updates

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I have often updated a post (highlighted as 'UPDATE') without any separate notification. This time I thought a special post would be good for those interested since there are quite a few. Yet as I list them, I find some should be accompanied with a photo. Hence while I rectify that omission, here is part 1 of the updates in no particular order ....

DAL Celtic Snowflake challenge. Pattern (diagram) for Padma Mandayam's adaptation of Mariola Siwek's version is now uploaded to this Google doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pVqM6S5Ng49xk6erSsDyRm3y7SdV2tCIUOCgltze4lM/view for you to enjoy. 

Original post -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/12/and-more.html 

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I was very impressed with the way Ninetta had started her ring seamlessly without making any 'join' by using the same joining loop as a ring loop. Well, forgetful brain did not put two and two together especially considering I have used this method before. It is basically the Ring on Picot technique which Patty Dowden demonstrated in this video -https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LmMxIBrDpRI 

Original post -  https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/10/awakened.html

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When I wrote about Fringe Tatting and the Tatted Fringe I did not highlight that beads could be used for the fringe, too. Eventually I made a beaded fringe inspired by and following Corina Meyfeldt's directions for Beaded Stem. Nina Libin called it Single File Beaded Picot.  The beads are pre-strung on the shuttle or ball thread depending on the pattern and each fringe or beaded picot is moved in place when needed. 
Original Posts - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/08/on-fringes.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/11/soup-catcher.html

Here's an old model from 2017 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/05/rising-month-late.html

This method is fine for a limited number of fringe elements/picots with a limited number of beads on each or if all the beads are on the ball thread. 

One more method is the Floating Beads method but it has severe limitations -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/09/floating-beads-part-4.html

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And finally splocik's Small Decorations 2024 since I won't be participating in her 2025 verion - December gallery (https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/12/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria-grudniowa.html ) and collages of entire year's works by some participants (https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2025/01/male-dekoracje-2024-podsumowanie-i-3.html) ... links added to my final post (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/12/a-no-glass-ceiling.html). I am happy to have been able to submit 13 decorations.

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I had sent the vapour stitch bouquet pic for PICOT Bingo, but couldn't complete the game in the way I had intended and imagined. 5 boxes still left to cross out. Natalie, too, has uploaded a 2025 bingo card, but I won't be participating. See how disciplined I am being this year?! ;-D 

This is it for now. More updates will follow with some exciting revelations/discoveries!

And I still have to update some of the original posts with new links/details. Tomorrow. It's time for bed now.

SOUP catcher

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I haven't touched my shuttles for almost 3 weeks now, but I needed a small decoration for splocik's monthly game. So, I did a quick search in my stash and found motifs I had tatted in September. I hastily put these together to create some kind of ornament. It resembles a dreamcatcher somewhat, but could just as well be a suncatcher, a window decoration or a tree ornament. And overall, it could've been better! This will have to do for now since only a few hours remain of November.

Being made of pieces in my stash and with no clear identity, I was tempted to call it my SOUP* catcher! Remember what SOUP stands for? - Sewing On / Using Pieces of tatting. However a few of my friends say it does look like a dreamcatcher. And these are the component pieces ....

Motif #1 Mituko Ikuta's 1994 book 'Shuttle Lace: Tatting and Beads 1' has several picot effects which became popular as 'Ikuta Picots' through Georgia Seitz's tribute to the designer. The above motif is from Ikuta Picots Diagrams 1  by Georgia Seitz (https://www.theonlinetattingclass.com/technique-tools). Worked in Lizbeth size 20.

Motif #2 And this is from Diagram 2 same link as above. In the first motif the long picots appear like adjoining or continuous picots, being joined at the same distance. These are double picots and the two threads can be arranged to better resemble them - I did not. Worked in Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8.

In this 2nd motif the very long picots are joined to adjoining elements (rings here) and form overlapping layers with careful interweaving.

This time I pinned the long picots in 2nd motif while blocking in order to achieve the points. I like this better since it opened up the picots - what about you?

My pictorials for her overlapping picots effect - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=Ikuta+picots

Motif #3 I was inspired by Corina Meyfeldt's beautiful Sakura pattern (https://cmhandmade.blogspot.com/2014/11/pattern-sakura.html). I had started out to tat the sakura, but pre-stringing the beaded picots (notice I put 3 yellow beads at the tips?) was quite time-consuming so I went freeform with only 5 stamens. Worked in Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8.

There's a backstory to this. When I did the post about Tatted Fringe (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/08/on-fringes.html) Stephanie W told me about her beaded fringe which she made using Nina Libin's 'single file beaded picot' and even sent me a pic! It reminded me of Corina's Sakura which had been taught in Georgia's class. The method is exactly the same, though for a fringe the picots would likely be longer.

