xmas, angels and friends

The following xmas' scene has been made with the help of my friend "Dalì L'Artista" (the lady that decorates the shuttles that are in my photos).

She suggested how to set the scene and I found the perfect way to show my tiny tatted balls and the snowflakes tatted with the silk (https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/search/label/silk+snowflake).

Then, in the next picture, there's "Another Christmas Angel", I'm not joking, that's its name!
Pattern is by Jennifer Williams. I tatted it because friends of the Italian group in Facebook chose it among others by J.Williams and I helped with the translation and the instructions.

Pattern is here: https://www.cariad-tatting.com/christmas-patterns

It is a gift for my mum, she loves it! We put a small light under the dress. I tatted it with silver embroidery thread DMC E168 (polyester skein). For the head, I tatted one ball with white DMC Diamant D5200.
Pattern for the ball is one of mine (https://flic.kr/p/2hN8Y28)

There are beads, too. For sleeves and dress I used bugle beads 2mm, then for wings I used silver transparent rocailles 15/0, and for the head dress 2 rocailles 15/0 and one swarovski 2mm. I haven't stiffened it, since the polyester is firm enough and it stands alone without any wooden shape. Also, the ball (head) is empty.

About the snowflakes I've been tatting, I've exchanged some other messages with Sue Hanson. She is really helpful and a sweet lady! She found another snowflake with block tatting. She rescued it with the wayback machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20050403221520/http://www.tattings.com/snow2/
So, I already updated the list in previous post.
Here it is:

Direct link to the pattern by Carol Rasor: https://web.archive.org/web/20050215131532/http://www.tattings.com/snow2/snow2_12.shtml

The site went down after that Ron Solomon, the owner, went tatting with the Angels and nobody else stepped in. All snowflakes are by different designers, they are all worth a try, all original and it would be a great loss for the "Tatternet" community if they will disappear. I would like to make a plea to all tatters, if someone can suggest a virtual place for saving all those patterns. I would suggest Craftree...

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and today I like leaving you with a phrase about friendship:

"...A faithful friend is a sure shelter, whoever finds one has found a rare treasure. A faithful friend is something beyond price, there is no measuring his worth. A faithful friend is the elixir of life..." (source: The Bible,Ecclesiasticus)

Ciao,
Ninetta

E-learning

I'm learning a lot from this project. I committed myself to tat a dozen of snowflakes that contain block tatting.

Those in pictures are the last three I've tatted.

The first thing that I learnt is that very few designers have used block tatting in snowflakes, and you can count on one hand those who posted for free.

The second thing that I learnt (actually I confirmed my view) is that block tatting is an advanced technique. You always need to tweak it a bit, depending on the pattern, whether you are literally following designer's instructions or whether you want to tat it in the way 'you think' it's better for you.

This is the updated list of free online snowflakes that I've found till now:

1)pattern by Jane Eborall: http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/MotifCatherine.pdf

2) pattern by Sue Hanson: https://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2/blocktat/hanson.html
3) Pattern by Bettina Lauth:  https://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2/bettinaflake.html 

4) pattern by Adelheid Dangela: https://www.georgiaseitz.com/2013/adelheiddangleberlinflake.pdf

5)pattern by Roger L. aka Freedman: https://craftree.com/patterns/5001

6) pattern by me, my "fior di filet" snowflake, here: https://flic.kr/p/2hR6LeP
7) pattern by Jennifer Williams ("star using block tatting"): https://www.cariad-tatting.com/
8) pattern by Ben Fikkert: http://bentats.nl/Carrevlok.html
9) pattern by Jane Eborall: http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/Coriolis.pdf
10) pattern by Jane Eborall (block centre): http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/Snow3in2013.pdf (***)
11) pattern by Jane Eborall: http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/MotifWhirlygig.pdf (***)

Those with the (***) are two patterns where Jane Eborall uses the "new to me" technique of block tatting done with lock stitches chains, she has a technique page here:
http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/LockChainBlock.pdf
That is very intriguing, for sure I want to try it soon. Every Jane Eborall's pattern is an enjoyable learning experience, I'd rather say E-learning 😉!

UPDATE:
12) pattern by Carol Rasor: https://web.archive.org/web/20050215131532/http://www.tattings.com/snow2/snow2_12.shtml

Ciao,
Ninetta

spotted white

These two snowflakes are designed by Jane Eborall and Sue Hanson

Thread is dmc cordonett special B5200, size 80.
White thread is beautiful for this subject, but it gets dirty very easily, even if I try to keep it clean washing my hands often.

It was my intention to tat more snowflakes with block tatting in them, at least a dozen, but this time Mr.Google gave me a poor help, bringing me back only these two.

Then I remembered that in Craftree there's a wonderful patterns' library, and I found another one, that I will tat soon.

But my goal will be hardly reached.

Luckily I received a sweet message from Sue Hanson, she is so kind, she spotted other free snowflakes' patterns with block tatting in them, that I'm going to tat soon. There aren't many snowflakes that have block tatting, some of these are in books and then not free.

This is the very short list of free online snowflakes that I have in this moment:

1)Jane Eborall's "Catherine wheel motif", pdf is in her page (among a storm of other snowflakes) here: http://www.janeeborall.freeservers.com/MotifsSnowflakes.htm

2) https://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2/blocktat/hanson.html

3) https://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2/bettinaflake.html

4) https://www.georgiaseitz.com/2013/adelheiddangleberlinflake.pdf

5)https://craftree.com/patterns/5001

6) my "fior di filet" snowflake, pattern is here: https://flic.kr/p/2hR6LeP

UPDATE: sorry, I forgot to add in the list that one designed by Jennifer Williams, you can find the pattern in her site, that is https://www.cariad-tatting.com/

Ciao,
Ninetta

days of december

These are Eight and Ninth of December, snowflakes' patterns by Lene Bjørn:

Thread is DMC Cordonett Special B5200, size 80.

In both cases there's block tatting and that is the main reason I wanted to tat them. The other reason is because I've bought 12 wooden frames, to make little xmas gifts.

At a first reading, the drawings were pretty clear, but then, with shuttles "in action", I realised that photos and diagrams are facing different direction, that caused me a little confusion...

... and that is the reason why the "8th of December" is not a faithful reproduction of the original. Anyway, I tatted the two rounds continuously.
All in all, that is a lesson for me as someone who presumes to draw patterns for others, I think till now I didn't pay much attention to keep consistent drawings and photos.

I would love making more snowflakes that have block tatting. If you please, in case you know any other free pattern, I will be happy to tat it, ❄❄❄ possibly 🤞 within these days of December ❄❄❄
I've found one by Jane Eborall and another by Sue Hanson, I will share my white versions next week.

Ciao,
Ninetta