A Very Canadian Tat-a-long Day 2

 Hello and welcome to day 2!

Today we are completing the start from yesterday!  Don't worry I will not subject you to anymore lock stitches....just lock joins and split rings!

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long 2026 Day 2

Vicki Clarke 2026

Materials

6 yards of thread in red and white  (Wind on 2 shuttles)

clasp and 2 jump rings

Terms

R ring

C chain

ls  lock stitch

P picot

prev- previous

Vsp very small picot

+ join

white shuttle- shuttle with white thread on it

red shuttle- shuttle with red thread on it

Start using the white shuttle 

C    12 lj (1st white ring) 18

SR 3/5

lock join to p on 2nd white ring

SR 3/5

C 18

SR 3/5

lock join to p on 3rd white ring

 C 8 lj (p on 4th white ring) 8 lj (p on 5th white ring)

SR 3/5

C 18

lock join to p on 6th white ring

SR 3/5

C 18 lj (p on 7th white ring) 12 

do an alligator join by bringing one thread in front and one thread behind the at the base of the small rings at the end.  

switch shuttles so now the red shuttle is the working shuttle

C    12 lj (1st red ring) 18

SR 3/5

lock join to p on 2nd red ring

SR 3/5

C 18

SR 3/5

lock join to p on 3rd red ring

 C 8 lj (p on 4th red ring) 8 lj (p on 5th red ring)

SR 3/5

C 18

SR 3/5

lock join to p on 6th red ring

SR 3/5

C 18 lj (p on 7th red ring) 12 join to the beginning and hide ends

Add a jump ring and clasp to one end and a jump ring to the other.  Use multiple jump rings if this is not long enough for you.  Alternatively you can add length by adding a few more middle repeats.

This will also be useful as a bookmark.

Sprout is doing fine and is home sleeping off the surgery.  

See you tomorrow for variations

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long 2026

 Hello and welcome to a Very Canadian Tat-a-long 2026!  

Every year leading up to Canada Day I publish a pattern.  Usually I do a pattern spread over 3 days and ending on Canada Day.  This year will be slightly different- the first 2 days will be the pattern and the last will be a variation of that pattern.  For any needle tatters who find the lock stitch painful I want to assure that lock stitches are only on day 1. Also, I must warn you that I am likely to be posting later in the day as I am working and one of my dogs is getting a conjunctival graft tomorrow.  So its likely to be a long day.

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long 2026 Day 1

Vicki Clarke 2026

Materials

6 yards of red thread and and 6 yards of white.  (Wind on 2 shuttles)

clasp and 2 jump rings

Terms

R ring

C chain

ls  lock stitch

P picot

prev- previous

Vsp very small picot

+ join

white shuttle- shuttle with white thread on it

red shuttle- shuttle with red thread on it

Start using the white shuttle 

R 4 P 4

Change to the red shuttle 

R 4 + (1st P) 4

Ls 6 

With the red shuttle

R 7 vsp 7

With the white shuttle

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 12

White shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Red shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 12

Red shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

White shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 4

White shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Red shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 4

Red shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

White shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 12

White shuttle

R 7 vsp 7

Red shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 12

Red shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

White shuttle 

R 7 vsp 7

Ls 6 

White shuttle

R 4 P 4

Red shuttle 

R 4 +(prev P) 4

Do not cut.  This will carry on tomorrow!

See you tomorrow!  

Happy Pride Month

 🧡💛💚💙💜❤️🧡💛

Happy Pride Month

💙💜Wishing everyone a wonderful Pride Month filled with celebration, connection, friendship, family, love and pride.

To help you celebrate I’m sharing links to some Pride Month related patterns here on my blog.

Progressive Pride Flag

https://victats.blogspot.com/2022/07/progressive-pride-flag.html?m=1

Rainbow Heart For Pride

https://victats.blogspot.com/2021/06/rainbow-heart-for-pride.html?m=1

#HappyPrideMonth #Pride2026 #tattinglace #tatting

Red Dress Day for MMIWG2S+

 Good Morning,

Today is May 5 and in Canada it is a day of remembrance for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People.  I borrowed an explanation from Google (see below).  However for a more personal view of the day I recommend looking at Vanessa Lee Brousseau who is still looking for her sister Pamela 22 years later.  She has also started a journey across Canada to raise awareness.  https://www.facebook.com/share/1Eb3zGe9L7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Google info: 

Red Dress Day, or the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+), is observed on May 5th in Canada to honor victims and raise awareness of the disproportionate violence they face. Initiated by artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project, the day encourages wearing red to represent the missing. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key Details About Red Dress Day & MMIWG2S+:

• Purpose: To commemorate missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals and to call for justice.
• Symbolism: Red dresses are hung in public spaces, trees, and windows to represent the violence and the missing.
• The Crisis: In Canada, Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women.
• Origin: The day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s "REDress Project" in 2010, which highlighted the issue through art installations.
• Action: The day is a call to action to address the 231 recommendations from the 2019 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which described the crisis as a genocide. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

In case you are wondering what this has to do with tatting I’m inviting you to reflect on these missing women, girls and 2 spirited people as you tat the below pattern.  I have modelled the pattern after Vanessa’s design and I encourage you to read about her experience.

