time to play again

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I wasn't going to, honestly, I had no intention of doing a design-along challenge this year! But then I made this simple motif to show the common picot and it looks cute, quick, and easy enough to work as the starting motif for a DAL, right? 

Disclaimer - The design is so basic that I did a quick image search for a similar pattern done before, but couldn't find any. I used my own count without referring to any previous pattern. Yet, if you know of any, please do let me know.

So what is a DAL, you ask? 

• Design-Along (DAL) is a little game I 'invented' where I give you a starting pattern. You tat the motif and then you have to continue by designing and tatting your own round or rounds to it. 
• In this 2-round motif no special techniques, no special effects are used, hence it can be a good stepping stone for relative beginners to design another round.  
• The motif can be tatted as separate rounds (like in my model) or you can climb out with a split ring.
• Feel free to add more picots to these two rounds if you need your 3rd round to have more attachments.
• You might even think of repeating this motif to create a larger piece, BUT you still have to design a round around them for it to be considered a DAL.
• Send me a pic of your tatted-designed piece and as before, I will include it in a Google doc for everybody to see. You can upload to Facebook (tag me - MuskaanM), or in your own blog (leave a comment here to let me know), or send it to me privately through email.
• Tatters are always looking for new patterns. Hence we would all appreciate if you shared your pattern as well in whatever way you can. All participants in my previous DALs have done so.

So here's the pattern. I hope you can find the time and enthusiasm to participate and display your budding or experienced talents! It is always such a huge inspiration to see the wonderful designs you come up with! In case of any doubts, feel free to ask.

Muskaan's DAL 2026 Motif pattern - 

Round 1 - (pink in diagram) Rosette, single shuttle. 

  NOTE: Common picot (△) - height is about 3 stitches across when folded.

  NOTE: For continuous tatting, use two shuttles and make the last ring a split ring followed by a mock picot, the same size as the common picots.

ringA: 2 - 7 △ 7 - 2. close ring, Do Not Reverse Work (DNRW).

ringB: 2 join to last picot of A, 7 △ 7 - 2. close ring, DNRW.

ringC: 2 join to last picot of B, 7 △ 7 - 2. close ring, DNRW.

ringD: 2 join to last picot of C, 7 △ 7 join to first picot of A), 2. close ring. Tie, cut, hide ends.  NOTE: This last join is a picot join to the right or a folded join.

Round 2 - (black in diagram) Scroll, ball and shuttle.

ringA: 6 join to any △, 6. close ring. Reverse Work (RW)

chainB: 6 - 6. RW

ringC: 6 join to same △, 6. close ring. RW,

chainD: 6 - 6. RW.

Repeat from A to D all around. Join back to base of A, Tie, cut, hide ends.

Round 3 - Your Design!!! You can design and add more rounds, too.

You can find links to tutorials here - http://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/my-tut.html and here https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html

Feel free to scroll through my previous DAL challenges and see what emerged from the shuttles/needles of participants.
Past DALs - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search/label/DAL
DAL 2023 - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pVqM6S5Ng49xk6erSsDyRm3y7SdV2tCIUOCgltze4lM/view
DAL 2025 - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mQmdXWXQmcbXQ48nRz9FBeTJf_DoJqKz/view

Hope you join!

calling them done

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 Several pieces of my tatted lace over the past months are 'incomplete' if one considers the respective pattern. Yet, I am calling them done. And interestingly, most patterns here were gifted to me by kind and friendly tatters. In no particular order .....

Dora Young's Round Pinwheel doily - from All New Knotless Tatting Designs (1974).

Back in April I had wondered how to continue since I had run out of thread. And Jane McLellan commented 'to leave it as it is'. Sound advice 'coz I really like these arches better than the final circle it turns into. 

Against a different background where the grey shows up. 

In Anchor perle size 8. the diameter is 17.5cm. 

There is a slight overlap at the dips in the arches but that's fine - hardly even visible. And hubby is quite happy with this on his table!

Related Posts - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/09/flower-in-flesh-in-thread.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2026/04/2d-solid-tatting.html

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Centri Rotondo - from Il Lavaro Chiacchierino 7, Mani di Fata (1994)

A while back there was a post in a FB group which mentioned Cyprus tatting where continuous tatting involved simply leaving bare thread right up to the point in the next round where the next element starts. This is visible unlike Mlle Riego who kept the bare thread at the back of work. 

