Split Chain

Split chains are a new technique for me. As a matter of fact, I've been scared to even try 'em. (Yes, all these years tatting, cutting, and hiding threads before moving on to a new round -- pitiful, eh?)
A couple of weeks ago I went to the monthly meeting of the Bonneville Tatters and learned along with a whole bunch of other people. That was fun. So, here's my split chain. Don't look too close, though, because I think I worked from the wrong side and my stitches are frontside and backside on the same chain!
I'll be practicing this again with the "fast and easy" way of Marie Smith, courtesy Jane Eborall's techniques pages.
The motif is something I tatted up the night before the meeting so I had a piece on which to practice. I used the size 10 thread my sister dyed for me so that it would be large enough to see what I was doing (then did it backward anyway). I rather liked the motif, and think I might try to develop it into something larger -- after all I've got that split chain just waiting there...

Iris TIAS 5

Isn't it pretty? Iris Niebach's designs are always so complex to look at. Having her break this one down in small pieces made it seem easy. Not that I didn't do some unpicking and redoing, mind!
This is complete to the end of the "tat it and see", but I do believe I will finish it up to the 8-point doily. I might even see how it will look with fewer points wrapped around one of my satin-covered styrofoam ornaments. Not only that, but those little hearts are very pretty. I've been wondering what they would look like all by themselves. Wow, another thing to try!

Ornamental Cornelia

Here it is: "Cornelia" from Iris Niebach's Tatted Doilies as a Christmas ornament in King Tut quilting thread. The original doily has eight repeats of the pattern. It curves pretty well around the ornament with only six repeats. The bottom motif is simply the inner portion of the doily with some chains to move from one repeat to the next without having to complete the whole doily twice. Two six-repeat doilies wouldn't fit on the ornament, you see. Beads would be good, don't you think? Still, even without beads, the pictures really don't do it justice. It's a pretty thing. (click on the picture for a larger view)

Design Challenge 3

Late in January Sharon Briggs posted a new design challenge -- to make something based on a rose center. I've never made any of these rose motifs before. They always looked like a lot of bother. It surprised me to find they're not all that difficult or fiddly!
It took me this long to think up something. I'm not certain this is recognizable as a shamrock, because when my dad saw it on my lap desk he said he liked the "little green thing." Okay, it is a green thing and it measures 2.25 inches (5.5 cm) across which isn't very big. It's made with DMC Cébélia size 30 thread.
This is the first time I ever tried pearl tatting, too. I'm not certain I have it right, but if not, it was ...um... intentional, yes, that's it.

Starry, Starry Night

Motif number 36 from Tatting by Myra Piper is a star instead of a snowflake. Stars just cry out for gold metallic thread, don't they? It would be nice if gold metallic thread scanned as pretty as it looks -- instead of scanning as a weird mustard yellow. Still, the pattern is a pretty one and very simple.
I'm posting this because I've reached dither-point. There are too many things I want to do! I was having such a difficult time deciding that what I actually did was another "Cornelia" by Iris Niebach in KingTut quilting thread. I left out two repeats so that it curves around a satin-covered styrofoam ornament. Now, I'm trying to make something for the bottom that will match.
Once that's done, I've got an idea for Sharon Briggs' latest challenge...

Stella Alpina and TIAS Day 2

"Stella Alpina" from Fantasia by Iris Niebach. Made from one strand of Sulky machine embroidery thread and one strand of white quilting cotton, it measures 5.25 inches (13 cm) at it's widest part.
Working Iris's patterns is rather like having comfort food for me. When I'm feeling fussled, unsettled, worried, or grumpy -- there's nothing like a nice doily from Tatted Doilies, Fantasia, or Fantasia 2 to make me feel much, much better.
That's why working on Iris' TIAS is such a wonderful thing -- a little dose of reason every couple of days. That's gotta be a good thing! This is what I have so far. It looks like a good match for what others have done, so I think I'm on the right track. I made my picot gauges just a tad smaller, because I have to use size 30 thread (I don't seem to own any size 20), and it looks just a little crowded. Maybe at the end a bit of blocking will not come amiss. As for a guess about what it is -- I have no idea, but isn't it going to be pretty?

Cornelia and C-lon

"Cornelia" from Tatted Doilies by Iris Niebach. This is such a pretty pattern! As it is all worked in a single round, it's also a fun pattern to watch develop. Of course, you have to pay attention. There were too many places that I had to unpick (retro-tat is way too nice for what I was doing). There's one chain with 12 too many ds and an extra picot that I didn't notice until I was 8 rings and 4 chains further along. Nope, not unpicking that! This one will probably end up hidden on a shelf.
I tried out a new thread. After reading Teri "TATBiT" Dusenbury's blog and her statements about C-lon Microbeading cord, I went looking. I found some of that and ordered it. However, I also found C-lon beading thread, so I got some of that -- it came first, so I used it. When it first comes off the tiny spool it is flat and shiny. It doesn't work up that way, but it is very crisp to work with -- as long as you don't make goofies you have to pick out. It really is picking-out with this thread; it's unforgiving. The thread separates into micro-fine threads if it is worked too much. Then one of those tiny threads might decide to fray and wrap itself around any thread close by. Okay, so this little doily was the wrong thing to make with it. I do believe this stuff will be absolutely wonderful for earrings! I'm really, really going to have to make some with it, because I got some very pretty colors -- but no more of this teal color because it took the entire spool to make the doily.

Iris TIAS ... oops

It's so exciting that Iris is doing a TIAS! (That's "Tat it and See" for all you acronym-challenged folks.) What would be even more exciting is if I had done it right. I think I have the elements in the required configuration, but that large clover on the end is in the wrong color. Yeah, that's was comes of tatting until 2:00 AM. I don't have enough sense to go to bed -- what makes me think I have enough sense to pay attention to directions? It's okay. I'll start over tonight...before the wee hours.

Has it Stopped Snowing?

Three more from Tatting by Myra Piper. These are No. 23, 34, and 37. All have been done in Coats "Button Carpet & Craft" thread (I can't figure out why they leave out the comma...unless there is such a thing as a button carpet?). I liked all of these, but think I would start somewhere different for No. 34. I did No. 37 with a split ring exit in the center rather than do the center as a separate row. Less cut and tie and hide is always a good thing. These measure 3" (11.5 cm), 3", and 2.75" (11 cm), respectively. That's a good, respectable size for a tree decoration. I might hunt up the invisible thread and make hangers for them. They would make good gifts or they might end up in my own decoration box.

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is more than half over, and I very nearly forgot to post these. The three white ones are "Heart's Desire" by Susan K. Fuller. The large one is Coats "Button Carpet & Craft" thread, the small one at the top is two strands of polyester machine embroidery thread, and the other is DMC size 80 tatting cotton. This is a really great pattern. It looks so complicated and I kept wondering how I was going to get the last part joined without being a contortionist. Ta-da! It just worked so smoothly. That's why there are three them -- how fun!

The pink heart is Nancy Tracy's "Clover Drop Heart" with a little variation. The first one I made according to the pattern, but my chains were too tight and it was oddly misshapen. For this second one I added beads and a couple of extra stitches to the chains. That worked for me.
Hmmmm...perhaps I should have made some flowers to go with those hearts. Maybe next year...