Evviva! and Ouch

Pin It now! I've been on cloud 9 for close to a fortnight now! And I still haven't caught my breath. Ninetta Caruso, my partner in crime, sent me the world!

And read on to see what my hubby had to say and why the 'ouch' with the 'evviva' ....

This is her first published book in Italian. Ninetta Caruso is now a published author in tatting and I have my own complimentary and autographed copy to gawk at!!! It covers the history of tatting from an Italian viewpoint; treble tatting (finally the Inventor gives it to us in a book form); and the Swirling Butterflies doily pattern.

Many thanks to Alessandra Caputo for the critical role she played towards the publication.  

As a surprise, I had worked the outer round of her beautifully designed doily as per pattern this time, and haven't yet told or shown her ;-D  More about that below.

And look at all the other stuff that accompanied the book! ALL made by her! But this is such a jumble and each piece needs to be admired individually. 

Most of items shared here are already is Ninetta's blog with lots of details. Scroll down to the end of the page and look under respecitve Labels https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/ 

Hubby still cannot get over the fact that this is indeed tatting! He absolutely loved this pair of earrings. Notice how tiny they are compared to my thumbnail.

Each pair is so dainty and small, so elegant.

I need a magnifier (or a microscope, seriously!) to see and understand what she's done here. 

Her own hand-painted bookmark with a tatting insert.

Her Bosa's filet lace bookmark above and a tatted motif below.

Such a cute sampler of her Bosa filet lace, and so tiny, so fine. The net is first knotted by hand, then embroidered over.   

These beautiful feather-light tatted beads on my palm are barely 1.5cms!!!! Wonder if I've ever seen such tiny seed beads either. How did she string them?! I fumble with much larger seed beads.

Another gorgeous motif in pleasant colourway with a doodad in the center.

More tatted motifs, the beads, and the Bosa's filet work. And she flawlessly fit in 4 Heart Squares in the same space as my single one! I don'e whether its the threads or her tension, but her motifs are all fairly stiff.

Comparing Ninetta's and my tatting, now hubby says her work is like a 5-star gourmet meal to my dhaba (roadside food) style fare; like Rolex to HMT (Indians upto my generation might remember those bulky wrist watches). This is where the "ouch" of my post title comes in, LOL. Suddenly my fawned-upon lacework is reduced to ashes ;-D Oh yes, my confidence has certainly taken a beating!

She bought me a 1920 vintage bobbin lace frame, too! It is perfect size to sew on a cushion cover, but after consulting with Nin, it might not stand the strain and wash. I'll have to think of some other way to display it - it cannot just be stashed away.

Hand-painted shuttle by Nin ...

.... and the other side of the same shuttle.

And her 2nd hand-painted shuttle with her favourite butterfly.

A 3rd hooked bobbin shuttle is decorated by Dali L'artista (or Lina) and I can't wait to use these shuttles for size 80 threads. 

The 2 pouches above and the needle case are all sewn by Nin, too! Perfection again. Such a multi-talented lady with perfect stitches and strokes in each craft.

A nice pop-up card with her warm message. She chose it because the flowers seem to be placed on a tatted doily.

And metallic threads galore!

I had asked for only a sampler of Sanbest which is so popular and works wonderfully for tatted jewellery, and she sent me all these!

A couple from Edda Guastella, etc., too.

I really have no excuse now to not tat jewellery, right?

The moment Nin told me that the book will definitely be published, I snipped off the leaf motifs joining the flowers, and set about tatting the outer round as per her pattern. You might remember my dilemma with what colour to use which is why I veered from track. This time I simply picked up the cream and went to work. 

Ninetta honoured me by asking me to write a Foreword for her book. We hope the book wil be published in English as well, though several non-Italian tatters have already bought either the physical or digital copy and are translating it.

I left the 7 extra butterflies, though. Perhaps 7 more wouldn't look  bad either? 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search/label/swirling%20butterflies

In Anchor size 40, the diameter is about 40cms.

