and more

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 After reading my posts, Elisabeth Dobler took up the challenge and quickly sent me her version of the DAL Celtic Snowflake, designing a third round and also tweaking the first motif to incorporate Celtic knot picots! And she graciously shared the pattern, too, becoming our 21st participant. It took me some time to diagram it, though. But here it is ....

I realise only now while inking and uploading that we forgot to mention the beads in the center. It looks like she used two beads on each picot and made a swirl join at the end. 

There are Maltese rings at the tips and the thinner metallic thread picots fill the ring.

Elisabeth has a way with picots! If you are on Facebook or Instagram, you should look up her work and how she elegantly transforms the models. Her impeccable tatting is so inspiring, too. She frequently sends me pics of her work and I will soon share a few here.

Before I forget, you can find the pattern and all details in this Google Docs -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pVqM6S5Ng49xk6erSsDyRm3y7SdV2tCIUOCgltze4lM/view

❅❄❅❄❅❄❅❄❅

And I also know of two other tatters who tatted the snowflakes -

Marja chose Lella Loops' version - https://solmujenlumoissa.blogspot.com/2024/11/lumihiutaleita.html

and Padma M chose to tat Mariola Siwek's version which she shared in her FB account - 

UPDATE (Dec2024): The pattern (diagram for Padma's variation is also uploaded in the above document.

 

Many thanks to all for your participation! Being inspired and inspiring others is an unending cycle of creativity! 

Related Posts - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/lets-design-round-3.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-collective-gift-1.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-collective-gift-2.html

a collective gift 2

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Life has taken on this unhealthy habit of getting in my way! It took me way longer to publish this post than was required. I also apologise to all my blogger friends for not commenting, even though most times I read the posts. Without much ado, here's part 2, with patterns. Read part 1 here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-collective-gift-1.html

12. Mariola Siwek - drew her visualization overnight and her tatted replication did full justice to the diagram! 

However, the stitch count numbers on the image were not sharp, so I had started diagramming it first. I am happy to say that at least this diagrammed pattern is now in the Google Docs. Link at the end.

 

13. Ninetta Caruso - designed Rounds 3 to 5 and tatted two models with options and also prepared a PDF!

This version has treble tatting in Round 3.

Ninetta's pattern PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KYqv7D1d06OhZ3v_lom9nWRJLrKhX7sc/view

14. Paola Bevilacqua - designed Round 3 and converted her model into an ice drop!

Watch her short video showing work in progress -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iXWwtyBrJp2o5Sb2GUMh8FO5MAKk-QFt/view

15. Silvana Buonvino - designed Round 3 with onion rings!

It has that fractal feel, doesn't it?

16. Stella Marina - designed Round 3 but with the models coming in, she decided to go for a bit more stylish decoration and overlapping chains!

17. Vani Kattoju - designed Round 3 and tatted two models and then went on to design a 4th round in her third model!

Nice dendrites in the fourth round!

18. Wanda Salmans - designed Rounds 3 & 4 and shared her journey, thoughts, and process in her blog post (https://www.wandasknottythoughts.com/2023/06/old-edging-and-a-dal-snowflake/) and also spoke about it in her inaugural YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsD-3AkFODQ&feature=youtu.be.

The snowflake looks good even after Round 3.

Such a difference in shades!

19. Dan Grady - started tatting his Round 3 design but the work is still not complete; obviously discarded a long time back.

20. Muskaan - designed Round 3 and shared pics and design journey in the following posts -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/problem.html 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/solution.html    

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/dal-tadaaaa.html 

And as promised, I am sharing the article (I removed the QR codes and added an Author's note) which has the pattern as well. 

Designing with Friends article and pattern PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1peQYjewL79RsmXEpx_-XU1fxlPIYJNvt/view

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AND now for all the patterns you are hopefully waiting for and have kept your shuttles/needles ready-- 

Muskaan's DAL Celtic Snowflake challenge May2023 -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pVqM6S5Ng49xk6erSsDyRm3y7SdV2tCIUOCgltze4lM/view

Feel free to join in the challenge by designing your own rounds or choose and tat any of the 25 patterns listed in the doc above. Do send me pics and feedback to be shared with the respective designer or to add you to the 20 designing friends!

Start here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/lets-design-round-3.html

 

Notice that you can interlace the first two motifs as you wish. Some designers chose one, some the other although to keep things simple I had shared only the model on the right in my invitation.

Many many many thanks to each and every participant for your wonderful and inspiring work(s) and for sharing it with the tatting community. It is indeed tremendous fun designing with friends!

a collective gift 1

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... of so many snowflake variations and patterns in one place, from a talented group of generous designers!  Perhaps you recall my invitation to design the next round(s) for a Celtic interlaced center - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/05/lets-design-round-3.html... the DAL Celtic Snowflake 'challenge' as several called it. I loved the response and the models that turned up, some almost overnight! And later, when I requested each participant to share their pattern, they readily complied. I compiled them all in a Google Doc, listing them chronologically as they came in. 

The main reason for this inordinate delay in sharing with you is two-fold: 1) I wanted to synchronise the patterns, adding a diagram to each or filling in any 'gaps', and 2) I wrote an article on this project for the IOLI Bulletin and wanted to wait a decent amount of time. The first objective hasn't been achieved, unfortunately, though I did begin diagramming. For this I sincerely apologise to my designers, but hope to work on it in future.

I have decided to share the document as is since it is the season of tatting up snowflakes! Please note that the patterns are not tested and there is diversity in presentation styles. We hope you enjoy the individual flavour and range of effects, tools, and techniques and also the story behind each! All details are in the doc, the link to which I will share at the end of the visual display of models. Between my article and the Google docs, the entire backstory is laid out . hence I will not repeat it here.

