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!  

a wee bit bold

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…ummm, perhaps? perhaps not.

Next leg of the design journey from mistaken round to snood-in-the-making which I now think can hold it’s own as a doily.

Continuing from where I left off last -

The outermost beige round ended with 45 repeats. That’s 15 more than the 30 in central beige round. And it measures about 6¾” in Anchor size 40.

The main dilemma was connecting it to the previous round. 

I set 2 guidelines –

1. it should be in brown ;

2. it should be fairly open and airy, yet durable.

That’s when I remembered this post by Lilas Lace – those intertwined/interlaced double picots had caught my eye. She herself has since used the effect in her own doily here.

6. Made the shorter brown round with 30 repeats. All chains.

Ch1  : 5 lp (8mm) 5 lp 5, lock join

Ch2  : [ 5 + 5 lp 5, lj ] x28

Ch30: 5 + 5 + 5, lj

The long picots (lp) are 8mm tall.

7. That round went fairly easily, but designing the next to fit in nicely took a lot of trials. I had 15 extra points to take care of!

This pic (sorry about the quality - it was taken with my tablet) shows the 1^st and 3^rd trials; the 2^nd trial has already been snipped off since it didn't work at all.

This round is a mix of rings and chains.

Ring: [ 7 + 7. rw

Ch   : 5 lp (1cm) 7, lj ,

         7 + (interlaced) 5 lp 7, lj,

         7 + (interlaced) 5. rw ] x15

The long picots (lp) are 1cm tall.

I like how it finally turned out.

Meanwhile I have completed the final outermost round, but will share only after filling in the center.

It was while answering Emily’s comment that I finally hit on the name – Repetition Doily/snood. It is a reminder to the original Repetition Mat (in 'Mastering Tatting') - the round which ended up in the center later. It is also a reference to the alternately  repeating rounds of clovers v/s chains. This is a common theme of Lyndsay Rogers' book where the objective is to take the tatter through simple to complex using simple techniques. 
All rounds in this doily, too, can be worked with one shuttle and ball,  except for the construction sequence. 

Now my question is –

Considering the numerous additions I’ve made, can I share the stitch count for Lyndsay’s round as well?

frill thrill ?

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Writing a pattern is no easy task. One also has to think ahead to the problems that a tatter might face when following the instructions. And I find the task gets further complicated when one is trying to help out with someone else’s presentation. This is one such.

Usha created an interesting pattern and asked for my help with the draft she had prepared. We each have our strengths and her strength lies in creating new and varied effects, letting her shuttles do all the talking. It’s been barely a year since she first started blogging and sharing her numerous patterns! She is a quick learner and I’m sure there will soon be a time when she will be presenting her patterns without any outside assistance.

Anyways, so I finally ended up tatting a sample myself to garner confidence in the process and presentation. When one is given a task, one has to do it as conscientiously and accurately as possible – that’s my motto.

Charming Frills

free pendant pattern by Usha Shah

The final height of this pendant is 4cms with size 20 Anchor 

which is a much thicker thread than Lizbeth 20. 

Shuttle1 has red & shuttle2 has beige

Works as a pendant or earring or perhaps a brooch with the appropriate findings. 

A bit of tweaking and it will look like a mini doll or angel! 

I inserted pearl studs through the top ring as in my Star Anise studs. 

These look like flat jhumka earrings!

Minor differences you might notice between Usha's and this are because I tested the prototype pattern and/or my own meanderings (and a few extra stitches to factor in tension). I’ll point them out as we go along. This is not a beginner level pattern which, for me, was an added charm.

my test tatting notes

Firstly, this is a great piece to practice the Catherine wheel join! Once this pendant is finished, I doubt anyone could forget the cwj in a hurry.

Of course, the cwj can be substituted with a lock join, JSS (join to smooth side), etc. But cwj gives the neatest double stitch and smoothest chain.

Second, the long measured picots create such a lovely effect – from airy to dense as we move from one tier to the next. Not to mention the frill/fringe where a seed bead in each would look nice. I might try it someday.

TIP : I found that holding the long picots on the picot gauge helped in the overall tatting.

The thrown ring for attaching finding – I shifted this to round 3 instead of round 2, lock joining to a picot below. No mock picot, cwj, or alligator join required. But I forgot to switch colours.

There are 2 split chains. After the SCh at the end of rnd3, I didn’t have to do any SLT (I didn’t use any SLT in the entire working). Merely ensure that the SH2 thread remains behind and SH1(red) in front. I used Dora Young’s knotless method for the SCh here and the shuttles automatically came into position for next round.

About halfway through round 4 I thought there would be cupping. Hence, I untatted it and added 2 more stitches to the side chain. Turns out it wasn’t necessary after all.

The joins here are simple picot joins since the chain is turned inwards.

Originally, the side chain stitches faced inwards too, which is how I made them. But SCh posed a problem! I finally figured it out – not the neatest, but a learning experience!

Inward-facing Split Chain –

1. pull up a loop from below, holding it between the SCh and long picot ; pass shuttle through the loop below ;
2. tug at the held loop to ‘pop’ and snug the 1^st half stitch ;
3. pull up another loop and pass shuttle through it to make 2^nd half stitch ;
4. snug tight – 1 double stitch made. 

Now this last row/frill or fringe is very interesting, though quite fiddly. 

Holding the long picots on the gauge helped again.

The joins here are made from the back loop/bar of the long picots. 

Reminded me of crocheting/knitting through the back loop.

This creates a raised texture in front and a woven effect from the back. 

Now that is cool! 

UPDATE : check out my Beaded adaptation here.

Many many thanks to Usha for sharing her lovely pattern.

I came away learning something new again.

Hope you enjoy it too