Gotham Towers

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Snowflake #22 in Land of Laces’ 25 Snowflake Project

Taking in view the majority opinion in previous post, this is the 3^rd round added to the snowflake. Since it has numerous possibilities (time is running out, & I am involved in helping out friends ;-P), I am counting it as #22, with 3 more to go. 

ConcentriCITY Towers snowflake

pattern

For some reason I was just not into this round – I hated my tatting, the curves in the chains were not sitting right, so many options kept invading my head, and I just slogged through somehow. I was almost on the verge of calling the 25 snowflake project over. After blocking it, though, I am fairly satisfied, and want to continue on.

Rounds 1 & 2 remain the same as shared here.

The only difference is the small ring at the tips is (3-3) instead of 5ds.

Since one tatter preferred written instructions, here is the entire written pattern. Choose your favourite method for making onion rings, pointed or angular chains, & joining 2 picots together. If required, adjust the stitch count so that the concentric rings & chains lay niched.

Abbreviation/Notation :
OR = onion ring ; -/p = picot ; + = join ; RW = reverse work ; Ch = chain ; -- = long picot ; 
SS = switch shuttle ; rs = reverse (unflipped) stitch - optional ; ^ = dot picot with Only 1 first half stitch (not 1ds) - optional ; 1SSCMR = self closing mock ring made of 1 stitch.

Round 1 : ball and shuttle, continuous thread

OR1: 6 – 6.

OR2: 7 – 3 +, p 3 – 7. RW

Ch :  2 –– 8 – 8 –– 2. RW

This forms motif#1. Repeat 5 more times, joining each new OR2 to that of previous motif, and also the last to the first.

Note : None of the chain picots is joined. They all remain free.

Round 2 : 2 shuttles, continuous thread. Refer pictorial here .

Attach thread to BOTH picots on adjacent chains of previous round. I joined them simultaneously, but you can choose your own method, keeping it consistent throughout. See Eliz Davis’ study. 

 

Ch : 2 –– 6 lock join

OR1: 6 – 6.

OR2: 9 + p 9.

Ch : 12 + SS mock picot R: 3 – 3. mock picot SS, 12, lock join

Ch : 6 – 2, lock join through Both picots.

This forms motif #1. Repeat 5 more times.

Round 3 - TOWERS : 2 shuttles, continuous thread.

Attach thread to the outside of any onion ring formation, and continue around the triple onion ring.

The ‘towers’ are made of curved chains where I used reverse or unflipped stitches. To avoid this, you can RW, and switch shuttle.

You can choose your favourite method to make the points. There are numerous options, including a seed bead, which I have listed at the end of the post.

To create the point at the top, I made 1ds SCMR, and the points at the side are made with 1 first half stitch dot picot. 

  

Ch : 14, lock join, 5rs, SS, ^ , SS, 7, 1SSCMR, 7, SS, ^ , RW 5, SS, lock join on other side of        OR ,

Ch : 8, lock join through Both picots,

Ring: 5.

Ch : 3rs, SS ^ , SS, 5, 1SSCMR, 5, SS, ^ , RW 3, SS, lock join on other side ring, and again          through both picots.

Ch : 8, lock join

This forms motif #1. Repeat 5 more times.

Block into shape.

NOTE : I found that when I made the ^ on the right side and continued with unflipped stitches, there was a tendency for that point to get sucked in. You may notice it on some of the spears. My solution : Make the ^. Then reverse work. Leave a loop of core thread as if you were tatting a SCMR. Work the 3 or 5 stitches, and only snug the chain. This keeps the point intact.

I really should’ve used another method to change the curves of the chain, and I did try a couple, but somehow settled for this finally. Not happy with my work.

In Anchor Pearl cotton size 8, this measures 4”. Side of hexagon is 2”.

FUTURE IDEAS

-         switch colours in onion rings, alternating the colours, as in block tatting.

-         use Victorian set for alternate onion rings.

-         change the tower curve from ‘spear’ to ‘trident’ (as in above trial pic)

-         padded double stitch (balanced ds) for sturdier spear chains
-         concentric chains for the towers (as in trial pic)
-         beads-          
-         Lee Buchanan gave me another idea to explore at leisure, to grow the tips as in real snowflakes.   

