Lucky Star Fundraiser Pattern.

I have added a new pattern on Etsy called Lucky Star.  From now until Jan 1st the proceeds from the sales of this pattern will go to Lisa Greenlee Adams Go Fund Me page.  

Etsy listing: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/914832238/lucky-star?ref=shop_home_active_1

Bell Angel

This is an old pattern that I made into a kit for the Palmetto Tatdays in 2015. Its very cute on a mini Christmas tree. 

Bell Angel

Vicki Clarke 2015

victats@gmail.com

 Materials:

1 shuttle

1.5 yard of size 20 thread for skirt

½ yard of size 20 thread for wings

6mm bead for head

 Jingle bell (1/2 inch approximately)

1.  Make motif in diagram leaving a long tail of thread

2. Tat one pair of angle wings. 

3.  To assemble pull the skirt thread down through the top of the bell

4.  Pull the thread up through the 6mm head bead.  

5. Tie wings on between the 6mm head bead and the skirt.

5.  Make a hanger by tying knot in loop near the bead large enough it doesn’t slip back through the bead.  

                                                       

                     Bell Angel

Something to drop...

One of the other patterns to come out of last year's advent is this cute but irreverent pattern.  If you aren't interested in making an "F" bomb it can also be done in bright colours to be an ornament.   Hopefully I'll share a picture version that is more like an ornament tomorrow.

"F" Bomb by Vicki Clarke 2020

victats@gmail.com

Materials

Thread: size 3 or size 10

Bead:. Square F bead

Red or white thread

Shuttle or needle

Terms

R- ring

C- chain

lj- lock join

CTM- continuous thread method

p- picot

+ - join

vsp- very small picot

VS- Victorian sets (in this case 2 1st half stitches followed by 2 2nd half stitches)

Shuttle tatters add 2 yards to shuttle with F bead on shuttle.   CTM with ball.

R. 6 p 6

C. 6 (pull bead up on shutttle) 6

R. 6 +(p of ring)

Turn work 

C  20 lj ( base of 1st ring) 6 lj (p on ring) 4 vsp 4 lj(same as previous) 6 lj (base of 2nd ring) 

C. 20 VS, tie to base of 1st ring

If you are using size 10 thread you may need 22 sets.

Advent Christmas Tree

I made this Christmas tree last year when I did my thread Advent Calendar using the skeins of thread I'd purchased over the years but hadn't used yet.  Each day I would open the drawer in the calendar, take out the skein of hand-dyed thread and tat with it.  There wasn't a specific pattern, I would just play around and see what I could come up with.  This is one of the patterns that came from the experience.  The thread used in the picture is from Marilee Rockley and is called Spooky (it's currently in her Etsy shop Yarnplayer).  I know, strange colors to inspire a Christmas tree.

Advent Christmas Tree 

Terms-

tp- twisted picot, make a long picot and before joining to this picot you will twist the picot.  This creates a point

R- ring

C- chain

lj- lock join, where to join is indicated in brackets.

Wind 1 yard onto a shuttle, or leave an appropriate tail on a needle:

R1       5 vsp 5 vsp 5 vsp 5

C1       12 lj (1^st p) 10 lj (2^nd p)

R2       4 vsp 4 vsp 4 vsp 4

C2       8 lj (1^st p R2) 6 lj (2^nd p R2)

C3       3 vsp 3 vsp 3 vsp 3 lj (2^nd p R2)

C 4      6 lj (3^rd p R2) 8 lj (base of R2) 10 lj (3^rd p R1)  lj to beginning

 

Round 2 

C         12

SCMR                        3

C         6 lj (1^st lj C1) 3

SCMR                        3

C         8 lj (between C1 and C2)  6

SCMR                        3

C         4 lj (1^st lj C2) 2

SCMR                        3

C         4 lj (1^st vsp C3) 1

SCMR                        3

C         3 lj (2^nd vsp C3) 2 tp 1 + (tp) 3 lj (2^nd vsp C3) 3

SCMR                        3

C         1 lj (3^rd p of C3) 4

SCMR                        3

C         2 lj (1^st lj C4) 4

SCMR                        3

C         6 lj (between R1 and R2) 8

SCMR                        3

C         4 lj (3^rd lj of C4) 6

SCMR                        3

C         12 join to beginning cut and tie

Flower of Doom Pattern

 In my head I post far more frequently that every few months.  Clearly reality and what's going on in my head are 2 different things.   It seems I only show up for the parties...

