How to empty a shuttle and fall onto a usable piece

Emptying my shuttle

After a bigger project there is always some thread left on the shuttle. This is how the flowers of the butterflies pile up in our boxes. In mine come shreads of ideas and some if them are not that bad.
Like this one:

The pattern is more than simple: all rings, increasing the double stitches amount by every petal.

R1: 4 - 8 - 4, close, do not turn.
R2: 4 + 10 - 5, close, do not turn.
R3: 5 + 12 - 6, close, do not turn.
R4: 6 + 14 - 7, close, do not turn.
R5: 7 + 16 - 8, close, do not turn.
R6: 8 + 18 - 9, close, do not turn.
R7: 9 + 20 - 10, close, leave a decent amount of thread, cut.

Now, for the finishing part, I used a 4 mm flat pearl with 2 holes and a small 3 mm cristall. You can see also in the picture below the finished tatted thingy.

Step 1: place the pearl and make the join to the picot fromt he last ring. Secure the bead by passing one time bach and bring back the thread to the picot.

Step 2: Pass the needle through the join between the R3 and R4. Secur this stitch also if you want.

Step 3: Pass the needle through the horizontal hole of the pearl to go on the other side. secure this bead.

This is how your piece should look like.

Last step: sew the cristal:

I made some of these to make a bracelet. It is a really fast project and still has some effect.
Where to find the 2 crossed beads? I found mine in bracelets like this one. The pearls shops in Tenerife sell them. I just love these beads. Pitty that Toho and Co do not produce them.

Have fun with the pattern. For any question, just drop me a message.

P.S. This is worked with Penny 30 Bordeaux from Edda.

P.P.S.: The result:

 

Bauble pattern

I posted some time ago a Christmas bauble and I promissed to share the pattern.
It is not dificult to do... except you want to do it the way I did it: with 3 shuttles and using padding tatting.
The pattern is just rings and chains and at the first glance, one can say: 1 shuttle and a ball, 2 different colours would do it. But if you search for neat work, no knots to change directions and smooth finish, then I would still chose the 3 shuttles solution. Trust me, I have tried the easy way, I was not happy with the result: the elements were twisting and the lace did not bend but just fold at the point where the knot was done. This is, by the way, what I disliked with needle tatting: pictures are nice, but the actual lace not that much.

Why 2 shuttles and the ball would not do it? Because you will want to have the possibility to switch 2 shuttles with green thread without making knots or "jumps" between the upper and the lower side of the ds. Which will lead to a not nice finish.
Why padding? Well the same reason. See that lower red ring? With 2 shuttles you cannot make it look really nice. And by padding, you can nicely hide that red thread and use it only when you want it. Happy GR8 owners....


So 3 shuttles for me. Padding. For the ones needing to refresh the technique you can refer to the video of Karen Cabrera here or to a tutorial from Georgia Seitz. Both perfect to learn this technique.
All the chains have 20 ds, and are done with padding, no turn work.
You will use the upper green shuttle for the rings and the lower green shuttle for the padding.

Prepare the 3 stars. Mine were 5-5-5-5 or 5 -10 - 5 for the petals with no joins.
Make with the red thread a 10 ds ring. Snug, and keep it.

Pattern:

Green shuttle: 

R1: 10 - 5 - 5

R2: 5 + 8 + (to 1 red star) 8 - 5. 

R3: 5 + 5 - 10. 

Do not turn 

Place at the base of the trefoil the small red ring (R4) and prepare for padding. Hold both threads together. Make 20 unflipped ds. Snug well, you can also pull a bit the thread thread. 

Red shuttle: R5: 10 ds. Close ring. Do not turn work. 

Upper green shuttle: R6 10 + 8 - 2 close. 

R7: 2 + 8 - 10 close. 

Lower green shuttle: padded chain 20 ds. Snug well. 

Red shuttle: R8: 10 ds. 

Upper green shuttle: R9: 10 + 8 - 2. 

R10: 2 + 8 - 10. Do not turn work. 

Chain 20 ds. padded. 

Upper green shuttle: R11: 9 + - 2- 9. Turn work. 

Red shuttle: R12: 10 - 10. Turn work, prepare for padding. 

Chain: 20 ds. 

Repeat to get to the upper trefoil. 

Work trefoil and join to the star. 

Do not turn work. Chain padding: 20 ds. Shug, turn work. 

Red shuttle: R13: 8 + 5 - 3. Do not turn work. 

Red shuttle: R14: 3 + 5 - 8. Turn work. 

Chain, padding 20 ds. Repeat 2 more times. 

Join the last eement to the first one. 

