Daisy Pin

This is the daisy pin shown in my blog that I tatted for my niece's wedding last year.  At last, I have managed to write up the pattern for it.

This pattern is all chains and you'll only need a short length of thread in the shuttle.  For a size 20 thread, I only needed 50cm thread in the shuttle.  The pattern uses six beads on the ball thread and one loose bead, and a paperclip or coil-less pin (which I used here).

1. Pull the thread through the loose bead and hold it in place with a paper-clip.

2. Start with a mock picot at the beginning of the chain and tat (2-2-2).  Remove the paper clip and lock join to the loop of thread coming out from the bead. Make a picot and continue tatting the chain with (2-2-2).  Lock join to the mock picot at the beginning.

3. Start with a mock picot at the beginning of this round.  Tat a chain (2 b 2), where 'b' is a beaded picot. Lock join to the next picot of Step 2 and repeat the chain of (2 b 2) until all six beads are used.  Lock join to the picot at the beginning of the chain.

4. In this last round, tat a chain (2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2), lock join to the space between the chains of Step 3. Finish the round with a lock join to the beginning of the chain.

I have finished this daisy with a ribbon at the back and glued a pin to it.  There are many other ways of finishing, such as

• sewing on yo-yos
• sewing on to felt fabric
• attaching to headbands.

For tatters who prefer diagrams, here is the chart for the Daisy Pin

You can vary the stitch count according to the size of beads that you use.  In my model, I used 4mm round beads.

A Wedding and some more of the SSSR

There was another wedding in the family over the weekend.  We had to travel almost 400km away for the wedding and reception on the bride's side.  It was a wonderful trip though tiring.  The reception on the groom's side, who is my nephew, will be this coming weekend.

This picture of the sunrise was taken from the hotel where we stayed. The room was facing the sea and so I had a good view from the balcony.

Sunrise viewed at Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

As with previous weddings, I included a little bit of tatting in the bridal gifts.  This time I tatted a lace edging for the ring pillow. The ribbon flower was the creation of a friend.  Thank you,  Umi Kalsom.

Ring pillow - the lace edging is a Norma Benporath pattern which I wrote about in this post of my blog

This is a picture of the masjid where the wedding ceremony took place.

Masjid Kristal, Pulau Wan Man, Kuala Terengganu

And finally, back to the 2-colour SSSR.  This is what it turned out to be, a simple bookmark.

I have not decided whether to add a tassel or tat a braid.  Maybe, in keeping with the split rings, I should tat SSSRs but with smaller rings.

Continuing with the 2-colours SSSR

Still playing with the 2-colours single-shuttle split ring (SSSR), and here is another picture which shows the idea better than the previous one.

Some have asked how I did the SSSR and I will explain it here briefly.  You'll need to know the basic of making a SSSR to follow my explanation.

You'll need two shuttle,  each with a different colour thread, of course.  Loop the thread from one shuttle round the fingers for the ring.  When making the double-stitches in the first half of the split ring, you hold both shuttles together.  The double stitch will be in the colour of the thread around the fingers made over the two threads as the core thread for the ring.

When the number of double stitches for one half of the ring is done, drop both shuttles and continue with making the second half of the ring with the same colour thread as the first half using the loop method of making the SSSR.   Loop the thread of the other colour round the fingers for the next ring to alternate the colour of the rings.

I usually move my shuttle in a sliding method, i.e. sliding the shuttle over/under the core thread.  But with two shuttles, I find it easier to use the reverse Reigo method as described in The Complete Book of Tatting by Rebecca Jones.


In my previous post, Martha Ess left a comment that she had taught this technique of 2-colour SSSR at Palmetto during one of the years.  I don't know how Martha did hers, but I would think that it is not much different from how I did mine.

Gunhild, in her blog, expanded on this method and added thrown rings on one side of the split ring, which I think opens up new ideas.  I should not forget the ever so resourceful Jane Eborall who has put together different variations of the SSSR in her techniques site.

SSSR Braid

SSSR Braid in two colours

Has anyone shared something like this before?
Is this new or have I only learned about it?

Tiny Happy Heart

After all the chatter of the Catherine Wheel join, I just had to tat the Happy Heart.  Trust me to pick a shuttle with the smallest thread already loaded in it, size 80 DMC Dentelle.

Side by side with a Clover shuttle for size comparison

Enlarged picture.

Instead of making a bow or a Josephine knot at the point of the heart, I continued with three split rings with the last one a single-shuttle split for the purpose of hiding the ends.  Then I added a tassel through the SSSR.

Catherine Wheel Join

My heart goes to Fox who has left a trail of broken hearts while trying this method of joining.  So, I have decided to come up with a pictorial of the step for making this join to help ease her pain.

This join is easier made with two shuttle, though it is possible while working with shuttle-and-ball if you can manage loops large enough to pass the ball of thread through. All throughout, the threads are kept loose until the very end where it is finally tightened.

Step 1: Pull the upper shuttle thread through the picot from under the lower shuttle thread to form a loop. Pass the upper shuttle thread through this loop but DO NOT tighten.  Pull the part of the upper shuttle thread ( as shown by the arrow) so that the upper shuttle thread is pulled through the picot.

Pull the part of the thread shown by the arrow after you have passed the upper shuttle thread through the loop

The upper shuttle thread is pull through the picot

Step 2: Enlarge the resulting loop from Step 1.  Manipulate the thread so that the part of the loop that is joined to the double stitches is on the left, and the part that is from the shuttle is on the right (as in the picture below).   Pass the upper shuttle through this loop.  Again, DO NOT tighten the knot at this time.

Step 3: After the upper shuttle is passed through, adjust the position of the thread so that a loose shape of a double stitch is formed.  Pull the thread that is on the left side of the double-stitches to tighten the first half-stitch.

You should be able to see a loose double stitch. Pull the thread that forms the left side of the 'double stitch' to tighten.

Then, pull the upper shuttle thread to complete the double stitch.

A completed Catherine Wheel Join

One important thing to note is making sure that at any time the loops do not twist or overlap each other.

To Fox, I hope you will try again.

p.s. I think this type of stitch is also called a Dora Young Knot.  Please correct me if I am wrong.