Showing posts with label rotate work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rotate work. Show all posts

Friday, 4 December 2020

picot join to right part 4

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I haven’t picked up my shuttles in a long time despite spending all my free time in tatting-related activities and interaction. And I’ve been neglecting my blog, too – can’t let that happen!

Well over a week back, this is what I made quickly for an experienced friend.  She, too, like I, avoids the folded join when making a picot join to the right. I prefer to rotate the work slightly on my hand, repositioning the picot on the right such that it now comes to the left, and then execute the join normally. These are my detailed pictorials and article on the topic -

http://www.tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com2016/03/demystifying-joins.html - about picot join
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/09/picot-join-to-right-part1.html - outward facing rigs
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/09/picot-join-to-right-part-2.html - chains and down join
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/10/picot-join-to-right-part-3.html - where we need this join.

What I did not explicitly show in Part 2 was what happens when all rings face inwards. She was under the impression that 'with inward facing rings no such rotation is required to execute the final join  since we are working counterclockwise'. Visuals are better than words, hence …

Picot Join to the Right – Part 4 

(joining last inward facing ring to the first using Rotate Work)

The following motif comprises single inward facing rings (4-4-4) separated by bare thread and joined to each in the round. 
 
1. 6 rings have been worked and the last, 7th ring is started. It needs to be joined to Ring. 6, so pull up a loop through the picot of previous ring. This picot is to the left of current work and we perform the action almost on autopilot, without any extra movement.

2. The same as #1, but laid flat to see clearly, The knotting thread is pulled through picot. Note- this can be pulled down for frontside tatting.

3. Now comes the point at which Ring7 is to be joined to Ring1. 
Where is this joining picot in relation to this last ring? It is to the Right. Try making the join without shifting the motif. 
4. Hence some form of picot join to the right is needed - be it a folded join, or a simple rotation, or whatever you are comfortable with.

5. Since we are avoiding the folded join, notice the slight counterclockwise rotation of motif while still in hand, to reach the picot. The movement is so subtle, that it goes unnoticed, unlike in a rosette with outward facing rings (Part 1) 
My own theory is that we need to rotate more when rings face outward, hence it is immediately noticed.

6. Loop pulled up through picot and shuttle being passed through it.

7. Join made and ring closed.

8. Motif complete. Tail ends hidden.

The principle to remember is this (TWoT Notes): Whether overall work (motif or lace) progresses clockwise or counterclockwise, whether we are working on the front or the back, the current element - Ring - is Always worked clockwise*, and Chain is Always worked from left to right. Hence when joining in a circle (last to first), whether the rings or chains face inward or outward, the joining picot on the first element will be to the right of current element, and a Picot Join to the Right will be needed.

*The only exception that comes to mind is a Reverse Ring where stitches are being added counterclockwise. 

UPDATE: A tatter graciously shared her feedback after trying it - this method works well in needle tatting as well!

Practice Patterns : 
For further practice, try this R1:4-2-4-2-4. bare thread. R2:4+2+4-2-4. and so on ... where each ring is joined to the previous ring through Two picots on each side. The last ring will need to be joined to the first 2 picots on Ring1.

Also consider inward facing trefoils or clovers instead of single rings. 
eg. this Clover Wreath Poinsettia is good practice for the picot join to right. It has both inward facing clovers as well as outward facing thrown rings that need to be joined in a circle.

Sunday, 26 June 2016

creeping along

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Both my tat-alongs are creeping along (Lene's snowflakes & Renulek's doily) …

The Seventeenth Day of December Snowflake
Lene Björn

My little experiments are creeping along – trying to apply different techniques to a regular symmetrical pattern ….
Creeping around 

I visualized this snowflake as a cross section of a tree trunk with a flowering creeper around it . This determined my choice & placement of colours.
Round 1: single shuttle, scrap length thread, SSSR, lock join, mock picot. 1”
I started with a normal ring, mock picot, followed by SSSRs.
After each SSSR, I made a lock join on the picot to secure & move into position for next ring.
Last ring is again a normal/regular ring, with picot join to first ring.

Thoughts : the lock join may show up in lighter shades. The shape of SSSRs did not come out as evenly as I’d hoped, but that is perhaps because of my own limitations of thread size & eye sight when working tiny fiddly rings.
Round 2: 2 shuttles, directional tatting (fs/bs or RODS), mock rings, scroll, rotate work, direct tatting (reverse stitch/unflipped), very small picots, fold chain (2 first half st or 2 second half st).

Visualizing this round as flowers in profile on a climber with leaves, I wanted to add a bit of layering effect . Hence used the running scroll & mock rings for the green stem & leaves part.
For flowers, I used 2 strands of orange embroidery thread & 1 strand of silk thread. It created a soft sheen/sparkle, which is not captured in the photos. (Even the colours seem dull in the pics :-( 

The pattern called for a figure “8”, not just a single ring-and-chain scroll, as well as anchoring to chain. Another catch was that despite the spiraling ‘8’, all stitches needed to face outwards as in normal rings!
I tried a couple of different ways to get the layered scroll with mock rings on both sides.
1. Folded Chain using 2 half stitches before & after the outer ring in order to get the ‘8’. Made 4 in this manner, first without joining the chain back on itself, then making a very small picot & joining back as a mock ring.
2. Direct Tatting was used in last 2 repeats. Switch to reverse stitch (unflipped) when change of direction is needed. 
Because the green is a continuous chain, adding & joining of picots was adjusted according to the flow of the chain.
Measures < 3½” 
Thoughts : Getting the scroll & joins right was a bit of a struggle! At times I even messed up my directional tatting.
Method 1 with folded chain creates a lot of bulk underneath, with 2 twists ! However, it can be worked with single shuttle & ball, if required in any pattern.
What also complicated matters was the fact that the leaves were anchored at their end picots ! I don’t know how I crept out of that one !
Method 2 with direct tatting worked out much better. It was easier and visually better (the top & left pair of leaves/mock rings in the pic above) 

I have to be satisfied that I could just about put it together, even if it did not come out as neat. I did see a spectacular use of the elusive Rotate Work (I’ve always found it’s application a bit confusing)


I forgot to post Round 12 of the doily last time ....

A doily tat-along by Renulek
Super 17 butterfly & Morning Glory on the doily in above pic.

A super quick round ! Used ball & shuttle this time. Happy with my long chains. It was only while blocking (I still use the rolling pin) that I noticed one chain had twisted. Oh well, got to live with it.
Measures 13¼” after this round , in size 40 thread.
This pic is taken with the doily draped over the dining room chair. Lighting is not too good, but the background is maroon.
A super quick round ! Used ball & shuttle this time. Happy with my long chains. It was only while blocking (I still use the rolling pin method) that I noticed one chain had twisted. Oh well, got to live with it.

I’ve started Round 13 & it looks really pretty !!!

happy tatting :-)))


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