Tiny Heart Poppy
A 3D Tatted
Flower (contd.)
 |
| Tiny Heart Poppy - spot the difference ;-))) |
We’ve completed the 3 red petals. Now to add
‘embellishments’ to bring it to life ;-) : the flower centre made of yellow
& black, a couple of free-standing buds, a leaf sprig, & then the main stem.
Poppy Flower
Centre :
Materials
AMC Size 20 , Yellow 0289 ,
Black
2 shuttles OR 1 shuttle with
yellow tied to black ball
Techniques &
abbreviations :
JR – Josephine Ring , with Perpendicular
arrangement of Rings
Ch – chain
fhs – 1st half stitch of ds
shs – 2nd half
stitch of ds
Wind
yellow thread in one shuttle & black in 2nd shuttle/ball & tie
together. No need to hide the tail ends as these will be required to provide
stiffness to encapsulated stem later.
Yellow Pistil/Carpel
:
With
shuttle 1 (yellow) :
JR 1 : 10 hitches / half
stitches
Before
starting JR2, try to turn JR1 at a 90° angle on Y axis. So instead of making a
concentric, onion-ring type of overlap, we will get an overlap Across the 1st JR, vertically, at right angles. Hopefully the image & diagrammatic representation below, will give a clearer
idea.
JR 2 : 15 hitches …
Before
closing, adjust this ring over the 1st JR so as to snug neatly over
& around the latter. If required, add or subtract the half stitches. Since
there is no picot in JR1 to which JR2 can be joined, one needs JR2 to fit
snugly over, yet without distorting, JR1, Nor
falling over itself !
I kept
positioning the open ring stitches over JR1 till I felt the length was just
right, then close JR2, keeping it positioned perpendicular to JR1.
 |
| Yellow Pistil in center |
Black Stamens
:
Place/position
the yellow centre over the space between the 3 petals. (Pass the tail ends through
this open centre, so that they are now Under the flower).
Working
from top, join to picot at the base of any petal, keeping the yellow JRs
centred.
Now start
a chain made up of medium length Floral Picots (I have used the term described
by Ring of Tatters)
Ch : ** (
2FHS , p , 2 SHS , p ) …. Repeat ** for desired length, joining to the picots
at the base of each petal at regular intervals. The chain should be long enough
to go all around the yellow core. Lock join into place.
I made the length slightly longer
so that it overlapped a bit, before ending. If you look very carefully, this
overlap of picots can be seen towards the right side in image. Overlap ensures
that the black picots will never show any gap.
Pass all
the tails through the center, to the back of the flower, to be encapsulated
later.
The Poppy
Flower is now complete !
If one is looking for only a flower, one can stop here
(hiding all tails). This can be sewn on to decorate or adorn headbands,
bracelets, rakhi, gifts, etc. etc. Add a green calyx, if desired.
I decided
to add some stem, leaves, & buds to the flower to make it a stand-alone
entity such as a nosegay (spritz your
favourite perfume ;-) ), a lapel flower, brooch, or a boutonniere for men.
Add a couple more flowers & paraphernalia to make a cute spray !
Buds, Stems,
Leaf Sprig
AMC Dark Green : 0844
2 shuttles, wound CTM
Buds :
JR 1 – Josephine Ring with
auxiliary thread
Perpendicular Rings
arrangement
JC – Josephine Chain or
Spiral chain
Encapsulation with JC /
spiral tatting
2 Shuttles wound CTM.
Here is something I hadn’t tried before, hence a detailed
log :
- Wind
an extra (auxiliary) piece of green thread along with the thread in
shuttle, just enough for the 2 JRs.
- Make
JR1 (15 half stitches) using this double thread, for added thickness.
- JR2 (20-22 half stitches) made with Jane
Eborall’s method of Josephine Rings
- JR2 is made perpendicular to JR1. Before closing
the ring, make sure it sits over the 1st ring just right,
without falling over.
- Cut
the extra length of auxiliary thread & hide it in the JC that follows, or keep it for encapsulation.
- JC for
about 5½ cms (or as desired).
- Note : Since one is encapsulating, the half stitch of JC/spiral chain will remain unflipped.