Motif #4 The large mustard 4-petalled motif in the center of the bangle is an adaptation of Eliz Davis' motif (https://tatknot.blogspot.com/2016/05/mock-ring-by-joining-chain-back-to.html) which I made before in blue (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/05/of-long-chains-large-rings.html). After everything was assembled, I realised I hadn't taken a pic of the motif separately. Worked in Anchor size 20 (¬size 10).

Motif #5 There was a prominent negative space in the 4th motif so I sewed in the Fringe Star 

(pattern https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/08/starburst-fringe.html) 

I wanted to take a short video of the SOUP dreamcatcher but it wasn't to be. 

How fast this year has slipped by! Only one more month left, one last submission left. Do check out the range of October entries in splocik's 'Small Decorations' game - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/11/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria.html

Many many thanks to all mentioned in this post!  

on the fringes

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 Or not so much on the fringes? 

FRINGE(s) is a kind of decorative edge made of lots of hanging threads.  

FRINGE TATTING usually involves very long adjoining picots at the outermost edge of the piece, which are then cut and trimmed to size. These may be frayed if needed. (thanks to Anita Barry, who also shared a pic for the Glossary)

TATTED  FRINGE  AND  ADAPTATIONS -

Then came the Tatted Fringe shared by Corina Meyfeldt in November 2015 here - http://cmhandmade.blogspot.com/2015/11/fringe-sort-of.html . 

Unlike the former, the tatted fringe requires an auxiliary or spare thread.

She first tatted a chain with long adjoining picots on the main core thread; then snipped and trimmed the picots, spread them out and wound the shuttle to start the project. Snipping the picot tips separates the individual stitches.  Corina brought forth each fringe from the core thread as required. 

Tatted Fringe on Picot -

Notice that in the above WIP ring, I placed some of the fringes on the ring loop or left-hand thread while others remain on the shuttle thread. Thus we have the option of placing the fringe on the picot as well as on the core. Just like one would do for beads!

The above tatted fringe (made of metallic thread) is positioned on both the core as well as picot threads.

An extended application of Corina's method.

This can be done on rings as well as chains and gives a thicker fringe.

Spot Adaptation (using luggage tags) -

In December of the same year I shared my spot adaptation, with pictorial, here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2015/12/fringe-benefits.html

Instead of tatting a chain of long picots, I used luggage tag loops to make a lark's head knot on the core thread wherever and whenever required. These scraps can be tied frontside or backside (see next pic).

Besides, we have the freedom to include as many colours and threads as desired. Again, though not shown, the tag can be tied to the left-hand thread (on picot) or the core thread.

Seen together on a chain. Look closely and you will see that I brought the left-hand thread over and between the luggage tag, thus securing the fringe. 

NOTE: Since the tatted fringe makes a stitch on the core thread, care must be taken with the total stitch count in a pattern not written for a fringe. 

Tatted Fringe Picot! -

Now this is probably something new. Or at least I haven't come across it yet.

Since I had a few fringes left on the shuttle after tatting the first sample, I tatted a second ring but put all the fringes on the loop around the hand. And made a picot! 

UPDATE (Dec2024): 

BEADED FRINGE - aka Beaded Stem (Corina Meyfeldt) and Single File Beaded Picot (Nina Libin)

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/05/rising-month-late.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/11/soup-catcher.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search/label/beaded%20fringe

So, that's all for now folks. Editing (and tatting samples for) the book Six T's of Shuttle Tatting, by Net Best, is taking me to the fringes of the tatting world and tatting literature! It is making me delve deep and wide and sometimes inspiration strikes and I go off on a short explorative excursion. Hope you enjoyed this short journey and can find some applications for these fringes. And if you have any new  technique or effect, please let me know so that it can be included in the Glossary. 

stabbing at tidbits

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A few small pieces, mistakes and all ….

Started with Lavi’s new Wheat Circle earrings. I miscalculated and made only 9 rings. 

Although I liked the small circle I wasn't happy with the teardrop suspension.

With my new bead-stabbing, I was enthusiastic to have another go. 

This time will all 12 rings and the teardrop pierced with a jump ring, 

then suspended on a double chain of beads. 

I also increased the number of seed beads on the bare thread. 

Much better but wish I’d stuck with the earlier shade of green thread.

Both worked in Anchor size 20

In between the two, I worked this long overdue Sunflower in Maltese Tatting by Jane McLellan. I need occasional refreshers for some of these techniques and this is such a pleasant project. But I had beads left – hmmm! Not that it shows much.