I used this doily pattern, leaving off all decorative picots, to show this spiralling climbing out.

Only 5 rounds tatted in Anchor size 40 measuring 10cm in diameter. Yet I had to snip off two rounds because there was cupping, but I re-tatted only one adding 2ds to the chains. I have come to the conclusion that my chains are more snug than normal.

The pattern was gifted to me, along with her hand-drawn sketch, by Anna Bertini.

Related Posts -

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/01/last-and-first.html (slip stitch)

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/02/not-one-ring.html

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April Fool's Rose Circle (2016) -

This is merely the center motif which gets repeated in a later round of the doily pattern. This single round in Red Rose perle size 8. measures 9cm in diameter. The full pattern was gifted to me by Erika Tashiro. Hopefully I will complete it some day, but with different threads. Not happy with this perle cotton as seen in the stitches and imagine my surprise when the dye ran!!!

This angle highlights the raised/3D effect where the rings of a running scroll are interlaced one over the other and joined to create Celtic Interlacing and a realistic-looking rose motif. The pattern has very clear colour-coded diagrams, yet I found it easier to refer to my own sketches to confirm how the rings were inserted into each other. 

Related Posts - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/02/beautiful-hearts.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/05/rosebud-heart.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2022/04/honoured-and-humbled.html

And remember Lauretta Tondelli's Interlaced Onion Rings earring (2024)?

Notice how it uses the same technique to interlace the three rings in an onion ring. In this case, however, the rings get kind of squished resulting in different shapes. This is the only piece I tatted, but single earring is not a new phenomenon for me ;-P

Related Posts - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2026/06/multiple-celebrations.html

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Its been a while since I crossed out another box in Natalie's PICOT Bingo 2026 Level 2. This time I am offering the above two models for Celtic Tatting box. (Details: https://www.patreon.com/posts/happy-new-year-147124370 )

💜💜💜

My heartiest thanks to all named in this post (and some who wish to remain anonymous)

a winter butterfly

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 Trying to catch the last golden rays of the wintery sun! 

Ninetta Caruso has shared a lovely new butterfly pattern with us! She was updating the E13 edging  pattern which Silvia Passaquieti, one of our original volunteers, had reworked back in Nov 2020. This update is part of the ongoing exercise to systematise all presentations in the Endrucks 1920 Project.

And that's when Ninetta noticed that ....

... a motif from the E13 edging looked like a butterfly's wing in profile! 

I was privy to all the trials, thoughts, doubts, and discussions - the various stages leading to this final pattern. Let's hope she shares her design process, too.

 

E13 Disclosed Butterfly by Ninetta Caruso pattern PDF link - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yxSqjL2ZpKPnwcqhG9YkbhBG_wjfLQmT/view

TWoT Notes: Habitually, I worked it directionally, starting the first wing (on the left in above pic) with the first ring frontside. For the right wing, I started the first ring backside to get a mirror image.

The pattern itself is a scroll - alternating rings and chains - throughout.  In fact each wing is worked with a ball and shuttle. Yet, it is not a pattern one can easily commit to memory. The rings and chains are cleverly arranged and attached and require mindful tatting.

 

An upended view with the butterfly playing dead ;-P 

Each wing is worked separately. Then the split ring braid attaches to both simultaneously. I chose to do the body in a different colour and twisted the head ring from vertical to horizontal .

I really liked Ninetta's version of the antennae where she lightly twisted the picots [actually she cheated by twisting them afterwards, LOL] so unlike all my earlier tightly twisted picots, these are less tight.

Now there is cupping in the wings which I kind of like, except that mine face downwards as if the butterfly is just getting ready to lift off; contrary to Ninetta's model where the wings are uplifting!

I really must make my chains less taut or add one or two extra half-stitches to avoid cupping. I seem to have this problem in several patterns.

The proof of how much I liked the pattern is that I just had to squeeze in time and energy to tat it! It took two sittings only, but took several days to finally take pics and blog. Incidentally, this is my first E13 pattern/derivative. Can't thank my dear PIC, Nin, enough, for this pattern and all she does for the Project!

