heart square pattern

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My 2^nd square pattern is ready, phew. This time I did the presentations for both squares a bit differently. Each is single page, with no listing of techniques, and no real diagrams. I had begun diagramming for the Classic square, but it wasn’t coming together easily. Rather than waste time, I notated counts on the tatted models.

Your feedback will help further improvement.

In time for Valentine’s Day ….

Heart Square

(click to download pdf)

Another 3x3cms square for Tat a Brussels’ monument in pink. Clovers around a central heart. Can be done in single or 2 colours. I prefer the latter. I was quite fed up with pink, so a change of colours was called for!

Worked continuously. 

In CTM, it can be tatted all from the front in clockwise direction.

I deliberately chose a dimpled ring for heart, though my preference is for the folded style 

to be certain that the shape would hold well throughout.

The picot thread can be seen across where the dimple is made. 

If you don’t like it, a bead/pearl on the picot can hide it.

Heart can also be worked as a mock ring/SCMR.

In the right model, I brought the top chain closer to the dip. 

But I don't like the look. An oval/spndle around the heart looks better.

There are clovers around the heart bridged by chains that are linked to the heart below using a Catherine wheel join (cwj) to keep the curve smooth.

NOTE: When using cwj, the core thread in the chains remains free to slide from start to end. Hence take care while snugging stitches.

UPDATE (FEB 13) :  
PLEASE NOTE : the chain before Clover4 ends with a cwj. 

4 cwj 5 cwj (for Lizbeth),  

and

3 cwj 4 cwj (for Anchor).

The 4th clover is again made with 2nd shuttle.

Depending on one’s tatting tension, adjust stitch count such that the outer chain 

is flush but flat around the heart. I have a tight tatting tension.

The last clover is linked back to the first clover using a picot join to the right.

TIP: Before making the join, ensure that Both shuttles are on the same side – preferably to the front – because there is a short chain still to be worked at the end.

Since we needed a specific dimension, the pdf contains instructions for 

size 20 threads in Lizbeth & Anchor both.

Click to download Heart Square pattern

YYYYYYY

A Valentine’s Variation of Classic Square :

As promised in last post, here’s what Anita did – ‘tis the season after all! Hearts instead of plain ol’ rings, and layered to boot! Rest of the square pattern remains same.

(heart variation) : Ring: 6 – 6, 4fhs – 4shs, 6 – 6

TIP: The picot between seta & setb “emphasizes the point of changing directions”.

Now how about interlocking the 4 hearts – I’ll have to needle-tat it some day!

Tutorial links to all techniques mentioned

All posts relating to Tat a Brussels’ monument

happy tatting J

classic square pattern

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Honestly, tatting takes much less time than writing and presenting a pattern !!! I’d venture that even designing and trials take less time!

I created 2 patterns for the Tat a Brussels’ monument in pink and was going to make a combined pdf and post. However, it is taking forever, and I realise how late I already am. So, here’s my first pattern for now and the other will follow shortly.

Classic Square medallion

(click to download free pattern)

It is a 2-shuttle adaptation of my single shuttle Inchie-Two, and made slightly larger to comply with 3x3cm size and to have 4 free picots in the corner.

I was going to name it flower/floral square because there seems to be a rose blooming between 4 corner leaves. When I showed it to my friend she said it was a ‘classic square’ and explained it as follows:

I use “classic” as a term for tatting that appears to be a simple, pleasing rings & chains project. Not a brain-twister. Something that has a timeless appearance.

 – Anita Barry.

.

Truth be told, there is a bit of pitfall. When joining the 2^nd inner ring to 1^st, I kept linking to the wrong picot! We are so used to joining to a free picot, that my hands automatically did the same. However, the linkage is to the same picot where the previous chain is lock joined. Beware :-D

I worked it in Anchor size 20 as all the other squares. But most tatters don’t use this thread. So I pulled out my single size 20 Lizbeth and adjusted the stitchcount. Mostly adding 1ds to each segment. 

Hence the conversion is fairly easy. It worked in the 2^nd square pattern as well. I am keeping this ball for future conversions - more work, but it will make the patterns more universal.

The pdf contains stitch count for both threads as well as for single and 2 colour versions.