To celebrate the dark, cool nights and falling leaves I bring you the Flower of Doom Pattern!

Flower of Doom

 

Materials

 Skull bead 

72 seed beads (added as you tat NOT on ball thread

Size :20 Lizbeth thread

 Terms

shp- space help by paperclip

vsp- very small picot

R- ring

C- chain

lj- lock join

lp- long picot

note to shuttle tatters that core thread = shuttle thread

Shuttle tatters wind 2 yards on shuttle CTM with ball

Needle tatters normal tail (24 inch)

Start by pulling thread through skull bead and hold with paperclip

Pull a loop of core thread through a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Pull a loop of core thread through  a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Pull a loop of core thread through a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Pull a loop of core thread through a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Lj to loop pulled through skull bead (1^st paperclip)

Pull a loop of core thread through a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Pull a loop of core thread through a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Pull a loop of core thread through a seed bead and hold with paperclip

C         4 lj (shp)

Lj to beginning of round

Round 2

*C       6 lj (space between chains)*

Repeat around motif

Round 3

*C       8 lj (space between chains)*

Round 4

Pull a loop of core thread through 4 seed beads, Pass  loop of thread around the thread coming out of skull, pull loop through 4 more seed beads then pass shuttle through loop of core thread, take up slack

C         5  lp 1 + (twist the lp and then join to the tip) 5

*Pull a loop of core thread through 4 seed beads, Pass  loop of thread around the core thread between the 1st 2 chains of round 1, pull loop through 4 more seed beads then pass shuttle through loop of core thread, take up slack

C         5  lp 1 + (twist the lp and then join to the tip) 5*

Repeat * to * around motif each tme making the loop between the next 2 chains,  then make a loop for hanging:

C         16  join back to base of this chain to make a ring and hide threads

I wish I was at Palmetto Tatdays 2020!

Happy Palmetto Tat Days Everyone!

This weekend many of us are wishing we were in Georgia right now enjoying all that Tatland has to offer.   Palmetto Tat Days like the Christmas in Whoville is stopped by nothing, not huricanes nor covid!  So let's take a moment this weekend to pretend we are at Palmetto Tat Days. 
This is what I suggest:

1. On Saturday wear one of your past tatday shirts (or designate a pretend tatday shirt if you have never attended)

2. Tat a pattern fron tatdays or one written by a past tatday teacher or an UFO from a tatting seminar.

If you are stuck you can look on my blog www.victats.blogspot.com or on Jane's site www.janeeborall.freeservers.com for a pattern.

3. Eat Chocolate
4. Take a picture...post it to your Facebook site  or blog with #palmettotatdays or...share it with me...

For more information on the Palmetto Tatters Guild go to http://palmettotatters.org/.

I have added below a pattern for tatted ear savers.   I used size 3 Lizbeth thread for the sample in the picture. You can use any size thread but you will need to add more repeats.  You will also need to make the size of the beads used smaller to fit the rings better.  With Size 3 thread it is easier to add the beads after by sewing them in place but with a smaller thread you may want to add them as you go.

