Beginner Tatters Can Design, Too!

 When my daughter, Sarah, was new to tatting at age 12, I encouraged her to start creating her own designs right away--just play with what she knew.  She had learned to make a ring, rings on bare thread, and rings and chains. She used these three elements to create this bookmark. It's a great way to use the last of the thread left on a shuttle. She shared it only with our close little tatting group at first, but when Mary McCarthey published it in the March 1997 issue of her newsletter, KNOTS!, Sarah was thrilled.

Sarah has given me permission to share this edited version with you that includes how I tat it in two rounds instead of three along with her original instructions. 

I eliminated the need for a separate starting ring soon after she designed it, by starting with the bare thread element and then combining the 'starting ring' with the ring and chain round resulting in two rounds instead of three. I am sharing the pattern as she originally made it, but including a diagram so you can explore other paths through the design. The long segments of bare thread combine with the tassel to create a fluid look that reminds me of jellyfish. I love it!

Designing and publishing your designs are two separate things. No matter your skill level, don't be afraid to play with your needles or shuttles. You may be amazed where your imagination and your fingers take you.

Have a great week, my friends, and happy tatting!

Happy International Tatting Day!

We are just 3 minutes away by my time, but it has already begun in other parts of the world. I wanted to do something special for all of my tatting friends and promote the art of tatting at the same time, so I'm offering you a pattern today. It offers a chance to practice Catherine Wheel joins if you wish, along with half-stitches, split rings, and a little block tatting. The sample was tatted with one of Jess's beautiful threads available through her Etsy shop, Tatilicious. The pattern is available here. Please let me know if you have any problems with the pattern.

Wanda's Graduation Cross

I used Wanda's Graduation Cross pattern for this little cross in one of the Lizbeth variegated threads. I got off to a bad start when I made the 3rd of the starting rings a split ring and didn't catch my mistake until I had worked my way around to start the 3rd leg. Oops! I resolved the issue by making a fourth ring for the center with a SCMR. It would have been less obvious in a solid thread, but I feel it was a decent compromise that kept this piece from the trash bin. My photograph doesn't do this thread justice.

Beeton Cross

Since my first project was by chance a cross, I decided to work my way through some of my cross patterns. This one is super simple. It was inspired by an edging in Beeton's Book of Needlecraft. I don't have a pattern, just notes about ring and chain sizes. I think Georgia Seitz may have shared this idea through the Online Tatting Class at some point.

I'm already working on the next cross, but I've moved to a more complicated pattern. It is Gillian Buchanan's Sharon's Celtic Cross. It is worked with 2 colors and 4 shuttles.

Flaming Caverns Bookmark

(This pattern is the property of Eliz Davis. You may share it with friends as long as you do it free of charge and print it from http://tatknot.blogspot.com) You can isolate this post for printing by clicking on it's title. To order a shuttle tatted bookmark in your favorite colors, contact Eliz through her Etsy shop called Tatknot.

Since I don’t have any graphics software for this computer yet, you’ll have to settle for an image you can write on and my written directions. It is really pretty simple. (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

I used a Lizbeth size 20 for the center and outer round and a Manuela size 20 which is a little larger for the crocheted round between them. Finished size: 4.75 inches (12 mm).

CENTER (one shuttle):

The center is formed with half-closed rings (hcr).

Make a length of 10 half-closed rings with the first being 3-3-3-3 and the remaining 9 being 3+3-3-3.

Turn the corner with a hcr of 3+3 and close it so the stitches align at a 90 degree angle.

Make a ring 3+ (joining to picot of corner hcr) 1-3, cl.

Make another hcr of 3+3 and close as before.

You are now ready to complete the remaining side with 10 half-closed rings of 3+ (to last picot of previous hcr) 3+ (to picot of opposite hcr) 3-3.

Repeat the instructions in italics to make a matching end. The second picot of your end ring will actually be a join to the first picot of the first hcr you tatted and the last hcr will join into this same picot.

CROCHETED ROUND (size 8 crochet hook)

Place 3 double crochet in each hcr along the sides, 4 double crochet in each corner hcr, and 2 double crochet into the little rings at either end.

FINAL ROUND (ball and shuttle)

Join between any set of double crochet stitches along the side. Side chains are 6+ (join between the next set of double crochet), repeating until you reach the 4 double crochet at the corner. The corner and end chains are 15+3-1--1-3+15. Return to the 6+ chain to complete the second side. Repeat the corner and end chains. Return to the 6+ chain until you return to where you began.

Enjoy!