block your tree

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Guess what! Ninetta played Santa and shared a cute edging pattern as gift. One more inspired fallout from the 100 year patterns of Frau Endrucks.

Christmassy Edging or Bordino Natalizio by Ninetta Caruso – click to download the pattern pdf – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kvgQKW6lXclzK8wIspwm6busbrI0e7Mu/view

When Ninetta first shared her prototype motif – yes, she couldn’t contain her excitement – I thought she was going to turn it into a star or snowflake! I guess it can still be done.

Pattern/notes for both single and 2-colour versions is included in the pdf. Anna Tedesco helped in it's translation to Italian, too.

There are several ways in which we can choose where to place which colour, in the 2-colour model. 5 such methods are listed in the Lock Join Plus series, and links are given for individual pictorials here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/17zsM3JaLO7r0ajg8VOnv5IcJ-kLNqEiU/view

Recently when she sent the longer version, my imagination went haywire! My first impression was that of a bird. (I roughly sketched some elements to highlight the shape over the tatted models...)

Is it a peacock? Is it a pigeon? Perhaps it is a Christmas rooster to take to mass (Misa del Gallo)? Or should it have been a turkey for Thanksgiving?

The tree itself can easily be adapted into a bell, too! Or perhaps a turban or an elf's hat?
Hubby got into the visual game and agreed with the bird analogies. But he loved the sense of movement in this white version. He felt there was some creepy crawly moving surreptitiously but couldn’t make up his mind whether it was a a snail, caterpillar or snake.

So, what do You see?

Mind you, though inspired by Endrucks’ Ninetta did not actually refer to any single pattern or motif when designing this! It was only when she sent the draft and asked me, that I told her about the similarity in pattern #17 block. The ‘blocks’ in this book have such a wide range of shapes, visual effects, as well as some difference in actual tatting, leading to infinite possibilities. Never-ending ideas! I have collated many examples – both original and also some variations by our volunteers, and will showcase them in future. Quite an eye-opener.

Hope you enjoy tatting this clever and cute edging (or any of the ideas thereof) and when you share on social media, remember to use the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project, so that your version comes up in a search.

You can find all of Endrucks' patterns (& derivations) in modern style here -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

Many many thanks to Ninetta for this wonderful gift!

the foster child

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Reworked patterns from Frau Eleonore Endrucks-Leichtenstern’s ‘Die Schiffchen-Spitzen’, 1920, for Endrucks 1920 Project.

Don’t these look like folk dancers with frilly skirts and knocking elbows! Now add a head to each to complete the ladies…. A single motif, with a bit of addition, could become an angel or Crinoline lady.

Endrucks' pattern #7 pdf (click to download): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UDNg-1W6LJ3pyrn_Umz5f33BF01_92-E/view

This little pattern has interested many tatters and each ‘foster family’ loved and groomed it to their best ability. But each home wanted something even better for the foster child that they could not provide, hence the child travelled, leaving behind a virtual trail of trials and learning, until the final adoption.

adopting, not foisting, the foster child...

House #1 (Ayşe Özgür): An enthusiastic & immediate start but life halted for 10-11 months.
        Starts with chain and work moves form right to left. Good use of 3 colours.
House #2 (Douglas Hill): Enthusiastic choice in the 2nd volunteer list, and mutual collaboration, # 2 conceded that #3 (adaptation & tatting) was better.
        Starts with chain, with inward picots for bilateral symmetry, and work moves from right to left.
House #3 (Julie Santos Villegas): An immediate & willing response but later needed help which #4 provided, but health forced another shift.
        Starts with a ring and work moves from left to right..
House #4 (muskaan): Formally adopted and continued to maturity.
        Starts with a ring and work moves from left to right. With options shared.


TWoT (This Way or Tat?) and Diagram Notes :

original model

Considering Frau Endrucks did not like decorative picots, all her edgings have a line of free picots along the top side (as seen in her tatted model pics) ostensibly to sew down the lace along that side while the other dangled.

original diagram

However her diagrams are ‘upside-down’ and this line of picots lies along the bottom.