Presenting them alphabetically ---

1. Aleksandra Pawlik - Round 3 designed and tatted within a day!

 

2. Anita Barry - Two different versions, both with Round 3 designed!

 

The difference in backgrounds brings out the mandala effect differently.

Clever use of split rings.

3. Anna Bonelli - Rounds 3 & 4 designed. Makes a nice wheel impression.

4. Antonia Lai - Round 3 designed in single shuttle with bare thread spaces!

5. Barbara Slodka - Round 3 designed with Josephine rings and pleasant pastels

6. Daniela Galli - Round 3 designed and tatted in two shades of metallic threads

7. Donna McDade - designed Round 3 for Five versions! All 5 models have been appliqued on a quilted wall hanging (pic in the doc).

8. Jean Inglis - Round 3 designed. Appears like a flower or wreath.

9. Ladyphoenix tatter - designed Rounds 3 & interlaced Round 4 after discarding two other attempts since it caused cupping.

10. Margaret Davies - designed Rounds 3 & 4 and tatted multiple models till she was satisfied! 

11. Lella Loops - designed Round 3 and also styled a Celtic shuttle to work the interlacing in this round! She is a needle tatter.

continued in next post along with links .... 

feeble firsts

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Believe me, I have never done bauble tatting! Oh, every year I think I will embellish at least one bauble, but all for nothing. In December 2021, the admin of the Italian FB group 'Chiacchierino: Filo Amore e Fantasia' held an online event with my MatheMagical Star pattern and several tatters used it to cover their bauble ornaments. All this really inspired me to do one..er 2, er 4.

Due to paucity of time and energy, I settled on using whatever motifs I had on hand - a SOUP (Sewing On/Using Pieces) moment. These 4cm ornaments will soon celebrate their 20th buy-day! At the time we didn't have a lot of options in this city and since the tree was decorated only the 1st 2 years, I am hesitant to buy. Next time I will certainly include more beads and crystals, more flamboyance. Perhaps I Should buy a few good quality and larger sized baubles. This little exercise has got me excited and more confident.

In chronological order - 

Bauble #1 - This edging is draped diagonally and temporarily taped down behind. (don't look behind!). But in Anchor size 20, it is too thick. A daintier edging/insertion would look better. And a tiny motif or 2 on the bare side spaces? 

Interlaced Cumulus pattern - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/05/puffy-clouds.html

Bauble #2 - There is no good angle to capture both flakes in a pic. These are in Lizbeth 20 and perhaps the reason I put them together. Spin Away above and ConcentriCity below.

I used a matching blue metallic thread to join the 2 flakes together. It really isn't difficult! Without cutting the thread from the reel, I sewed through the picots, and finally adjusted the tension and positions before snipping, tying, and hiding. Keeping the thread on the reel gave me a lot of leeway with no fear of running short.

Bauble #3 - This is the small version of the MatheMagical Star in size 40 - the only one that ... the others were too large for this bauble. And I kind of liked how the crystals sat like a crown on top.

On the underside is the Folded Fun Star. I hope you can see how I went a bit adventurous and joined the 2 stars.

Bauble #4 - Messy but looks better in real. I was going for an organic look by not tying down each twisted picot. But very difficult to photograph.

I simply sprinkled a few of my snowflakes instead of suspending them - yup lazy. Hubby even offered to put up a string of lights but I hope to be better prepared next time.

It happens Every year! I let the sunny days slip by and when I finally get around to decorating the tree, the sun gives me the slip! So the pic comes out insipid. Oh well, this should be a staunch reminder to start early this year!

I really want to thank all the wonderful versions shared by tatters around the globe - in the event (one tatter inserted it inside a transparent star ornament; and others who used beads in exciting arrangement) as well as ornaments in general - that got my juices running, finally. Feeble firsts, but determined to be better later this year!

All the star and snowflake patterns can be found here -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r4OmXX_c5LjFebMN2UbSNiYqXYETLmoridK0X1YIQco/view

let it go

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… or not – that is the question!

I skipped this Sunday’s snowflake (we started with 28 weeks for 25 flakes, so …). For one I felt drained with all the pattern writing – some of the patterns are really tough to get through in as simple a format as possible. 

For another, I was simply unhappy with all my attempts. To the extent that I kept picking up a different pattern to work up! Look for yourself …

I designed and tatted this in 2016 as a first round. I really like it and can’t seem to let go of it, but creating another round has me stumped. 

Disregarding my past sketch (see the brown in lead pic?), I tatted this last week. 

This yellow/green one is another attempt at an outer round. It ruffles when tatting but lays flat with blocking.

What is your verdict?

TõT

Then I tried to extend this small vintage snowflake. Those long chains are meant to be narrow. I like the shape they create individually & collectively, but clearly too large for this center. Having run out of thread, I’ve left it for now.

TõT

This is another flake that emerged from my mistake here. I made the left one in Dec 2018, but there is significant ruffling along the periphery, hence did not share. I’m giving it another go, using a larger center, but keeping the outer arms same. It should work, right?

It is worked in one pass, but during trials I like to work rounds separately so that one can snip off and discard parts instead of the entire tatting.

 Along with your verdict, suggestions for names will be most appreciated :-)))

TõT

And before I sign off, here’s what Barbara Slodka shared with me. Dani Rotach’s Celtic Starfish from Finger Lakes 2015 Tatting Seminar. 

From what I can see, it also uses the same numerical formula for the arms, though it is so much more ornamental and more advanced than my MatheMagical star! Isn’t it beautiful?!