Thursday, 7 February 2019

Buddy Hearts

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Sharing 5-in-1 Buddy Hearts patterns !!!

The pattern presentation would’ve been completed in November last year, if it weren’t for, well, life. Just so happy to be able to do it at least before Valentine’s Day!
the original notated pic Anita sent me!
There are 2 pdfs. 
The short version only has diagrams and is a single page printout.
The long version has diagrammed & written patterns, along with tips for impeccable tatting from Master Tatter Anita Barry. It also has a write-up about out design process and relevant details, which anyone can use to create their own heart patterns! Anita wrote her patterns while I wrote mine. So even if you decide to print only the diagram-version, I still urge you to at least read the long version for the insights. And, of course, for the tremendous time & effort we put in ;-P

Since I had already posted my thoughts here, I invited Anita to write about her journey. Which is when I realised our diametrically opposite approaches to designing our respective hearts – reminds me of centrifugal v/s centripetal forces!

See, where Anita goes from the out in, having drawn the heart first, I chose the decorative piece first and then drew an incomplete heart outline which was ‘completed’ with leftover motifs forming one side.
Further, her hearts can be worked continuously, whereas my hearts are a combo of separate pieces – the floral spray and the heart proper, and worked in 2 thread sizes for better effect.

Read about both approaches in the pdf. And oh, there is a bonus heart pattern in the bundle – 5 complete patterns for our tatting buddies, and one slight variation.

Click to download pdf :
And

Anita's models of Inside Your Heart & Cross My Heart
my Budding Heart - original & with variation
I used a CWJ in my Budding Heart models,
though not indicated in diagram. 
Blossoms Heart with & without butterfly
Anita's bonus pattern - Daisy Heart !
my rendering of Anita's Daisy Heart in
Anchor size 40 (maroon) & Lizbeth size 20.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Enjoy J
And in Anita's words – “Think happy thoughts”. 
Connect with your buddy and spread new tatting hearts around !

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Update : Taught in Online Tatting Class on Feb 11, 2019

Sunday, 3 February 2019

3 little bears but where is Goldilocks

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It all started because I really wanted to tat Ninetta’s latest heart earrings. But I started out with her 3 little treble stitch motifs, the first of which I had done in July 2018. That's Mama Bear!
Papa Bear looked like a dahlia (yes, you can laugh at the incongruity!) and I worked it accordingly – flower surrounded by a bit of foliage. My intention was to tat only 3 rings in the green part to resemble leaves. While tatting, I kept admiring how well Nin had tatted those tiny rings. Little did I realize they were 12ds each and I made them only 6ds! But it worked out fine and I really like the overall effect!!!
The flower part ruffled a bit but flattened after a rolling pin block.

In Anchor size 40 (yellow 00302 & green 00269) it works out to just under 6cms.

Baby Bear was surprisingly quick to work. This has SCMRs with tds segments and thrown rings. As usual, I made an unflipped half stitch after closing the mock ring. She shared some process pics here.
In Anchor perle size 8 (01215), it measures around 3cmsx3¼cms.

Have you noticed the missing J & K in Ninetta’s diagram? She tells me that standard Italian alphabet does not have j, k, w, & y J

When it came time to measure and select beads for the earrings, I found Goldilocks had already gone to bed! Before she woke up, Sharon shared a challenging heart pattern, which I started instead - always sleepy when it comes to beads ;-P No problems, Goldilocks will soon have her earrings!

Saturday, 2 February 2019

waffling

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‘waffling’ [North American]  : fail to make up one’s mind.
Apt! 
I first saw Diane’s admirable waffle stitch afghan(s) and immediately liked the texture! Several months later, Denise’s enthusiasm proved too contagious to resist. And the timing was right as I was convalescing in Dec.

 
After these learning trials, I set about crocheting a cushion cover for hubby’s chair. Which is why I started out with a 15” length. But started to get bored with the single colour (wish I'd factored in some white!) and tied off, changing my plan to an afghan. This first strip is worked along the length, but rest were worked up from the shorter side.

8 strips worked so far in 4 different colours. Each measures around 15”x3½” and weighs about 20gms. Jaypee knitting yarn/wool and 2.25mm/size13 hook.
Multiples of 3 and 2 extra chain stitches to start off, so that I get the same effect on either side.
I used only 2ch to turn.
Wanted to lay them flat before posting, but …

I need plenty more, but don’t know how to arrange them yet. Lots of arrangement ideas jotted in my grid pages, however my current waffling hampers progress!
Meanwhile I had other deadlines to meet, stuff to finish.

One thing is for certain; the entire afghan won't be waffle stitch. I intend to knit a few panels/blocks using different stitches – perhaps in batches of 8.

I kind of got into a rhythm with the stitch and it went fairly quickly; it consume a lot of yarn.


‘waffling’ [British] : speak or write at length in a vague or trivial manner.
Yelp! I’m leaving I’m leaving ;-P