New tricks previews

For a couple of weeks I have been tatting and cutting like a mad woman. Since this cool technique came to my mind. It's not easy to find or create patterns to adapt to a technique. But I manage to get some and will be going to Palmetto's in a few minutes.

But here is a peek...

This 1st technique is developed from Roll Tatting. I call it Rolled Picots and for that you need 2 shuttles if worked on rings and 3 if worked on chains. I like how I can play with colors using this. Because the thread I use to add the color to the picots is finer than the main thread I can use more than one color and the design doesn't look bulky.

I was wondering if I can use the picots for joining and yes, you can join to them in a traditional way (sharing a picot) or like in the photo, joining two picots.

Probably will have to look for another name than Rolled Picots because I can make not just picots with it but rings too.

And here is the other technique: Schwarino Flying Rings.

This technique was develop by P. Schwarino. She's a Spanish-speaking tatter who lives in Germany. She makes the most beautiful and colorful tatting I have seen in awhile! All started from seen a pattern for Daisy Picots but no instructions, so she ponder and ponder until she got this. When she posted the photo we where wondering if it was Daisy Picots and she said no. She made 2 videos, one of Daisy Picots and one in her way of doing this. Showed to Georgia the second video and she was in awe as us in the group. A new technique was born! lol

All the techniques will go to Palmetto for consideration. Later the techniques will be on my web site for everyone to learn it.

If you think you know how I made the rolled picots e-mail me at needledreams@yahoo.com. ;-)

A new technique!

I have been a little hush last week but is because I have been trying to design something for Palmetto using a special technique not seen yet by many. Only by the members of Frivolite En Espanol in Ning. Why the hush? Well, Schwarino, one of the group members came with a new tatting technique. Yep, there are still techniques to discover in this world! lol She call it the Flying Ring. It kinda looks like the Daisy Picot but the ring gets totally independent over the "core" thread. So Friday I was playing more with her technique and I came with a variation of her technique to work with 2 threads and showing 1 color in the wanted places. Sounds like working with the Pelc or encapsulating, but it's works totally different. Ok, you want photos to understand all my excitement?

Here is a couple of photos.

This is a small triangle that I made while playing. I wanted to make rolled rings but was making them to small and after a ring and a half I changed to Schwarino rings. The first ring worked is the one on the right at the bottom, then the left-bottom ring and the last ring is the one on the top angle.

This is the back of the motif. Notice how the 2nd thread is not shown on the ring? On this photo it shows a little under one of the rolled rings but is because I couldn't close that ring completely. It was driving me crazy! The red therad I'm using is good for crochet but too stiff for tatting and tatting this was difficult.

I also made this butterfly and though it shows miniscule parts of the cream thread it shows the nice picots made in other color.

Will try to write the instructions this week and send them to Palmetto to see if they want a class. If anyone have seen a project done using similar techniques PLEASE let me know. Until we have knowledge Schwarino and me are the ones working this technique.

Double Picot Gauge

Some people have been commenting that they can't see the video about using plastic double picot gauges that Kika from the Ning Frivolite en Espanol made. I transfer it to YouTube. Hope now everyone can see it.

She uses the double picot gauge to measure the half open rings that we were studying, but I use them to keep the same bare thread for the mignonette. These gauges keep in place, leaving your fingers "free" for the tatting without worrying about the measurement of the bare thread between rings.

Woven Friendship Bracelets

I haven't post in a few days because I got in a frenzy to tat these bracelets. Yes, they are bracelets. Very easy to do with striking results. The idea is from Jane Eborall's Frienship Bookmark where the center is a woven braid of split rings. This one I made it a little different.

I first made a whole strip of Split Rings, 15 in total. Then I started another strip but before closing the ring I inserted the one already made, front to back. Then made the second SR and moved the inserted strip back to front. I continued in this way until all the first strip was woven with the second one. To tie the band I left around 6 inches of thread at the beginning and end of each strip. Then tied an over-hand knot using both strips end and voila!