The colours are more vibrant in real, but this will have to do for now.

Oh, and I'd had the immense pleasure of suggesting a name for the doily which Ninetta accepted! 

I placed Ninetta's size 80 motif over my size 40 one for a comparison. 

When I'd sent Nin some of my tatted lace, I told her it would be gigantic and bulky beside her own work since she prefers finer threads and doll-house sized lace! Yet I NEVER thought I'd be transported to Lilliput. My photos don't give much of an idea of how tiny her pieces are and how well-made. I actually need magnifiers to really see some of her stitches. 

It has been my good fortune to be around when treble tatting was invented in 2018 and to see it evolve. Ninetta changed the entire tatting scene by giving us a 3rd stitch. 

Never ever say that tatting is a dying art with  such a revolutionary invention.

Never every say that tatting is made only of 2 stitches...proudly boast about the tds. 

I am still too overwhelmed with this bonanza and with the sweetness with which my friend and partner  has gifted it all. I seriously believe I need at least one more lifetime only to try, learn, tat, and experiment with all that she has shared in Less than 10 years!

grazie mille mio cara amica

🦋💝🦋

har ghar tiranga

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 Celebrating 75 years of Independence (August 15th) with a tatted version of my flag.

Har Ghar Tiranga campaign is about flying a flag in each home. I chose to tat a flag around a 1947 coin.

It's so good to look out the balcony or window and see flags flying merrily in the monsoon breeze. 

I've been sharing my tatting progress this entire August. Now it was time to assemble. 

 

Saffron - I used marigolds to symbolise sacrifice and auspiciousness. My original intention was to have the 'petals' raised up. Couldn't accomplish it since these flowers are so tiny.

White - waves in water symbolise peacefulness, serenity, peaceful coexistence.

Glued in overlapping layers.

Green - I used leaves to symbolise prosperity though it denotes faith and chivalry.

As expected there are gaps in the green rectangle, which were later filled with single or double leaves, as required.

For the pole, I tatted an onion ring using metallic silver thread, size 20. Then I couched over doubled up strands. The pole could've been thicker, but oh well ....

Ashok Chakra - the emblem represents the eternal wheel of law. I used the 1947 coin from hubby's old collection. It was the discovery of this coin that flagged off my idea early this year.

Flag tatted in Anchor Pearl Crochet Cotton, size 8, measures 13.5cms x 9cms.

saffron - 00316 ; white ; green - 00245 ; blue - 00133

This is how the edge of the coin looked after the split ring braid was wrapped around it. I had wanted to outline the coin, but without adding bulk. Since I didn't know how to go about it, I had left it as is.

Then inspiration struck! Wound my shuttle and threaded a long tail through a needle. This tail acted as the core thread and I worked chains between rings using reverse stitch (direct tatting). The needle came in handy to slip under each ring.

And this is how it looks with a chain passing through the SRs.

A close-up of the simply encircled coin.

There should be 24 spokes on the wheel which could easily be sewed in with finer thread, but I left it open so that the coin face and date is clearly visible.

I was pleasantly surprised that gluing everything together was accomplished in a single day! Today I merely filled in the gaps with extra leaves and flowers, and worked the pole.

And I sewed down the coin instead of gluing it, to keep my options open.

The Aida cloth is mounted on an embroidery hoop (25.5 cms diameter along the inner edge).

So this is it. My artistic Indian flag in tatting. 

Hope you enjoyed my 10 day journey as I join my country in celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav!

Related Posts -

Days 1 to 3 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/flagging-off-new-project.html

Day 4 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/day-4-and-more.html

Days 5 & 6 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/mirroring.html

Days 6 & 7 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/wave-trial-endrucks-style.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/alternate.html

Day 8 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/waves-of-satisfaction.html

Day 9 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/satatisfaction.html

saTATisfaction

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Another productive day of tatting, foregoing my exercises and the newspapers, shhhh ;-P

The Ashoka Chakra in the center of our flag actually has 24 spokes. Using Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8, I was happy to get 12 in cabochon tatting. After all my tatted flag is an artistic symbolism, though proportions are maintained.

