interwoven beaded bracelet

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As promised, here is another pattern and technique reveal from my bead tatting post back in May. All relevant links are listed at the end of this post.

A simple name - Muskaan's Interwoven Beaded Bracelet, made using four shuttles with pre-strung beads on each and Barbara Arango's variation of the Interlocking split rings technique.

Above is a practice pattern I am sharing. As you can see in the inset, traditionally 4 shuttles are used and the split rings are tatted simultaneously, lying close to each other. The idle pair of shuttles is passed through the open SR and then the ring is closed so that the next SR will is encapsulated and overlap with the previous. video link at end

Barbara used the flexibility of 4 shuttles to distance the SRs with a chain between two SRs. She used it to create the desired effect in a round doily! 

Practice Pattern: 

To keep track, I used 4 different thread colours in each shuttle....

Sh1: yellow; Sh2: cream; Sh3: pink; Sh4: blue.

I started with two normal rings.

Sh1) R1: 18. dnrw, SS

Sh2) Ch1: 6.

Sh3) R2: 18. dnrw, SS [insert R1 through R2]

Sh4) Ch2: 6.

Sh1) SR3: 9 / 9. dnrw, SS  [pass shuttles 3 & 4 back to front through SR3 before closing it]

Sh2) Ch3: 6.

Sh3) SR4: 9 / 9. dnrw, SS  [pass shuttles 1 & 2 back to front through SR4 before closing it]

Sh4) Ch4: 6.

Continue the SR steps for desired length.

Posting the shuttles front to back will give the opposite overlap.

Having 4 shuttles meant I could have beaded strings instead of Barbara's chains between the SRs! Which led to the bracelet above. 

Muskaan's Interwoven Beaded Bracelet   ©May2025

String all 4 shuttles with seed beads. In my model worked with Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8 ---

Sh1 & Sh2 with teal thread, CTM, and purple seed beads

Sh3 & Sh4 with dark purple thread, CTM, and yellow seed beads

Follow the process and instructions as explained in the practice pattern. However, instead of chain, slide beads from both shuttles before starting the next ring or SR. 

Sharing only the repeated portion of the pattern ---

Sh1) R1: 3 [- 3]x7. Slide 5 beads from Sh1 & 2. dnrw, SS

Sh3) R2: 3 [- 3]x7. Slide 5 beads from Sh3 & 4. dnrw, SS [insert R1 through R2]

Sh1) SR3: 3 [- 3]x3 / 3 [- 3]x3. Slide 5 beads from Sh1 & 2. dnrw, SS [pass shuttles 3 & 4 back to front through SR3 before closing it] 

Sh3) SR4: 3 [- 3]x3 / 3 [- 3]x3. Slide 5 beads from Sh3 & 4. dnrw, SS [pass shuttles 1 & 2 back to front through SR4 before closing it] 

Repeat SR3 and SR4 for desired length. 

Posting the shuttles front to back will give the opposite overlap.

I ended with a curled ring (see inset) that works as a toggle for a quick & lazy finish.

Note: The beads are a slightly different size. Unfortunately I can't find my notes but I remember there was a little TIP I wanted to share. Oh well, perhaps I will find it some day and make a proper PDF presentation. 

Future Ideas - Add more beads in place of the picots. Throw off rings or decorative picots on one or either side. Attach more braids with same or additional colour for a broader version. The alternate SRs can differ in size or different sized threads can be used.

UPDATE (18th Aug, 2025) - Splocik has used the tweaked braid as a foundation, adding rounds around it, for two bookmark versions here - https://oczka2.blogspot.com/2025/08/zakladka-na-podstawie-motywu.html

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INTERWOVEN  versus  INTERLOCKING

Often the two are used interchangeably in tatting terminology. Confining myself to the split ring braids,  there are several techniques and effects that tatters have created over the years. These may range from a single row of split rings (called a SR braid or cord), or a double row where the SRs are interlaced and lie adjacent to each other. 

Or the braids may lie 'stacked' with overlapping SRs. These are the SR braids that are interwoven where the SRs from two braids lie intertwined through each other. These are also called interlocking SR braids and can be made with either 2 or 4 shuttles - two independent braids woven through each other; a foundational braid encapsulated within the second on-going braid; simultaneously tatting the SRs using 4 shuttles. 