But there is a 3rd aspect. Her diagrams are read from left to right. Most of the patterns start with a chain, and when we actually tat a chain normally (not direct tatting) and continue, the working progresses from right to left (as in Houses 1 & 2).
I find myself doing mental & physical callisthenics in order to sync her diagram with the work in my hand. I like to know where/how my very first element faces, and where the threads emerge to continue – this orients me correctly till the very end. This is especially true for her patterns which involve frequent changes in direction.

Hence there are 2 solutions I have employed –

original diagram flipped

1. Try to start the pattern with a ring. It has obvious advantages, including CTM and hiding tails. It is how I presented this pattern, shifting the start from a chain to a side ring. (Julie had first started her adaptation sampler with the central ring and diagrammed it accordingly, moving from right to left). Now the work progresses from left to right as in the diagram. 

2. Draw a working diagram where we follow the pattern exactly as Endrucks has written starting with a chain, but the diagram shows this first element on the right instead of left. And the diagram then moves leftward (as in the flipped diagram above). No need for any brain callisthenics – simply lay the work against the diagram and you are facing the ‘right’ way.

One more common feature of several patterns is that the central ring at the base (from which chains radiate) is tatted at the end of the motif. The only reason I can think of is to make it easy for a designer to estimate how large the ring should be and avoid multiple prototypes. Anyways, several of our pdfs show this ring as per the original. I have always shifted it towards the start of the motif joining chains to it, rather than joining the ring to chains.

TIP:  Potential Pitfall : Joining to the wrong picot!

 

This is one area where I frequently made a mistake and had to retrace my steps! This final one I noticed too late but fixed it by carefully snipping the joined picot (and glued the cut ends), and sewed the correct picot in place. 

This is the 1st motif I tatted in early October to understand and explain the pattern to House#3. By November, I had to tat one more (no pic) to refresh my short memory and then went on to the sampler below ...

Each motif, especially with decorative picots, has the shape of a petal. 

Gather up a row of motifs to create a 3D flower! Alter the length and width 

and you get more layers and visual variety!

Of the 4 motifs in the sampler, the first 2 follow the pattern, each colour giving a clear idea of which shuttle forms the core thread, in other words, which shuttle is in the hand.

In the 3rd & 4th motifs, I added decorative picots along the top edge of the rings, and Catherine Wheel Joins in some chains for a smoother look. Remember to count the CWJ as 1 stitch (as in 4th); notice how smooth and symmetrical the inner negative space is? I also played with colour placement, using Reverse Join, Twist Work, etc. (see Lock Join Plus for more options).

This is one more idea I had – tat the entire motif with bilateral symmetry. The best part? No need for paper clips and inward picots - no BBT (block below tatting)! Notice the central ring is worked as a split ring and the innermost left chain is tatted first. 

But some tweaking is required especially on the right side ... when I get my bearings back ;-P

Before signing out, let me quote my partner Ninetta -

“I would say one more time that this project taught us a lot also in terms of collaboration. The n.7 changed family but each time "we" added a new piece in the puzzle, that is always an improvement, for both understanding the pattern and learning how to present the modernized version.”

Remember, you can find all of Endrucks' patterns (& derivations) in English here - 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

Vintage Edging 4

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Here’s a respite from all those pictorials – another vintage pattern made modern and 2 separate rows converted to continuous tatting.

Vintage Edging #4

Needleart 1921 (vol 8 issue 3)

Original pattern & article on BellaOnline

New one-pass pattern (schematics only)

3 colours? Yes I went crazy! Remember that visit to my old craft shop after 4 years? These are a few of those lovely pastels I bought and was dying to try out! Size 20 Anchor Mercer cottons.

The 2 rows in this sampler are tatted separately using ball and shuttle. However the schematics provided in pdf are for one-pass tatting – climbing out with 2 consecutive split rings. It is pretty easy to convert vintage patterns into continuous tatting.

Learned a lesson from the CnC edging fiasco earlier. The first row should face the direction we tat in. Once this base is established, it is easier to orient later rows. 

I tried something different with the 2-coloured onion rings this time. After tatting the blue chain around pink inner ring, I made an over-under or alligator join, thus getting a complete blue circle around! No colour blips and pretty neat result, right?

Sorry no in-process pics – I was happily engrossed in tatting with these new shades!