- End JC
with a small picot with which to join to main stem later. Do not cut. (This step can be skipped. After leaving a short tail, cut threads. Repeat from Step 1 for 2nd bud).
- JC
going back up for 2nd bud. This stem is shorter ~ 4 cms long.
- Unwind
shuttle & double up the remaining thread (or wind another auxiliary
thread).
- Use
this doubled thread to make the 2 perpendicular JRs as before.
- Tie,
cut & hide the tail or sew it in.
Note : The 2 buds
have been made in one pass. But looking back, it is better to make them
separately, each one starting from the bud end & moving down to the stem.
Threads can be encapsulated later.
TIP : JCs can be
done with 1 shuttle & ball. But the ball (working) thread tends to twist a
great deal & untwisting the ball after every few stitches, becomes
cumbersome. Hence it is advisable to use 2 shuttles. I speak from experience
;-((
Leaf Sprig :
Twisted Picots (unjoined)
JC – Josephine Chain / Spiral
tatting
3½ cm stem which is again a JC
Twisted picots at
regular intervals (2½ - 3 cms long each)
Start with a twisted picot on a
JC. The picots are closer initially, then the spacing increases slightly. Do as
many as you want. When desired length is reached, stop & cut threads,
leaving a tail of 2-3 inches.
TIP : JC stem spirals
around, so the twisted picots spiral around too, instead of sitting flat on a
single plain.
Another reason I used a JC
chain, is to replicate in an abstract fashion, the fuzziness of a real poppy
stem.
UPDATE : Refer to Tutorial for Twisted Picots (Floating)
Main Stem :
Encapsulation using JC (
spiral chain)
< 5 cm long.
Preferably 2 shuttles, CTM
Hook the green thread to any one picot at base of petal.
Then make JC, encapsulating all the floral thread tails.
Note : Since one is
encapsulating, the half stitch of JC/spiral chain will remain unflipped.
After about 2 cms from base of flower, start attaching the
buds’ stem & the leaf sprig. Make sure to encapsulate these from a little
higher than the point at which the tails start; this will ensure free-standing stems
that hold the buds & leaves.
Also start cutting off tails, at different stages but After
at least 1 inch of encapsulated main stem, for a tapering kind of stem. If an
evenly thick stem is desired, then encapsulate all tails right till the end.
Continue the stem further to desired length. Tie & cut.
When encapsulated with all the tails, the stems remain stiff
enough & no extra stiffening is required. It is also essential that a short
part of the buds & leaf sprig stems be encapsulated within the main stem
from the point where they are joined, so that they stay erect & in place
without any support.
NOTE : Each element holds it's shape. However, in case thread specifications demand, one can add an extra/auxiliary thread for encapsulation of stems.
Final Dimensions : ( ” – cms
; ’ – inches )
Flower : ~ 4”/ 1½’ across
Yellow centre : ~ ½” x ½”
Black centre : picots are ~ ½
cm long each, with slight variation if desired.
Buds & Stem : 1st
pair : 1”x 1”, on a 4”/ 1½’ long stem.
2nd pair : >1”x
1”, on a 5½”/ 2’ long stem.
Leaf Sprig : Twisted picots
vary between 2½”-3”/ ~1’-1’+ in length, along a 3½”/ 1½’ long stem. The total length from tip to base,
comes to about 6”/ 2½’ .
Main Stem : <5”/ <2½’ long, from base of flower to
end.
Total length of entire Spray
: 9”/ 3½’
Some
Variations :
For a fuller, more ROSE-like look, add another layer of 3
petals below the 1st three, before starting with the stem, etc. (in pic below)
One can add a calyx at base of flower. A set of long twisted picots, joined to the free picots at base of flower, might look good. It will also make the flower “complete” in case one does not want to follow up with a stem, etc. Once the sepals are in place, start with encapsulation for stem.
 |
| A potential ROSE ?! 2 layers of petals. |
In Remembrance of all those from whom I have learned, & am learning,
all who have graciously shared their knowledge, patience, & skills ....
Sept 5th, Teachers' Day (India).
