fluttered around in June.
She says, "Fun little pattern works up fast, very addictive." 
Some of her cuties have beads and double picots.

30. Manju Talekar - has this beaded beauty to share, sent in June.

She says, "I tatted it with Lizbeth variegated thread #20 color 123. The transparent glass bead in the center reflects light but cannot be seen in the picture. Wings can move up and down by the side of glass bead. Enjoyed making it."
A tatted butterfly that can actually fly - wonderful!

UPDATE (Dec2025): 
31. Debbie L Fister - Sep2024
Debbie says - Question: if a pattern calls for a normal picot would substituting decorative picots change the pattern significantly? What modifications should I consider?
thank you very much. I am a bit surprised that the photo is so messy. I decided I am not a designer (yet). I have to say this was a challenge, but I really wanted to try Celtic rings. As for substitions: 3 graduated picots with 0 ds between adds 2 ds. Same with a double picot.
But what about interlocking or tufted? The rings don't seem to that different in size, but now I'm thinking the extra ds might affect the way the corner fits on the book page.

So this brings us to the end of the Picot Me Endrucks roundup. Ninetta and I are so grateful for this huge interest and the beauties that emerged from the game, besides the learning, exploration and experimentation. 

At final count we have an exciting 31 participants and 76 butterflies!!! Remember, if you have made any Endrucksian pattern you are free to send it to either Ninetta or to me at any time. Leave a comment in our respective blogs if you wish. (all relevant links on the right panel of this blog)

Many many thanks to all our participants for sharing your work and thoughts and brightening up the tatting skies with these lovely creations! 

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