On Reading a Tatting Pattern

On Sunday, a friend asked me my opinion on an old tatting pattern.  It was "Lacy Twirls of Tatting Chair Set #4605" in Star Book #46. 

First, it was written in the style most of the old patterns are (R, 4 d, 3 p sep by 4 d, 4 d, cl r. Ch, 8 d, 3 p sep by 4 d, 8 d, turn.) So I wrote it over into a more readable fashion ( R 4-4-4-4 clr.  Ch 8-4-4-8 RW)  I changed the "turn" to "reverse work".  In my mind, "turn" implies a side to side motion, where "reverse work" implies a top to bottom motion that you would find when switching from a ring to a chain and vice versa.  But this pattern had chains coming from rings in both the normal fashion and where the tops were needing to be facing opposite of how they normally would, so you had to "force" the chain and it ends up a little twisted.

Chains coming from a ring in the normal fashion

Chain coming from ring "twisted" (the bottom)

I made a bookmark in the way it was written to get a feel for the pattern.

Original pattern

It was hard to see what the chains and rings were doing, so I switched to having two colors.  This shows how the chains end up all the same color and the rings the alternate color. (I did alter the pattern to start in the middle of the end instead of the side so I could leave the ends as a tassel)

Original pattern/2 colors

Next, I made another bookmark where I used 2 shuttles and just switched shuttles when the chain would be forced.  This made the chains all smooth, but creates a different look in the 2 color bookmark.

Switching shuttles

Here are all 3 bookmarks together:

I like the look of the "forced" 2 color bookmark best, but if you were making it all one color, I would go with switching shuttles as that is a smoother way of working the pattern.  I also thought it would be nice to join the picots on the inside of the bookmark to make it more stable, but I didn't want to take more time to make a 4th bookmark ☺

For October...

I decided it was time to tat up some things for Halloween. I had come up with a pattern for a bat in 2004, and it will be in my new book (whenever I finish it!)




This guy is tatted using one strand of embroidery floss and turned out tiny!

Daisy Angel

Next pattern!

http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/daisyangel.htm

Pansy Angel

Here is my next free pattern:

http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/pansyangel.htm

Two More Patterns

Since I missed a couple days of giving you a new pattern, I'll do 2 today!



1st, "Tri-Angel"

http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/triangel.htm





2nd,"Spring Butterfly"

http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/springbutterfly.htm

Nativity Pattern

Here is another pattern for you to enjoy!

http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/nativity.htm

Christmas Tree Pattern

Here's today's offering:

http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/christmastree.htm

Patriotic Angel Pattern

Here is the next pattern I've gotten put up. http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/patrioticangel.htm

Tatted Cross Pattern

I am going to try and put up old patterns for tatted things that used to be on my old website.

For the pattern, go to: http://www.freewebs.com/blossomsandblessingsdesigns/crosspattern.htm

Two at Once, Toe Up, Gusset Heel Socks

I finished my socks!


This is what I did to make them:











Size: Ladies shoe size 7
Gauge: 6.5 st/9 rows = 1 inch
Needle: 2.75 mm (2 circulars, can be different lengths)
Yarn: Lion Brand Magic Stripes (I used 2 skeins just so I could use 1 for each sock, but 1 skein
would probably be enough)
Remember - you change needles or yarn, but never both at once!

Cast on 8 stitches for each sock.

R1 - Needle 1 - Knit across
Needle 2 – Knit across
R2 - Needle 1 - K1, M1, Knit across to last stitch, M1, K1
Needle 2 – K1, M1, Knit across to last stitch, M1, K1


Repeat R1 & R2 until you have 26 stitches on each needle for each sock.

Toe increases are done and now we’re ready for the body of the sock.













Knit around on both needles for 30 rows until sock measures 6” from the toe and the sock reaches the ankle.






























Gusset increases:

R3- Needle 1 – Knit across
Needle 2 – K 1, M1, Knit across to last
stitch, M1, K1
R4- Needle 1 – Knit across
Needle 2 - Knit across
Repeat R3 & R4 until there are 46 stitches on Needle 2 for each sock.

Heel:

• Needle 1 will rest as you knit the heels.
• Do the 1st sock’s heel completely and then do the 2nd sock’s heel.
• Slipped stitches are done purlwise (as if you were going to purl)
• When I SSK, I usually slip the 1st one knitwise and the 2nd one purlwise, then insert left needle into front of both and knit together
  

K 25, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 6, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 7, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 8, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 9, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 10, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 11, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 12, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 13, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 14, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 15, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 16, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 17, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 18, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, K 19, SSK, K1, turn
Slip 1, P 20, P2tog, P1, turn

Slip 1, K 21, SSK, K1, turn

Slip 1, P 22, P2tog, P1, turn

Slip 1, K 23, SSK, K1, turn
P 24, P2tog, P1, turn

Knit across

You can see the light blue stitches in the middle are the ones I’m working with and the dark blue and white ones on either end are the ones waiting

You should now have 26 stitches on the bottom needle again












Knit around on both needles for 16 rows (or until the sock is as tall as you want)


























Ribbing:

Needle 1 - *Knit 2, Purl 2* across
Needle 2 - *Purl 2, Knit 2* across

Repeat for 8 rows.

Cast off with stretchy cast off.