Let's Pretend You Are At Palmetto Tatdays 2018

Hi everyone!  I'm winging my way down to the Palmetto Tatdays on Sept 6-9 and it looks like its going to be a fantastic weekend!  I know not everyone can attend so I'm inviting you to share in the fun and pretend you are there tatting with the rest of us.  

The way to play along is tat any design by a present or past teacher at the Palmetto Tatdays then send me a picture or a link or share it in my comments section below. 
To make this easy I'm sharing the pattern I've put in the grab bags at Palmettos.  Its called the Tatty Square Ice Drop.  I have been a past teacher and so this pattern qualifies. 

You will need size 20 thread, a shuttle and a gem that is 12mm square.  I found sticker gems at the Dollarama that come in strips on a sheet and I either pulled off the glue or stuck them together to make the center stone.  If you look at the Dollar Tree in the stationary or craft section you should be able to find them.  I'm giving you the week's notice to find the gem.  

I used Karey Solomon's Hand Dyed Thread for this sample.

The link to the pattern is here: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=8222013&da=y

A tutorial for the Tatty Square ice drop is also available on Youtube https://youtu.be/M6R_otq1TDc

Don't forget to send me a picture (email victats@gmail.com) or comment in the comment section when you participate.

Spiral Rings

Ninetta Caruso shared a tutorial a tutorial on Spiral Rings aka Lenka rings.  Lenka does a really neat thing where makes a ring distort into a spiral.  Its kinda like the Yorkie hearts yet not quite the same so you get spirals. Picture is some fiddling based on Ninetta's tutorial.   I'm loving the sharing of ideas and these rings!

Shuttle Review on Facebook

I did a review of the Debbie Comfi Shuttles I purchased from Snowgoose on Facebook.  I was going to share here too but I erased it.  So here's the link to the review.    Hope it helps!

Thanks Ninetta

Thanks to Ninetta we have a new tatting stitch called the treble double stitch (tds)!  Today I'm practicing rings and chains with the treble double stitch.  Its a fun challenge to play with the tds.  Thank you Ninetta for sharing this idea!

Lucky Penny!

I made a lot of these lucky pennies at Christmas.  The pattern is by Carolyn Craig and available in the Ice Drop Facebook group.  The only thing I altered was to make dot picots instead of the center chains. 
Pennies are not in circulation in Canada but my aunt Penny has been collecting pennies in a jar for years.  When she sold her house she gave the jar to my sister.  Jessica gave me a bunch of pennies so I could make them into lucky pennies.
Just fyi there are over 107 ice drop patterns in the group files!

Tat-a-long finished project

Brenda Spears kindly sent me a picture of her finished tat-a-long project!  Its so much fun to do something like this and see the finished projects.  I love the bead in the center.  Thanks Brenda for participating and sending the pic!

On another note I want to wish everyone a Happy Independance Day!

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!