A Very Canadian Tat-A-Long- BONUS Pattern!!!!

It is so very Canadian to remember our neighbors to the south!

 Pattern can be found here, or on the Fringe Elements Tatting Group and the Beginners Tatting Chat Group on Facebook.

Materials

Size 20 thread in red, white and blue

Tatting shuttle or needle

Crochet hook

Terms

C- Chain

p- Picot

mp- mock picot.  Leave a space on both threads to make an imitation picot.  In this pattern it’s a vsp you are imitating and you only need a small space.

R- ring

vsp- very small picot

lj- lock join.  Make a lock join by using a crochet hook to pull shuttle thread through the joining space.  This creates a loop and you pass the shuttle through the loop then tighten to remove excess thread.  In these patterns a lock join is often joined to the space between chains.  Where to do the lj is indicated in brackets. 

LS- lock stitch, I do first half unflipped and 2^nd flipped but you can do the opposite and it will work.   Number beside indicates how many you to make.  Needle tatters there is a note below on how to make a lock stitch.

SCMR- self closing mock ring.  See http://www.janeeborall.freeservers.com/SCMR.pdf for instructions.

Round 1

 

Wind 1 yard of white thread on shuttle CTM with ball

Needle tatters blue thread on needle of choice. 

R         6 vsp 6 vsp 6 vsp 6 vsp 6

C         mp 4 vsp 4 vsp 4 lj (1^st p)

*C       4 vsp 4 vsp 4 lj (next p)*

Repeat from * to * around r and end by joining to the mp.

Cut and hide ends

Round 2

 

Wind 1 yard of blue thread on shuttle CTM with ball

Start at last picot made in Round 1 by joining the thread to the picot

*C                   3 p 3 lj (next picot)

C                     6

SCMR                        4 p 4

C                     3 p 3 lj (next picot)*

Repeat from * to * around Round 1

Join back to beginning and hide ends.

At this point you have 2 choices- 

1. You can stop now and add a red and white fringe to the picots on the SCMR then fray them

2.  Make the “fireworks” using a bangle

BANGLE Fireworks

For theme you will be using red and white thread.  If you have any pieces left over from the Very Canadian Tat-A-Long this is a great opportunity to use up the ends.

*You will start by joining to a picot on the tip of the star.

LS       4 (you may need a few more and don’t worry if the lockstitch chain bends a bit…they’re fireworks.  You are aiming for the star to sit in the middle of the bangle)

Now you will pass one thread in from of the bangle and one thread behind the bangle (this is called an alligator join)

LS       3 

Cut ends and fray with a pin.*  Don’t worry, the lockstitch will not unravel but if you are worried you can always add a dab of clear glue. 

Repeat from * to * adding fireworks at each picot.  In the sample I alternated red and white and made 3 sets of fireworks at each picot. 

NEEDLE TATTERS!

To make a lockstitch chain you will make the first half on the needle, slide it off and do your closing stitch.  It seems awkward at first but you will get into a rhythm. The lock stitch chain will be a little annoying but so worth it!