E15 from Eleonore Endrucks' 'Die Schiffchen-Spitzen', 1920, reworked by Silvia Passaquieti Nov2020  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qZ0BsgjQ81es0J7G1FI3mng3xwjjeHOT/view

For more butterfly patterns and inspiration check out our Butterflies from Endrucks Directory - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dtWGgZZEGBBwLDpJgRChAEo91l4uuXq-fxRNzKDc6r8/view 

Please do not forget touse the tag #Endrucks1920Project in your social media post, and please state the name of the designer and the pattern, too. 

stop tatting

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Not literally, of course! But do read on for the full story ...

I didn't want to bore you with the continuing saga of my Just So Coaster, but it is one of the few pieces of tatting I can show at present; one of the very few that doesn't need too much effort to present. 

After round 5 the only thing I was sure about was to bring back the cream shade from round 3. After rejecting several design ideas, when I finally zeroed in on what felt good, I started second-guessing my choice of the shade. Asked hubby (all cream or cream rings with pink chains) and he said go ahead with all cream cautioning me that I would need to add another round with the dark pink shade outlining the piece. No problem, it was intended!

This is another scroll round with a slight difference. That is Not gapsosis you see between the triad rings. It is a deliberate design element and a version of stacked rings. Last year Anita Barry reworked a doily from the 1970s (by L. Uteg) which had 7 or more such contiguous rings with bare thread deliberately left at the base to maintain the curvature of the round and also act as a picot for joining future elements/rounds.

I only used three rings per set so it is essentially a trefoil here with overlapping rings.

ROUND 6: A scroll with stacked ring sets.

Start with the 1st ring and move counterclockwise.

Each ring has 14 stitches and is joined in the middle to a picot on Round 5.

Chain counts are inked in the model above, with a lock join to Round 5.

TIP: For the mirror-image sets, each subsequent ring is worked or positioned 'above' the other. In the right set, leave a bit of bare thread space (yes, gapsosis!) between each ring and while joining to the previous round, position it behind the previous ring.

In size 10 Anchor Knitting Cotton, and after 6 rounds, the coaster now measures 15.5cms in diameter.

Sadly the pics don't do justice to how beautiful it really looks on my glass dining table. Anyways, when I showed hubby the coaster, he said stop tatting! It looks complete and beautiful just as it is, Just So! 

Yes, I agreed. I will certainly stop with this piece since I wouldn't know what to do with this thick 'hot pad?' when it grows larger.

However, I'm not done designing. I still feel the urge to continue with more rounds. The only way out is to start afresh with size 20 or 40 crochet cottons. Let's see ....

Related Posts
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/04/just-so-tatting.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/05/comfort-tatting.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/05/identity-tatting.html

identity tatting

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 It was called a coaster, and coaster it shall be!

Padma Madayam surprised me with her Rounds 1 to 4 of my Just So Coaster soon after I had posted the pattern last month! However it escaped her notice that I was using size 10 knitting cotton which is a pretty thick thread. Worked in size 20 crochet cotton, her 'coaster' turned out to be too small for a coaster! And after my coaxing, she embarked on a journey to make her coaster a coaster! This is the beauty that emerged ....

Her coaster now measures 15.5 cms after the addition of two more rounds designed by her and which she has kindly shared with us. No more identity crisis ;-D

This is her first four rounds following my pattern here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/04/just-so-tatting.html

And following is her pattern for rounds 5 & 6, inked in the image as well as written notations ...

ROUND 5 (designed by Padma Mandayam) - a scroll with rings facing outwards.  This can be worked with a ball and shuttle, continuous thread, if working as separate round.  See NOTE for continuous tatting ... 

  Ring1: 4 - 3 - 3 - 4. RW

Chain1: 5 + 2 + 2 + 5, RW

  Ring2: 4 - 3 - 4 - 4. RW

Chain2: 5 + 1 + 5, RW

Repeat all around. Join last chain to base of first ring, tie, cut, hide ends. 

 

ROUND 6 (designed by Padma Mandayam) - this scroll round has trefoils and all rings face inwards (towards the center).  This can be worked with a ball and shuttle, continuous thread, if working as separate round.

