chicken feet !

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The Sixth Day of December Snowflake

Lene Björn

from "24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Björn"

I chickened out. Or was it jinxed ?! Whatever, but I had to keep aside my first working despite a few pick-ups & retrotatting. Firstly, I used a Split Chain to climb out to the 2^nd round, which was fine, except that I climbed out at the wrong picot Both Times especially since directional tatting just complicated the working. Moreover, due to the colour placement I wanted, I had to use SLTs for the floating ring. Ugh – look at that unseemly pointed disfigured chain twisting every which way! Abandoned it with abandonment & started afresh. Round 1 wasn't any great shakes either.

But no trial goes unlearned! My observations from the abandoned piece :

1. the Reverse Join worked great to switch shuttles for chains ;

2. the yellow thread (an old ball) is closer to size 50, hence I used 2 strands of variegated, which was probably a mistake;

3. the solid yellow was too plain to highlight the variegated – needed a pick-me-up colour!

So I chickened out of trying the same colour placement again. With renewed enthusiasm, after a couple of weeks’ break, I changed the colour scheme a bit.

Abbreviation :

RS – reverse stitch (unflipped)

LJ – lock join

SH – shuttle

TW – turn work

RODS – reverse order double stitch

fs/bs tatting – frontside/backside or directional tatting

rnd – round

SS – switch shuttle

DS – double stitch

Threads used : AMC size 50 Yellow – 0302, Black for Rnd 1; Anchor embroidery cotton – 1305 3 strands .

Measurements : Rnd 1 – 1½”  ; Final - 3¼”

Techniques I used : 2 shuttles, direct tatting (RS), LJ, LJ with SH2.

Below, I have described two ways to tat Round 2 :

1. Turn Work to make the middle chain (and can use RODS in case of directional tatting) with picot at turn to attach next floating ring ;  for fs/bs tatting 

2. All frontside tatting using direct tatting ie. reverse stitch chains & LJs with either shuttle.

TIP : Make LJs with whichever shuttle is closer to picot. In Direct tatting, LJ is made with SH2 (Refer I.3.c)

Here is how Round 2 can be tatted : (Refer to WIP pic)

Start with floating ring with SH2

Chain with SH1 & LJ to rnd 1

(TW, RODS chain with SH1) or (SS, RS chain with SH2) & LJ to floating ring

(TW, chain with SH1) or (SS, chain with SH1) & LJ to rnd 1

Here, I count the LJ as 1^st half stitch (as discovered while tatting the Mystery Doily) but it is up to the tatter.

Chain with SH1, picot.

(TW, RODS chain with SH1) or (SS, RS chain with SH2) & LJ with SH2 to rnd 1.

Chain with SH1 , floating ring with SH2, continue repeats as above.

The underlined option is the one I followed, never having to tat from the back side. All tatting was done in clockwise direction from the front.

However, if one is not comfortable with direct tatting (reverse/unflipped stitch), then one can turn work & continue chain (either as RODS in case of fs/bs tatting, or as normal DS).

I am always amazed at how many options one has !

Can you see the mistake I made while joining one of the chains (in 3 o'clock position in above pic)? Noticed only after the pics were taken - too late. It has been joined using the wrong shuttle. 

Overall, I think it turned out pretty okay, considering the initial tribulations.

And I Loved working with the embroidery thread - so smooth ! Although the silken sheen is not apparent in the pics.

I had an idea to snip & fray the picots, but again chickened out. May be some other time when I'm feeling more cocksure :-D

This completes 5 snowflakes for the Craftree Snowflake Tat-along. I'm now tatting Day 3 to get the first 6 done. Still have to catch up with two, but am not in any stress. Enjoying the journey.

happy tatting :-)

Related Posts : Lock Join with shuttle 2

Day 1

Day 2

Days 4 & 5

Shuttle 2 to the Rescue !

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JOINS  IN  SHUTTLE  TATTING

IN SEARCH OF COMMON PRINCIPLES

PART – II

CATEGORY I. ABOVE  (contd.)

A Brief  Recap :

When a link needs to be made to a previous element Above the line of present working, the ball/SH2 thread is closer to the joining picot. Hence SH2 thread comes into play in the Picot joins (up, down, in a circle, swirl join)  the Lark’s Head Picot Join as discussed in Part I. The remaining joins in this same category are discussed below. 

