bits n pieces and a request

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TIAS 2017, Armenian Lace, Block Heart

On with the show ….

More practice with Armenian Lace

My further practice with basic knot of Armenian lace done a few days back from Totus Mel's tutorial.

This time I used size 40 Anchor Mercer crochet cotton and it worked beautifully ! 

I was using leftover thread for the inner rings and ran out all too soon; hence all those ugly ends. Still to complete the other petals to see how it all works out.

Related Post : my first attempt

Days 7 to 9 of

Jane’s TIAS 2017

 Patterns for Days 1 to 9

I’m sticking with a gown guess. My colourway choice seems to fit with Victorian velvets ☺.

The bead adds a nice touch to the bodice or the slim-trim waist. I’m guessing there’s going to be more of a blouse in later bits, and an alligator join across the base of today’s rings will complete the shawl/ensemble !

Looks like one of Jane Austen’s memorable ladies (hmm, but which one ????) is walking up a little mound on the moors. Clearly the present Jane is paying a TATribute to the past Jane !

Related Posts : Day 1, Days 2-4, Day 5, Day 6

Request for a test tatter

                                                                                    

Never done this before !

I have written out the pattern for my Block Heart bracelet and would like someone to test tat 1 or 2 heart motifs. It’s a very small piece (2 repeats measure 1½ inches/4cms in size 20 thread), but I’m not sure how clear the instructions are. I’m making a bracelet for now (I've changed the colours), to share before Valentine’s, but have more applications in mind.

Your help will be highly appreciated and credited. Please leave a comment below or email me and I will email the document. Thanks in anticipation

happy tatting always :-)

beady-eyed but dim

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playing with beads and lace

I’m getting better at stringing beads ! So playing is much more fun now. OTC homework for Jan 2017.

Sbrilluccicante
(or Bugle Bead Star)

Ninetta Caruso

Ninetta’s brilliance has always been apparent in her tatting, lacework, designing, and innovation ! Little surprise to see another winner from her.

Materials : 2 shuttles, size 20 Anchor 4054-0241 ; 72 glass bugle beads 5mm from Itsy-Bitsy

Techniques : working with beads, block tatting, reverse stitch (for block tatting and for split rings), split chain.

Dimensions : Rnd 1 – 1⅜” ; Rnd 2 – 2¼” ; Rnd 3 – 3½”  all tatted in one pass.

The video is excellent and really helps. The written pattern could’ve been better, though the images help.

Unfortunately, these are the only bugle beads I have on hand – not as shimmering, but good quality with hardly any jagged edged or broken ones.

TIP : My quick way of choosing similar sized beads – arrange along the edge of a flat-bottomed lid as seen in collage above!

After the first block, I followed my own way, using 2 same half stitches as a riser. The difference is noticeable (see below).

So you think the beads and thread are dull and dim? Wait till you see how dim I am ....

In this inverted V arrangement (Ù) of Round 1, notice how the thread goes under the bugle bead on the left and over the bead on the right arm ? I liked the shadowy effect and deliberately went with it, thinking I will do the same for the split rings in next round. BUT the thread Has to remain Above the bead for following reasons :

Ø      Bead count in shuttles goes awry

Ø      Joining to it in next round is slightly tricky because the picot can turn downwards.

Ø      More importantly, in split rings, the thread just bunches together when trying to close the ring !!!

I fell in love with the pattern at first glance and the tatting was equally fun !

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3D Beaded Flower Earrings

Jane Eborall

Now this was undoubtedly an interesting piece when I saw it on Jane’s blog. 

But at the time I skirted around beads. With Georgia taking it up for the Online Tatting Class this week, I had a go at it. These are listed as Palmetto 3D Earrings here and are sewn up as a brooch here .

Pretty quick and easy. I loved the green calyx shape (sorry, no pic)! One can start the calyx as a mock ring with thrown center ring, too, but it is not required. I like it just as it is. 

I did not, however, add a bead between 2 petals, preferring to join to plain picot, and keeping the petals inside the hollow calyx. I like layered effect in tatting.

Materials : size 20 Anchor 4054-0241 green and 4054-020 maroon ;

Bead Craft emerald green seed beads – 5 ;

Bead Craft golden yellow seed beads – 36 ;

Gold beads size 9 – 5

Pearl bead cream size 3 (10mm) – 1 for inner center

Pearl bead size 6 – 1 for outside.

The finished flower measures just about ½” !

A clever design that makes the beads look like another round of petals, adding interest & texture ! Bead placement can be customized to create different looks. Hence beads in diagrams and tatted models may vary slightly.

This was a fun project and a good one to clear shuttles. I like the look of it as a little tree ornament.

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{ Many thanks to Ninetta & Jane for sharing their brilliance with us  {

{{Happy tatting and come join us in The Online Tatting Class{{

I laced it !

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Beginner’s Armenian lace on Romanian Cord 

We’ve all been admiring Totus Mel’s gorgeous Armenian lace doilies and when she put up her first video, it looked pretty simple. Have wanted to try Romanian lacing for a long time, too – ever since I came across it on pinterest.

This is my very first attempt at both ….

Romanian Point Lace Cord video tutorial by Wendy Harbaugh

Armenian Knotted Lace video tutorial by Totus Mel

The videos and instructions are excellent and easy to follow.

I used size 20 Anchor Mercer Crochet Cotton 4054-0241 for the cord and an unbranded crochet perle cotton for lace – perhaps a size 30.

I'm very pleased with my point lace cord - unfortunately no separate pic of it.

The thread seemed to get stuck when pulling the needle. Till I started to pull the needle towards my left and sort of guiding the double thread over my left thumb. Then knotting went smoothly.
UPDATE (later in the day) : I cut off the lace and started again with size 40 Anchor Mercer and knotting is so much easier. It was the perle cotton that was 'knotty' !

I need a lot of practice, especially climbing up/down. At present I’m happy that the main lace seems to be evenly spaced out.

For first triangle, I spaced each arch further apart. For second, there is only one ‘picot’ space.

What I like about both techniques?

-         no special tools required

-         no strain on eyes

-         easily portable

-         no need to remember a pattern (at least as yet)

-         there seems to be tremendous scope for freeform

Can't say how, when, where I'll use these techniques, but I’m sure thrilled to learn something new!

This was lesson #1 – a basic knot. Eager to see what the future holds …

Z Many many thanks to Totus & Wendy  Z

happy knotting J