Then there is the 3D chain maille effect where each subsequent SR lies at right angles to the previous one just like in interlocking chains and links in jewellery. I prefer to call these 3D SR braids Interlocked and the 'flat' ones Interwoven. This gives a more exacting visual especially since there are several ways to interweave and interlock the braids, whether 2D or 3D. 

Related Posts and Links -  
Simple interweaving - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/03/exciting-firsts.html 
Interlocking split rings 2 Karen Cabrera Lesson 79 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR04RLHdmA0   (2 shuttles)
Interlocking split rings 2 Karen Cabrera Lesson 80 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBrDRLFibO8   (4 shuttles)
How to start and end SR without a knot - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/11/beginning-or-ending.html 
SR braids, including beaded, some with pictorials - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=SR+braid 

Interlaced SR braids with pictorials and patterns - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=interlaced+SR
Tatting with Beads - a few effects - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/05/bead-tatting.html

updates

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I have often updated a post (highlighted as 'UPDATE') without any separate notification. This time I thought a special post would be good for those interested since there are quite a few. Yet as I list them, I find some should be accompanied with a photo. Hence while I rectify that omission, here is part 1 of the updates in no particular order ....

DAL Celtic Snowflake challenge. Pattern (diagram) for Padma Mandayam's adaptation of Mariola Siwek's version is now uploaded to this Google doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pVqM6S5Ng49xk6erSsDyRm3y7SdV2tCIUOCgltze4lM/view for you to enjoy. 

Original post -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/12/and-more.html 

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I was very impressed with the way Ninetta had started her ring seamlessly without making any 'join' by using the same joining loop as a ring loop. Well, forgetful brain did not put two and two together especially considering I have used this method before. It is basically the Ring on Picot technique which Patty Dowden demonstrated in this video -https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LmMxIBrDpRI 

Original post -  https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/10/awakened.html

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When I wrote about Fringe Tatting and the Tatted Fringe I did not highlight that beads could be used for the fringe, too. Eventually I made a beaded fringe inspired by and following Corina Meyfeldt's directions for Beaded Stem. Nina Libin called it Single File Beaded Picot.  The beads are pre-strung on the shuttle or ball thread depending on the pattern and each fringe or beaded picot is moved in place when needed. 
Original Posts - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/08/on-fringes.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/11/soup-catcher.html

Here's an old model from 2017 - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/05/rising-month-late.html

This method is fine for a limited number of fringe elements/picots with a limited number of beads on each or if all the beads are on the ball thread. 

One more method is the Floating Beads method but it has severe limitations -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/09/floating-beads-part-4.html

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And finally splocik's Small Decorations 2024 since I won't be participating in her 2025 verion - December gallery (https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/12/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria-grudniowa.html ) and collages of entire year's works by some participants (https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2025/01/male-dekoracje-2024-podsumowanie-i-3.html) ... links added to my final post (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/12/a-no-glass-ceiling.html). I am happy to have been able to submit 13 decorations.

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I had sent the vapour stitch bouquet pic for PICOT Bingo, but couldn't complete the game in the way I had intended and imagined. 5 boxes still left to cross out. Natalie, too, has uploaded a 2025 bingo card, but I won't be participating. See how disciplined I am being this year?! ;-D 

This is it for now. More updates will follow with some exciting revelations/discoveries!

And I still have to update some of the original posts with new links/details. Tomorrow. It's time for bed now.

a no glass ceiling

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This is something I pulled out from my art archives, LOL. Made around the turn of the century and lying unused in a box in my now almost defunct yet stuffed art closet. 

I needed something for the Small Decorations game organised by splocik and for the last 11 months I've submitted various specimens of tatted lace. For this final month, too, I had a few small pieces and a to-tat list of a few more, which I was going to put together as tree decorations to hang as simple ornaments, to cover baubles, etc. However, this value addition didn't happen when I suddenly remembered I'd never blogged about this project. Had to look through several of my containers to finally locate them, but the search did throw up so many forgotten memories!

 

These are mostly leftover glass paints on transparency sheets cut into rectangles for bookmarks. All are freehand, free-style, painting outlines directly over the bookmark and then filling with colour.

 

The black outline is not fine and even in many of them because the nozzle wasn't cooperating ...perhaps because the squeeze bottle was running low on the colour. Yet I enjoyed giving myself a free hand, LOL.

 

These bookmarks remain unused because at times the paint tends to stick to the page especially in the hot summers we have here. Would a coat of varnish help? While I didn't try varnish, I did try to cover up the painted side with cling wrap. Nah, unless laminated, the wrap just spoils the look.

