Sometimes you don't need two shuttles

This is what I am currently working on.

At first glance, it looks like a 2-shuttle work because of the rings, in this case 3-rings clover, sitting on top of the chain.  But, as you can see in the picture, I am tatting this with shuttle and ball.

The picture above shows the point where I would normally need to use a second shuttle as the working shuttle because the double stitches for the chain will be made from the shuttle thread that I am currently using.

One alternative to work around this with shuttle and ball is to use the shoe lace trick method, or SLT, as shown in the picture below.

A knot is made with the shuttle thread and the ball thread to switch the position of the shuttle thread so that the chain can be worked off the ball. But, by doing so, you will have to make another SLT at the end of the chain to be able to make the 3-rings clovers at the top of the chain, as seen in the next picture.

From my experience of using the SLT for this type of situation, it will result in a kink in the chain holding up the 3-ring clovers.  I don't like having kinks in my chains in this case.

The other alternative is illustrated in the next picture below.

Here, instead of working the chains off the ball thread, the double stitches are made from the shuttle thread with the ball thread as the core thread.  But these double stitches are unflipped. On completing the required number of stitches for the chain, turn over the work and the shuttle thread is in position to make the 3-rings clover on top of the chain.

Another case where you  make unflipped double stitches other than when making split rings.

Frogs

I had a sudden idea to make frogs, not the croaking kind but the closure type like this,

They are not actually sewn onto the blouse.  They are placed there for the purpose of taking pictures. 

Here they are shown as two separate pieces,

The thread used is Manuela size 20.

I finished a few more snowflakes for a custom order of 60 pieces.  I need to make another 20 more to complete the order.  The frogs are a break from the snowflakes while I think on new ideas/designs.

Foldover Bookmark

A simple bookmark free of over-hanging tails, tassel or ribbons.  Stays neatly in the book without getting lost in the pages.  Only a small speck is visible from the top of the book.

How the bookmark appears when placed in the book.

The pattern is available here.

Mothers Day Winner

I used the random number generator to pick a number between 1 and 110, and I got this -

And comment #63 was from

Congratulations Maureen from Brisbane, Australia.  The parcel will be in the post soon.

And, to round this off, the pattern for the Foldover Bookmark is available from here.

The Giveaway is Closed.

The Mother's Day giveaway that I was running here is now CLOSED.  Thank you to each and everyone who has posted comments.

It has attracted 110 participation, the first is De-de and Clyde being the last one in.  The giveaway has attracted both tatters and non-tatters.  I think it must be the Primrose Path doily that is the main attraction.

Gina has graciously asked for a 2nd drawing for the book is she wins, because she already has the book.
Then, there is Robert who says he is a Father and wanted to win the doily for his wife.  How sweet of you, Robert.
Quite a few are new names that I have not come across before in the tatting community.
And many are 'old friends' that have worked together as a group to raise the exposure of tatting as a form of lacework, and quite successfully too.

As for the winner of the drawing, you have to wait a little longer.  It is past midnight here in Malaysia and it it time for bed for me.  You'll have to wait for the results in the morning (my morning) which is evening in the States and the middle of the night in Europe.

No new pictures to show.  I am working on the pattern for the Folded Bookmark shown in the previous post.  It will be in my patterns page when done.

Orkut Myspace Mothers Day Comments & Graphics

Folded Bookmark

If you don't like tails on your bookmark, or tassels or ribbons that come out from the page when you close the book, maybe you'll like this.  This is a bookmark that hasn't got any of the above, but will stay on the page of the book and will not get lost in it, too.

I call this a folded bookmark.  

Why folded?, you asked.  The next picture should make it clear enough.

The bookmark is folded together and placed to hang on the top edge of the book on the page where you stopped.  It  will not get lost in the book because you can see a splinter of it from the top.  There will be no overhanging tail, tassels or ribbons when you place the book on the shelf.  Neat, huh?

The thread used for the model is Lizbeth 115 - Springtime, size 20.  The full length of the finished bookmark is about 15cm and 4.5cm at the widest part.

Part 1 (shown in yellow in the chart)

Two shuttles

Begin at the ring shown,

R(5-5), reverse work (rw).

C(6-4-4-8), rw.

R(5+[to picot of pr ring]5), rw.

C(4-4-4), rw

R(5+[to shared picot of pr join]5), do not reverse (dnr)

Switch Shuttle (SS), C(3-3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to 2^nd picot of chain before last]5), dnr.

R(5-5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to previous ring]5), rw

C(3-3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of pr join]5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of pr join]5). Dnr.

R(5-5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3-3), dnr.

SS, R(5-5), rw.

C(4+[to previous ring]4+[to picot of opp chain]4), rw.

R(5+[to previous ring]5), rw.

C(8+[to last picot of 1^st chain]4-4-6), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of pr join made]5), dnr.

SS, C(3-3-3-3-3-3), dnr.

SS, repeat from the beginning for the other half of the motif.  After the last chain, cut and tie to the base of the first ring made.

Part 2 (shown in green in the chart)

Shuttle and ball

R(5-5), dnr.

R(5-5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to previous ring]5), rw

C(3-3+[to 3^rd picot of chain at tip of Part1]3+[to 2^nd picot of same chain joined to earlier]3-3), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of pr join]5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of pr join]5), dnr.

R(5-5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to previous ring]5), dnr.

R(5-5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to previous ring]5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of previous join]5), rw.

C(3-3-3-3), rw.

R(5+[to shared picot of previous join]5), dnr.

R(5+[to picot of first ring made]), rw.

C(3-3-3-3-3).

Cut thread and join to the base of first ring.

Hide all ends.

Pretty Posy

My latest finish ... which I am going to name Pretty Posy

Thread used are "Fern" by Yarnplayer and "ChocoRasberry" by Tatskool both in size 40.

The Pretty Posy was a second attempt.  My first tryout of this design is this one below

The thread used is Altin Basak polyester thread.

This is my first time using polyester thread for tatting. It is rather smooth and 'slippery'.  The stitches have a tendency of coming undone.  I had to pinch them real close, otherwise there will be gaps between the double stitches that appear like very small picots.  

The rings close very well if the thread is pulled in the right direction.  Let me explain.  I read somewhere that for polyester (and maybe silk, too), when you run the thread between the pinch of your thumb and your index finger, it will slide smoothly in one direction and you will feel some roughness if run the opposite way.  I don't know if this is true, but that is what I felt when working with this polyester thread.  Hopefully, someone who is more knowledgeable will be able to confirm if this is true and give a better explanation.

There are still four more days for you to submit your name for the giveaway draw.  Leanna asked if I really want to give away the Primrose Path.  

 Yes, I do.  Then there is a reason to tat it again at another time.

You'll like this

I hadn't noticed that my site counter has exceeded 100K unique visits, whatever that means.  When I checked last week it had not reached 100,000 yet.  Thank you to everyone who has dropped by my blog and leaving comments.  I appreciate that very much.  You are all wonderful people.

Since I already have a giveaway running, what would you say to an additional item for the giveaway, to celebrate this milestone?

That's right!  In addition to the items already listed for the giveaway in my previous post, Let's have some fun I am adding a tube of gold coloured seed beads.

If you wish to participate in the drawing for the giveaway, please leave your comment in the earlier giveaway post.

If you have left a comment in the earlier post, there is no need to comment again in this post.