Saturday, March 30, 2013

Shuttle-tatted Interlocking Rings

If you've been admiring the patterns with interlocking rings, but avoid them because you don't want to use needletatting or fingertatting, you really must visit Kathy Niklewicz's blog post where she has begun a tutorial for making them with the shuttle. I'm sure you can't see the problems in my efforts in the photo below as well as I can, but I'm getting close thanks to Kathy. While the variegated thread shows up better in the picture, the larger white thread has been a better choice for my practice. I'm going to devote my tatting time to working on this technique this morning.

Okay, I'm back with a progress report. I carefully followed Kathy's pictures as I went. At photo 9, Kathy says to keep the shuttle thread behind the closing ring and the first ring as you close that second ring. I tried posting my shuttle through the second ring from front to back before closing the ring and it has made a tremendous difference in the appearance of my finished work. I'm going to go over to Kathy's blog to see if she does this routinely (I know some tatters do so). Below are images of my last effort from both sides.

6 comments:

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I have that page bookmarked, and I fully intend to try this technique out. I'm glad to read that you are trying it as well. I only hope I have your success!

Kathy Niklewicz said...

Hi Eliz! Imagine my surprise and delight at seeing both your comment on my blog yesterday and your amazing post today with these marvelous photos! I find it ironic that you mention posting the shuttle, because I usually DO post the shuttle, but I know that some tatters don't like to do it, so I didn't want to complicate things, and it isn't essential for doing the rings. I'm glad that it's working out for you! I plan to work on Part 2 today, and hope I can clearly show the final ring . There's just a little fussing with unwinding and re-winding the shuttle, but to me it makes it easier to use the shuttle for the last ring rather than to finger-tat it, as that's a lot of knots to do. I'm impressed and pleased that you've taken the time to do these and to post about them so quickly! I did leave a note on your own blog post of March 26, but sometimes my 'tablet' comments don't get through for some reason. I thought you'd like to know that I'm looking at your cute 'twin butterflies (which I made into single ones) on a felt bag I've shown before on my blog. I put a little stuffed rabbit in it as part of my Easter display. I love your pattern!

Eliz Davis aka Tatknot said...

You are going to love this method of tatting interlocking rings, Diane. I can hardly wait for the final ring.

Kathy, I'm so glad you are enjoying the Butterfly Twins. I tat them singly sometimes as well. I'll have to go back and find that bag in your blog. And thanks again for the tutorial. One might be able to make those interlocking rings without posting the shuttle but it sure made a difference to the appearance of mine. They lie flatter now and close more easily. I'm going to continue to post the shuttle through the ring when I tat interlocking rings. I recommend that others try it both ways as I did.

Karen said...

Thank you for your pictures and mentioning posting the shuttle. I always make an extra 1st half ds and then post when on front side. However I wanted my interlocking rings to be "right" so did only the 10-10 and they needed the posting for me. I'm elated to finally learn interlocking rings. Karen in OR

Margarets designer cards said...

They are looking good so far, I don't do them often enough at the moment, But I will be going back to them as I want to try some patterns from Rachel

Kathy has done a lovely turotria,

Margaret

Umintsuru said...

Hi Eliz, you have been practising the interlocking rings. I read your comment on Kathy's blog and I ended up the same way too. I jiggled the rings about and am not quite sure if it is right.