While blocking I deliberately went with angular petals and noticed one was way smaller 

– hey, that’s to give it a ‘natural’ look ;-P

Yellow is Anchor size 20 and black is size 40.

Lastly, as I mentioned in my earlier post, I wanted to see how Usha’s Charming Frills looked with beads. Had another stab at it. 

Oh and another reason was that in the last fringe row, I had made 2 CWJs in one picot (since it was not clearly specified at the time – the pdf has been updated now). I thought that was the reason my pendant was broader, with the stitches all neatly lined up.

As it turns out, the last row is a chain with alternate CWJ and double stitch, with long picots between each obviously.

The black beads in the center are in a diamond formation. For this I reduced one long picot 

(only 7 instead of 8 and following with multiples of 7 in subsequent rows).

Too late I noticed the threads were tied off at the wrong point (gap seen on left side)! 
I had worked the first pendant from the prototype while the pattern was still being polished for presentation. So I’m happy to have made it again as per the final.

Worked in Anchor size 20.

many thanks to Lavi, Jane, & Usha for sharing their lovely patterns

happily tatting always – beads and mistakes and all  ;-P

floating beads PART 4

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edited Sep 7, 2017

This floating beads (FB) method I’ve been boring you with, arose out of a specific situational and visual need.

I was working on a 3-row necklace tatted in one pass (Tat Days attendees will get to see it way before I can post it here!). And instead of a bead in the center of a ring attached at both ends, I wanted it to dangle freely from the base.

The Swarovski bead was 4.5mm and the ring was a thrown ring. At least 3 such beads were needed (perhaps even 5) in the very 1^st row itself. And in later rows there were pre-strung seed beads with more tatting and teardrop beads too.

I tried out some established methods and had to reject them because -

pre-stringing – more than 1 bead and too large for a Pony shuttle – they jutted out.  

down picot (2fhs B 2shs) – if made at start or end of ring, bead would not lie in the centre. But more importantly, it also required pre-stringing.

beaded fringe – as in Corina’s beaded stem - again required loading on to shuttle!  OR

Nina’s single file beaded picot using a needled tip/thread. This could work since bead was loaded only when needed. But it required unwinding, loading bead (with stopper bead) & rewinding shuttle every time. Not only would I have to unwind an almost fully loaded shuttle, but there were pre-strung seed beads for other elements in the way.

These alternative methods increase our range of options and each has its benefits and limitations. Specifications of each project and of the individual can determine our choice.

Starting with Nina Libin’s recommended method –

Floating Beads - Beaded Fringe method

My adaptation of Nina Libin’s explanation

I have taken the liberty of using some of Nina’s own words here.

Materials – 2 shuttles, bead

Additional Materials – a stopper bead (tiny seed bead), white glue or clear nail enamel to make a “needled tip”.

Needled Tip/thread – the tail end is sliced diagonally and dipped in diluted white glue and twisted along the grain of thread. Keep repeating till the glue dries and a stiff, pointed tip emerges. This acts as a needle! 

 1. A thrown/floating ring large enough to accommodate bead is made off a chain.

 2. Unwind/unload the shuttle. This thread has a needled tip.

TIP: I use clear nail enamel for a needled tip since it dries much quicker. 

 3. String the large pearl bead and a smaller seed bead …

 4. and go back through the large bead. The green seed bead acts as a stopper.

 5. Move the 2 beads along the thread length, to the base of thrown ring, evenly tensioned.

 6. Rewind the shuttle and continue with the chain.

(Repeat the above procedure if more such thrown rings with floating bead are required).

7. Floating bead in thrown ring using the beaded fringe alternative

Bit of a hassle for the bigger necklace project, but great for small earrings, etc. or if the large bead is needed towards the end or is the last to be added. 

If core thread length is manageable, one can resort to finger tatting – no shuttle hassle.

Undoubtedly, despite reasonable limitations, the method works splendidly with any level of expertise!!!

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Adding a bead with CWJ in split ring

Ninetta Caruso

After seeing the bead under a chain, Ninetta sent me this link to the method she uses - a Catherine Wheel Join on the 2nd half of  split ring, after flipping it over.

Well, I had to try it ! See, one more option and this time in a split ring.

I need lots more practice, though. The last large ring is where I tried to dangle the bead lower – it doesn’t show clearly from this angle.

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Floating Beads - Sequins

If beads, why not sequins, right ?

Exactly the same method and steps – one with 3 sequins on chain and another with a star sequin inside a ring.

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Floating Beads – with Tatted Rings 

You know my preference for beadless tatting. I had been thinking about trying to ‘dangle’ tatted rings within rings. Would the substitution work? Before I could work on it, Ninetta again sent me some links.

