my Italian connection

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Italian Connection bookmark    (a sneak peek)

You’ll soon see the reason for this name which led to the choice of books as well.

This motif is the First pattern designed by an Italian tatter, Patty Castagno and shared in the facebook group - Chiacchierino: Filo, Amore e Fantasia. It is a very creative and talented group but mostly in Italian. Which is why facebook's instant translation is a boon, though literal and sometimes confusing.

The promise of a square spiral attracted me immediately, but my first attempt (purple size 8 pearl) was surprisingly tough & confusing. 

Since I couldn’t understand why it was difficult, I had another go at it, this time in blue (size 20 Anchor). Worked up smooth as silk!!! Huh. Where was my head ???

Three’s Company! Hence a 3^rd motif tatted in green (size 40 Anchor) for tapering bookmark.

There is a ¼” difference between each motif.

Now how should I connect these motifs – each a different size, with no peripheral picots? Here’s where more Italian connection came in. Ninetta’s curled rings!

These curled ring connectors are rings folded exactly in half and lock joined through the middle picot in each, encasing a motif (chain) within.

Even the tassel is encased within these connectors.

I’ve used curled rings for toggles, etc. but I think this Curled Ring Connector has great potential and use in jewellery or to link individual motifs of different shapes, sizes, and designs! They can also be used in place of adjustable toggles since whatever is within can slide. Or how about attaching motif to a bangle for sun/dream catchers?!

This post was intended for April 1^st – ITD, which is why I included Teri Dusenbury’s dandelion chain link bookmark which I believe is a construction and engineering marvel in tatting. And among my most viewed projects.

Leonardo da Vinci: Artist, Thinker and Man of Science by Eugène Mũntz. A coffee table box set of 2 large hardcover volumes with lots of his diagrams, studies, ideas, sketches, etc. as well as finished works. Detailed, in-depth exploration. I have barely scratched the surface of these, but quite a treasure.


So would you like the pattern? I have Patty Castagno's gracious permission and here’s what she said (translated from Italian) when I sent her a close-up pic:  

Beautiful, beautiful, fabulous, you did an exceptional job, do whatever you want with my scheme, you made it a very good thank you

Now it is I who must ask you if I can take inspiration from your masterpiece

I need to ink the stitch count, and work on a presentation, but soon...

My previous Italian connection ...

happy tatting with old and new

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A very happy International Tatting Day!

I’ve had a fruitful day – I’ve tatted a cross from a vintage edging, tried a new technique, gorged on black forest pastry (it has chocolate ;-P), and am now going public with this blog post. 

Georgia Seitz has a puzzle - can we work this vintage edging continuously? Hmm, I couldn’t, but I did convert it into a cross that can be tatted in one pass. And if the puzzle intrigues you, attend class today to see if our talented participants have answers. They always have tons of ideas !

The dark purple one was made first but felt too long, then 'improved' upon in the brown one. But I think the chains in the long arm should be shorter, leaner. That arm looks like it’s grown biceps !!!
In Red Rose pearl cotton (size 8) the brown cross measures 8½ cms x 6½ cms & the first one is longer at 9½ cms.

Techniques I used : 2 shuttles, directional (fs/bs) tatting, central picot, SCMR with mock picot and thrown ring, ring made with 2^nd shuttle (like thrown rings), lock join.

I need your help in naming the cross. What should I call it?

It is edging #436 from Coats and Clark #138 Priscilla Edgings. And if you have any design improvement ideas, please do advise.

Now to the lovely new effect, Mimosa Knot, shared by Daniela Mendola to create pointed rings and chains. I tried them on rings only including half-closed rings.

My understanding of the Mimosa Knot on ring, based on movements in video :

1. It starts off as a self-closing mock ring or SCMR (holding core thread loop at base) ;
2. Make the 1^st half stitch, but before snugging, pass shuttle front to back through open loop and adjust tension – this creates a twist in the thread just like in the treble tat stitch. Except that in treble, there are 3 twists, whereas here there is a single twist.
3. Next make the 2^nd half stitch, and pass shuttle back to front to twist, and snug.
4. Close loop in 2 stages as we do for any regular SCMR. But my core thread did not slide freely after closing SCMR. I had to do this 5^th step to ensure free movement & it worked every time ...
5. Hold the mimosa knot in pinch and tug/pull the core thread such that the knot transfers and core thread becomes free.

Doesn’t this remind you of Frivolé’s one-stitch SCMR (for pointed chain) combined with Ninetta’s treble tat stitch (2^nd half)? The SCMR lifts up the stitch to create a point (see 1 wrap tds here). 

Usha’s dot picot also creates a pointed effect and I remember doing a comparative study on pointed rings (perhaps privately?). Jon Yusoff also created pointed chains. Now I’ll have to add the mimosa knot to the compilation :-D

All links can be found in the tabs above (My Tutorials & Tatting Resources) or type in search box.

Can’t thank global tatters enough for sharing generously ! 

tape lace bookmark

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I went into a tizzy trying to find tatted bookmarks for 10 books in Hindi I was sending to my MIL for her friend. They were either brand new or almost so. In the very short time left after hunting down the books, I could only find 5 bookmarks, and no time to take pics either!!! Despite gifting or using bookmarks, I know there are more left. Time for some major reorganising, but before that some tatting ;-P

On cue, this video from Sushma’s Craft & Creations turned up. She regularly uploads videos on tatting, crochet, and embroidery, in Hindi. This is the first time I’ve tried her pattern. This is an insertion pattern she calls Tape Lace.

If planned ahead, I would’ve started with a ring at the tip – now the top looks ‘cut off’.

Also, the stark contrast in colours does not show the undulating effect clearly. 2 shades of the same colour would’ve worked better.

Decided to cut short my misadventure and end with a zigzag chain and tassel.

Using Red Rose pearl cotton (size 8), the body is 8 cms long and 2½ cms wide.

Techniques I used : 2 shuttles, directional (fs/bs) tatting, blipless join, SLT, zigzag chain, tassel.

If doing fs/bs tatting, all rings on one side are done frontside and on the other backside (reverse order double stitch or RODS). En bloc, as in the spinning wheel glass mat. 

SLT is used only once in each block

This is a comparative listing of Chains in Shuttle Tatting, along with tutorial links.

Don’t you like how even my tassel is this time? There’s a trick I’ll share soon.

The Book of the Vedas - Timeless Wisdom from Indian Traditions. By Virender Kumar Arya.

Since there is this ‘Hindi’ or Indian connection in this thread, I chose this book on Vedas. 

It is in English and offers a lucid 2-page summary of major religions, cultures, traditions, deities, beliefs, etc. A bird’s eye view of spiritualism with lots of images and charming layout. One can start and stop at any page! Hardbound with dust-cover.

I'm excited to show the other bookmark I've finished....