A failed idea and experiment.

The box contained another painting on an A4 transparency sheet - lot more detailed and fine, but the paint has peeled off in several places. Another one has remained fine, though. My largest glass painting (a Medusa), this one on glass was framed and adorned the study for several years. Now it is wrapped up and closeted.

Would the newer generations remember what a transparency sheet is? Are they still being used for presentations or put to some other use? 

I could've punched a hole at the top and tied a satin ribbon for a tail. But I was just plain lazy to collect the materials and put in those few extra minutes and effort. Part of the reason is that these are not going to be used as bookmarks and are too long to stand in for tree decorations. Hmmm, I could cut around the outline of a few of them, though! Now that's something for next year.

So these bookmarks are my submission for December. You can scroll through the beautiful range of  November submissions here - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/12/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria-listopadowa.html

As requested by splocik, above is a collage of all my submissions for the entire year (there were two submissions in October).

I had tremendous fun thinking of what to present each month! And I didn't always have to make something special, though the game was instrumental in several. Glad I could complete the game!

UPDATE: December gallery - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/12/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria-grudniowa.html ; collage of year-round projects by each participant - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2025/01/male-dekoracje-2024-podsumowanie-i-3.html

Many many thanks, splocik, for organising such a fun event in a supportive and creative way. So much talent was on display through all the submissions!

Happy holidays to one and all!

SOUP catcher

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I haven't touched my shuttles for almost 3 weeks now, but I needed a small decoration for splocik's monthly game. So, I did a quick search in my stash and found motifs I had tatted in September. I hastily put these together to create some kind of ornament. It resembles a dreamcatcher somewhat, but could just as well be a suncatcher, a window decoration or a tree ornament. And overall, it could've been better! This will have to do for now since only a few hours remain of November.

Being made of pieces in my stash and with no clear identity, I was tempted to call it my SOUP* catcher! Remember what SOUP stands for? - Sewing On / Using Pieces of tatting. However a few of my friends say it does look like a dreamcatcher. And these are the component pieces ....

Motif #1 Mituko Ikuta's 1994 book 'Shuttle Lace: Tatting and Beads 1' has several picot effects which became popular as 'Ikuta Picots' through Georgia Seitz's tribute to the designer. The above motif is from Ikuta Picots Diagrams 1  by Georgia Seitz (https://www.theonlinetattingclass.com/technique-tools). Worked in Lizbeth size 20.

Motif #2 And this is from Diagram 2 same link as above. In the first motif the long picots appear like adjoining or continuous picots, being joined at the same distance. These are double picots and the two threads can be arranged to better resemble them - I did not. Worked in Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8.

In this 2nd motif the very long picots are joined to adjoining elements (rings here) and form overlapping layers with careful interweaving.

This time I pinned the long picots in 2nd motif while blocking in order to achieve the points. I like this better since it opened up the picots - what about you?

My pictorials for her overlapping picots effect - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=Ikuta+picots

Motif #3 I was inspired by Corina Meyfeldt's beautiful Sakura pattern (https://cmhandmade.blogspot.com/2014/11/pattern-sakura.html). I had started out to tat the sakura, but pre-stringing the beaded picots (notice I put 3 yellow beads at the tips?) was quite time-consuming so I went freeform with only 5 stamens. Worked in Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8.

There's a backstory to this. When I did the post about Tatted Fringe (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/08/on-fringes.html) Stephanie W told me about her beaded fringe which she made using Nina Libin's 'single file beaded picot' and even sent me a pic! It reminded me of Corina's Sakura which had been taught in Georgia's class. The method is exactly the same, though for a fringe the picots would likely be longer.

Motif #4 The large mustard 4-petalled motif in the center of the bangle is an adaptation of Eliz Davis' motif (https://tatknot.blogspot.com/2016/05/mock-ring-by-joining-chain-back-to.html) which I made before in blue (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/05/of-long-chains-large-rings.html). After everything was assembled, I realised I hadn't taken a pic of the motif separately. Worked in Anchor size 20 (¬size 10).

Motif #5 There was a prominent negative space in the 4th motif so I sewed in the Fringe Star 

(pattern https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/08/starburst-fringe.html) 

I wanted to take a short video of the SOUP dreamcatcher but it wasn't to be. 