I have made like 15 of them and has like a dozen on the process. I was hoping that the ICP (Puerto Rican Culture Institute) call me for the San Sebastian Street Fest but they didn't. So I'll place a few on my shop and see if they sell. My sister Naida asked me one in pink and burgundy long enough for her to hang her PSP Go on the neck. So when my shuttles empty with the threads they have now, then I'll start her strip.

I don't know if the pattern and idea is original enough for me to write the pattern. If people think it's okay then I'll write the pattern and post photos of how-to.

Marble Pendant

I bought a strand of this gorgeous marble stones and didn't know what to do with them until a couple of nights ago. I used this Lizbeth thread because was already on the shuttles. :-) I like it but I'm not convince of the thread color. I'll make another one using black or ecru. The stone is a little over an inch high. I have a matching strand of stones but like 1/2" so I'll make a set of pendant and earrings. I "encapsulate" the stone with a double round of split rings. Like Jane explains in one of her patterns ( can't find it now)... :-( So the stone looks the same front and back. Then I made the edging around. Something pretty simple.

Now I have to think what kind of cord will go great with the pendant.

Uses of SSSR

Lately there have been a lot of discussions about the SSSR (Single Shuttle Split Ring). I learned the technique through Bina, Dora Young and Karey. Three very different ways in achieving almost same results. But what is this technique good for? Apart of making split rings with a single shuttle I have been using it to climb up from a round to another in a work with 2 colors, obtaining the one color split ring, like Tatting Chic explained and Jane Eborall diagrammed.

Another use for this is to make split rings alternating colors. This works better if you have a Pelc or double bobbin shuttle. It can be worked with 2 shuttles but prepare to be patient because you have to use the shuttles together and then separate them often.

Other use for the SSSR is to hide ends without having to cut the threads and then use a needle to sew them or to use the Magic Thread. This way you are encapsulating both ends into the last ring, if the work finish in a ring. I'm working in a similar way to end the chains; but not good results until now.

I have lost a lot of photos where I used this technique, so during the week I'll be working on the samples again. *sigh* At least it gives me a push to tat.

A note apart... Thanks to everyone who have wished me well and sent prayers. The last MRI shows no problem on the bone. That is a good news on that side, because it means that I won't need a hip replacement soon. But there's still the mystery of what is causing the pain, some days so bad that I can't get out of bed for long time. Now I will have to go to a neurologist to see if it's a problem with the nerves. OF one thing the rheumatologist is sure; the Lupus is causing all the bad aches and symptoms. Mean while I'll keep taking Percocet to diminish the pain and "Happy Pills" to combat the depression.

Yep, I'm not perfect in everything...

Yesterday, after dinner I fall asleep and woke up after 11 pm. So I couldn't sleep any more. Watched a couple of good movies: For the children (about 2 ladies that made an orphanage and shelter for abused children, real story) and a tender movie called Blessings (with Mary Tyler Moore). Cried with both movies! :-) While watching the movies I tatted some samples for my upcoming book "Wings for Hope". But I started to feel bore and wanted to try the clunies. I haven't practiced them in awhile and one of my new patterns has hanging clunies. So I got out the book "Cluny Tatting Designs" by Joy Botchlet and made this little rose. Gosh! My clunies are hideous!!! I really need to practice them. I tried to use a pillow to help with them, but nope, they were looking all crooked. So I ended making them using the hand as the loom. I have somewhere a plastica canvas loom, but can't find it right now.

So yes... While most of my tatting looks impecable, definitively clunies are not my forte. So I'll have to practice, practice and practice. :-P But that will have to wait. It's 7:15 am and I need to try to sleep. I think I'll take half pill and sleep at least 6 hours. Nighty night!!! Or should I say good morning. lol

Double Split Rings

This is the coolest technique I have practice in a long time. It's an interwoven split ring inside a split ring. Teri Dusenbury posted the instructions on her blog. It's pretty easy if you're customed to finger tatting.

I think it has a lot of potential. I'm thinking now, how many links can be done... How many colors can be combined... How could it be combined with other techniques. I'm thinking in "daisy picot" split rings ... Please don't call the people in white! lol I'll behave as a good girl now.

Now back to my tatting corner to watch The Simpsons. :-)