3D solid tatting

Pin It now!

 Who knew these cute little birds would be the cause to anger some people who then went on to make them an extinct species in their ecosystem! This pertains to only one specific FB group from which many of us have been booted out while others have left voluntarily. We now have a new group started by Vicki Clarke, called 3-D Tatting. All birds wiped out from that one group are now flocking together in this group, LOL, and others as well.

Bluebird in solid tatting

Continuing from my last post about flat solid tatting, see how wonderfully it can be applied to tatted amigurumi models!!! All pics in this post belong to Carolyn Craig who is the experimenter, designer, and tatter. I will quote some of what she shared with me privately with permission to use whatever was needed.

What is Amigurumi - Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting small, stuffed yarn creatures or objects. The word combines "ami" (meaning knitted or crocheted) and "nuigurumi" (meaning stuffed doll). Amigurumi are typically worked in spiral rounds using basic crochet stitches like single crochet and invisible decrease. They can now add tatting to the list for amigurumi. CRAIG

Solid Tatting by CAROLYN CRAIG - is the same as amigurumi. It is continuous rounds instead of joined rounds in a spiral, but it can also do flat solid tatting which is continuous. 

3-D Lips

After her 2D solid tatting in 2020, Carolyn tried these lips, working them in continuous rounds and stuffing them before sewing them closed

The Lips became the body of the birds. I am a retired art teacher. I have used basic shapes in clay, paper, and other materials to make different objects for class projects. I see how some can be made with the solid tatting, I just have not mastered all the ways it can be used. CRAIG

3-D Mouse Family

"The mouse family in solid tatting with jute... continuous spirally circle of tatting"

3-D Robin

This Robin is worked in yarn. 

You can see how she is experimenting with different threads/yarns as well as sizes to get the desired result.

The collage shows how the body is being worked as a single entity, a continuous round which includes the head in a different colour. Before the body is closed completely, it is stuffed. The tail, wings, beak, eyes are added later.

Below we see the assembly parts of a solid tatted Sparrow. 

3-D Sparrow

"This sparrow was done in 4 ply acrylic yarn with a Moonlit shuttle. The sparrow is continuous solid tatting in a spiral to form body and head. The spine and tail are solid flat tatting in one piece. The wings are regular tatting."

The second image is the parts of sparrow solid tatting in a continuous spiral - body and head, Flat solid tatting which is continuous - spine and tail, and regular tatting - wings with moonlit shuttle in background. 

If you look close at the flat spine and tail, one of the two stitches used to create SOLID TATTING can be seen in the top and bottom row……. CRAIG

TIP: Carolyn uses two types of lock join to achieve her compact 3D solid tatting. For the most part the lock join made through the wasitband of a double stitch which she calls LFW (LJ through front waistband). It is the horizontal bar of a DS when the DS is facing us; the LJ is made within the stitch, between two half-stitches. The 2nd is when the LJ is made through the back waistband - LBW. This is simply like joining between two DS. Since 3D model is tatted all from the front, the LFW is used much more. LBW is used for increases/decreases to shape the model. 

3-D Bluebird

"The blue bird is with size 3 tatting thread (but tail and wings are still in size 3 thread instead of size 10)"

 

A closer look at these beauties!

These are but 3 solid birds designs. Her aviary consists of 7 or 8 different birds and you can see them in her FB timeline or the 3-D Tatting group (besides a few other groups). There are many active preservationists who stepped in to prevent extinction! Carolyn will be sharing her process and experiments in detail in future.

🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

3D in Tatting - There are numerous ways to tat 3D models with or without stuffing. Some are worked continuously (as in the listing below) while others can include joining motifs, bowl shapes, covering a balloon or ornament, etc.  These could include in no particular order ....

