polymorphic

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Is it a fan, a cat, a swan, or a peacock?! May be even part of a barge? Or a slice of a potential doily? Actually, each stage has the potential to be used as something whether alone, tiled, or in combo. I am talking about Anita Barry's FanCatstic purse pattern which I wrote about in my last post, along with the PDF link -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/09/its-fancatstic.html 

Here I share pics of my own tatted cat worked in Anchor size 50. This was tatted back in 2018 in order to be sure to diagram it correctly, hence I no longer remember the nuances. Fortunately, a bit of hunting threw up a draft post in blogger with a few notes. So without further ado, let's scroll through the stage-wise pics and enjoy the possibilities and shapes that emerge.

Is it a mini hand fan perhaps for a doll?! Makes for a good jewellery piece, too, with additional bling and findings.
Didn't have right sized beads but thought these would work. Should’ve used larger beads.

This appears like a blossoming flower and also has an arabesque mural effect.

Love this! Already looks like a fan.

Among the notes I mentioned, a couple don't seem to make sense to me now unless I sit and compare the pattern in detail. Best to ignore that rather than create confusion.

And this could be worked in the round for a beautiful doily!

Body completed.

To compensate for the small beads at the beginning,  I included larger pearl beads. I like the combo, better seen in the next image.

The tail is added. 

I would've liked to leave the tail tip unattached so that it curls naturally over the body. Not that it would work for the purse though. 

Though the green beads fade into the background, I like the lace on this black background. Hence boring you with picture-pairs ;-P

Body and tail completed and model turned 90degrees.. The purse part needs to be sewn and lace attached to it, besides the other accessorising. I didn't do it, which is why I say it is still a WIP. Complete pattern PDF link in my previous post.

 

So, doesn't this look like a peacock??? Notice how I drew a pair of pointed chains for the legs. 

And here it looks like a swan serenely gliding over water! This pic is courtesy Sharada, to whom it was gifted.

If we extend the neck/body behind, I can visualise it as Queen Cleopatra's royal barge as she cruises down the Nile! If I wasn't so lazy, I'd have taken a pic from Asterix and Cleopatra (one of The Best of these comics) to accompany this 'barge'.

Many many thanks to Anita for the opportunity to be part of her lovely pattern and journey!

its FanCatstic

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This post has been Years in the waiting! Every few months I push it to the front and then something else elbows it out. Part of the reason is that I needed to find my own notes and observations and choose from a plethora of in-progress pics. Now there is a spike in interest (of which I will tell you more in another post) and I had to keep my elbows in check and keep my fingers flying on the keyboard so that the story can continue. 

This is about a hybrid threadwork pattern from my tatting buddy, Anita Barry, where she tatted the body of a cat, sewed it to a purse, and embroidered the details! And she graciously permitted me to share her pattern which has meticulously laid out details. Thankfully I had saved some of our correspondence and am going to let her exuberant voice take over ....

Tatted  FanCatstic  Purse  Pattern © 2018 Anita Barry

https://drive.google.com/file/d/107r2g_4y1KisL7sPYqbJU_Z6wENTKWjA/view

"This is a one-of-a-kind purse. A keepsake and an heirloom. It’s usable, durable and glamorous!

This pattern was created for a competition with a “fan” theme. I didn’t want to create the normal handheld fan so I looked for quilted fan ideas and items you can make from the image of a fan.

One of the quilts I saw was of a cat. The body of the cat looked like a fan. I liked the idea and made this project.

Part of this project came from an existing pattern. So I give that designer credit right up front It’s great to like other’s designs! Give them credit.

Using Victoria’s lace Collar, by Gloria Crowther, Gloria’s Tatting book ©1988, for the fan paddles of FanCatstic

That’s how this project came to be. It was a fabulous creation even though it wasn’t a ribbon winner in the competition it was designed for.

Tell peeps to have fun creating this project."

I didn't want to interrupt the flow of her story with my own text. As you can see, the images are self-explanatory and show you most of the process. Other details are in the PDF. 
I will share my own tatted version in another post.

And this same pattern led to another mini-pattern which is travelling the world! Stay tuned!

Many Many thanks to Anita for this cute pattern and purse and hope you have fun!