Deconstructing Patterns 3

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So far we’ve been able to find many smaller motifs ranging from Squares to Triangles & Hearts & miscellaneous other shapes , hidden in the Magic Square. (click on highlighted links)

Many of these small motifs can be joined as one tats, or in one pass, to create longer lengths for edgings, insertions, & the like. This has been my attempt for the current post. In general, I have refrained from creating new variations/derivations, sticking to the basic flow of the magic square. But the potential is just so vast & I couldn't resist a few glimpses! I am sure you will be able to recognize many of the patterns drawn below.

UPDATE:
Better than Nothing Bookmark derived from magic square

Edging past the square

Basic Edging (Figs 1, 2) : The most basic, following the flow of tatting, is this edging in Fig 1. In the same pic, I have superimposed the same basic pattern, but with slight additions/changes – eg. the black Josephine Knots & the Double Picots in both the chains, as well as in the joining rings. A sampler of how the basic edging would look in reality, using 2 colours.  

Fig 1.

Fig 2.

Basic Insertion/Bookmark (Figs 3, 4) :When one returns back (mirror-imaging), another edging/insertion evolves ! It could also make a nice simple bookmark, with the addition of a tail or tassel !

Fig 3.

Fig 4.

Elegant Cross (Fig 5) shows the Same pattern continue into a lovely Cross !

Fig 5.

Beginners’ Edging (Fig 6) is another very easy rings-and-chains-only edging (one side) / insertion (both sides), ideal for beginners. How often have these rings & chains edging been used to fill up patterns, including doilies ! 

Fig 6.

Broad Edging/Trim (Fig 7) is yet another lovely edging pattern, slightly broader, where no stitch count changes or special techniques are required.

Fig 7.

Fig 8, below, depicts 3 patterns – A, B, & C.

Simple Edging (Fig 8-A) : The bottom red edging is simple, again going with the original pattern flow. No change in stitch count required.

Insertion/Bookmark (Fig 8-B) : The center edging/insertion (Fig 8-B), with blue Split Rings on either side, is also made in one pass, with a mirror-image return of joins. SRs are depicted with a black line within the ring.

Abstract Floral Bracelet (Fig 8-C) : The topmost edging also requires Split Rings (black-lined rings)  to move from one set to the next & one has to return back to complete the pattern. It would, however, make such a beautiful dainty floral Bracelet (where the yellow ‘flower centre’ are beads) .

Fig 8.

Motif Border (Fig 9) is a collection of tiny square motifs.

For beginners (Fig 9-A), the motifs can be made individually & joined as one tats them, to desired length.

One-pass (Fig 9-B) : It can be made in one pass too ! I have tried to visually explain the path in Fig 9-B, by breaking it into 2 colours. Start with the brown; you will notice that the basic flow of pattern is very similar to Fig, 8-A.  BUT instead of a solitary ring above, make a very small Downward Picot (DP), shown as a black square. When desired length of edging is reached, return (this part is shown in teal) & join once with a  ring to the other 3 rings , & once to the DP.

Fig 9.

Elegant Motif Bracelet (Fig 10)  shows a simple cute bracelet pattern of tiny motifs joined with a red bead in between.

Fig 10.

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In my deconstructions, I have not attempted to show any “extensions” of the square to form Larger motifs or laces. For instance, one can add triangles to each side to get a larger sq, ; or add the pinwheel triangles to get a zig-zag kind of surround ; … It’s all geometry ;-))

Or continue with the winding maze to make a beautiful shawl eg. Barbara Sears’ shawl.

I would also like to share another ‘deconstruction’: Ninetta found a Heart in the Mystery Doily here, when she was working Round 6!   

Kristen, has needle-tatted “Star No 2” from “Tatting: Patterns & Designs” by Blomqvist & Persson. This is the medium-sized square motif (Motif 2-B) deconstructed in this earlier post.

(I will be adding the Magic Square to my Resources page & keep updating 

with any & all examples/samples I come across in future)

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

My Experience with Magic Square

For those of us who have made this square, the reactions are varied. Some find it pretty easy while others have found it a bit tricky. I belong to the latter group. Having made 2 complete squares & 1 individual triangle, these are my thoughts :

• I needed a good referral diagram. Since I had used a written-only pattern, I had to draw my own diagram as well as write out more detailed notations for the 1^st square. For the 2^nd square, I kept the 1^st square beside me for frequent referencing.
• Using Size 20 thread & ball & shuttle, 2 bobbin loads are required to tat one complete square.
• Working with 2 shuttles will probably be easier ; in any case it will be neater.
• Working with 2 colours might make the movements & joins less tricky – it will bring out exactly where the next element goes, which should be joined where, etc.
• It helps to do this motif in all front side tatting, using 2 shuttles & reverse stitch for chains !!! I did this for the triangle, & it helps because one does not have to keep flipping the piece over; it makes referencing to & following a diagram easier.
• Finally, and this is meant as a tribute, one needs an MC Escher type of brain-wiring to get it done easily; something which I sorely lack ;-/ While I Could clearly visualize & understand the flow, the path & the ‘logic’, when it came to tatting, it was tricky, what with having to RW after each element ! Hence all front-side tatting is of immense help !
• As an aside, I Really need to practice the Dora Young Knot or Split Chain. I used it to end the square & is quite an eye-sore !

