Since the first semester of the 14th year of the Online Tatting Class (which I lead) has ended, I am looking forward to new projects during the recess. I enjoy doing historical research on tatting, tatters, tatting patterns, tatting books, tatting techniques...well...anything tatting related. I have a stack of tatting books, both old and new, to review. Newsletter subscribers are welcome to suggest both topics for research and for book reviews.
There is one aspect of tatting I particularly enjoy. That is the modernization of vintage tatting patterns using today's tatting techniques. A recent request by one of the BellaOnline.com tatting newsletter readers (Tamara G.) generated this revision of an older Workbasket pattern. Of course, the Workbasket copyright on patterns is still in effect (although the copyright holder has changed over the years), so the actual patterns as printed in the original magazine should not be posted. However, it is permitted to generate new directions using new methods and making new diagrams.
The tatter was surprised by the addition of chains after the body of the lace cross was finished. This meant four chains and 8 thread tails to hide! With a little study we devised a way to tat the entire piece without cutting the thread. Jane Eborall helped by creating the diagram to show the order of tatting.
Basic diagram for the Tatted Cross featured in the 1987 Workbasket magazine February 1987 pg. 38:
This is the order of working for the cross from ring 1 through ring 18.
This diagram shows the position of the two additional chains. They reach from ring 13 to ring 18.
This diagram identifies the two extra chain as chains 19 and 20. Tat pattern from bottom up the side and through ring 18. At that point tat chain 19 over and join to the bottom of ring 13. Tat chain 20 with picots back to ring 18 and join to the bottom of ring 18. Continue pattern with chain 21.
This revision required not a big change, only a little bit of extra planning. When tatting this cross in two colors, you may tat the chains in either or both colors. If you want to introduce a third color but not a third thread, then put beads on chains 19 and 20.
Have you got a favorite vintage pattern you would like to see modernized? Or a pattern from a language you do not read? Happy to work on them anytime.
Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com.
Building a Tatting Library - Jon Yusof
Jon Yusof has recently published a trio of tatting booklets, "Elegant Tatting Gems" 2011, "Tatting with Rings (around Cabone Rings)" 2009, "Tatted Snowflakes Collection" 2008.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4199.asp
Please visit tatting.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Tatting.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Tatting located here -
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=39
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Georgia Seitz, Tatting Editor
http://tatting.bellaonline.com
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