Sharon is teaching design classes through her blog

I took Sharon's design classes quite some time back. She did a great job and now she is teaching through her blog with a new lesson every few weeks. So, whether you already love designing or have never even imagined that you could, I encourage you to drop by Sharon's blog to check this out.

Benporath Mystery Edging update

Hello, everyone. I've completed the tatting of round 2 so that the foundation round of squares now has a completed round on either side. Norma's instructions have you tatting this outer round with ball and shuttle, but it is obvious that some of the rings must swing out for joining to the next and final round. I chose to tat with ball and shuttle just leaving these rings free and then folding them up and out because I felt the resulting sharp v-shape of the chains might have been what Norma had in mind. If I had chosen to tat with 2 shuttles and make these outward facing rings with the 2nd shuttle, the chains would have had the more traditional curved shape. That just isn't what I hoped to achieve.

This would be a lovely place to stop. Several of my family members thought it was finished. It will be interesting to see what effect the final round will have upon the overall appearance. The last round should produce a scalloped look and I plan to work it in the variegated thread I used for the foundation round of squares.

Update on the Benporath Edging

It has been hard to find time to tat, but I have really enjoyed working on this edging. I've finished the inner round (Round 1). Norma's instructions have you making two consecutive joins to connect to the corner picots between two motifs. I chose to interpret this by completing the 2nd half of the DS after the first join before making the 2nd join and I really like the effect (see the closeup). This actually results in a ring with one more double stitch than the other rings on either side of it.

I've done a practice tat of the next round (Round 2) and have just begun to tat onto the foundation round.

Benporath Mystery Edging

It's been a distracting week and I find comfort in relaxing with an audible book and my tatting this evening. I'm reluctant to log in to Craftree as I really want to work this pattern out for myself without seeing what the others have done, and I'm sure someone else has finished it by now. As you can see, I've just now completed the first round. I look forward to figuring out the next round this evening. It has been a real pleasure to work with DMC size 80 tatting thread. This piece hasn't been blocked as I am away from home.

Tatting Benporath Mystery Tat-a-long

Hi, everyone. I'm having problems finding cream-colored velvet for the framed tatting I've completed for Butter Bean. I had hoped to share the finished images with you, so that must wait a little longer.

Thanks for the help to get back into Craftree (InTatters). I was trying to figure out what to do next and dropped in just in time to start the Mystery Tatalong of one of Norma Benporath's edgings. The only image available is so poor that none of us can make out any details at all. I tatted one of the foundation squares and started building the foundation round. This pattern is unique from all others I've ever tatted in that the next round will be worked to the inside of the square formed by the foundation round. I look forward to seeing how it will turn out. I'm working in a colorful size 80 thread as I was ready for a change from all of that solid pink size 30.

Nothing has been blocked or pressed. These are in-progress scans.