Abbreviations used here :

SH – shuttle

SR – split ring

DS – double stitch

LHPJ – lark’s head picot join

RS – reverse stitch (unflipped stitches)

hs – half stitch

uSHS – unflipped 2^nd half stitch

LJ – lock join

About Pics :

In the tatted samples worked in size 20 thread, yellow represents core/SH1 thread ; aqua blue represents ball/SH2/auxiliary thread ; black represents a previous tatted element with a picot to which current working needs to be linked.

A Note of Caution on Colour Blips/Spots:

I have used a 3^rd colour (black) to represent a previous element. However, in actual tatting, when working with 2 colours, this previous element may be the colour of either SH1 or SH2 thread. When joining picot is the same colour as the stitch colour in present working, colour blips may not be visible.

For example, in LHPJ, if black, which has the joining picot, was substituted with aqua blue (SH2), no colour blip will show on back side. But if black is substituted with yellow (SH1), a colour blip will be visible on back side.

Rule : In two-colour tatting, if joining picot from previous element and current stitch are of same colour, colour blips/spots are usually not seen on the front side.

I.3 Joining the Second Half of a Split Ring  :

While linking the 2^nd half of a split ring (SR), the picot may seem to be below the ring being made, but notice the caps on the two elements : they face each other. Hence it belongs to the ‘Above’ category of joins. 

Pic 6.  Explaining the visuals for Part II

A split ring has two halves : the first half (yellow in pics) is worked like a normal ring with flipped stitches or DS and any links on this side will include the Picot Joins and LHPJ (Refer I.1, I.2). The second half of a SR is made with reverse or unflipped stitches using SH2 and the SH1/core thread shuttle is not on hand. Thus the linkage calls for slight modification of movements, to ensure the core thread continues to slide freely after the join is made.

There are 3 main ways to accomplish this linkage :

I.3.a  Split Ring Join 

UPDATE: Reverse Stitch Join is a better, generic term since the same method/join is used in case of direct tatted chains, etc. The join is basically a feature of the reverse stitch, and not the element.

aka Transitional join¹⁰, Split Ring Core join¹¹, Join to second side of SR¹², Joining second half of SR¹³.

One comes across different names, as listed above, but the basic movement and formation remains the same. They have, therefore, been clubbed together under ‘Split Ring Join’ in order to distinguish this formation from 1.3.b & c.

• A loop of SH1/core thread is pulled Up or Down through picot, and SH2 is passed through it. The core thread is then tensioned so that it ‘pops’ back from the picot with the SH2 thread wrapped around it.
• It allows core thread to slide freely.
• This join can be counted as a hs.
• An up loop creates a colour blip on the front side; a down loop creates a colour blip on back side. Hence when working with 2 colours, use a Down loop to keep colour blips at back of work¹⁴.    
• Any element (ring or chain) worked with RS can be linked with this join.
• It follows the basic principle of a picot join.

Pic 7. Split Ring Join made with
Up & Down loops

(click on image to enlarge)

Rule : It is advisable to keep the loop that is pulled through joining picot untwisted while passing shuttle through loop for making any join.

I.3.b Lark’s Head Picot Join with Shuttle 2 (S2LHPJ) ¹⁵

This is a slightly elaborate multi-step procedure to wrap and flip a complete DS within the joining picot, thus creating an “invisible join”. While the 1^st half of a SR can be joined using a LHPJ, the 2^nd half needs to be wrapped a bit differently.   

• 1uSHS is made outside the picot, before commencing the linkage formation within picot.
• A loop from SH2 is pulled up through picot and SH2 passed through loop. Several ensuing movements enable the formation of a DS which is snugged into position. 
• The join is counted as 1 complete stitch and lies within the picot.
• Useful for smooth visual effect, with a continuous line of stitches.
• A colour blip will be seen at the back only if joining picot is of different colour.
• Any element (ring or chain) worked with RS can be linked with this join. 

Pic 8. Lark's Head Picot Join
made with Shuttle 2 (S2LHPJ)

I.3.c  Lock Join with Shuttle 2 thread

A third way to join SR is with a lock/shuttle join using SH2.