          

POINTED  CHAINS

A few options to make pointed chains : Scroll through for tutorial links (many are listed under different headings/sub-headings)   

-         Shoelace trick (SLT), switch shuttle or reverse work

-         Frivole’s one-stitch SCMR  

-         Jon Yusoff’s pointed chain 

-    Martha Ess’ folded chain (2 half-stitches) [node stitch - Elgiva Nicholls]

-         Usha Shah’s dot picot (or a half stitch dot picot as in pattern, to reduce 'bulk')

-         Ninetta Caruso’s right angle

-         Daniela Mendola’s mimosa knot

ConcentriCITY pattern

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Snowflake #21 in Land of Laces’ 25 Snowflake Project

All Snowflake Patterns in Google Docs.

List of Tatting Tutorials with links.

This time I decided to go simple. Trouble with ‘simple’ is the constant fear that it’s already been done! Which is perhaps one of the reasons I did a 2^nd round. A quick search did not throw up anything like this, and if there is, I haven’t seen or copied it.

I’ve used Kathleen Minniti’s captured adaptation of Aurora Lozada’s Onion Rings method. I find it ‘simpler’ and easier to remember, with great results. Kathleen captures the 1^st/innermost ring in the first half stitch (within the loop after flipping the stitch) and proceeds with the 2^nd half stitch. The rings stay snug.

In the 2^nd round, where I worked the 2^nd ring backside (RODS), I captured the inner ring in the 2^nd half stitch (see pictorial below).

Both rounds are worked from front, clockwise....

ConcentriCITY snowflake

Small / Round 1 pattern

Worked in both Anchor Pearl (size 8, white) and Lizbeth (size 20), it is <4½ cms. As a hexagon, the side is 2cms.

Ball and shuttle, continuous thread. Start with the innermost ring (A) of onion ring. 

Choose your favourite method to make the onion rings.

I used Georgia Seitz’s Onion Ring or ball thread join.

Then work the chain. Note that the chain picots are NOT linked to each other. They remain free, and are slightly longer.

ConcentriCITY snowflake

Medium / Round 2 pattern

Worked in Anchor Pearl (size 8, white), it is 8 cms. As a hexagon, the side is 4cms.

2 shuttles, continuous thread.

Join to the 2 free picots on adjacent chains. I used a normal lock join, pulling up a loop simultaneously through both.

Check out this explorative study by Eliz Davis of how different ways of joining 2 picots together can be visually different. She tried Consecutive vs Simultaneous Joins. 

Start with the chain, going clockwise.

Lock join to the center picot. Make the 2 inner onion rings. Outer one is a chain, with a thrown ring. Join chain to middle ring, leave some picot space and make thrown ring. Leave equal space after closing ring, and continue chain. Lock join to same picot and continue chain, again making a join to the double picots simultaneously.

Repeat all around.

NOTE: I often have to tweak the stitches - adding half or full stitch in onion rings. Hence, depending on your tension, make the necessary adjustments.

PICTORIAL (with FRONTSIDE/BACKSIDE TATTING) 

The following pictorial shows how I worked one repeat, in directional or frontside/backside tatting. Red is shuttle1 & yellow is shuttle2.

1. After making the chain, make innermost ring with Sh1.

 2. Turn work and start next ring backside. Capturing the inner ring in 2^nd half stitch.

 3. Close ring. Both shuttles are now in position to start chain.

 4. Make chain around the onion rings. Make onion ring join or lock join. Switch shuttle to tat a thrown ring, leaving mock picot space. Switch shuttle, and continue chain back on other side. Lock join to base. [see inset].   

 5. Make chain. Put hook through both picots of previous round to pull up a loop and make a lock join.

 6. Continue chain

 7. Make lock join and repeat from 1.

8. Snowflake complete.

 Round 3 TRIALS

I tried a 3^rd round. These are the 3 repeats with tweaks in each (from 1 to 3). I couldn’t decide whether to go through with it or not, but feedback on facebook seems to be in favour of making a 3^rd round.

I have a couple of questions, though –

• Should there be a small ring (as in 1 & 2) or 2 picots (as in 2 & 3) between chains?
• Should the outermost onion ring round be normal (1 & 2) or Victorian Set (as in 3)?
• Anything else?

This will require making the entire snowflake afresh to make the picots the right size and avoid stretching. Hence it will be counted as a new snowflake for the project – I have 4 more to design/tat before the 25^th, so I’m taking this lifeline ;-P

UPDATE: Pattern for Round 3 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/12/gotham-towers.html