frost flower pictopattern

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Notice the new entrant here? It is my 12-point variation of the frost flower. Didn’t quite turn out the way I had imagined – looks more like a wheel. Interesting how the entire character and focus seems to have altered!

Tatted in Lizbeth size 20, it measures 2 inches.

Should I share the pattern for this as well?

I have drawn diagrams of single motif/repeat to show sequence of elements and their stitch-count. It also has a written pattern which I found a bit difficult to write since there are numerous paths and techniques that can be chosen.

I finally decided to simply write what I have done and leave it to the tatter to substitute. In this pictorial, however, I have tried to point out the options.

Please help me decide whether the pictorial should be included within the pdf or should I simply give a link to this post for those who want to see each step? The image size will be smaller in the pdf and will add 2 or 3 pages. Of course, one can opt not to print those pages.

Once I have your answers, I will finalise and upload pdf.

  FROST  FLOWER  

snowflake pattern

© muskaan   Nov 2019

SCM(J)R with TR: Self-closing mock Josephine ring with thrown ring : Start mock Josephine ring using same half stitches, switch shuttle, leave bare thread and make thrown ring, close, switch shuttle, leave equal bare thread (a mock picot has been formed), continue with half stitches, close the mock ring.
I first shared this effect - SCM(J)R - with stepwise pictorial,  here.

Sh = shuttle ; - = picot ; -- = long picot ; rw = reverse work ; 

SS = switch shuttle ; JR = Josephine ring (worked with same half stitch) ;
TR = thrown ring (remember to switch shuttle before and after a thrown ring)

rs = reverse stitch or unflipped stitch as in 2nd side of split ring (optional)  

2 shuttles, continuous thread. Red is Sh1, yellow is Sh2

 1. Insert clip or pin on core thread (Sh1) for starter picot.

Chain : 3 – 6.

SCM(J)R: Start mock Josephine ring with 6 half stitches, leaving a loop at the base,  

 2. Switch shuttle for thrown ring but leave bare thread space before starting ring.

space, (TR: 3 -– 3), close,

 3. leave bare thread (a mock picot is formed), switch shuttle, and complete the mock JR with 6 half stitches. Pass shuttle through loop and close the SCM(J)R.

 4. Chain : 3 rs  

 5.  rw, SS, (TR: 3 -- 3), SS

 6.  chain : 3
(the above image is from the back)

ALTERNATE for steps 4 to 6 : rw, SS, chain: 3, (TR: 3 -- 3), 3.

Further reference : Changing Chain Curves

 7.  rw, JR : 6 + 6 (join to mock picot). SS 

ALTERNATE: This JR can be worked as a SCM(J)R. In this case, SS to work the mock JR, and continue with same shuttle for step #8.  

  8.  chain: 6 - 3

 9.  remove the pin or paper clip, insert hook through Both the starter and TR picots ....

 10.  ... to pull up core thread loop for a lock join.

 11.  This is how it will look after a lock join.

 12.  Chain: 2 rs - 2 rs. 

ALTERNATE for step 12: rw, SS, chain: 2 - 2, rw, SS.

One motif or repeat complete. Insert holder for picot and repeat 5 more times, joining the last repeat to the first.

With direct tatting, I didn't have to keep reversing the work, and was able to tat mainly from the front.

Waiting for your response. And I hope this pictorial helps. If it seems confusing, pick up your shuttles and work alongside. I find it helps.

Related Posts

design process

SCM(J)R or Josephine Ring cluster

Changing Chain Curves – Convex and Concave

happy tatting J

warmafrost

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Snowflake #16 in Land of Laces’ 25 Snowflake Project

Marja tells us that Kuurankukka is an old Finnish word for frost flower and since I perpetually seem to make my snowflakes warm, summery and floral, ‘warmafrost’ seemed like an appropriate portmanteau for this post which has snowflakes in very warm earthy colours indeed - the cool flake is in some subterranean layer ;-D.

Made in one pass using 2 shuttles. There are thrown rings, SCMRs, Josephine rings, starting with chain/starter picot. And I also used direct tatting and directional (fs/bs) tatting.

My starting point for the design process is a motif : the Josephine Ring cluster from this split colour edging. The rest is simply a way to create 6 arms for the snowflake. And in order to make the tip pointier, I used a normal ring instead of the JR.

The little evolutionary tweaks are evident in the image, starting with a smaller arm, to better-sized ones, and then to filling in the blank space within.