Cut and hide ends. 

Now you can finish your baubles as you like. I made them this way: 

 

 

They are not that bad and all the trouble with the 3 shuttles is really worth doing.  

If you get inspired to work them and if you get stuck, just give me sign. 

If you find an easier way to do it, please let me know. 

Needle tatters could trick the encapsulating by using 2 threads in the needle... and then switch the needle from 1 thread to the other. Sorry, hard to find a decent equivalent for a 3 shuttle pattern to be worked with the needle. Of course, you can ease your life and give up the 2 colours and use 2 shuttles and red beads instead... 

Have fun.  

Pulled loop join

It  sounds long and scarry... But it is a join done with the shuttle thread, just a lok join, since all rings are worked with only one shuttle. In the old patterns, before Ann Orr taught us to work a split chain (1916)  you find this chain of rings with some bare thread behind. Today we would work this with 2 shuttles and make split rings. 

But going back to the roots, can help. You love beads? Any bare thread can carry beads and this piece is no exception. Nina Libin is also using is. I also like the pulled loop join because it allows you to pass at the top of a ring with a neat effect and, since it is a single shuttle technique witl the beads on it, this makes the project really "portable".

In this piece from the pìcture there are 2 little technical details: the pulled loop join and the horizontal ring. I call it collar ring because of the appearance. Have no idea if it has a name, this little fellow. 

Thred the desired beads on the shuttle thread and work trefoil. My case 5-5-5-5 (I worked with Sunlight 40 and 3 mm coral beads). Go back to the middle ring of the trefoil (make a join), take 1 bead and place it behind your work, pull the thread and make the lock join carefully. Done.
Help for it here (Karen Cabrera, of course):

Start the new trefoil, repeat the whole sequence. Turn the work  90 degrees, start a ring wraping the thread around the work between the 2 trefoils and work a 10 ds ring. Close  this ring in such a way that it closes on the back side of the work, bring the next bead, make the pulled loop join.
I used this for a bracelet and I also made another round and used also the outer picots.

Assymetrical earrings

Too long... waited too long to make the pattern for the earrings. For some I just gave the rough written pattern  over Facebook. There you have it:
One shuttle pattern.
String some seed beads in the shuttle. No turn work what so ever. 20 minutes tat. Promise.

Start
R1: 10 - 10.
R2: 10 + 5 - 10
R3: 15 + 5 - 20
R4: 20 + 5 - 25
R5: 25 + 38 - 2 (or how much you want, but keep the 2).
Rb: take a bead in the loop for the ring. work 2 + o large ring) 6 - 2 close. The bead stays at the base of the ring. Continue until you have the nice curve needed for your bead.
As you see, 4 rings are also ok.


You can think avout working the last ring as a SCMR (2 threads).

The rest is ading the rest of the beads by sewing them. I added first the large one, then went back, added the light blue ones, came back and added the small seed bead... went back throught the large bead, added the bead in the R1. Secured thread. Done.

Have fun.

Pattern Wave

It was time maybe to let it go. Since 2012 I saw a lot of versions not only of the finished, but also of the pattern itself, in so many forms. I like to think that a lot of technical questions will be answered by the pattern itself. I never expected this pattern to raise so much interest and I thank everyone on who once had a look at the original before I made it public.
The pattern is simple, so simple that is is boring. But do not rush while working it. Simple things can punish pretty hard the impatient hand.

To the English version: here.
For the French one: here.
Instructions for the needle: here.

Just enjoy. I decided to place it also in the blog, at least it is all in one place.

Happy tatting.

Bauble fever

I do have a huge shortage in time. I do not have the time to make a tatting tutorial the way I like it.
Lately I made some baubles. But one of the patterns used especially is pretty versatile.

I will post the picture and the written pattern. It is a very easy one. No idea, I may have been seen something similar. Anyway, did not copy voluntarily anyone. If so, Please let me know.
You can work it with a shuttle and a ball, CTM, of course. I prefer though the 2 colours version. No trick, simple sequence ring, chain, ring.
I worked this patterns with a Penny 30 thread and Finca Metallic thread (really fine one). Yes, I am not afraid to mix the threads sizes, the effect is always rewarding. So, please adjust your ds accordingly. All the picots are very small picots.

The only difficult step is the start: with a chain with a paperclip.