Long picots on the onion rings are made using a ⅜ inch picot gauge parallel to core thread. Thus final picot is half the size.

Instead of lock joining the Row2 chains to these long picots, I made an onion ring join to avoid colour blips (I would’ve got pink blips over the blue picots). Then continued with a 2^nd half stitch, counted as 1ds. Since core thread remained continuous, care needs to be taken when tensioning the chains.

Lock joining the chain would give a more pronounced/distinct dip.

Future Idea : Tat Row 1 and return back, interweaving the long chains. Then start Row 2 all around this ‘Celtic’ center.

Download  pattern  pdf

happy tatting :-)

Deconstructing Patterns 3

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So far we’ve been able to find many smaller motifs ranging from Squares to Triangles & Hearts & miscellaneous other shapes , hidden in the Magic Square. (click on highlighted links)

Many of these small motifs can be joined as one tats, or in one pass, to create longer lengths for edgings, insertions, & the like. This has been my attempt for the current post. In general, I have refrained from creating new variations/derivations, sticking to the basic flow of the magic square. But the potential is just so vast & I couldn't resist a few glimpses! I am sure you will be able to recognize many of the patterns drawn below.

UPDATE:
Better than Nothing Bookmark derived from magic square

Edging past the square

Basic Edging (Figs 1, 2) : The most basic, following the flow of tatting, is this edging in Fig 1. In the same pic, I have superimposed the same basic pattern, but with slight additions/changes – eg. the black Josephine Knots & the Double Picots in both the chains, as well as in the joining rings. A sampler of how the basic edging would look in reality, using 2 colours.  

Fig 1.

Fig 2.

Basic Insertion/Bookmark (Figs 3, 4) :When one returns back (mirror-imaging), another edging/insertion evolves ! It could also make a nice simple bookmark, with the addition of a tail or tassel !

Fig 3.

Fig 4.

Elegant Cross (Fig 5) shows the Same pattern continue into a lovely Cross !

Fig 5.

Beginners’ Edging (Fig 6) is another very easy rings-and-chains-only edging (one side) / insertion (both sides), ideal for beginners. How often have these rings & chains edging been used to fill up patterns, including doilies ! 

Fig 6.

Broad Edging/Trim (Fig 7) is yet another lovely edging pattern, slightly broader, where no stitch count changes or special techniques are required.

Fig 7.

Fig 8, below, depicts 3 patterns – A, B, & C.

Simple Edging (Fig 8-A) : The bottom red edging is simple, again going with the original pattern flow. No change in stitch count required.

Insertion/Bookmark (Fig 8-B) : The center edging/insertion (Fig 8-B), with blue Split Rings on either side, is also made in one pass, with a mirror-image return of joins. SRs are depicted with a black line within the ring.

Abstract Floral Bracelet (Fig 8-C) : The topmost edging also requires Split Rings (black-lined rings)  to move from one set to the next & one has to return back to complete the pattern. It would, however, make such a beautiful dainty floral Bracelet (where the yellow ‘flower centre’ are beads) .

Fig 8.

Motif Border (Fig 9) is a collection of tiny square motifs.

For beginners (Fig 9-A), the motifs can be made individually & joined as one tats them, to desired length.

One-pass (Fig 9-B) : It can be made in one pass too ! I have tried to visually explain the path in Fig 9-B, by breaking it into 2 colours. Start with the brown; you will notice that the basic flow of pattern is very similar to Fig, 8-A.  BUT instead of a solitary ring above, make a very small Downward Picot (DP), shown as a black square. When desired length of edging is reached, return (this part is shown in teal) & join once with a  ring to the other 3 rings , & once to the DP.

Fig 9.

Elegant Motif Bracelet (Fig 10)  shows a simple cute bracelet pattern of tiny motifs joined with a red bead in between.

Fig 10.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

In my deconstructions, I have not attempted to show any “extensions” of the square to form Larger motifs or laces. For instance, one can add triangles to each side to get a larger sq, ; or add the pinwheel triangles to get a zig-zag kind of surround ; … It’s all geometry ;-))

Or continue with the winding maze to make a beautiful shawl eg. Barbara Sears’ shawl.