BUT, I am not a good student, repeating the same mistake which led to the mutant snowflake! (yes, I remember my promise to post the solution(s)!) There is no way I could tie off after 6 repeats. Tongue-in-cheek, I showed my amusement to Ninetta, and good teacher that she is, she marked out what I needed to do. Very helpful tips, again, but I need to become independent!

I took a lazy way out this time – snipped the outer joined picots (there were 2 joins earlier) to confirm that the flake would lie flat with only 6 arms! Phew! No drastic changes.

I had deliberately left the inner ring free. But finally gave in and joined it at the base. Now, one could tat the ring facing upward (see the single small yellow motif), but I didn’t like the look.

Meanwhile, I tried a few other tweaks in those single motifs, but settled back to my ‘first child’. Does it happen to you? I frequently find myself unable or unwilling to venture too far off the original.

A single upended motif can be worked as a quick earring. I’m not happy with my beads or their placement, and will try to do a better job. The inset pic shows the true colours.

Do you see a larger fabric with the flakes attached to each other? A challenge for another day or year ;-D

This pattern can be worked in multiple ways, using one’s choice of techniques. I followed an ergonomic path where there is least switching of shuttles and of reverse work. So the flake is worked clockwise and all from the front except for the ring inside. I have taken stepwise pictures of how I went about it, and I will share the pattern alongside in my next post.

I am tatting a slight variation ( 12 points ) and want to see how that works out in Lizbeth 20. The ones above are all in Anchor 20 (which is equivalent to Lizbeth 10) and measure 6cms; and 5cms as a motif.

UPDATE: Pattern in pictorial format and a pic of the 12-point variation - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/11/frost-flower-pictopattern.html

I have other ideas in mind - to increase the arm lengths, or to introduce another motif between the arms. I'd like to play with those ideas as a personal challenge.

Thank you, Marja and  Ninetta!!!  

who gobbled the sun?

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A mini video – please disregard the static. It’s actually the sound of the fan last night!

A few days back, Lilas Lace started a Celtic earring tat-along on facebook, which she has now posted in her blog here. From a bit of Googling, I find that it is a variant of the 4-leaf clover symbol.

It was a small project, broken into extremely tiny steps, And it was true Celtic interlacing unlike the ‘faux’ Celtic I’ve attempted so far. 

I chose Bliss variegated thread because it brings out the interweaving clearly. At the end, the motif is inserted within a 3cm ring which I did not have. This was the other reason I chose a thick thread (size 3 or 5), to mount on a bangle. 

The weaving itself took a long time! Pinning it down helped me keep track. After many trials, I reached this stage, where a part of it is still wrong. Took a pic to refer and remember. Then it was easy to undo and redo the last bit correctly...

TIP : Always remember that each chain/line goes over-under repeatedly. After choosing to keep the chain left of each ring above (over), at the next intersection it should be below (under), then again over and under meeting up with the next ring.

Final measurement – 2 inch square.

Pretty happy with it.

Now to make a suncatcher out of it - my very first. Chose a bangle with 2½” inner diameter and scurried over to the Queen of Suncatchers – Sue’s (His Kid) blog! 

• Before starting, I tacked the overlapping chains at 4 points - peer closely to see white sewing thread knots in pic below. And notice all the tools I needed?!

Gold metallic thread to shine through the transparent crystals.

I first sewed crystals through the 8 tiny picots, rolling the thread around the bangle frame. I don’t how she does it … I had a tough time keeping the crystals in place.

Wasn’t satisfied with the look, hence added more crystals, along with small green bicone crystals. This time I simply tied and cut each thread! Easier to handle the sequence as well. Yeah, I’m still not comfortable sequencing the beads correctly for pre-stringing.

ecided to snip off the first round of crystals and continued with the rest. Huh, this looked much better. So that was it!

Now how to hide the little ends? Tatting over the bangle using a single shuttle, and hiding all ends within. (cover a cabone/plastic ring - scroll down to #5 for tut links). I enjoy this process as can be seen in my previous bangle projects.  

The air pollution has been so high, that it has gobbled up the sun. It’s dreary and difficult to breathe even inside the house. This is the best we could do this morning. Soon we will be literally caged in - next week we're going to put up toughened glass in the balcony, sigh. Sliding, yet not the same. 

Many thanks Lilas Lace & Sue !