Started the morning by working on the 3rd wave and completed it by afternoon, despite all chores. Since I had the pattern jotted down, it was easy and quick to tat.

All 3 waves together.

In the evening, the waves as well as the leaves were all blocked. 

And this is how they will be arranged, with some overlap. Difficult to capture in a photograph.

And this is how I did worked tatting around the coin. A spilt ring braid.

SR1: 3 - 6 - 3 / 3 - 6 - 3.

All subsequent split rings -

SR2: 3 + 6 - 3 / 3 + 6 - 3. 

The final ring I worked as a regular ring, joining back to the first SR.

Has this been done before? I seem to have lost track of so many things.

UPDATE: I've been told that Edda Guastalla published this SR braid method of encapsulation in a book. She did it on an large gem (like in ice drops). 

And here is how I finished off the coin to get a smooth edge - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/08/har-ghar-tiranga.html

I have revealed each step of design and progress over the last several days. Now we'll all have to wait and see how they come together finally!

However, before that, there is a fun game you are all invited to .... I will post about it tomorrow.

***************

Those who subscribe to my blog via email, have you been receiving the email notifications for each post? The last one I received was the July 24th post!

back to old style

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Whether one is 'on a break' or not, the backroom activity never ceases! 

Ninetta had uploaded her Endrucks' patterns as one-page diagram-only images on flickr (her depictions are so artistic!). As our Project evolved, she decided to convert them into proper pdfs, with written notations. I had the pleasure of reviewing each of them. This doily #40 was the last of them and the pdf link will soon be uploaded to the Endrucks collection here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view 

While reviewing her presentation, I got into tatting mode to make sure of clarity and accuracy. Ninetta masterfully modified the original (which cupped) into flat lace. While both patterns are in the pdf, I chose to tat the modified Doily #2.

If you haven't already, I urge you to read her para here (and also enjoy her beautiful tatting) - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2020/11/renewed-on-third-try.html

Colours simply called to me to highlight the flower shapes and to liven up the days and impel me to tat.

 

What amazed me is how the black center looks more like a flower when seen from the back! Something to remember for future use as a design element!

My tiny variation includes the addition of these graduated picots on the inner side of the split rings. The negative space seemed too large and these picots add a soft touch.

The final round included block tatting.

All rounds move clockwise from the front and can be tatted continuously (as detailed in pattern - many members have already worked continuously in one colour!). 

I went way back in time to work each round separately, despite using 2 shuttles, for a multicolour rendition. Hence this is not a correct representation of the pattern - both Endrucks' original and Ninetta's modified.

For block tatting, instead of making 1ds after a lock join, I prefer counting the lock join as a half-stitch. This gives a neater and narrower effect on the inner end.

Worked with Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8, the final doily measures 9.5cms across. It is less than 4cms and less than 7cms after rounds 2 and 3 respectively. The threads are a mix of old and new buys.

Techniques - 2 shuttles, continuous (one-pass) tatting with split rings and split chains, mock picot, thrown rings, block tatting, 

It is interesting to note (and confusing at times) that even though a split ring takes the classic tear-drop shape, there is a visual reversal! The broad end is the start and threads emerge at the narrow end. This can become potentially confusing not just in tatted model but in diagram as well. 

I like what Ninetta said about diagrams - they are more "democratic"! Absolutely. And easier to present, too. Trying to get the written notations right can be quite a potential 'hazard', taxing the brain.

One year back Marja did a lovely application or Easter, covering  an egg and sharing her notes here - https://solmujenlumoissa.blogspot.com/2021/04/paasiaisen-2021-kapypitsimuna.html . 

Many thanks, Ninetta and Marja - keep inspiring and pushing the limits