A blue-eyed Tortoiseshell Kitty !
“Kitty Face”
I got a bit muddled up on my first test trial. Sometimes I focus
too little, sometimes too much :-( Or was my long-term
Eleonore’s Angels Project messing
up my neurons ? Whatever it was, the 1
st trial was left unfinished because of a mistake that needed
untatting or snipping, I decided to start afresh. This first attempt, though, did help me get a clearer picture ; and the
experience was applied to tat it my way (I always have to challenge myself, why?!).
Fur colour choice was inspired by
Ginny's working of this adorable cat, here , and without realizing, mine turned out to be a blue-eyed Tortoiseshell
cat ! Thanks Grace & Lavenderbard - didn't know it was a "tortie" :-)
Techniques
(including those I used) : starting chain with vsp, Split Ring, very
small joining picots, Lock Join, CTM, Turn Work (I used Fold/Turn Chain instead), auxiliary
thread tatting, Single Shuttle Split Ring, Catherine Wheel Join,.
Thread : Anchor Mercer Crochet Cotton, size 20.
Variegated fur -1218 ; Blue eyes – 0131 ; black ears &
nostrils.
I loaded 2 shuttles, CTM, with variegated thread. Since both
shuttles had same thread, I did not have to worry about colour blips, etc.
A study of the pattern showed that the 2 other colours were
required in Rings, & each ring was anchored. So, auxiliary threads should
work well, I reasoned. Here’s how I did the rings using short lengths of
auxiliary thread ...
AND NO KNOTS !
UPDATE :
I was given to understand that the following is a bit technical. That made me realise that I hadn't set it down logically or rationally. So let me try to explain .....
When we use auxiliary thread, ie., a 3rd thread, one of the 3 threads is usually Encapsulated or hidden within, and carried along to the point where it is made visible again; and at that time, one of the other threads/colour may become encapsulated. Encapsulation requires Unflipped or Reverse Stitches.
What I attempted was simply to add a 3rd thread of desired colour at a given point, tat 'normally' (without encapsulation) , and then continue along with original 2 threads. No need to carry a 3rd colour for any distance, hidden. Simply bring in where necessary....
Moreover, I didn’t have to use knots anywhere. Also, the resin why the blue/auxiliary thread was not joined at base of ring right at beginning, was so I could get the final SSSR loop to become anchored, since the ring is not a 'free' ring - it is joined to the chain picot .
I hope this brings some more clarity ? Thank you so so much for the feedback !
I have not shared stitch counts & other details ... For that please refer to the pattern at L Shelby's site (direct link given above).
**************
For Eyes & Ears
1. 1st
eye made. One can see the cut blue tail ends.
I’ve now reached the point where
2nd eye needs to be made.
2. Start the ring ‘separately’,
hiding the tail within first few stitches;
and join to the picot on left.
3. Continue & complete the ring
as an SSSR. Close ring. But before pulling the lower loop, pass SH2 through the
loop, to anchor/lock the SSSR.
4. Then pull the loop tight, having
encapsulated SH2 thread.
5. The ring is now anchored at base (as if it had
started right there). Cut the blue tail end (or if you prefer to sew it in …)
and continue tatting with the 2 main shuttles.
[ After completing this right eye (Ring C), I made a
CWJ to join to the central nose ring (Ring B). That is the only place it was
used.]
Similarly,
add black auxiliary thread twice for ears (again SSSRs).
There was
one hitch, though. The tip of the ear has a 1ds, picot, 1ds join, which became
tricky with the SSSR. So, I had to skip that part & continue, thus making
the ears more pointy. But I’m still happy with the result.
For Nostrils
The lower
nostrils are Split Rings, and include a chain in black. Hence, for this, one
can cut off SH2 thread before starting with the SR (or leave the SH2 thread
dangling, & cut it off right at the end & hide).
Make SR
in 2 colours, using black auxiliary thread, continue with chain above, in black
(with SH1 core thread), climb down through the right 2-coloured SR, and then
continue with black as core thread & beige stitches showing in the chin.
Join to starting picot & tie & cut & hide.
L Shelby has done a tremendous job of diagramming & writing
out the pattern in detail. Love her quirky kitty-ear-shaped picot notations in
the text :-)
One can use this face as a little mask on a stuffed
toy/ornament, by blocking over a curved surface ! Finished face measures 2”x
2¼” in size 20
I haven’t blocked the
piece – my laziness got to me again :-(
happy tatting :-)