This beautiful Berry Wreath pattern uses the same half hitch/overhand/half knot at base of Josephine rings as in Step 2 of the FB method ! This led me down memory lane – I had used the same half hitch to stabilize JR in this 2-colour edging a couple of years back.

In the blue-green one, the inside ring is a 4ds dot. In the larger heart ring, they are Josephines.

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Jane M suggested an idea when she did a quick trial of the FB method – would it work on her lovely Cascade earrings? I’ve been meaning to tat a couple of her earring patterns for ages. Time is ripe !

Started this morning, following her method to get a feel of it. I love it! (No pics yet, though I’m almost through).

The next one will use FB. As I worked it out I my head, the order of working the 9 rings will be completely reversed – instead of bottom to top, we’ll have to move from top to bottom, using SRs! Well, that’s my thought process – tomorrow will tell.

So yet another post (are you keeping count,  Nin ;-P) on FB but this time with earrings.

Many many thanks to all the generous and innovative tatters above

happy tatting as always :-)

Related Posts

Floating Beads search results

(all links to previous posts & pictorials will be updated on the My Tutorials page)

floating beads PART 3

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Let's revolutionize tatting with beads :-D

I just don’t know where this will stop ! I had a couple of effects left to tat and photograph but they multiplied !!! As mentioned before, since the basic steps are still the same, the text is minimal. But first things first – the string of FBs .

To avoid going back and forth, here are the basic steps and their variation in brief :

1. Step1 - loop through bead(s) and fold back around the base. Tension.
2. Step1 varA – pass shuttle through loop. Tension.
3. Step1 varB – work After ring is closed.
4. Step2 – overhand/half hitch knot around base of bead(s)

Floating Beads String

In Ring -

This is a variant of Step 1 where shuttle is passed through the loop that has been pulled through all the beads.

All the rest continues in same way, with a Step 2 overhand knot, and a ring around the beaded string.

This same string of beads can be used as a central ring (as in the earrings).

Only remember to leave some slack on the string to accommodate the lock joins from next round.

On Chain -

And below you see it on a chain. We require a 2^nd shuttle to make the beaded string on a chain.

Can you not just imagine all the possibilities & applications ?!!! My head is afloat with ideas brimming to the surface ;-P

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Floating Beads – outside & inside a Mock Ring / SCMR

Tried this idea. It works very well outside the mock ring, using the other shuttle.

To get a FB on the inside, I completed the mock ring, closed it. Then added the bead afterwards as in Variation B. But I’m not too happy with this since this bead is not ‘anchored’ and has a tendency to ‘float’ in a different plane. But at least it is something that can be ironed out in future.
Another idea - SCMR with thrown ring and beads inside both or all rings. Is it doable ?

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Floating Beads – Stacked , Fringe

What if I want 2 beads STACKED one above other, as in this teardrop and spacer set?

I did this on a chain, using the other shuttle. (One can have it inside a ring by using variation B and working the FB After ring is closed).

1. Pull loop through both. 

2. Then fold back the loop but encapsulate ONLY the teardrop. 

3. Bring the beads in position, and tension.

4. Step 2 around the base of spacer. Voilà ! 

No unwinding, no long-winded procedures.

And why just 2 beads ? How about more, as in a FRINGE ?

Obviously this will only work if the outer bead is larger or can prevent the loop from unraveling.

Thus, in this application, the 2 steps are spaced out.
This is what I'd wanted to do with the Radiant Sun paperclip pattern , but at the time it did not work out. Time to revisit?

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Floating Beads – Step 2 variation – differing lengths

As I mentioned in one of the previous posts, if we leave more space on the ‘shank’ before tensioning Step 1, we can repeat Step 2 multiple times till the shank is covered. Length of shank determines how far the bead will drop lower and how many repeats are required.

It can be done both on chains and in rings.

The overhand or half hitch repeats act like unflipped half stitches creating a Josephine chain !

One can use complete reverse stitches as in a Floating Chain.

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And one last effect –

Floating Beads – beads within beads

A combination of single FB and FB string

I was going to make a tatted ring/mock around these, but it was late & I was getting scowls from DH ;-P 
The immense possibilities this offers is up for grabs! I adore this effect!

What else ? 
Ah, yes the earring pattern and one last pictorial showing a can I call it more 'traditional' or conventional way of making a floating bead inside a thrown ring. In next post ...

... to be continued

Related Posts

Floating Beads search results

my neurons are shot, elbow is stiff preparing this post and head seems to be floating around! 

need to get a good grip ... deeeeep sigh. Have fun with these effects while I take a few hours' break. 

Ready with your shuttles and beads ?

happy tatting :-)