yellow is the colour of spring

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3rd of 3 spring garlands.
the first 2 can be found here : Marigold toran and Jasmine gajra
UPDATE (April 10) : the complete Spring Garland

Spring Garland 3 –

The Mustard Fields !

Northwest India turns a bright yellow with advent of spring. It is the best time to take a drive down through the states of Punjab and around – bright yellow as far as the eye can see. Many communities make it a point to wear yellow on Basant Panchami to emulate and celebrate these yellow mustard flowers !

(UPDATE April 18, 2017: now that the entire spring garland is shared, I can show you the mustard fields in size 50 thread above)

This is a playful pattern where simple flowers create a fabric as broad and as long as we desire, and where we can romp carefree in any direction as in a field of yellow mustard !

The pictorial is lengthy, though pattern is simply one picoted ring, in order to show alternatives. 

It is quicker to tat than to explain/photograph :-)

Materials : 1 shuttle fully loaded with size 40 or 50 thread. (For the pictorial, I have used size 20 thread to better capture the steps)

Techniques : Ring on picot* , long picots , bare thread space , mock picot (optional) , lock join (optional) , beads (optional).

Measurement : ¾ inch wide in size 50 – between 3 to 4 flowers. Length as required.       

Please review :

*Patty Dowden’s video for How to work a ring on the picot of another ring : 

(I did not have to post the shuttle back before closing ring. Hence it is advisable to practice a few flowers with scrap thread before working the final piece)

Beads can be strung on shuttle thread or added on loop/picot, depending on effect desired.

Basic Pattern :

Ring : 1ds, (p, 1ds) 7 times.

The next ring is started at a distance equal to the picot.

In order to keep symmetry of first ring, one can use the tail to make a mock picot, and ...

... tat over the tail in next ring to hide end.


RING ON PICOT METHOD :

Start ring on a picot of previous ring using Patty's method. Pull up loop through any picot ...

pass shuttle from below to front, ...

and tat the ring.
Note : you may or may not need to post the shuttle back through the top before closing.

3 rings made.


LOCK JOIN METHOD :
Alternatively, one can lock join to any picot of previous ring and commence ring from that point :

pull up a loop through any picot and pass shuttle through it ...

... and tension it. Make certain there is some bare thread left under to span the distance between base of ring and picot.

Ring 4 made after the lock join.

Ring 5 started using the Ring on Picot method. This is the preferred method I used for most of the rings.

Continue in this fashion, creating a broad fabric of 3-4 flowers along the width


A  ZIGZAG  MEANDERING  PATHWAY :

Sometimes, one can start a 'free' unattached flower at a distance (notice the bare thread at beginning of ring) ....

and then lock join to any picot of an earlier flower.
Notice the arrows showing sequence of flowers . The work progresses from left to right and back to left and so on....
With the lock join just made,

take the thread back from below and bring up a loop through any picot of a previous flower or even through the bare thread we left in pic #12, and start another flower using the ring on picot method
We are now moving back towards the left for another row of flowers !


FINAL NOTES :

• The ring pattern remains constant, though it may be necessary to join to another ring to cover gaps. In that case, maintain a picot length for the join, resembling other picots.
• Try to keep as many picots free in each ring as possible for textural effect.
• The pathway/sequence is zigzag but freeform. Let your shuttle free !
• The entire pattern is worked from the front, hence there may be bare threads spanning rings on the underside. Try to keep them as short as possible, making the rings close to each other.
• The picots in this pictorial should've been longer to cover up any gaps.
• Beads can be loaded on to shuttle and brought forward between rings, or loose beads can be inserted over a loop pulled between rings. 

This piece was tatted in size 20 for purposes of the pictorial only. It looks much better in smaller thread as seen in the collage (top left & prototype in center which used split rings & beads on picots initially, till I decided to go freeform) . The beads in above piece were chosen to represent spots of green foliage peeping through the lushness of flowers, and golden rays reflected back.  

This fabric can take any shape one wants - straight, curved, or circular !
It can even be used as a filler, adding a lacy texture. Or simply make a small posy of flowers (I used the ring on picot technique to make a 3D carnation).
With beads, this broad fabric can be used as a bracelet, necklace, anklets, sewed on to a belt or headband,....


I have one last post to reveal the final Spring Garland with all it's floral fragrances. Hope you join me again.

till then, happy tatting always :-)

This pattern shared with the Online Tatting Class in April, 2017

hacking away imperfections

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My go-to tech gurus are Robin & Ninetta and they never fail me ! All my Inkscape learning is based off Robin's excellent tutorials, as you all already know. However, as I drew and practiced I discovered a few 'shortcuts'. But I could never share them coz I didn't know how to put up  those visuals. Now Robin has again come to my aid by finding me a superb tutorial on how to take screenshots on XP. Due to paucity of time, I have done the best I can for now (but it is such fun taking those shots ;-P). Will ask her to help me out some more ... so please bear with the under par quality of images.

Inkscape Hack #1

How to draw a Row of Chains 

Here's one of my most recent pattern diagram in which I used my quick shortcuts to draw the rows of chains, or connect rings with chains :

You may recall the pink edging that diversified into a crown, necklace, etc. This is the revised version where All 5 rows can be tatted in one pass. Once I receive the pdf link from Georgia, I will upload here & on my Patterns page. For latest new, reoriented one pass pattern (May 2017)  

Symmetric Chains in a Row

Imagine drawing one arch (chain) can copy-pasting it along the length one by one. No more ! One can make the chains of the entire row in one stroke ! Here's how .... 

A] This is the crucial step. Choose Grid from View , then select the bezier icon.