Wanting a more flowery look, I increased the chains slightly. 

But it ruffles and needs blocking to flatten out. 

There are many alternate square patterns already shared on respective blogs and Craftree. I didn’t need to create more. It is merely a personal challenge – “Can I?”.

And since the logistics of mailing my original squares changed, I had time on hand. I will now be couriering them on the 19th.

Stay tuned for the next square pattern – in time for Valentine’s ! Along with Anita's variation of this square which she sent me last night (need to ask permission).

Meanwhile I hope you enjoy working this square and adapting it to your pleasure.

For more squares, scroll down to Motifs/Medallions here.

55 in 5 and 1 in 15

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No, no, please don't leave... This is not an equation !

Just my frivolous statistics.

If you enjoy puzzles, go ahead & decipher before reading further J

my newest buy - Lindsay Rogers' 'Mastering Tatting' !

When I made my 1st one way back, I wasn’t sure about mailing it. It had worked out larger than the required dimensions (see pic below) and I was too caught up in loads of other projects, among other reasons.

loosely tatted original square with reduced stitch square
which now measures 3cms in Anchor size 20

Both factors (& the other reasons) remained the same but I don't know what exactly changed my mind. An email from Usha probably. DH knew all of my reasons, yet I couldn't explain what really happened now.

Don’t regret it one bit! I went on a tatting binge for 5 whole days, loving every moment of it, down to sewing in ends. Yeah, I guess Anita got it right - I’m “an overzealous overachiever” ;-P But the 'competition' is with myself.

So here’s the 'solution' to the title –

55 Brussels squares tatted in 5 days.

And at least 

1 of them was tatted in 15 minutes!

Pattern : Tat a Brussels Monument in pink by Cathy de Greef (Canarithy)

I don’t time myself ever. There are too many interruptions and distractions while life goes on when tatting. However I was averaging about 25-30 minutes per square. Then on Day 4 I happened to start a square just as the news went on on fm radio & I finished the square as the news reader signed off – 15 minutes flat!

Huh, didn’t know I could tat fast. 

Errr, I did have fewer stitches to work – in order to get the right size in Anchor 20, 4 stitch repeats are used instead of the 5 in original pattern.

Day 3 - end of morning session in the warm winter sun !

Day 3 - end of evening session in artificial lights

Efficiency & rhythm could be part of the reason, besides the sheer joy of working the pattern – it had enough variety to sustain my interest.

• All the materials needed were placed in this chocolate box (see pics above).
• I tatted 2 sessions per day and sewed in the ends at night (day 3 pics above).
• I stuck to the same pattern, getting into a good rhythm.
• Used 3 different pinks to create some variety.
  
• Used a ball and shuttle. My Pony bobbin held enough thread for 4 squares.
• Path used :
  

I started at the same point where Cathy did but with the ring instead of chain. Worked 2 chains around, then reverse tatted (unflipped/wrapped stitches) the inner chain. This eliminated frequent RW or switch shuttle.
NOTE (update) : To join subsequent chains to this central picot, use the 2nd side of Split Ring join.

Continued to end – lock joining the last inner chain to ring picot and completing the last outer chain.

Ending at the starting point meant it was easier to hide ends later.
And fs/bs tatting, hence started the ring in RODS (reverse order of half stitches), which meant all chains were tatted from the front.

When starting I had no idea how many I wanted to make. Then based on each day’s output I decided to give myself 5 days to complete 50 squares. On the last day I contemplated the title of my blog post & decided to increase the count by 5 - how corny is that ?!;-P  

[starting on Jan 31st - 9, 10, 13, 12, 11 squares]

On day 6, with all squares roll-blocked, dried and photographed, I set about tatting a couple of new patterns that I had sketched earlier. I will show them in the next post. They won't be in pink, though - I'm mighty tired of that colour !

I hope to finalize the patterns today and may include it in the envelope to mail to Cathy.

I did find a few of my old squares fit the 3x3cms requirement, but they are in size 40 (quatrefoil squares) and the brown one (undulating) needed a bit of work. So I was very happy working Cathy's pattern. 

Thank you, Cathy, for a lovely pattern

and for the initiative to put tatted lace on the world map !