• Pull a loop of SH2 through picot, pass SH2 through loop, adjust  tension carefully.
• It locks the SH2 thread, while keeping SH1/core thread free.
• This is a very easy and quick method. But care must be taken to position the thread carefully before final tensioning.
• It does not create much of a colour blip.
• It leaves a visible bump/bar along the line of stitches which may not be visually appealing.

[update] This join is also used in Inverted Tatting. Also called Ball Lock Join - http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2004/joins/mminvertedtat.jpg 

Pic 9. Lock Joins using Shuttle 2

The ball thread join ¹⁶

A decorative variation of LJ with SH2 which can be employed in all kinds of rings and chains.   

The movements of I.3.c are followed, but a space of thread is left on either side. (refer Pic 9)

The bare thread space of SH2 before and after the LJ imitate the picots in the element being worked. Thus the actual join is not placed in line with the previous stitches; it is placed at the tip of a mock picot. It enables the tatter to maintain, and continue with the decorative look of the element which is being linked.

This completes Category I. 

In Part III we will consider Category II where links are made Across elements.

Feedback, correction, or addition is welcome.

I will convert this entire series into a pdf file for easy reference, with requisite updates and modifications. 

Related Posts : Demystifying Joins  

_____________________________________________ 

Footnotes & Tutorials (Part II) :

¹⁰ Sabina Carden-Madden 2007 

¹¹ Split Ring Core Join 

¹² Jennifer Williams 2010  

¹³ Jane Eborall 2013 

¹⁴ Most tutorials show the Up loop being used to make the Split Ring join. Compare the up & down loop, as well as the SH2 movements in the collage picture.

¹⁵ Lily Morales 2003 

¹⁶ Martha Ess The instructions & pictures are shared in her Butterick Butterfly Bookmark pattern.

Look !

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Look what a lock join unlocked !!! Access to my very first MK pattern. My head was literally spinning with palpable excitement when this popped out of the Tatter Chatter newsletter last week (March)! Thanks to Bev, and her wonderful team at The Tatters’ Guild of Australia (NWS Branch). Their newsletter was the first to officially publish a post of mine - How to Unlock the Lock Join.

And just as I was finalizing this post, Another Huge gift arrived, just in time for ITD. Once again from Australia & probably partially connected to my Joins in Shuttle Tatting series. Judith Connors sent me a copy of her book ”An Illustrated Dictionary of Tatting” *! WooHoo – can you see me doing the happy dance ?!

In Hindu mythology, we consider Time as a wheel (‘samay / kaal ka chakra’) that keeps rolling … The Spinning Wheel glass mat symbolises how tatters across time, space & nations can come together through their continuing love for this beautiful art. We are truly joined, interlaced :-)

So what better way to celebrate International Tatting Day than dedicate it to Mary Konior, the queen of visual tatting.

I also want to dedicate this to the Wonderful online tatting community from where I have learned so much in such a short time & the community continues to inspire me in so many ways every single day, and in particular to Judith, my inspiration & guide.

Spinning Wheel Glass Mat

Mary Konior

The Spinning Wheel glass mat looks great irrespective of which colour(s)/colourway one chooses. But Diane's charcoal mat here threw up such interesting negative space designs tempting me to choose black.

In Anchor Mercer cotton size 40, black, it measures 4” in diameter.

Techniques I used :

2 shuttles CTM fully loaded bobbins .

Directional tatting

Switching Shuttles takes care of the change in chain directions (reverse chains).

It was interesting to note that directional tatting changed en bloc : while going up an arm, the rings were RODS, while returning back, chains were RODS.

If one stops at 6 arms or 7 arms, one gets a nice bowl shape – perfect for little truffles & treats to share on ITD :-)

There was a tip on Craftree to start the mat from an outer ring, so that it becomes easier to join back & tie off in the end. However, for my first mat, I decided to go as per directions.

I intend to tat another, with increased diameter like this, for my snood.  I've been collecting possible patterns but this one is exactly what I wanted !

Happy Tatting and nibbling on chocolates while you distribute tatted goodies :-)

I chose some symbolic tatting for the lead pic, alongside the Spinning Wheel glass mat –

Bonds of Love rakhi bracelet ,

Hold My Hand heart ( for the interlaced rings) ,

Anne Bruvold’s Hearts of Hope , and

Super 17 Butterflies to give away (one has already been given away on Sunday)

* This edition of the book is available at Lacis.com 

Related Posts : ITD 2014 - pattern

ITD 2015 - poem