locked in place

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One can never have enough bookmarks ! And I have been itching to tat one for quite a while. Hence what started out as a practice braid out of curiousity, got extended into a bookmark for my latest book.

Rings and Curves Variation

Braid to Bookmark

Original braid : 'Rings and Curves' by Elaine P. Gan

Variation : Judith Connors, on Craftree

This variation of the braid pattern was shared by Judith on Craftree as part of her description of & practice for Elaine’s Reverse Join (“The handy reverse join”). I have used the RJ frequently since the Wiosna doily & prefer it to the SLT (shoelace trick/overhand knot).

So here is my practice piece of the braid which I later decided to extend to a full bookmark.

Having used leftover green thread, it soon ran out. So I used Ninetta’s ‘elementary’ technique to add the chain thread and it felt a bit like deja vu. Loved the ease with which the thread was added & no ends to sew!

It was interesting to do directional tatting (RODS) in this braid - the changes were made in blocks of elements, just as in the Spinning Wheel mat 

With the main body length completed, I had to think of a tail. A lock chain would be too narrow for this braid. The tail needed some width to be proportionate to the width of the main body. Picots on both sides !

UPDATE: Pictorial for the Picoted S-Chain -https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/04/picoted-s-chain-cords.html  . S-chains are a variant of the zigzag chains.

For the few who actually read through my posts, do you recognize this? I tried it with metal here.

Yes, it is not a pearl tatted braid, but a S-Chain with picots. And the S-chain is a simple extension of a lock chain with complete stitches. Refer samplers # 10-12 here for comparison. I love how the stitches are diagonal to each other !

The tail still felt too narrow; so I decided to go for 2 tails & snipped off after desired length. And as always, the NanoMoment you snip, there comes this Big brainwave sweeping in all kinds of regrets !  Why have 2 separate tails ? Why not have them interlaced ?! I could’ve simply turned back ….

Oh well, damage was done. Reconnected threads to base & started 2^nd tail, intertwining it with the first. Here, I used Martha’s ball thread join (explained in her Butterick Butterfly Bookmark pattern) to mask the links & keep the picots seemingly intact.

Look carefully & you will notice a green join on the lower left overlap & a pick one in the upper overlap.

Threads used : Anchor Mercer size 20 Art 4054. (pink – 052; green – 0241)

Measurements : Main body – 5½” x 1¼”  ; Tail – 4 “ x ½”

Techniques I used : 2 shuttles, RODS/directional tatting, reverse join, S-chain, ball & thread join, adding new ball thread in a chain

Without planning it, this bookmark has 2 adaptations/variations of the lock join – the reverse join & the ball thread join. The latter is already covered in Part II of the Joins series, & the former will come later.

My Observations/thoughts on Reverse Join :

• RJ eliminates the visual dip caused by a lock join, and another dip when using SLT (I am not a fan of SLTs). Due to the encapsulated thread, no dip is produced.                     
• There will remain a colour blip which can be incorporated as a design element.
• RJ is much easier to undo than a traditional LJ, because of the encapsulated thread.
• In the bookmark, I deliberately used a down loop throughout to make the RJ. And since I was tatting fs/bs, some of these turned up as up loops. It doesn't change the spot of colour, but it Does change how the colour bar appears ! 

I enjoyed tatting this braid to bookmark - although only rings & chains, it needed one's attention. Another page in my learning turned :-)

Many thanks to all the wonderful tatters named in this post - 

you enhance my learning at every step !

Related Posts : Shuttle 2 to the rescue

Chains in shuttle tatting

All excuses have been rounded doily !

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Wiosna 2016

Renulek

Rounds 1 & 2 ; Round 3

I wasn’t going to tat a doily, especially not a Renulek doily this year. I have a lot on my tatting plate already, including the snowflake challenge, the joins in shuttle tatting series, the pinterest challenge, the Online tatting Class, the Designer Class, and my personal learning (tatting needles were delivered this afternoon !!!). Quite a shuttle-full & more !

But as soon as Renulek posted this year’s pattern, and I saw the lovely centre, I caved. No problem…. I have rounded up all my excuses for starting the doily and in case I decide not to complete it !

My Current Excuses :

I do love Renulek's doilies - they are charming & beautiful & always lie flat.

Of the three Renulek doilies I tatted, her Spring 2014 doily (had to leave midways for want of thread) & Wiosna 2015 are already in use. But these are in size 20 - no longer my favorite size. 
Then came her Snow Doily from 2012 in size 40 – loved the delicate lace, but has been gifted (remind me to post the final rounds). It was sent away far too soon. So, I need a size 40, don’t I ?! 

Now all my doilies – small & big – are in colour(s). My DH always admired the white or ecru originals whenever I showed him & asked why I didn’t tat in single colour. So here I am ... At present, it is the perfect foil to all the colour play in Lene’s snowflakes. 

Working with a single colour is such a relief, such a breeze! No colour decisions (major Phew!), no loading shuttles with different threads, easy climbing out of rounds, …

I can practice direct tatting (reverse/unflipped stitch) for long stretches & really improve my tension there.

Thread : Anchor Mercer size 40 . Art 4054. Cream – 0300.

