Tatting With Size 80

One ball of size 80, DMC in particular, fills up just under four shuttles.

How do I know?

I have been working with size 80 thread this past week.  I have not worked with anything smaller than 40 but for this current project I will be needing more than one ball and the only ones that I have is the size 80.  I have forgotten how it felt tatting with fine thread and now I understand why some tatters keep picking up these fine sizes to work with.

I have finished one motif of the project and it used up almost half a ball of the size 80.  The way it is going I did the right thing to pick that thread because I am going to need at least two balls for it.

This is what I managed to finish with two full shuttles of size 80, one square and a little bit more of the second square motif.  The complete square is 4.5in wide (11.5cm).

I like to join similar motifs together to see if there are any underlying design the pops up, and I think this is one of those time that it may turn out quite well. If you have been to my facebook page Tat-a-Renda, you would have seen a representation of it.  Here it is again, for those who are not on Facebook.

Square Block

This design is one of my earlier ones that finally got round to be written and diagrammed. It is a square motif that I made as one of the entries in my 25-motif challenge.

I have since completed my challenge but I encourage you to visit the challenge blog and see the work of others tatters who are still participating in the challenge. And if you have not done so, you may be tempted to join up.


The picture above is showing four of the square blocks joined together to make a bigger square.

Pattern uses two shuttles

The chart

The written instructions

R(3-3-3-3) , reverse work (rw).
C(4-6), do not reverse (dnr).

(*)Switch Shuttle (SS), R(4-4-4), rw. C(6), dnr.

SS, R(3-3+3-30, join to the middle picot of first ring, dnr
R(3-3-3-3), dnr.

SS, C(6), rw. R(4+4-4), join to the adjacent ring at the second picot, dnr.

SS, C(6-4), rw. R(3-3+3-3), join to the middle picot of the opposite ring, dnr.

SS, C(4-2), dnr.

SS, R(2+4-3-3), join to the picot of previous chain, dnr.
R(3+4-4-3), join to last picot of previous ring, dnr.
R(3+3-4-2), join to last picot of previous ring., dnr.

SS, C(2+4), join to last picot of previous ring, dnr.

SS, R(3-3-3-3), rw. C(4+6) join to picot of opposite chain, dnr.

Repeat from (*) to complete the motif, replacing the first picot with a join to picot of the adjacent ring.

Rosette Motif and Doily

Another pattern from an earlier design - a rosette motif. The pattern uses shuttle and ball.

The rosette centre, you'll need 90cm size 20 thread on the shuttle wound CTM.

Begin with a ring R(4-4-4-4-4-4), and reverse work.

The next rounds are all chains working round this centre ring.

Make a mock picot at the start of Round 1 and continue with the chain C(5+5+5+5+5+5), making a lock join to the picots of the centre ring. End with a lock join to the mock picot at the start of the round.

Continue with the other rounds for the rosette following the ds count shown in the chart.

For the final round, you'll need about 180cm of thread in the shuttle wound CTM.

Begin with R(5+5), join to the last picot in one segment of the rosette. Do not reverse.

R(5+5), join to the first picot of the next segment of the rosette, reverse work.

C(2-4-4-4-4+), lock join to the next picot,
(*) C(4-4-4-4-2), reverse work.

Repeat the first two rings, joining to the next two picots of the rosette respectively, reverse work.

C(2+4-4-4-4), join to the last picot of the previous chain.

Continue from (*) to complete the round.

Join up the motifs together to make a doily as in the picture below.

More pictures

Not much to write - just photos ....

Snowflakes from Tatting with Anne Orr

Medallions - also from Tatting with Anne Orr. The square-shaped one needs blocking.

Two more medallions - own designs

A square doily for an exchange - from A new Approach to Tatting by Yusai Shokoin