Tatted Ear Savers by Vicki Clarke

Terms

sp- small picot

p- picot

lj- lock join

C- chain

vsp- very small picot

R- ring

 

Materials: 

Size 3 Thread (6 yards in kit)

6 or 8 mm beads

2 buttons

Thread to sew on buttons and beads (not in kit)

 

Wind 3 yards of thread of a shuttle, or if needle tatting normal tail

 

R     5 p 5 vsp 5 p 5

C     5 p 5

*R   5 + (previous ring) 5 vsp 5 p 5

C     5 p 5*

Repeat from * to * until you have 5 rings in total then:

C     7  lj (p on 5^th ring)  7 lj (vsp on closest ring)

C     *5 p 5 lj (vsp on next ring)*

Repeat from * to * across top of rings then

C     7  lj (p on 1st ring)  7 , join to beginning ring.  Hide ends.

 

Now take some thread (I used size 20 thread in a coordinating color)  and sew a button on at the first picot.  Don’t cut the thread, instead run the thread either behind the tatting or through the core of the double stitches to the 1^st picot of the 2^nd ring.   Sew a bead to the middle of the ring by going through the 1^st and 3^rd picots.  Repeat with the next 2 rings.  Finish by sewing the 2^nd button to the last picot on the 5^th ring.  Knot and hide threads. 

Interview. with a Tatter

I was so honoured to be asked by Shelley Perreault, the Prairie Lace Tatter last week to do an interview.  Shelley is a fellow Canadian Tatter.  Her blog the Prairie Lace Tatter shares interviews, tatting trips and important tatting techniques like Projectile Tatting!   So I was honored that she asked me to do an interview about my tatting.  The interview is now published on her blog.  Thank you Shelley so much for the opportunity to talk tatting with you!

Gratuitous tatting below...

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!🎉🎉🎉

Hope everyone is getting ready for a socially distant but awesome 4th of July

This is our last day of the 4th of July Tat-a-long. 

Day 3

 Materials:

Size 20 white thread or beading thread in white.  (Any size will do but it means you will have to fiddle a bit with the beads)

Size 10 beads in white, black, red.

 I used a floss threader to add beads during this round, a beading needle would work well too.

 Start by passing white thread through vsp on the 2^nd Chain of red

Add 5 white beads

Pass through thread through the vsp on the 3^rd Chain of red

Add 5 white beads

Pass thread through vsp on the blue chain

Add 5 white beads

Pass thread through vsp on 1^st Chain of red

Add 5 white beads, tie to beginning thread

Add 8 black beads

*Add 4 red beads, pass thread back through 1^st 3 beads*

Repeat 4 times then hide ends.

I hide the ends in the beads by going back up through the white beads. 

 

4th Of July Tat-A-long Day 2

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather (or at least its beautiful here)

This is Day 2 of the 4th of July Tat-a-long!

 Materials for day 2:

Size 20 Lizbeth in red

Terms

C- chain

R- ring

vsp- very small picot

Wind 1 yard of red thread on shuttle CTM with ball

Needle tatters normal tail 

R         4 + (above 1^st lock join of Round 2 Day 1)  4

C         8 vsp 8

R         4 p 4

C         8 vsp 8

R         4 p 4

C         8 vsp 8

R         4 + (above last lock join of Round 2 Day 1) 4

 Hide ends

 Tomorrow you need the white thread (or beading thread) and size 10 beads in red, white and black.

4th of July Tat-a-long!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Very Canadian Tat-a-long!  I had a great Canada Day!

However we can't forget our friends to the south!  So we will start another tat-a-long!

4th July Tat-a-long Day 1

 

Materials:

Size 20 Lizbeth in red, white and blue.  (Any size will do but it means you will have to fiddle a bit with the beads)

Size 10 beads in white, black, red.