I would also like to share another ‘deconstruction’: Ninetta found a Heart in the Mystery Doily here, when she was working Round 6!   

Kristen, has needle-tatted “Star No 2” from “Tatting: Patterns & Designs” by Blomqvist & Persson. This is the medium-sized square motif (Motif 2-B) deconstructed in this earlier post.

(I will be adding the Magic Square to my Resources page & keep updating 

with any & all examples/samples I come across in future)

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

My Experience with Magic Square

For those of us who have made this square, the reactions are varied. Some find it pretty easy while others have found it a bit tricky. I belong to the latter group. Having made 2 complete squares & 1 individual triangle, these are my thoughts :

• I needed a good referral diagram. Since I had used a written-only pattern, I had to draw my own diagram as well as write out more detailed notations for the 1^st square. For the 2^nd square, I kept the 1^st square beside me for frequent referencing.
• Using Size 20 thread & ball & shuttle, 2 bobbin loads are required to tat one complete square.
• Working with 2 shuttles will probably be easier ; in any case it will be neater.
• Working with 2 colours might make the movements & joins less tricky – it will bring out exactly where the next element goes, which should be joined where, etc.
• It helps to do this motif in all front side tatting, using 2 shuttles & reverse stitch for chains !!! I did this for the triangle, & it helps because one does not have to keep flipping the piece over; it makes referencing to & following a diagram easier.
• Finally, and this is meant as a tribute, one needs an MC Escher type of brain-wiring to get it done easily; something which I sorely lack ;-/ While I Could clearly visualize & understand the flow, the path & the ‘logic’, when it came to tatting, it was tricky, what with having to RW after each element ! Hence all front-side tatting is of immense help !
• As an aside, I Really need to practice the Dora Young Knot or Split Chain. I used it to end the square & is quite an eye-sore !

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

Motif #22 for 25 Motif Challenge 

Related Posts : Square Motifs from the Magic square

More Motifs & All about the square

Bookmark pattern from Magic Square

Tatting Patterns I : 4 Vintage Edgings

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Your sewing project looks too plain?

Looking for some Vintage Edging Patterns ?

Leaning towards Tatting ?

An Edging can uplift And highlight any project from the mundane/uninteresting to a decorative, customized piece of work. Use tatting edgings & insertions to adorn throw & pillow cases, lingerie, garments, sleeves, collars, necklines, towels, kitchen linen, table linen, handkerchiefs, .... or create beautiful jewelry in the form of bracelets, chokers, necklaces, belts, etc.
I have a collection of Vintage Tatting patterns, collected from friends & magazines, over the decades. Unfortunately, I did not jot down the Original source. I will unhesitatingly give due credit if/when the actual source(s) to any of these patterns is found.

Some months back, I uploaded & shared some of the patterns & samples on Pinterest. All are on my board My Projects 4 : Tatting , & many are floating around {they keep re-surfacing from time to time, especially Shamrocks in a Row & Dancing Clovers ;-) }

I share, here, Four Vintage Tatting Edging Patterns.

But it is so boring & generic to simply call each one a 'vintage/tatting edging'. Moreover, how does one remember exactly which edging is being discussed or referred to? Hence, I decided to give them individual names based on my visualization of the end result.

1 . Waves

This is a pattern I took down from a friend’s tatting book back in the 80’s. Ever since I made a single-color sampler some months back, I have seen many beautiful variations / versions / applications of this pattern, especially in bracelets. These usually use a single color with or without beads. Some repeat the pattern as a 2nd row, joining the picots either chain-to-chain or ring-to-ring. In my notebook, this is the 1^st of a 3-row sari lace edging / border pattern, which I will share eventually.

I have tacked on this narrow edging along one of my throw cases, as in pic.

Waves Vintage Edging with Tatting pattern, inked

TIP : Change the effect of this simple pattern by using only one color, using variegated color, adding another row where the 2 rings become 4 rings, adding &/or increasing the number of picots, etc.

