Butterfly with Ikuta Overlapping Picots

Butterfly with Ikuta Overlapping Picots by Ninetta Caruso

Motifs 7 and 8 for 25 Motif Challenge (2nd for 2016)

Left: Lizbeth color #112; Right: Flora color #228 (both size 20)

As I promised, here is the first of the reports of my weekend adventures into new techniques (new to me). Georgia Seitz first introduced me to the Ikuta picots (double, layered and overlapping) through the Online Tatting Class on May 2. When I first tried this technique in a ring (my May 9 post), I used one shuttle and a ball thread. I found it a bit tricky to keep my threads in the proper position to get the correct overlap. The step-by-step tutorial that muskaan put together for us beautifully clarified the technique for me with clear instructions for handling the two threads.  I found her use of two shuttles to be much easier, and I was able to remember the process to produce this 2nd butterfly the day after carefully following the tutorial as I worked through Ninetta's pattern to tat the first butterfly. The tutorial works! Thank you, muskaan.

I love this little butterfly. I had a little trouble with the first butterfly's 3rd and 5th rings. These are the rings that encircle rings 2 and 4 forming the upper parts of the wings. My outer rings weren't large enough. After looking carefully at the picture in Ninetta's pattern post, I tried a count of 8-8 for the inner rings with the green thread and I think it looks much better. I must say, though, that muskaan used the 14-14 count from Ninetta's written instructions and hers looks great, so it may just be a difference in tatting tension that made the smaller inner rings work better for me.

In addition to gaining confidence with the Ikuta Overlapping Picots, Ninetta's pattern also inspired me to learn the Ann Dyer Join to the Smooth Side (JSS). I used Karen Cabera's YouTube video for instruction. Karen does a great job. I think my efforts with this join got better with practice. The join in the upper right wing of the green butterfly was my 4th attempt and I did a better job of 'popping' the threads into position. It looks beautifully smooth! Thank you, Karen and Ninetta.

I have to say that when I first tried the Ikuta picots, I didn't really think I'd actually use them. Now, I think I'll enjoy adding this picot effect to some of my projects. And the JSS is a definite keeper.

Happy tatting!

Ikuta Layered Picots

I opted to work on muskaan's Ikuta tutorial part 2 last night instead of my WIP after figuring out just what I need to do next on the WIP. I've been wanting to get to this ever since she put it up. As I commented at her blog, her tutorials are really helping me to have a solid feel for where my threads are and need to be all the time. I truly think I just got lucky when I worked through the class material the first time on my own because my tatting looked right, but I really didn't fully understand why or why not, if you know what I mean.

Online Tatting Class

muskaan's tutorial part 2

The first ring was made with the shuttle thread picots to the front. I thought that one would be the easiest one as it seemed obvious to keep the shuttle threads to the front. I found it hard to keep both threads on my left hand, so I resorted to dropping the ring thread off my hand each time.

My second effort (bottom left) was an attempt to keep the ball thread picots to the front. While you can't tell from the picture, I let my threads get messed up so that some stitches wound up upside down which also messed up the alignment of the picots making it appear one was missing. It took some major pushing and pulling to get everything back in place since I didn't notice it until I had closed the ring. To make sure that was just a fluke, I tatted it again (bottom right). As you can see my work is getting better looking with the 3rd ring. I have to say that, for me, tatting with the ball thread picots to the front was the easiest. I started out trying to keep both threads on my left hand with the ball threads to the front, but it just wasn't working out. I started tossing the ball thread over the back of my right hand to keep it out of the way when not in use. When I needed to tat with the ball thread, it worked best for me to open the ring loop large enough that it could slide back on my left hand a bit, thereby making room for the ball thread to take its place temporarily in front.

Tatting of Ninetta's butterfly has been delayed until I can work with the next installment of muskaan's tutorial which I'm sure will cover overlapping picots in a ring.

Happy tatting!

Following muskaan's Picotgate Tat-along Tutorial

If you have been at all curious about the Ikuta picots, make your way to muskaan's excellent tat-along tutorial.

muskaan asked, "Is it perle tatting?" I say no. Perle tatting results in bumps or picots on either side of the core thread. I played with a couple of different ways to create the look of perle tatting in a chain, but that will have to wait for another post. Thank you, muskaan, for the tat-along tutorial on the Ikuta picot effects. It is very easy to follow and understand.