  Ring1: 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3. do not RW

  Ring2: 3 +(to ring1) 3 - 3 +(to round5 ring) 3 - 3 - 3. do not RW

  Ring3: 3 +(to ring2) 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3. RW

Chain1: 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3, RW

  Ring4: 5 +(to ring3) 5 - 5 - 5. RW

Chain2: 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3, RW 

Repeat all around. joining Ring1 to Ring4, and final Ring4 to first Ring1. Join last chain to base of 1st ring. Tie, cut, hide ends. 

NOTE: For continuous tatting of rounds 5 & 6, use 2 shuttles, CTM: Make last ring of round 5 a split ring to climb out, and climb in to round 6 with a split ring for Ring2. Adjust tatting sequence accordingly, ending the round with Ring1. 

If you visit her timeline in Facebook, Padma makes superb beaded jewellery including beaded crochet ropes, besides tatting and crochet. She sent me two pics sharing her crochet and tatted coaster sets (six each). An accomplished lady for sure. Padma has also worked on several Endrucksian derivatives despite having joined recently, and participated in my DALs!

Many many thanks, Padma, for sharing this beautiful version of a properly-sized coaster :-))))

Related Posts 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/05/comfort-tatting.html  (my round 5)

comfort tatting

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 Wonder why I find this my go-to for comfort?! Is it because it increases in girth so fast, the knitting cotton being a size 10? Perhaps, because it is easy on my eyes when working late into the night and secondly I have been so involved with sample tatting that I couldn't take time out to tat larger doilies. And since my resolution is to keep the design simple, each round tats up real quick.

This is how I started Round 5, but noticed that the previous round started to cup. Tried tugging on the new round, but realised it wouldn't work and the stitch count needed to be modified.

Snipped off the core thread in each chain but left the rings there. Two advantages - 

1. I saved the knotting thread (maroon) [Jane McLellan's tip - https://janemactats.blogspot.com/2015/03/snip-rings-not-chains.html ]

 and more importantly

2. when flattened, it was easier to work out the increase in stitches to avoid cupping.

And here's the pattern inked on the pic! Another scroll round.

Round 5 of the Just So Coaster

There are enough picots in this round to add a 6th round when I need some comfort tatting ;-D I have no idea how it will progress though. I only know that the cream will be back! 

It measures 12.5 cms across BUT remember I am tatting with thick thread (Anchor knitting cotton, size 10). Your model might be much smaller in tatting cotton. Nevertheless, feel free to design your own next round and share.

Pattern for the previous 4 rounds is shared here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/04/just-so-tatting.html

TIP: If you wish to work the coaster in one pass, ensure the last chain in Round 4 is worked as a split chain, followed by a mock or false picot and then a split ring.

just so tatting

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Over the past few weeks I had been receiving versions of the DAL 2025 challenge and I was feeling very inspired and motivated, itching to design/tat. While I couldn't focus on adding another round for my own DAL version, I picked up a motif I had worked for the glossary and decided to tat around it. My aim was to keep it simple.

For many samples I have been using Anchor knitting cotton size 10. This is very thick but smooth and a bit loosely twisted. Sometimes it is necessary to be attentive while tensioning the stitches to keep them uniform. Nevertheless, I do enjoy tatting with it. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to use such thick pieces in SOUP tatting. So I am happy that this has now become a good size for a coaster (9cms across).

Sharing the pattern for the Just So Coaster if anybody is interested. I was simply winging it but it lays flat.

• It can be worked continuously in one pass by climbing out with mock picots, split chains and split ring. Trace the path before you start. Otherwise, enjoy working as individual rounds and play with colours. 2 shuttles are required only if you wish to tat it in one pass. 
• Count for each round is marked in a different colour.
• It starts with a central ring with long picots, followed by two rounds of chains lock joined below.
• The 3rd round is a scroll with rings and chains. I wanted the smaller rings to overlap a wee bit but they ended up only squished together. Both small rings are joined to the same picot of previous round while the large ring is joined to the hidden picot above the lock join.
• Again a chains-only round with medium sized picots. 

There are pics for individual rounds - WIP and/or completed. However, I doubt they are needed and would take too much time to notate. Hence I hope the inked count along with my notes will suffice. 

• And if working as separate rounds, it is a beginner pattern with only rings, chains, picots, picot joins and lock joins and each round can be worked with a ball and one shuttle, CTM.