Now holding the bezier pen, start drawing a line, but clicking at intervals. When you reach the end, only then click on ENTER. As seen in image, at this stage it looks like a normal line, but we have clicked it at 3 places in between, using the grid squares to keep the spacing even (4 squares apart). 

In tatting, think of these points as the base of ring, or picots to which the chain will be joined. eg. Rows II, III, IV in pattern above. All these rows were made in this fashion...

 B] When we select Node icon, 5 nodes appear !

C] Choose the height at which we want the chains/arches. I have chosen 2 blocks on the grid. Using the node arrow (cursor), position it in the center of segment 1 and drag it upwards. It has a height of 1 square in center. If I pull further, it will rise to where the segment 2 arch is - 2 squares above. 

Repeat for 3rd & 4th segments.

I find this the fun part because the chains/arches can be manipulated to any shape, direction, angle, off-center, etc. 

The grid squares act as guides, keeping the arch symmetric.

D] Now all 4 segments have attained their shape and height.
And that's it !!!

E] We have a row of symmetric chains !

F] This is how it is after removing the grid.

This procedure is not limited to straight lines. As seen in Row V in pattern, one can go all around the scallop.

Incidentally, Row V was drawn only around one scallop. Then they were grouped together. This group was copy-pasted twice to produce 2 rows simultaneously.  

Asymmetric Chains
Play around with the node cursor/arrow and see all the different shapes that are possible ...

I have used this method to connect rings in a circle or a hexagon, too, such as are commonly found in snowflake patterns.

One cannot discount individual preferences and comfort zones. I have to work within my physical and visual limitations, hence absolute perfection is sometimes sacrificed. Yet, my experience over these past 2 years, drawing numerous diagrams, has shown that this hack works well for me and I think my diagrams have shown improvement. And for a relative newbie, it takes the fear and overwhelm out of Inkscape drawing, making it quite enjoyable and quick.

This is merely one of many methods. Learn how to use the pencil to draw symmetrical chains .

I hope to share a few more of my shortcuts in future, with hopefully better images.

Have a great day :-)

fresh fragrance of jasmines

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second of the 3 spring garland patterns ...
(the 1st can be found here)
UPDATES (April 2017) : part 3 shared here  ;  compete spring garland shared here ; and
Jasmine braid diagrammed pattern pdf

Spring Garland 2 –

Jasmine Braid/‘Gajra’

Many Indian women love to wear a string of fragrant flowers in their hair. The most common and refreshing ‘gajra’ is made with white mogra buds or jasmines.

This tatted version is a split ring braid where each ring is folded inwards at the base to represent sepals.
The braid tats up straight, but can turn corners with minor adjustments (this will be shared in a later post).

Size 50 Anchor white. For the calyx, I used 2 strands of Anchor embroidery thread. Besides the right shade, the 2 strands also give a fuller look.

Materials : 2 shuttles; white in shuttle 1 & sap green in shuttle 2

Techniques : Folded split ring, long picots, very small picot, lock join, turn work

Measurement : ½ inch wide in size 50 thread

Abbreviations :

SR	split ring		p	picot		LJ	lock join
ushs	unflipped 2nd half stitch		vsp	very small picot		+	picot join
TW	turn work		fs/bs tatting for even rings optional

Important Notes :

1.  When working the next ring, do not start the shuttle 2 stitch very close to base. Leave some bare thread space allowing the segment to fold inward.

2.  Post shuttle 2 from front to back, through the ring, before closing it. It defines the fold and brings shuttle in position.

3.  Keep the green thread at the back/wrong side of the braid throughout.

Basic Pattern :

Join both threads and start with shuttle 1 :

SR1: 10 p 6 vsp 2 / 2ushs (p,1)twice . TW

SR2: 10 p 6 vsp 2 / 2ushs (p,1)twice . TW LJ to vsp of previous ring

Repeat SR2 for desired length, following all instructions.

Optional :

fs/bs tatting: I tatted the even-numbered rings using reverse order of stitches (RODS or backside tatting) only for the white segment. The green segment was tatted same throughout. And I posted both shuttles through the ring before closing it.

Blocking : While the braid lies flat, I did block it in order to pull the rings into a longish shape.

Pictorial :

Starting the first split ring .

In order for the green segment to fold easily, leave some slack at beginning, and ....

... post shuttle 2 through the ring before closing it. If required, turn the green picots inwards with fingers before closing ring.

1st jasmine bud made. Turn work as in turning the pages of a book (see next pic)
Related post : about folded rings

TW. Start 2nd split ring. Before starting the green segment, leave bare thread space. Post shuttle. Close, lock or shuttle join to previous ring and turn work again.

3rd split ring made and lock join being made. Ensure that the green thread stays at back of work.

TW, and repeat ....

Odd numbered rings (along left of braid) are worked from front. Above pic shows a close-up of the braid from front.

Even numbered rings (along right of braid) are worked from the back. As mentioned above, these rings can be worked with backside tatting. Always remember to post shuttle.
This backside close-up shows the zig-zag of green bare thread between rings.

UPDATE (Apr 10): There was some confusion about the direction in which 3rd ring was formed, and a suggestion to add a diagram or arrows showing direction. In response, I have diagrammed the pattern, along with main instructions. This one-page pdf is a complete pattern.

Click to download : Jasmine Braid pattern with diagram

Yet again, this is a basic braid pattern and playing with beads, colours, and sizes, can broaden the scope & effect.

Ideas for 3D : 

One idea is to add a very short Josephine/spiral chain between rings and twist the ‘buds’ around. 

Another idea is to use 3D Josephine rings for buds as used here, and maybe a curled ring for calyx. I would love to give this a go sometime!

Wishing everyone a fun-filled, fragrant, fabulous

International Tatting Day 2017 (April 1)

This pattern was shared with the Online Tatting Class on April 3, 2017