Terms

C- chain

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.  For example lj (C2 & 3) means a lj in the space between the 2^nd and 3^rd chain.

mp- mock picot

rw- reverse work; turn the tatting towards you to change the direction the chain is facing

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

 

Wind 1.5 yards of blue thread on shuttle CTM with ball

Needle tatters normal tail

 

Center

R1        6 vsp 6 vsp 6 vsp 6 mp

 

Round 1

C1        4 vsp 4 vsp 4 lj (vsp)

C2       4 vsp 4 vsp 4 lj (vsp)

C3       4 vsp 4 vsp 4 lj (vsp)

C4       4 vsp 4 lj (mp) 

Round 2

C5       4 lj (vsp C1) 3

SCMR             8

C6       5 lj (vsp C1) 6 lj (vsp C2) 4

SCMR             8

C7       4 lj (next vsp C2) 6 lj (vsp C3) 5

SCMR             8

C8       3 lj (next vsp C3) 4 lj (between C3 and C4)  hide ends

For tomorrow you need 1 yard of red thread on shuttle CTM with ball.

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long Day

🇨🇦🇨🇦Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦🇨🇦

Thanks to  Spears for reminding me to post Day 3 on the blog!

Day 3-  Canadian Sunrise 🌅

You will need a crochet hook, floss threader (or bead needle), clear size 10 beads and about 12 inches of red thread.

There is no tatting in this part, we are adding beads between the bangle and the sun.

Start by tying to 1st picot on the ring left of the mountain (hide end in the beads).

Add 9 beads, tie to bangle

Add 10 beads, pass thread through picot of next ring

Add 12 beads, tie to bangle

Add 13 beads, skip a ring and pass through picot of next ring

Add 14 beads, tie to bangle

Add 14 beads, skip a ring and pass through picot of next ring

Add 13 beads, tie to bangle

Add 12 beads, skip a ring and pass through picot of next ring

Add 10 beads, tie to bangle

Add 9 beads, tie to picot of next ring and hide end in beads

You may need to fiddle with moving where you tied at the bangle.  I suggest a dab of glue to help hold the bangle ties in place

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long Day 2

Day 2

As you may guess today is very short.  These are my version of the Canadian Rockies.  I imagined looking East from BC.  If you are more east in Canada you could use blue for the ocean, maybe stick a boat in there lol.  

New terms:

VS- victorian sets.  Make 2 1st half stitch and then make 2 2nd half stitches. Number in front indicates how many repeats of the set to tat.

Wind 1 1/2 yards on shuttle, needle tatters normal tail.

R.  4 +(bangle) 4

C.  6 VS + (vsp of ring on sun)  5 VS

R.  4 +(bangle) 4

C.  5 VS + (skip one ring and join to vsp of next ring on sun)  6 VS

R.  4 +(bangle) 4

Hide ends

Short and sweet!  Tomorrow you will be doing super simple beading.  

If you could not find a plastic ring in the right size below is a substitution. 

You will need to press this into shape a bit.  Its very important that you make the large picot 5/8 inch in height (from top of ds to tip of picot)

R 6 vsp 6

C 2ds  large picot (as mentioned) 2ds

*R 6ds vsp 6ds

C. 2ds +(large picot)  2ds*

Repeat from * to * until you have 12 rings

Press into shape.  You may also want to stiffen it

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long 202 Day 1

Hi Everyone,

Its that time of year again!  

I am holding the Very Canadian Tat-a-long starting today.  It will be followed by the 4th of July Tat-a-long.  The files will be available on the Fringe Element Tatters, Just Tatting, Friends of Tatting Corner and the Needle Tatting: For Beginners Group on Facebook.

Or you can just follow below!

For A Very Canadian Tat-a-long you will need size 20 Lizbeth thread in yellow, brown (or grey or blue) and red.  Size 10 clear beads, a bangle, and a 5/8 plastic cabone ring.

For the 4th of July Tat-a-long you will need suze 20 thread in red, white and blue.  Size 10 beads in white, black and red.

If you have other sized threads you will need to fiddles a bit with the beads.

