rose in my heart

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tatted by Jeanie 
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/12/hidden-treasures.html

 I woke up to devastating news this morning. Who knew that the angels I posted yesterday would see my own friend joining them. 

Jeanie was a very special friend. So many tatters have touched my life in various degrees during the last 8 years, but she was 1 of only 5 tatting cyber friends after whom even my hubby asked periodically. 

She approached me around 5 or 6 years back with some questions and it was always such a pleasure to discuss and debate tatting with her. She wouldn't rest till she understood the concept or principle, and never shied from questioning, learning, improving, perfecting. Boundless curiosity and positivity. The true hallmark of a good teacher.

A septuagenarian with a dream, a mission and despite whatever snags life threw at her, she never flinched and carried on relentlessly. I feel honored that she included me in her dream to publish a tatting manual-dictionary. She had worked on her book for 7 years when she emailed a digital copy for review and course-correction, if any. Oh, we had some spectacular discussions with mutual benefits. 

Graceful through all her ordeals during recent years, which set back her book and limited our conversations (she always came first, though), she still worked on it daily as much as she could. Tenacious and persistent, yet with a strong streak of perfectionism. She wanted her book to include the latest in tatting knowledge, and reflect her best possible ability, to fill in the lacuna in our tatting world where terms and definitions are often confusing or missing.

Self-effacing! She never bragged about her accomplishments. Whatever glimpses I got of positions she held or chaired or tutored, were when my search for something else threw up a reference to her.  Despite all her  experience and expertise, she was graciously willing to concede if/when she was 'wrong' and change accordingly. 

The last I heard from her was a short update about herself, knowing that I would worry if the silence latest too long. Even in the most dire times, I never detected any note of complaint - she was always like a warrior on the field. And a week back I found something to extend one of our discussions, and was thrilled to email it to her. I doubt now whether she got a chance to read it.

There is so much my heavy heart, with moist eyes, can continue to write about her. I will miss this sweet, strong lady tremendously. A true angel on earth who taught me many life lessons, my husband joins me in sending heartfelt condolences to her bereaved family and friends. 

May she continue to tat with the angels.

tiny angel with big message

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 Recently Margaret shared a memory of her cute mini tatted angels (https://margaretsdesignercards.blogspot.com/2015/12/decembers-pinterest-challenge-choir-of.html) and it reminded me of the ones Anita Barry had shared last year (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/02/happy-birthday-georgia.html). 

Huh. turns out neither of us remembered to upload the pattern for the white ones, after Anita taught them at the Palmetto Tat Days 2020. Got the wheels in motion and no better time than the present to present these tiny dancing angels.

Itsy-Bitsy Angels pattern (click to download)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jWQGGWH5E5hMKZGG_cWkbEQ26o1Q0Lad/view

As you can see, this can be worked as a single angel or a row of angels. A rings-only design, the pattern uses a single shuttle, working the wings as folded SSSRs to work continuously. However these can be worked as split rings if one wishes to tat with 2 shuttles. 

The flexibility of this edging adapts to any shape we desire - a round or oval garland, a straight edging, a square or any other polygon! It can make a cute frame.

And, Laura Angel pattern- 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12NJtxEWk6jyl_H0i2upSi_CNWZfWpaR9/view?usp=sharing

Hope you enjoy these quick tiny tats that carry a big message within them (read it in the pdf).
So get out those shuttles with leftover threads from all the snowflakes you tatted, and quickly belt out these little angels!

Many many thanks to Anita for sharing her patterns. 

inward picot with marker

Pin It now! Often a picot is required on the core thread. But when the core thread is pulled to snug stitches, the 'picot' would disappear! In order to hold this picot in place till we need it for joining, a temporary marker or holder is inserted in a loop of the core thread. Most common is the paper clip, but coil-less safety pin, scrap thread, stitch marker, etc, are also employed.

TIP: Always remember that the thickness of the marker/holder will affect the size of the picot formed. Hence choose a marker carefully.

This is a common enough picot and you must have your own method down pat. But if I am not careful mine turn out to be fiddly to handle (with marker getting in the way) and untidy or twisty. Yet this method gives the best visual result. So here's what I do to keep the inward picot tiny and neat ---

Inward Facing Picot in normal tatting –

1. Pull a longish loop of the core thread. Make the first DS. Then insert marker.

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/07/double-duty-due-to-delegated-dusting.html

2. Continue to tat at least 2 to 4 stitches, before snugging the stitches and closing the loop.

Advantages –

1. Avoids any gapsosis in the knotting/chain thread, keeping the stitch before and after the picot close together.
2. The picot on the core thread remains tiny or the required size.
3. No twisting of chain/element.
4. The marker does not get in the way of working.

2 motifs/repeats have been worked above....

...and when it is time to join, remove the paperclip and join through that tiny loop, taking care to not let it slide and hide! A crochet hook is handy.

Inward-facing picots in direct tatting – 

For direct tatted chains, where reverse (unflipped) stitches are worked, Ninetta demonstrates how she twists the marker to hold the picot in place. https://youtu.be/d02yb-cKSLI 
This twist makes it easier to hold the picot and work unhindered.

TIP: It is important to realise that this twist adds some length to the picot. Hence choose a marker that is finer than the required picot size.
        Alternate solution: Once all stitches are completed in that chain, untwist the marker and pull the core thread taut. This will bring the picot to desired size.

We can actually use this twist for the normally tatted chain, too, instead of leaving the loop long as photographed above. And when it is time to snug, untwist and remove slack from the core thread.


There are many other ways to make such inward, downward, starter, or drop picots (https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2017/10/fun-or-fan-in-direct-tatting.html). Since the most common is using a paperclip the above tips are limited to markers. 

This post is in response to a recently raised query.