How fast this year has slipped by! Only one more month left, one last submission left. Do check out the range of October entries in splocik's 'Small Decorations' game - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/11/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria.html

Many many thanks to all mentioned in this post!  

never be late

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 I barely made it before the end date. 

This month we have a very special game in our Endrucks FB group. We were supposed to convert Endrucks' pattern #30 into a cross and those who didn't want to tat a cross, could do a bookmark, bracelet, etc. I chose to do a cancer awareness ribbon, but with beads. Beads to signify the happiness/bling of being a survivor and also to be able to wear it as a bracelet if so desired. 

It is for a very special and sweet friend who, though being merely a couple of years younger, insists on being a younger sister and calling me 'badi didi' ;-D Well, she certainly has my blessing and good wishes always 💕

And never be late to detect any lump and get it checked.

This is worked in Anchor Pearl Cotton size 8 with randomly loaded 13/0 (red) and 17/0 (clear) seed beads. They add a nice weight to the piece and it feels good to wear it. I didn't inset any findings, though, and for a 7 inches long bracelet make one repeat less. 

One can play with colours, too! Use any Reposition Method to get the desired thread/colour placement. 

This is one of the patterns I had attempted in 2015-16 and couldn't get the chains to lie nicely. While here, too, I could've done better by adding 1 stitch to each segment of the onion ring, this is merely my own tatting tension issue.

While tatting the edge on the other side, I ended up adding 2ds in each chain segment, which I should've done for the first edge as well.

Ninetta Caruso did an excellent job of reworking the pattern and sharing versions, including a corner and a square motif adaptation! Here's the pdf link - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f7g8gIB7S3-ggRbdneLYmxfxPcDBoq7u/view . She has also uploaded a diagram-only version in here flickr account which I used - https://www.flickr.com/photos/ninettacaruso/50560777536/ . 

Why'd I use two different coloured beads? The clear ones wouldn't have shown up well in the pics and the clear red ones would dominate the ribbon. And loading them randomly on both shuttles was Dr Downplay's flexible path to quick stringing without any calculation of bead position, LOL.

Also, when I started, I had no clear idea where and how I wanted to place the beads. 

 

Shuttle #1 ran out of thread hence had to rewind and re-string beads. Shuttle #2 ran out of beads and had to add more beads. Yet, it was an enjoyable tat and something that went pretty fast considering the number of beads used. Only wish my tatting was better. Well, there's always a next time!

And I am entering this as a second submission this month to splocik's 'Small Decorations' game! I just think it will resonate with many, hence. Thank you, splocik 💖

Many thanks for all the work that went behind reworking this pattern and also creating adaptations, Ninetta!

done

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 Done for now, to be clear. And not because I've tired of it. Au contraire, it is just too enticing, distracting, and addictive. I want to simply sit and tat this, and ignore all other tasks, including a couple with deadlines. So, done for now, threads unwound from shuttles and back in their respective boxes. And my apologies to my tatting buddy Anita, for leaving it here. I do hope to pick it up again some time next year.

In Anchor Pearl cotton size 8, it measures about 7cms across.

This was completed several days back. It's taken me this long to take pics and prepare a post.

At this stage I am calling it my Sunflower version. Going forward, it might become a dahlia or chrysanthemum with more colours being added.

I followed Patty's diagram again, alternating the 2nd join between the inner scallops. Later realised that the original doily throughout had a single join between the inner scallops, not alternate. By then I had already completed 2 whole repeats (4 scallops each), hence went ahead as before. Not that it shows either way at least in my version. 

How does it Always happen?! The one slice I chose for the close-up is the one where I missed a join in round 1, LOL. I missed a join in round 2, too, and also a 2ds chain segment. However, it was easy to ignore the first and for the second, I inserted a fine hook through the 'hidden picot' (viz, through the stitch) for a join. Can't even locate where this all happened. Dr Downplay zindabad!

  

I wish there was more of the chrome yellow rather than the yellow ochre in this model, but I was going from a light to dark shade using whatever I had in my stash. And the brown could've been a a couple of shades lighter if only I had enough.

My intention is to use two shades of orange then two shades of red for the remaining four rounds. I could repeat the same yellows, but that would become kind of boring ;-P

What do you think of the colour scheme?

Oh and I had updated my previous post with the completed round 1, but here's the pic again in case you missed it - 

Many thanks to Jon Yusoff for hosting the TAL. Don't know when I'll be back to complete this.