Red Dress for MMIWG2S+

Based on Vanessa Lee Brousseau’s design 

Terms

R ring

C chains

MR mock ring

RW reverse work

SLT shoe lace trick

P picot, most need to be big enough to add a bead

+ join

Materials

red tatting thread

needle or shuttle

beads (this can reflect the size of thread you used, larger thread means larger beads)

Wind 1 yard of red thread on shuttle 

normal tail for needle Tatter’s

R 4 p 4 p 4 p 4

C 6

MR 2 p 2

C 10. Add bead to 1st P then lock join to picot

C 8

MR 2 P 2 P 2 P 2 

C RW slt 3 P 3

R 2 +(add bead to 3rd picot of MR then join) 2 p 2 p 2

C 3 +(add bead to 2nd p of 1st ring then join) 3

R 2 +(add bead to 3rd p of previous ring then join) 2 p 2 p 2

C 3 p 3

R 2 +(add bead to 3rd p of previous ring then join) 2 p 2 p 2

C RW slt  8 +(add bead to 3rd p of 1st ring then join) 

C 10

MR 2 p 2 

C 6 join to beginning  

Red Dress- Tatted part

To add beads either use a beading needle or a dental floss and the left over red thread.  Start at the middle picot of the first and either tie or join to this picot.  Consider adding a bead to the picot as you make the join.  Then add 7 beads then 1 larger bead then 7 more (if you only have one size of bead then just add 15 beads) then join to the middle p of the 2nd ring.  Next add 9 beads, then 1 larger bead then 9 more beads (19 beads) then join to the middle p of the 2nd ring.  Read the 7 beads then 1 large bead then 7 more and end by joining to the middle p of the 4th ring.

If you do not have beads then you can also add a fringe to the bottom by pulling up a look of thread through the picot and passing the tails though the loop.  When you take up the slack you will have added the beginning of a fringe.

I invite you to play with the beads on this pattern but to be mindful of the meaning of the Red Dress.  If you cannot be respectful of the meaning please do not participate.  In addition unless please don't sell the Red dresses you make from this pattern.

To the left is the beaded version described in the pattern
In the middle is a variation of beads used
The Red Dress to the right has the fringe version plus a bead added to the middle of the first ring.

Resistance Hat Bookmark

 I did my Doctor of Chiropractic studies in Bloomington, Minnesota so it is no surprise to me that the state has come out in droves to protect their neighbours. I cannot describe to you what a positive experience it was to live in Minnesota.

 So when I saw the crocheted and knitted Red Resistance Hats I felt deeply that Tatter’s needed their own version.  If you don’t know about this movement and the history of Red Hats you can stay to learn here: https://www.michiganpublic.org/2026-01-31/a-red-hat-inspired-by-a-symbol-of-resistance-to-nazi-occupation-gains-traction-in-minnesota

I hope that you make this pattern in the spirit of community and caring for others.

Resistance Hat Bookmark 

Vicki Clarke 2026

Terms

R ring

C chain

SR split ring

Tw- turn work 

Slt shoe lace trick (to switch thread position)

CTM continuous thread method 

Materials

Shuttle or needle

Red thread

Shuttle Tatters: Wind 2 yards on shuttle CTM  

Needle tatters:  leave a tail long enough for 2 split rings

Row 1

R 4 vsp 4 vsp 4 vsp 4

C  4 p 4

*R   4 +(vsp) 4 vsp 4 vsp 4

C  4 p 4*

Tat from * to * 3 times then

SR 4 + 4/ 4 vsp 4

Row 2

C slt tw *4 vsp 4 lj(middle vsp on next R)*

Repeat from * to * until you have joined to the top vsp on all the rings 

Row 3

C slt tw 4 lj(last vsp made) 

*C 4 vsp 4 lj (next vsp on chain)*

Repeat until you have joined to all the vsp on previous row

Row 4

C slt tw 4 lj(last vsp made) 

*C 4 vsp 4 lj (next vsp on chain)*

Repeat until you have joined to all the vsp on previous row

Row 5

C slt tw 4 lj(last vsp made) 

C 4 vsp 4 lj (next vsp on chain)

C tw slt 5 lj (to vsp on last chain made) 

Now you are going to make the tail so either do 30 half stitches or 15 lock stitches then:

SR 8/8

Leave the ends long and then make a tassel to finish the bookmark.  I did a fold over tassel

Truth and Reconciliation Day

In Canada today it is National Truth and Reconciliation Day.  This is a day that is dedicated to remembering the atrocities and multigenerational effects of the Canadian Indian Residential School System.  It was originally known as Orange Shirt Day and is inspired by the experience of Phyllis Webstad when she was 6 years old attending a residential school for the first time.  Her clothing was taken on her first day and never returned.  This included the new orange shirt that her grandmother had bought her.  You can find out more about Phyllis Webstad and Irange shirt day here: https://orangeshirtday.org/.

In honour of Phyllis and all those that experienced the Indian Residential School System I invite you to tat this Orange Short Pattern with me today.

 https://victats.blogspot.com/2021/06/every-child-matters-day-1.html?m=0

https://victats.blogspot.com/2021/06/every-child-matters-day-2.html?m=0

Autumn tatting foiled!

 So it was my plan to continue working on the doily below.  The idea was to add another round of sunflowers.  Unfortunately that plan has come to a premature ending due to some interference.  It’s now on hold until I pick up more thread.

The likely culprit 

The doily 

The thread

My poor shuttle