Friday, May 13, 2016

Mock Ring by Joining Chain Back to Itself

Motif #21 for the 25 Motif Challenge
Lizbeth size 20, color #29410
Finished diameter of 4 cm.
Jane McClellan has been working through the motifs in The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito. When she posted Motif #11 and Motif #13I wondered how it would look to use a chain that looped back to join to itself. I'm sure this have been done plenty of times by others, but it's the first time I've tried it. Here are my experiments with the idea:
A few notes that will help you try this: 1) Always keep your shuttle and ball threads to the back of your work as you are joining. 2) I gently pack my chain stitches together before every join to help ensure that the chain's tension is even throughout.

If you'd like to try this motif, the small rings are 3-4-3 and the chains are 20-15-5-15-20. 
Start with a small ring. 
You'll always join to the last ring tatted with the third picot of the chain. The last picot of the chain is a join back to the first picot of the chain. (20-15-5+15+20) Form that last join by pulling the ball thread up through the picot and posting your shuttle from front to back.
The final chain will be 20-15+(join to first ring) 5+(join to last ring tatted) 15+(join back to first picot of this chain) 20 and join back to base of the first ring and finish off your motif as preferred.

If my pictures and instructions aren't clear enough, please put your suggestions in the comments. All help is appreciated. 

Thank you, Jane, for inspiring me to try something new to me.

Have fun!

Update added 5/15/2016: If you would like to see a comparison of some of the different ways to handle a mock ring in a position like this one, check out muskaan's post on the topic.


9 comments:

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

That's a neat idea! Wouldn't it make a great shamrock done in green?

God's Kid said...

That's a great looking motif!!! :)

muskaan said...

Great experimentation & execution ! And such a happy colourway - the motif stands out fresh !! Love your collage, too. Which program did you use, if I'm not being too inquisitive ?

Eliz Davis aka Tatknot said...

Thanks, everyone.

As I was finishing it off, Diane, I thought the same thing.

muskaan, I downloaded the free app for my Macbook Pro today. It's called CollageItFree. And, please, never hesitate to ask.

God's Kid said...

Hi Eliz, I just wanted to let you know without actually posting it on my blog where my hubby might see it, that if you go to my profile it should have a list of my blogs and there you will find the new Christmas blog already started. :)

Margarets designer cards said...

Thanks for the details I will try and have a go at this, interesting concept
Margaret

Jane McLellan said...

Good job! I like that there is more than one way to make a mock ring. It makes a lovely motif too.

Suztats said...

That's a great-looking motif! Cool idea, too.
One of the things I really like about needle-tatting is that I can make a join anywhere anytime without pre-planning and putting in picots. It's gotten me out of a lot of mistakes..... ;-)

Eliz Davis aka Tatknot said...

That does sound handy, Suztats. I don't do much needle tatting. I usually reserve it for fibers that don't work well in a shuttle, usually small projects.