This mini-doily or coaster is my October submission to splocik's Small Decorations game. Only two months left and I still have so many ideas/projects I could submit! It's been a fun game for sure and will definitely look forward to joining again if splocik hosts it in 2025.

Check out the range of creativity and crafts for September here -https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/10/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria-wrzesniowa.html

DRR long time

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 Can't believe its been six years since we worked the Design Round Robin (DRR) doilies in Craftree and I find that I have posted round-wise pics of only one doily! Time to rectify the situation. However, I will have to limit myself to pics, 'coz it is too much work to hunt down my notes for each round I either designed or tatted. Good for you, huh, less to read ... but plenty of pics! ;-D 

Dancing Peacocks

Design Round Robin 2018 (DRR 2018), Craftree

Muskaan, Coretta, Kathleen, Tim, Coretta.

pattern link

Worked in Anchor embroidery threads, 3 strands equivalent to Lizbeth size 20.

Round 1 - Muskaan. I designed the center for this doily. 

The green/blue one was made first but not being happy with my tatting, I started over with the bottom one. This pattern is originally from my enclosed space medallion phase with only minor tweaks to add picots for joining subsequent rounds. It has triple onion rings where the innermost Josephine ring is made using the floating beads method so that it stands a bit apart. 
Dancing Peacocks Medallion design process - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/01/mad-or-maddening.html
Dancing Peacock Earrings derived from the medallion -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/01/floating-with-tatting.html  Later that year Anita Barry taught this pattern at the Palmetto Tat Days.

Round 2 - CORETTA L.  

I like how she opened up the design!

Round 3 - KATHLEEN M.  

So much to learn in this round. However it started with me having to snip off quite a length and restart because of some mistakes - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/06/rotten-core.html

She used her tweak on the Captured onion ring technique, which I have been using since. 

Round 4 - TIM K.  

He designed the round in such a way as to fit any tension.

He used Split SCMR and also shared a video on how to make it in his blog - http://timtatstoo.blogspot.com/p/the-split-self-closing-mock-ring.html

However I remember discovering that the split scmr was not really needed in this case and explaining how to go about it. 

This completed our round robin of four designers. Started in Feb 2018 and finished within the same year. Design round robin entails we each tat all the rounds of each doily sequentially designing and tatting by turns. No need to mail off the doily ....

I felt we could do with another round or two, but was not sure how to go about it. In March 2023, Coretta worked out a 5th round and shared it!!! I tatted it early this month.

Round 5 - CORETTA L.  

After mulling over the colour scheme since I wanted the round to reflect the earlier colours, yet not be too overwhelming or bright, I came up with the following solution... 

The onion rings are tatted in three peacock colours but as separate motifs. Carrying 3 extra threads encapsulated within the chains would add too much bulk and skew the arches.

The tails are hidden or sewn, but left untrimmed. Couldn't risk any tail being pulled out when the outer chain round was tatted and joined! 

Green for border would make the entire composition too greenish which is why I chose to repeat the inner round blue; it also carries forward the peacock impression.

All trimmed and done. However, I used 4 strands of blue after realising that 3 might not allow the doily to lie flat since my chains are usually tight.

Anchor embroidery 3 strands equivalent to Lizbeth size 20.
Orange - 0333 ; Yellow - 0306 ; Green - 0258 ; Purple - 097 ; Blue - 0170 (4 strands in last round).

Final diameter - 17 cms or just under 7 inches.

This additional round has really brought the entire design together and I love how it looks. What do you think? Too many colours or ....

You can find the Dancing Peacocks doily pattern here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LBml-8Q0WYbCQyBrSLVKg713T9D3HE9YAPlKmg3wxTo/view

Many many thanks to Coretta, Kathleen, and Tim and a very special thanks to Grace Tan for her forethought in creating the Google docs for each doily!  

I am also entering this doily for both the 2024 games ....

Small Decorations hosted by splocik - This doily is my submission for September.

The August gallery of submissions is posted here - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/09/male-dekoracje-2024-galeria-sierpniowa.html  with such a diverse range of projects!

And this doily also crosses off several blocks in Natalie's PICOT Bingo!

- Tat a Doily

- Josephine Ring

- Onion Ring

which means I have a 2nd BINGO - the 4th column is done!!! My first bingo was posted here - https://www.patreon.com/posts/picot-tatting-we-110762797

Actually I've finished tatting some more but blogging is taking a backseat ....

Thanks for the fun Natalie and splocik!