Friday, March 21, 2008

Bonnie's Butterfly - Version 1





















This really is just a diagram for version 1 of Bonnie's Butterfly. It works the way my brain works (so those of you with working brains might have trouble actually following it's ...um... logic). The "paperclip" notations are where I put a paperclip between stitches on the chain to leave a space to pull down a bit of thread for joining the later-made ring. As with the other diagrams, I'll post a .pdf version of this one on Here-Be-Tatters and ETatters.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Instead of tatting...

This is what I've been doing lately...knitting. I make do, but am not a pro by any means. My mom gave me 14 ounces of knitting worsted (7 of each color) and asked if I could make a hat for her great-granddaughter (who is turning one this month). Yeah, I could do that -- after all, the kid made me a great aunt (not that I wasn't already pretty darn good, you know).
I made the hat on the right from a pattern book called "For All My Children." (I think someone in the publishing house must have been hooked on 1970s soap-opera.) There was so much yarn left I made the hat on the left. There was still a bunch left, so I made the little poncho (from the same book). STILL more yarn! I was talking to my dad who said maybe I could just make a pair of mittens. Right. I made up the pattern for those. Thank goodness really little kids don't need thumbs in their mittens. You know -- I've still got some yarn left. Maybe I could...nah...I think I'll just give it back...

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Allix's Butterfly, version 2

















The second version requires a knowledge of crochet chains (fortunately, those are not difficult) to make the antennae. The lovely thing about that is there are NO threads to hide -- they're right there in plain sight with a little knot in the end. See, I think all antennae should have knotty-looking ends. The only real difference is the starting point at the body ring and those crocheted antennae at the end. I still like this one.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Butterfly Pattern Three



















The first version of Allix's Butterfly starts with the antennae and makes a leap of faith across the head to work the second wing. The magic threads didn't work so well in the sample and it appears somewhat pulled apart between body and head. I managed to sneak this one past my youngest niece, as it does NOT comply with her rule: "head, thorax abdomen...insects have three body parts." Even so, it's one of my favorites.

Like the others, I'll post a .pdf version of this .jpg at ETatters and in the pattern files of Here-Be-Tatters.

Oops. I've been informed that when the pattern prints the sequence numbers, stitch counts and instructional notes are too tiny to read. I've redone the pattern, and hope the crowded numbers are not too confusing.