Width : 1/2' (1 cm)
Length : 3 complete repeats (or 6 waves/chains) = 3'

(B-19. Row 1)

2 . Dancing Clovers

Another Vintage edging pattern sampler from my 'unknown' collection. Each clover repeat looks like they are holding hands & dancing , hence the name :-)

This is a Single Shuttle, one-pass pattern, with yarn lengths (instead of chains) to space out the rings. The trick, however, is to keep the lengths even & regular so that the edging lies flat.
Notice the use of Long & Short/Normal Picots? The largest ring has 10 Long/Large Picots separated by 2 ds each, creating a nice effect.

Dancing Clovers Edging Sampler, with inked tatting pattern

TIP : One can improvise this pattern by tying ball & shuttle threads together & tatting Chains instead of yarn lengths between the rings. However, chains will add bulk to an otherwise delicate, lacy pattern.

Width : slightly more than 1' (~ 2-1/2 cm).
Length : 2 repeats ~ 2'
(B-2)

3 . Shamrocks in a Row

This vintage edging also uses small & large picots. It is a 2-row pattern, using both ball & shuttle threads. Row 1 comprises 3 rings that form a shamrock, & a long chain. Row 2 comprises only chains that are joined to base of each shamrock. This pattern makes very good use of small (smp) & long (Lp) picots in Row 2.

ROW 1 : R 6-5-1, R 1-5-5-1, R 1-5-6. (These 3 rings form 1 Shamrock). Rw.
               Chain 16.
               Repeat to desired length, joining adjacent shamrock picots as in sampler.
               Tie & cut OR Turn & continue.
ROW 2 : Chain 2, smp, 4, 7 Lp sep by 2 ds, 4, smp, 2.
                Join to base of the 3-ring shamrock, Repeat to end.

TIP : To keep work neat & flat, leave a slight space at the base of the shamrock where Row 2 chains can be worked. 

Shamrocks in a Row Edging with tatting pattern

The arrow at end of sampler indicates where I Turned my work to start Row 2, instead of tying & cutting off the threads & rejoining again. It was possible because this is just a sampler.
When making the actual edging, it can be done by simply continuing along Without turning, Once the required length is achieved. OR. One can leave a tiny-tiny bit of yarn while turning (this is the space where Finally, the Last chain will be worked & tied off) & work Row 2 chains back along Row 1.
I hope this is clear? If not, I'd love to answer any doubts/queries... 

TIP : This edging can be worked with Only one row, too! Add a few picots to the 16 chain & it's done! However, the 2nd row does add a sturdiness & some body to the edging.

Width : ~  3/4 ' (2 cms)
Length : 4 repeats = 3'
(B-4)

4 . Crowns

This is an edging pattern I found via Pinterest, & modified to suit my purpose. Instead of a double round, I chose to do a single pass (the lower navy blue image in link). And, I modified the center ring into a Smaller half-circle so that each pattern repeat looks more like a flower slit in half. I actually wanted it to be an exact semicircle, with a flat base. But this looks good too, doesn’t it?

This is the altered Ring pattern : (-3-3-3-9 ). Starts with a picot ! ( I am lining up a step-by-step tutorial on how to start with a picot.)
I used this edging in a square throw / cushion case. And here are Two examples of  how this edging can be cornered : Cornering an Edging : Tatting

Crowns Edging with tatting pattern

Width : 3/4' (`2 cms)
Length : 1 repeat = 1'

UPDATE : This pattern is Originally called Anniversary from "Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior .

Yarns Used in the 4 edgings above, along with the Color Shades :

I Love Coats Anchor Mercer Crochet. The colors are fast & durable. They retain their sheen for years & years, despite frequent washing. I did use Red Heart for black color, but one of the balls had knots/breaks in the yarn !!! Never again.

I've used size 20 yarn throughout. I find it easier to work with - easier on my eyes - and the work progresses faster.

Coats Anchor Thread along with highlighted Shade numbers

TIP : Always buy a minimum of  TWO balls of the Same color when starting any tatting project. Why? Because, one ball can be used to load the shuttle while the other ball yarn can be used to attach to shuttle thread when working a ball-and-shuttle or 2-shuttle pattern. Now you won't have to break off the ball (or 2nd shuttle) thread Every time a shuttle reload is required ! I prefer this method to loading more than 1 shuttle, especially for smaller projects. Minimum breakage of yarn, minimum 'joins', hiding the 'knots', etc.

Happy Tatting, 

and

ta-ta for now...