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Motif #22 for 25 Motif Challenge 

Related Posts : Square Motifs from the Magic square

More Motifs & All about the square

Bookmark pattern from Magic Square

Padded Tatting Solutions part 2

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Ending with Auxiliary Thread

Continuing from the previous post where I showed one way of adding auxiliary thread to tatting, anywhere, anytime, here is another way of Ending with an auxiliary thread, when the rest of the tatting is done with normal single threads.
I continue with the second bud in the Tiny Heart Poppy flower.

 

10. Continue up with Josephine Chain for desired length (~5cm), 

after leaving a small picot at the base, for attachment to main stem. 

 

11. Unwind Shuttle #1 bobbin

 

12. Position the tip of this Sh1 thread near the Josephine Chain & then 

fold along the middle, thus doubling up the thread. 

Start rewinding bobbin from this doubled-up end. 

 

13. The bobbin can now be loaded back into shuttle#1 to start tatting 

with this double thread acting as an auxiliary thread.

 

14. Josephine Ring started, hiding the tail of auxiliary thread within the hitches.

 

15.  Inner JR (15 hitches) complete. Snip off Shuttle #2 thread, leaving a short tail.

 

16. Using Jane Eborall's alternative technique for making the hitches, 

make Perpendicular Conncentric/Onion Josephine Ring (22 hitches). 

TIP : For this tutorial, I finished it off with Single Shuttle Split Ring method (SSSR or rather SSSJR in this case), so that  no weaving of threads would be required later. Simply snip off the tail ends.

 

Voila, the buds, with stems are ready !

Advantages / Potential

As I wrote out this tutorial, the immense potential & diverse use of this technique started to emerge. What had started as a quick-fix solution, has taken on a whole new identity of it's own.

• Scrap or short lengths of thread can be used up as auxiliary thread for single or few elements.
• One can select the elements that need padding.
• A different colour of auxiliary thread can be added, to create transition, interest or focal point.
• One can add as & when required - great flexibility & varied texture possible.
• Can add more than one auxiliary thread , and in different colours too !!!
• No requirement of a double-bobbin shuttle or for taping together 2 shuttles. Hence easier to tat as well.

An incidental advantage of ending with auxiliary thread as depicted in the above tutorial : The leftover thread in Shuttle #1 is a long continuous strand, instead of 2 short separate pieces.

I hope these techniques /solutions are of help &/or source of inspiration.

Happy Tatting :-)

Padded Tatting Solutions part 1

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Auxiliary thread techniques

used in 3d tatting.

Back-to-back posts elaborating how I added/used auxiliary thread while making the buds in Tiny Heart Poppy. In the absence of context, the explanation there might have been a tad confusing . Additionally, these 2 methods of adding auxiliary thread can have plenty of uses independent of the current 3D application.

It all arose because I needed the buds to be bigger than the flower center. However, increasing the stitchcount of the 2 concentric rings would only make them floppy ! I could think of only a couple of options – 1. padded Josephine Rings or 2. padded tatting . Since I’d already ‘learned’ the 1^st, I decided to try my hand at the 2^nd.

But how to add an auxiliary thread to the core, now that my 2 shuttles were already loaded CTM ?!

The following is how I tackled that dilemma, along with a step-by-step pictorial of how the buds were made.

Starting with Auxiliary Thread in CTM

NOTE : This method can be used to add auxiliary thread Anywhere & Anytime, not merely at the start.

1. Two Shuttles wound CTM

 

2. Auxiliary thread (black tips) being added to Shuttle 1 

 

3. Shuttle #2 with single thread, but Shuttle #1 with two threads

 

4. Inner/first Josephine Ring started with Shuttle #1. 15 hitches.

 

5. Josephine Ring (15) completed

 

6. Perpendicular Concentric/Onion JR started with Shuttle #1. 

Here Jane Eborall's alternative technique is used.

 

7. JR2 has 22 hitches. One Bud completed.

 

 8. Snip off Auxiliary thread, leaving a tail for encapsulation.

 

9. Encapsulate both tails of Auxiliary thread with Josephine Chain. 

Continue the JC stem for about 5-6 cms. (It is much shorter here)

TIP : When making Josephine Chains (Spiral Chains), I have found the using 2 shuttles works much better than a shuttle & ball. JCs cause a lot of twisting even to the ball (working) thread; hence if the working thread is on a 2nd shuttle, it becomes so much easier to suspend & untwist as frequently as one wants.

Part 2 of this tutorial shows one way of how one can end with an auxiliary thread.