Place the paperclip, start chain: 10 - 19 - 1, snug, turn work.
* Ring 1: 10 + (remove paper clip, make join) 9 - 1, close, do not turn work.
R2: 1 + 9 -10, close,  turn work.
Ch: 1 + 18 -1 snug, turn work.
Work trefoil:
R: 10 + 6 - 4, close, dnt
R: 4 + 10 - 10 - 4, close, do not turn
R: 4 + 6 - 10 close turn work.
Ch: 1 + 18 - 1, snug, turn work.
R: 10 + 9 - 1, close, do not turn work.
R: 1 + 9 - 10, close, turn work.
Ch: 1 + 19 - 10, make lock join to the last ring.
Continue Ch: 10 - 19 + 1, snug, turn work. *
Repeat from * to *.

When you got the desired length, cut and work the second half, joining chains at the remaining picot.
You will get this. Bookmark, bracelet, also good.

For a 3 cm diameter baulbe: 4 elements were enough. I closed first the lower part with a ring (I think there were 6 or 8 ds between the picots from the trefoil). To close the motif on the bauble: just passed a thread through the picots and snug.

For a 6 cm diameter, I used 5 elements.

 

For a 8 cm diameter I placed the lace vertically, and fasten both ends. I made also 2 flowers and sewed the elements together.
Why did I say that the pattern is versatile? well... If you join the picots with a flower or a ring and if you stiffen the lace with an inflated balloon, you will get a lace bauble. I tested it, it works. If you work 4 elements, you will get a nice cube.
If you work only a half of the stripe with 5 or 6 elements and join the upper picots of the trefoils with a flower, you will get a star or a snowflake .
Have fun. I know I did.

Fringe... sort of

Corina tried to get in the snowflake mood. Toke a pattern tried to work it. Then she finds a lost thread of gold metallic Finca thread and the pattern gets forgotten. It is again one of the "Lets start the party" moments.
It did this:

 

See those threads? No picots cut at the end. Easy to see that the golden thread stay on the core thread. I do not know if this is already dowe and how. I am sure someone did it, but I did not see it yet. Please, if you identify a known technique, let me know, to give the right credits. 

My first test was done with simple macramé knots done on the core thread. Jane Eborall inspired me to try to use picots, when she mentionned the feelers for critters. And yes, I rushed to look at her superbe tutorials. Did not find yet this one. 

Main idea: who said that we can tat only beads into the lace??

What you need: 1 shuttle and a ball (CTM). A thread of a second colour.

Start by working chain on your shuttle with very long picots. As many as you estimate you will use. (my case: 7  x 6). The more even, te better. Cut those picots at the upper part, distribute them and just fill the shuttle. Treat them as beads. 

  

 Start tatting. When the moment comes (my sequence was 5 - 2 7 of those metallic thread fringes sep. by 1 ds, picot, 5, close) bring one of the knots with fringes in position then work the ds.

A bit uncomfortable at first but after a while, it gets better. It is sooo simple!!!
Keep only in mind that you will have to count this fringe as a ds... So you might need to re-think a bit before the pattern.

This little baby was done in less than 30 mins. Trim those fringes to give them a shape. 

I see this quite interesting for an aura for an angel, my husband suggested the winks for an angel, the snow as a border for a Christmas tree, a garland. 

Imagine a Josephine chain with fringes which get gradually longer... got your attention a bit?

Happy tatting. 

Necklace "Bow" pattern

Necklace “Bows”pattern

I played with 2 shuttles and some self closing mock rings, love it. Then I wanted to climb to the top of the SCMR with both threads and this is how the beads got in play. Made some elements, drunk some coffee, watched TV and then it hit me. Maybe you know it: take a small break, think that you are watching TV (tennis for me) but the brain is still tatting. Then the finger starts to draw in the air (this amuses my husband always) the the pattern starts to build itself.

2 shuttles, CTM, fine crochet hook, 5 mm rice mother of pearl beads. This is all you need. Skills required: nothing special, only not the be afraid to work stacked rings.

It gave this at first. It curves by it self a bit. First try: very fine black thread, the Penny 40 I received from Edda as a sample. By the way, she is a great tatter and I simply love her tatting solutions.  

The white one is worked with Penny 30 and Range 40 and it curves slightly more, some adjustments might be necessary if you work with different threads than mine. I would do it to the SCMR  the upper part (instead of a 5-5 I would work 2-3 or 2-3).

The pattern I will give you now is for 2 shuttles (Sh1: white, Sh2: silver), two colours.

Start with R: 20, close, do not turn. This is will be the clasp support one.

