Flutters

This is a simple butterfly pattern that you can make with that little bit of thread left from a project.
Most butterfly patterns available show the four wings, but these are shown in profile.  Just something different from the usual ones.

Each butterfly takes up about 90cm (3ft) of thread, uses shuttle only (no ball thread), contains rings and split rings, and a little bit of finger tatting.  The finished size measured about 2cm from the tip of the upper wing to the tip of the lower ring.

Start the first ring about 10cm (4 inches) from the beginning of the thread.
Begin with the big wing of the butterfly,

R1(11-1-1-9-2). Make the picots graduated picots.
R2(2+[to last picot of R1]8-10)
R3(3-3)

The next two rings are split rings. For the split rings, finger tat the second half of the split rings using the 10cm thread that was left at the beginning.

Split ring SR1(3-1-1-1/3).
Split ring SR2(3/3).

Cut off the threads to required length to make the feelers. Snip off the picots in SR1 to make the legs.

If adding beads to the butterfly, you need 6 beads on the thread. Make rings 1, 2 and 3 as follows.

R1(12[3b:1b]10-2), where [3b:1b] means 3 beads from the loop thread round the fingers, and 1 bead on the shuttle thread.
R2(2+8[1b]10
R3(3[1b]3)

Happy Tatting

Comments

  1. You're right most show all 4 wings. The few that are in profile are large. This is a great idea.

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  2. Such cute little flutters! And I have several snippets of thread that now I can use to try out this new pattern. Hurray!

    Thank you for sharing it!

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  3. Beautiful butterfly! Also a great way to use up the thread left on shuttles and a nice tatted item to have on hand to finish off that note paper or card. Thanks, once again, for the idea!

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  4. I love it! And so different. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  5. Thank you for sharing this idea!!

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  6. Beautiful butterfly! Thank you for sharing.

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  7. love the butterfly took me all of 15mins to do and used up some thread i had on a shuttle and so simple brillant.

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  8. Lovely! I just put a link to this post on my blog. I hope it brings you a few extra clicks.

    Denise
    http://needlework.craftgossip.com

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  9. You've done it again! I've always wanted to make "profile" butterflies, but could never make them convincing-looking. Yours are wonderful. Plus, you can make them in a variegated thread without having to worry about symmetry.

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  10. Jon, I just noticed that the Featherline Snowflake isn't linked in your sidebar.

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  11. Eliz,
    Thank you for pointing that out. I have added the link to the sidebar.

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  12. I just love these tatted butterflies you have made. Now if only I knew how to actually tat them with the instructions you have so generously shared. Happy creating...

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  13. I LOVE FLUTTERS - they are just so cute and easy to make

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