• Bobby Demmer's bauble tatting (which the Shuttle Brothers used to tat mice, etc. See below) (https://janeeborall.blogspot.com/p/exclusive-tatting-club.html), 
• Richard Embrey's helix tatting (2019) (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/01/helix-tatting-pictorials.html), 
• Rhoda Auld's bobble tatting 1974 (which Ninetta Caruso used to make hollow tubes/ropes), to name but a few. (https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/search/label/stacking)
• Angeline Crichlow self-published a booklet titled Solid 3D Tatting (1995) where she mostly used block tatted segments to create numerous shapes and creatures. She has several models, but no birds. (https://www.somethingunderthebed.com/CURTAIN/REVIEWStat/REVIEWS_AtoD/Crichlow/CRICHLOW8.html) 
• 3-Dimensional from Endrucks directory (https://docs.google.com/document/d/10F9PdUIL_GcOelRsk5vKhaXXZnDQjaoJstaJU8ZPEJ8/view) displaying a range of 3D models derived from Endrucks' (1920) patterns. Also check out the eye candy section to see many many more models and ideas in the FB albums and roundups from games involving 3D tatting in #Endrucks1920Project. 
• Therese Dillmont's layered rings (1886) adapted & stacked for a 3D hollow for a tree trunk or a bangle, etc. (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/12/miniature-conifer.html)
• Patty Dowden's hyperbolic tatting (http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/6194296/hyperbolic-tatting-pdf-698k?da=y in Jane McLellan's blog)  
• To de Haan-van Beek's (1998) inverted tatting (https://www.somethingunderthebed.com/CURTAIN/REVIEWStat/REVIEWS_EtoH/HAANVANBEEK1.html) and Judith Connor's exquisite pieces in her album in Craftree.com
• Carolyn Craig's books on 3D tatted fairies, angels, flowers, etc. (https://www.somethingunderthebed.com/CURTAIN/TATTINGbiblio.html#C)
• Inserting or tatting over wire to shape and stabilise the model. Linda Davies has used this frequently in her tatted flowers (https://toptattyhead.blogspot.com/)
• UPDATE: (shared by Carolyn Craig) 'The Shuttle Brothers' (Randy and Gary Houtz) fourth tatting book: Tatting GR-8 Baubles, Bugs, and Blossoms is highly regarded for teaching how to create three-dimensional layered ornaments, bugs, and sculpted lace designs.' (https://www.gr-8shuttles.com/tatting_gr8_baubles.shtml)
• UPDATE: (shared by Carolyn Craig) Carol Amich's spectacular 3D solid tatting inspired by Angeline Crichlow (https://battatter.blogspot.com/)

Please note that the above list is by no means exhaustive! Feel free to remind me of any I might've missed.

🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

I wasn't going to, but this is adorably cheeky to not share! Here's what some veteran masters of tatting are doing in the above FB group .... Anita posted this yesterday and then left the group and told me I could share after several other tatters expressed their desire to copy/paste. 

Please note that this is the vintage edging (recreated by Anita) that inspired my threader holder motif here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2026/04/literally-out-of-box.html

And now I am told Martha Ess has also posted something similar listing all our greats who inspired her 3D design using block tatting and it reads like a true historical timeline. 

Cheeky but civilised and disciplined and following all rules! 

🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

Many thanks to Carolyn for allowing me to share her lovely work and details and to ALL others mentioned who allow us to use their ideas and techniques so that we do not have to reinvent the wheel.

Auld is gold

Pin It now!

Snowflake #15 in Land of Laces’ 25 Snowflake Project

Wreath Snowflake

(& possible ice drop)

This is a prototype using Rhoda Auld’s bobble technique, based on Ninetta Caruso’s pictorial and can be worked in one pass.

The colours, texture, and central hollow create a wreath-like effect that can be inserted over a bauble or a candle. It can be suspended as a tree ornament or add bling for earrings or pendant. We can also continue on the back with a ring/chain round to encase a gem for an ice drop.

Model tatted with Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8 measures a tad over 1¾”. The glass gem has a diameter of just over ¾”

A rings-only pattern using 2 shuttles to stack them facing opposite directions (ring as fish). If it is your first time using Auld’s bobble, I recommend first trying Ninetta’s pictorial and then making one motif (repeat) of this pattern with scrap threads before attempting the actual flake.

Abbreviations and Notes :

Sh = shuttle. R = ring . SS = switch shuttle. JR = Josephine ring (half stitches)

Sh1 – green ; Sh2 – red

I tatted over tails at the start, hiding under respective rings.

Θ -  Rhoda Auld's method to join stacked rings, as shown by Ninetta. It basically captures the other shuttle thread within the open ring, between 2 stitches.

For odd rings (green here), follow Ninetta’s method. Pass Sh2 through ring from behind, and over the shuttle (core) thread.

For even rings (red here), do the opposite : pass Sh1 over Sh2 core from above and down through ring loop.

Always keep previous work to the left.

RW = reverse work. I started off without any reverse work as in the tutorial, but found that the thread emerged on the ‘wrong’ side of ring. For some reason, RW made it easier to manage the bare thread space! Hence, it is better to RW after each ring in this pattern. 

bts – Sh2 (red) bare thread space about 1ds wide on the outer edge of both sides of the odd rings, ie. a total of 2 or 2½ ds wide bts

Do not leave any bts before starting green odd rings.