A Very Canadian Tat-a-long 2020

Vicki Clarke 2020

Day 1

Materials:

Size 20 Lizbeth in red, yellow and brown (could also be blue or grey)

Size 10 clear beads

Bangle

5/8 inch plastic cabone ring

 

Terms

C- chain

R- ring

vsp- very small picot

W- make double stitiches around the cabone ring.  Jane Eborall has a great tutorial for shuttle tatters on her technique page

For needle tatters I recommend tatsaway.blogspot.com, she has a tutorial on the blog.  There are also excellent Youtube videos

Start with the 5/8 inch plastic cabone ring

*W      3

R         6 vsp 6*

Repeat from * to * until you have 12 rings

Hide end

Needle tatters-  I think its probably easiest to make true rings with this kind of pattern. 

Shuttle Tatters-  you do not reverse work between the wraps and the rings.

 

 

 

Tatting at Fours and Sixes

Gentle Tatters,

We're going to be home a lot more in the next few weeks. Social Distancing requires that we don't congregate in person but it doesn't mean that we can't come together through other means. Don't forget that we have email, facebook, chatsy, instagram, other social media and even the old fashioned telephone.

We can still come together and tat.

IF you are looking for tatting patterns and supplies we have terrific online shops like Handy Hands, Tatting Corner Artisanthropy, Be-Stitched, Roseground (I'm missing a lot on this list)

-Money might be tight but there are a million tatting patterns for free out on the interet. Check out the pattern library that exists on Craftree, thanks to Kersti Anear for buildling this site. The Ice Drop Addict facebook group has over 81 free Ice Drop Patterns.

- the online tatting class webpage has over 20 years of tatting classes you can tat your way through lesson by lesson

-consider tatting a 6 ring flower for the Celebration of a Classic Wall hanging for the Palmetto Tatting Guild Fundraiser

-I'm adding an unfinished collection of patterns (no pics of the finished project, they're at the cottage) called Tatting at Fours and Sixes to the files of various facebook groups. Feel free to download it, tat the patterns and share pics.

It's just for a short period of time that we need to be more careful.

Let's take this opportunity to celebrate our craft together!

Can you help?

Can you help us make a
wall hanging?

Fixing a cut picot..

I cut a picot by accident on my Renulek Spring Napkin 2016.  This happened when I was careless about putting the doily away after tatting on it.  It was fairly stable so I debated about leaving it alone but finally decided to fix it.  Here are the steps I took to do this:
1.  I unpicked the ball thread from the core thread so I have a small tail on either side of the core thread.

2.  I pull a length of thread and used a needle to wrap the stitches around the core thread starting from the left.  I left a length of thread so I could come back and sew in the new ends.  Apparently I didn't take a photo of that.  I covered the short tail on the left at the same time.

3.  Join to the ring in the next row by going through the stitches that made the original join
Then I stitched in the new right sided tail

5.  Then I went back and sewed in the new left handed tail.

I'm sorry I didn't take more pictures of that.  I thought I was taking too many pics at the time.

Good news, I made a mistake a few rows back in the Renulek 2019 so I can take more pics of fixing mistakes without cutting back.....

Cut Picot

Ball thread removed
Core thread still intact

all fixed....

Super Nova Star and a Fundraiser

This is a pic of the project I am teaching this spring at the Fingerlakes Tatting Seminar.  It is a 3-d star  that uses a cabone ring as the center.  This project can be done by both needle and shuttle tatters.  You will learn how to tat around a cabone ring in class so don't worry if you haven't don it yet.  

In other news Wally Sosa is doing a fundraiser for Puerto Rico until the end of January.  If you purchase anything from her store all proceeds will go to a fund to purchase tents for people who have lot their homes.  Wally is from Puerto Rico and has family affected by the earthquakes.  There is more information on her timeline on Facebook (and my facebook timeline Victats Clarke).  If you don't know Wally Sosa then I invite you to check her out at her Etsy store called Needles-n-Shuttles.  Wally is a long time tatter with many books and patterns available, check her out there is sure to be something that will interest you!