Measurements : Rnd 1 : ¾” ; Rnd 2 : 2½” ; Rnd 3 : 3½”  

Techniques : 2 shuttles, CTM, direct tatting, split ring, directional tatting

Rounds 1 & 2 : I started with 2 shuttles loaded CTM. This time I did not anchor the adjacent rings in center with very small picot linkages as I did here because I liked the slight overlap in Renulek’s picture.

Climbed out with a split ring.

Round 2 was tatted clockwise entirely from the front (Direct tatting or reverse/unflipped stitches). Loved how quickly & smoothly it went with no reverse work.

As you can see I left a marker/spacer clip on the first chain where the round will join back on completion.

Round 3 : This is such a simple round & despite my resolution, I preferred directional tatting this time. So rings are normal stitches, RW, chains are RODS (reverse order DS).

I have deliberately left the last chain un-tatted. If required (& desired), I can tat a split chain to climb to next round... Postponing my decision for now.

Will I continue ? 
My Future Excuses : 

I don’t really need another round doily. I do need a rectangular one, though.

I don’t have the time to spare, especially as the rounds get bigger.

Tatting in single colour might get mighty boring after a while.

Renulek’s doilies are very excellent in construction & placement but not very challenging if one considers techniques.
I did so want to make the Mystery Doily later this year.

How far will I go ? Only time will tell. For now, after Round 3, it makes a nice coaster. And seeing it lying there, makes me want to continue ! I've left a window open for now :-)

Before I sign off, please step over to Anna's blog to read her post 7 Reasons Why I Hate Tatting and why she wants to bang her shuttles against the wall !

Happy Tatting-Along :-)

Related Posts : Pink Chrysanthemum Doily

Wiosna 2015 Doily

Astral Fireworks Doily

The rainbow within

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Colour adds the happy spark

In the midst of all our strife

A silver lining to a cloud dark

There's a rainbow in every life

                                   -  muskaan, April 2016

The Third Day of December Snowflake

24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Björn

Of all her exquisitely designed snowflakes, this is perhaps Lene’s Defining Pattern. One glimpse & we can identify the designer!

All along, the central rosette appeared like a rainbow to me. The spectrum requires many colours, and that is the reason I delayed tatting this snowflake, waiting till I was feeling very relaxed. Multiple colours for a multi-layered effect.

Having successfully tatted with 3 strands of embroidery cotton in Day 6 snowflake, I felt confident of being able to tackle this one without messing up.

One should frequently rummage through one’s craft supplies. I had Metallic embroidery thread 

(1 skein each of silver & gold)! What luck & what lousy memory ! 

Using only 2 strands for the centre, it is pretty easy to tat with.

I started with the original stitch count for chains-only round; but after trying out the purple, then a bit of dark blue, it felt like the fluffiness of picots will fall short on both sides of each chain. So, cut off & restarted below

Keeping the overall chain count the same as original, I increased the number of picots 

to make it fuller & fluffier. Each chain started with a very small picot 

to which Lock Joins were made in later rounds..

Each round was started CTM using 3 strands. 

A short length was wound on one shuttle, & the rest remained on the skein. 

Image of each chain round is a montage of 2 pics - 

the left is taken from above; the right from a much lower angle to show layers.

Had to solicit the help of my DH to confirm my choice of a couple of shades. 

He readily helps with such minor tasks.

Finding it difficult to sew in the tails, I cheated. 

After making a tight square knot, I simply snipped off the threads at a short distance. 

The shortened lengths merged perfectly with all the picots. Phew!

Each round was started with a 'phase-shift'. No 2 rounds started at same place.

This helps to disperse any visible line of beginning or ending. 

I use the same policy with crochet, embroidery, etc.

This red is an extra round in order to complete the spectrum. 

Wouldn't this make a great Rakhi bracelet, with braids or twines attached ?!

This is how it looks from behind. Thus far, it is less than 2 inches in diameter !

When I started with silver in center, my idea was to use it again for the final round - 

the silver lining !

But as you can see it did not do justice to the spectrum. Tried a mix of white & silver, 

but finally settled on plain solid white in size 40.

I had deliberately started with the inner ring & chain, so that I could hide tails 

in the last floating ring which is a Single Shuttle Split Ring 

(Miranda's method of finishing with SSSR to hide ends - love it). 

It is the one at 6 o'clock position in above pic.

Factoring in the extra round, I increased the stitchcount of final round by 1 DS 

for each segment between picots on both rings & chains between 2 picots. It worked.

The final snowflake measures a tad over 3.5 inches. 

Techniques used : CTM, LJ, floating rings, SSSR to hide ends, square knots, 

multiple strands of embroidery floss/cotton & metallic thread for tatting. 

I am very satisfied & happy with the outcome. Hope you like it too. 

It is a spectacular design & fun to tat, especially with the shortcuts I took!

This completes 6 snowflakes for the Craftree Snowflake Tat-Along. I've completed the first round of Day Seven, but am busy with a lot of other activity around the home, hence it is going slowly ...

happy tatting always :-)

Related Posts : Rakhi Bracelet patterns

Identity Crisis,

Freshly Tatted,

marching along,

chicken feet