Pattern : 

Sh1 : R1: 3 Θ 3. rw, SS

Sh2 : R2: bts, 6 Θ 6. rw, SS rotate

Sh1 : R3: 9 Θ 9. rw, SS rotate

Sh2 : R4: bts, 12 Θ 12. rotate

         JR: 10. rw, SS  Capture with overhand tie to center the floating ring.

Sh1 : R5: 9 Θ 9. rw, SS

Sh2 : R6: bts, 6 Θ 6. rw, SS

This completes the first motif. Repeat 5 more times, joining back in a circle.

Do not cut thread. Continue around the inner margin with a lock chain. (I had already cut off threads when the idea occurred, hence you see a green lock chain).

Lock Chain : [5 +(space after R1)]x6.

Cut and tie and hide ends.

OR continue with the lock chain to make a loop for tree ornament.

OR continue at the back with rings and chains to encase a cabochon for ice drop.

I am not happy with my Josephine rings. Pearl cotton is not a good thread for tiny rings or JRs. Perhaps next time I will use beads instead.

My initial idea was to use stacked rings only as a central round, adding more round(s) on the outside. But I like the shape and didn’t feel like disturbing it. The idea for outlining the Inside, came to me suddenly a couple of hours back, and I made the lock chain.

Another idea alongside, was to make David’s Star in the negative space using interwoven lock chains.

What do you think? Your opinion and suggestions are valuable, so please speak freely.

TõTõT

Have I told you yet? Since mid-2017, I haven’t uploaded any pics to my pattern page – it is already so crowded!!! Then I had this idea and started a few months back - listing all my patterns in Google Doc files, category-wise. It is easy to update and see at a glance. The Snowflake patterns are all up to date with a photo and links. Even if a pattern has a pdf file, I request you to go to the respective blog post since that is where I may post more tips, and updates. And comments often offer a lot of ideas J

 ËÌËÌË happy deepavali  ËÌËÌË

a friendly neighbourhood

Pin It now!

I count my blessings to have such talented and generous friends in my global/digital neighbourhood. Here are a few ‘gifts’ I gratefully received recently….

In the order they were worked....

Elizabeth’s doily Round Robin 15.

Jenni Clark (Liyarra) posted her beautiful pink version on facebook & I liked it for a snood. She shared the pattern with me. It is from an old blog ‘tattingroundrobin’. Does anybody have a link?

More rounds to go.

Not happy with my chains - some overlap. Not a problem as it will not show up when worn.  I used 2 colours to showcase the flower shape, the green showing up as foliage.

Does the center look familiar?  Yes, it's what started the whole False CTM exploration. And to think I started this as a slow side project to disengage my mind and focus on downsizing my UFOs ;-P

Spool Pin Doily 

Who else but Anita Barry can come up with a butterfly to place under the spool pin?! How cute to have a butterfly sitting pretty on the sewing machine, keeping an eye on our sewing (or current lack of it, in my case)?! She is making these to sell at fairs, etc. yet shared the pattern with me!

Again playing with colour placement and had to include some lavender! It is worked continuously using 2 shuttles.

Now this is an example where we can continue into next rounds using the same core thread (in this case the mustard) but adding new colours for each round since they are chains with thrown rings : false ctm! If only I had remembered ;-P

This time I simply twisted the long antennae picots when it was wet. One picot is missing on one of the purple chains - can you identify it?

Walla-Walla Sweet Onion Motif 

Kathleen J. Minniti is not only talented but also explains so well! I understood Aurora’s onion ring technique when Kathleen used it for my dancing peacocks doily! But she uses only a half stitch instead of a full ds to capture the inner ring. I do like this method!

She PM-ed this pattern a couple of months back, with 3 versions for the center leaf. The left motif has a dot picot tip, and right one has a bullion knot (which got pulled out when I closed the ring).

A clever feature of this motif is the captured picots! Multiple alligator joins across the same picot. The left one has smaller picots than the right one. I like it, but need more practice.

Both these patterns (butterfly & onions) can be worked in one pass using 2 shuttles.
We mostly get pink/red onions here, but I've eaten similar onions in Australia.

Bobble stacked rings

And finally below is my trial of Rhoda Auld’s bobble technique posted by Ninetta Caruso which she shared with everybody ;-D  
Here again, one captures the previous thread in the current ring. It reminded me of how Ninetta curled her small rings.

I wanted to see if a circle could be formed with the stacked rings and then to see how it works with different ring sizes. I want to use this in one of my snowflake centers. Many textured effects are possible with this technique! 

Captured together...the butterfly & onion motifs are worked with Anchor Pearl cotton size 8, and the bobble trial is in Anchor size 20. Elizabeth's doily measures 4½" so far in Anchor size 40.

You generous ladies have captured my awe and gratitude J