	Sh1: R: 10 – 10, close, do not turn. Let Sh1 hang behind the ring, switch shuttles.
	Sh2: 10 + 5 – 15, close do not turn work.
	Prepare to work the “collar ring” with Sh2. Turn the work 90 deg. to the left. Wrap the thread around the work and work ring: 15. Bring carefuly the end of this ring around the work and close. Do not rush if you want a nice, even finish. The thread from Sh2 must be now back where the collar ring startet.
	Flip work 90 deg. to the right. Start SCMR (white: active thread, silver core thread). 15 + 5 – 5. Add the bead to the loop pass the shuttle through the loop, close SCMR. Turn work. Please take care about the beads you will use, the sharp edged may cause some troubles. You can avoid them by chosing  fire treated beads or by adding fire treated rocailles before and after your bead.
	Work chain: 20. You can also change this to 15 or a bit more.  Snug, turn work. You can see now the back side of the work
	Take Sh1: work ring: 10 + 10. Do not turn. Work the first ring from this series.

I kind of like this bow effect the rings create, worked with 2 colours it is more obvious. 

As I said, different threads and different beads, different effect. Play a bit with the pattern until you are happy with the result. 

I hope that I gave you a reason to grab the shuttles and that you will enjoy trying to work this pattern. 

Happy tatting. 

Rosette with beads, funny beads

This is about the small black rosette I published some days ago... Love to tease you, love to make you find solutions. This helps a lot to get out a bit outside the box.

One box we are stuck in sometimes is the way to add the beads. They must come from the thread from the hand, from the shuttle or the needle or is has to stay on a picot. Really?? Not this time.
I tricked it. I am not the first one and there are more than 1 way to have this effect but the simpliest one, at least for me, will be described today.
This rosette has 2 rounds. The inner one as pretty easy.

Image	Steps and remarks
	What you need:  Your thread. In my case, Penny 20 this time. 11.0 rocailles, a very fine crochet hook and a beading needle. Or any needle which allows you to pass 2 times through a 11.0 rocaille.  String on the shuttle the beads you need. you must think: 8 beads for each petal. In my case, I needed 7 petals... 56 beads. Just put enough beads on the shuttle to be on the safe side. I was sure I will get a 6 petal flower... I had to unwind the shuttle and add the missing beads...  Prepare to work the inner round. Take 11 beads on the hand and work ring.
	Work 8 ds 4 bp 4 ds 3bp (2 from the hand, 1 from the shuttle) 4 ds 4bp 8 ds, close ring.  4bp: 4 beads picot 3bp: 3 beads picot Do not work these beaded picots too tight, you will want to have some thread for the next joins.
	Petal 2 until 6:  take 7 bead on the hand.  Work 8ds join to the beaded picot by separating the beads (3 up, 1 down) 4 ds 3bp 4 ds 4bd 8 ds, close ring.
	Intermediate phase.
	For the last petal taker only 3 beads on the hand. You will make the last join as a folded join. Do not let yourself impressed by the beads.  Finished first round.  Cute enough actually like this.
	We attack the second round now. I placed the small rocailles on top the the picots with 3 beads... This is where I want them to be.  Therefore, I let my shuttle away and I use a needle. Remember? The needle  supposed to be able to pass through the 11.0 rocaille 2 times... But please keep in mind: the bead will have 1 thread in the hole... when you pass with the needle you will have in that little hole 1 time the diameter of the needle and 3 times the diameter of the thread. When I will explain how it will be done, you will see.  Anyway, because of this simple math and some tests I had to use for this round Penny 30, a thinner thread.  The needle will be used as a shuttle.
	Thread the needle, let enough thread on the needle. It will be you core thread for the outer round. Don't make economy on it... you have some joins too. Do not cut the thread. You will work with the ball too.  Take 1 bead, keep the rosette in place and bead and pass the needle through the 2 beads on top.
	Now pass the needle back through the bead. Fasten.
	Done. Not hard, no science involved. Now you can start to work the chain. Needle tatters will be disappointed: I am tatting with flipped ds.
	I use for this the Riego tatting method. (Please correct me if I am wrong.)  First movement / first hs Wrap the thread on your left hand and prepare to work chain.  Pass the thread from the neddle on the left side of the active thread (the ball) and bring the needle under the active thread as shown in the picture. Pick the needle, make the flip.
	Second movement / second hs Bring the needle from right to the left, pass it under the active thread. Make the flip.  Congratulations: you just made a ds using a needle as a shuttle.  Again: I did not invented it. I guess it was already done before me.
	Easy peasy. I do not give you any ds count for the chain. It depends so much on your thread... My Penny 30 wanted 26 ds to lay flat...  Take 1 bead, place it, continue...
	Have fun.

I hope this is not that difficult. It is actually fun and you will notice how wasy using the needle this way can be. The same movements I use also when I am finger tatting...
Let me know if you do  not understand some steps. I will try to answer as soon as possible.