For St. Patrick's Day — the Trefoil Hearts Shamrock

Early last year, I was on a roll with the Trefoil Hearts. After I had done the Butterfly, I came up with a cross made out of Trefoil Hearts (you can see it under the Designs in Progress tab), and then — since everyone was tatting shamrocks — I also tatted this Trefoil Hearts Shamrock. Unfortunately, I only posted it the day AFTER St. Patrick's Day!

So, this year, I am not making the same mistake. Here is my pattern for the Trefoil Hearts Shamrock, nice and early! I haven't run it by any test tatters yet. So, if you do find any problems with my pattern, please do let me know, and I will post an updated version. Thanks! :-) (The thread I used for this sample is Lizbeth Leafy Greens, Size 40.)

Trefoil     Hearts Shamrock, March 2013

Updated version of Trefoil Hearts Butterfly

When I first published the Trefoil Hearts Butterfly in March 2013, it was only the second pattern I had ever written up properly. It was one of a series of related patterns, and I felt I needed to explain about the Trefoil Hearts that were its building blocks. But now that I have finally written up the Trefoil Hearts in a separate pattern, I am able to streamline the butterfly pattern and trim one page off the instructions. So, here it is again! :-) The thread I used is Lizbeth Rainbow Taffy, Size 20.

Trefoil Hearts Butterfly, March 2013, updated Jan 2014

Three Little Hearts

I designed these three little hearts a year ago, and proceeded to build bigger patterns from these units — such as the Endless Hearts on my masthead above. I worked hard on them for a while, then I got bored and went on to other things. However, with Valentine's Day approaching, and lots of hearts being tatted, I received the impetus to finish writing up the patterns for these hearts and publish them here. I hope you enjoy them! (Thread I used: Lizbeth Wildflower Garden, Size 20.)

Three Little Hearts

TIAS January 2014 and before

Jane Eborall is currently running a TIAS (Tat It and See) at this blog. She releases a mystery pattern in small instalments, and we tat each instalment and make guesses about what it is. Jane does it every January, and I've been taking part ever since I first started tatting in December 2011.

The first year I took part (January 2012), I had been tatting for only a month. I had never done an SCMR, and I had only just learned the split ring, but I followed along, and was very proud to arrive at the finish line with this goat:

In January 2013, I did the TIAS again, and this time it was a pram. I did it frontside/backside, and so for the first time did backward-facing split rings and split chains.

In September 2013, there was an extra TIAS from Sherry Pence. Again I took part, as you can see from my blog posts for September and October 2013.

This year, I got a late start, but now I have caught up to Day 7 (out of 14, I think). What can it be? My wild guess: the Sydney Opera House. :-)

You can join the TIAS at any point. Do try it — it's a lot of fun!

A bookmark in filet tatting

I'm just back in Singapore, after a few weeks spent hanging out with my family in Wales, UK. While in Wales, I took the opportunity to join the Seaside Shuttles of Penarth for a tatting session. They meet on the second Wednesday of every month at the home of their leader and teacher, Sylvia Free. This time, we tatted one of Sylvia's own designs, a bookmark inspired by filet crochet. Afterwards, I finished the bookmark, and here it is!

Filet tatted bookmark. Design by Sylvia Free of Penarth, Wales

The filet grid is done in chains, but the 'leaves' running down the middle are rings. (If I do this bookmark again, I'll do it in flat colours, then the leaves will show up much better.) If you'd like to find out more, I can put you in touch with Sylvia.

I used Lizbeth Wildflower Garden, Size 40. I modified the top of the bookmark so I could add my usual super-long tail — though this is a lockstitch chain rather than the twisted threads I've been doing so far.

The TIAS Piccadilly Express with bonus train cars

Sherry Pence promised a bonus pattern to those of us who finished the TIAS. The pattern turned out to be for two train cars attached to the locomotive. So now my Piccadilly Express is complete. Toot, toot! :-)

We were instructed to start the TIAS with two fully-loaded shuttles. I had to do a shoelace trick for the last wheel, but then there was juust enough thread to finish the two train cars!

Jane's Bookmark Cross in floral colours

I've just finished doing a Jane's Bookmark Cross for a friend (pattern here or here). I used Lizbeth Wildflower Size 40 – it's one of my favourite colourways.

I had a lucky accident when I started it – the first ring happened to be blue, the colour in the middle, where the colours start changing in opposite directions. (I.e., Green - red - pink - yellow - purple - blue - purple - yellow - pink - red - green). So, the colours on opposite rings were almost the same. Of course, when I started the second pass, I deliberately arranged the colours in the same way. A very pleasing effect, don't you think?