I deliberately have picots on the last round in the event I feel like adding one or more rounds. 

Feel free to extend the design to more rounds, if you wish, but do share it with me. All my contact details are on the top right panel of my blog.

****

UPDATE (3rd May, 2025): Round 5 is shared here https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/05/comfort-tatting.html and end Round 4 with a split chain for continuous tatting. 

****

I hadn't intended for the scroll round to be so overwhelmingly ecru. So it lay around for some inspiration. It was a happy coincidence that I bought new threads from a 'new to me' online store. I needed more contrasting colours in this knitting cotton to work on the samplers and as soon as the package was delivered my mind was made up with this maroon shade! 

Since it was my first time with this store, I bought single balls/sets of different types of threads/brands so that I know what to expect in future, except for the six knitting cotton shades. And I am very happy with the quality and service and will definitely be going back for encores ;-D It was nice to see they stocked size 40 threads too, albeit in Red Heart, since Anchor has stopped manufacturing it. The other balls are all Anchor - size 20, perle, etc. More about the 'cone' threads later.

So this is my knitting cotton palette for now. Bottom row are the 4 shades I have had for a very long time (there are at least 6 more balls of ecru, bought from my local shop at least 10+ years back). I have already used all shades in my recent samplers, giving new life, energy, and colours!

Happy Tatting! Thank you for inspiring me!

last and first

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 So this is the last thing I tatted and the first I picked up at the turn of the year. And I have my tatting buddy Anita to thank for it. She was on a determined mission to finish off her ongoing works before the new year came around. Impressed and motivated, I chose this sampler I had shared here and finished it on the night of 31st Dec 2024 with an hour to spare! 

And in 2025, I picked it up again to hide the tails, block and photograph it. Notice the thread going across at the top? I won the thread chicken race!!!

Pattern is Vandyke Border in Tatting by Mrs Ollie Romesha  published in Needlecraft Vol. VII, No. 8, April 1916 and the PDF can be downloaded here - https://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/tatting.htm

One headside motif showing wheel surrounded by a scroll.

NOTE - The pattern calls the circular medallion a 'wheel'. However the correct term for this classic formation is 'daisy'. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/03/counts.html

My Notes - 

1. Pattern calls for starting the scroll at the ring indicated by white arrow. I started with the one indicated by orange arrow.

2. 4ds is missing in the pattern for ring indicated by blue arrow. All 5 rings are identical.

3. Pattern calls for tatting the scroll first and later tat the wheel (daisy) joining it to the scroll on the go. I preferred tatting the wheels separately and joining the scroll to each. 

A single motif turned around looks like the letter A! In Anchor size 40, it is 4cms high and just under 4cms wide.

Three repeats without the footside or sewing edge is more pliable and can be used for a collar, necklace, etc.

4. This lace is worked in four parts as per original pattern - wheels, pointed edge, two rows of a straight edge on the upper side. Worked with one shuttle (and ball only in scroll) throughout. 

5. Continuous Tatting in Wheel using Slip Stitch - Determined to keep it vintage, I did not use any continuous tatting method to climb out of the rows in the lace. However, the wheel is an exception where Mrs Ollie works it in one pass using only one shuttle. She works the central ring then instructs us to close the ring and 'fasten thread to 1st picot and tat ring ....'. Basically leave a very short bare thread space, make lock join in 1st picot, and start outward facing ring. I recently learned this is called a SLIP STITCH - leaving bare thread to span the distance in order to climb out at a different point. We've all used this in some form, some situation or other. Now we have a term (Judith Connors' An Illustrated Dictionary of Tatting, 2007 ed.) and Judith patiently clarified it for me. In a future post I will elaborate on these situations, one such being this Rosette Enchained snowflake .

6. In Anchor mercerised cotton size 40, measurements for 3 repeats: 7cms high x 17cms long. Without the footside rows, the triangle is 4cms high. 

Not happy with the bare thread lengths in the footside rows. I used a 5mm gauge. 4mm would've been better. My fear, despite the trial, came true, sigh.

From this upturned side, the peaks remind me of temples in India.

I hope to use this short length on a greeting card or card topper once I visualise what else should go into the composition. Your suggestions are welcome.

Related posts

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/12/incomplete.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/02/not-one-ring.html