Tatted jewelry is all the fashion today. From grade school to haute couture, lacy tatting and sparkly beaded tatting is in great demand. All the effort tatters put into learning the art of tatting produces fascinating results.
In a recent article posted here on BellaOnline.com, http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art302980.asp, a vintage pattern from Mlle Eleonore Riego de la Branchardiere which used four shuttles was modernized to be tatted using only two shuttles for the main section, but it needed three shuttles to tat the header and foot which were created in maltese or pearl tatting method.
The pearl tatting used in the header/footer reminded me of a bracelet created by a member of the Online Tatting Class in 2000. She reinforced the lessons and techniques learned online in a practical and beautiful manner, a bracelet!
Her bracelet began with a padded base. The base was one strand of button thread folded over six times. The string was threaded through the bracelet clasp each time it was folded. The "end" of the second shuttle thread was added to the padding, making the initial core 7 threads thick. A hemostat, i.e., hackle pliers, was clamped under the clasp. This kept the threads in line during the pearl tatting.
The base is 7 inches long. The first and last inch are made by alternating each double stitch. The center alternates every 3 ds with a picot the length of 6 ds.
For the top of the stem wrap shuttle continuous thread method (CTM) and tat a clover shape joining it to the base. Chain down to the flower and secure the chain with a lock join. Then cross the back of the flower with another chain and secure it again. At this point the end threads from the flower may added to the core and secured with a hemostat.
The next two clovers are attached to the base but the chains are left loose. Gently allow the chain twine around the back of the stem as it is tatted. At the last inch of the base, join the stem to a picot, tat four more double stitches and join again. Finish the ends by making a small ring to encapsulate all the ends. After the first 3 ds, trim off an end and continued to trim the threads after each two double stitches. Close the ring when all the threads were covered.
The padded core allows the bracelet to be shaped also. And consider adding craft wire to create more dimension to the tatting.
From the files of the Online Tatting Class.
Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com.
Tatting & Patchwork "Hand Stitched Crazy Patchwork" by Hazel Blomkamp, is not specifically a tatting book but it does have a six page section on the fundamentals of tatting.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art302997.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 One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com
