Drawing Patterns

As I mentioned in last blog entries, I am enrolled in the designing class. We recently did a lesson on drawing patterns. This is very first lesson and we have ways to go to get all the features of design software. I would like to share with you all my very first computer based drawing. I had fun doing it yet it was very tedious to do. I hope it makes sense as well.

I would have loved if my original design was nearly good as my drawing but I will keep trying to get it better. I am optimistic that it is only matter of stitch count and thread tension and everything should fall in place. Although I have not blocked my lace but lot of people mention that helps to settle the lace as well. Either way, I know I need to do the design again....

Best of Best!

Pattern for my Rose Ric-Rac Doily

I can't believe how time is flying... We are almost touching mid-July. It has been a very busy month with finding time to do my extra curricular activities such as Designing in Tatting class that I have joined offered by Sharon (Her Blog).

I did a pattern from a base motif for our last lesson. In our latest homework we are required to write a short and long version of pattern for the same design that we tatted. I believe this was a first homework that I was right on!!! Actually, I started writing the pattern after I had some mishaps during tatting my design and I was modifying the design as I was tatting avoiding any past mistakes that came through during writing the pattern which allowed me to change the design pattern simultaneously. However, I was writing it in long version. Only things that I had to do this time were to compile from long version to short version. Sharon wanted the homework in PDF so I also, coverted it from my handwriting to word typing and finally to PDF.

Here is pattern. Please do let me know if it makes sense and if you really like the design and adventurous enough to try it, please do.

SHORT

R 4‐4‐4‐4, C6‐6

(R4+4‐4‐4, C6‐6, R4+4‐4‐4, C6‐6) repeat twice

R4+4‐4‐4, C6‐6

Repeat 2 times for a total of 8 rings and chains. Last chain to be split chain

SR 6‐6‐6‐6; C12

For Clover leaf (CL), R4‐4‐4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4

RR C24, JR12+12 (+ to second picot of last R of CL), JR 12‐12, RR C24

CL + last JR (R4‐4+4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4), C12

*R6‐6+6‐6 (join to third chain of the base motif), C12

CL + last JR (R4‐4+4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4), RR C24, JR R12+12, JR R12‐12, RR C24

CL + last JR (R4‐4+4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4, R4+4‐4‐4), C12**

Repeat from * to ** twice. Join at base of the first SR, cut and hide threads.

LONG

Ring 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4ds, RW. (Chain 6 ds, p, 6 ds. RW. Ring 4 ds, join to the last picot of the previous ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4ds, RW) Repeat 5 more times. Chain 6 ds, p, 6 ds, RW. Ring 4 ds, join to the last picot of the previous ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, join to the first picot of the first ring, 4ds, RW. Split Chain (SC) 6 ds, p, 6 ds.

Split Ring (SR) 6 ds, p, 6 ds, p, 6 ds, p 6 ds. DO NOT RW. Chain 12 ds. Clover leaf (CL) Ring 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4ds; Ring 4 ds, join to first picot of the first ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4ds; Ring 4 ds, join to the third picot of second ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 4ds, RW.

Rick Rac (RR) Chain 24 ds; Josephine Ring (JR) 12 ds, join to second picot of last ring on CL, 12 ds; JR 12 ds, p, 12 ds; RR Chain 24, CL (Ring 4 ds, p, 4 ds, join to the picot of JR, 4 ds, p 4ds; Ring 4 ds, join to the last picot of first ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p 4 ds), RW. Chain 12 ds.

*Ring 6 ds, p, 6 ds, join to third chain on the base motif, 6 ds, p 6 ds. Chain 12 ds. CL (Ring 4 ds, p, 4 ds, join to the picot of JR, 4 ds, p 4ds; Ring 4 ds, join to the last picot of first ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p 4 ds). RR Chain 24 ds. JR 12 ds, join to the second picot of last ring of CL, 12 ds. JR 12 ds, p, 12 ds. RR Chain 24 ds. CL (Ring 4 ds, p, 4 ds, join to the picot of JR, 4 ds, p 4ds; Ring 4 ds, join to the last picot of first ring, 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p 4 ds). Chain 12 ds.**

Repeat from * to ** twice. Join at the base of first SR, cut and hide the ends.

Abbreviations:

C = Chain

Ds = double‐stitch

JR = Josephine Ring

P = picot

R = Ring

RR = Rick Rac

RW = Reverse work

SR = Spilt Ring

SC = Spilt Chain

Sharons Tatting Design Class 2011

Sharon is offering a tatting design class this year again and I happen to enroll in it. It is a very good opportunity to know many expert and new tatters like me in the class. We all work together to learn the basics and than take them to each others proximity depending upon the level.

We are on lesson 4 that wanted us to create our own design using a common ring and flower center motif. I was bit nervous about this lesson since I have tatted using other people's pattern but have not tried creating my own design. I am still learning in tatting and I don't think I have reached far enough to do the 'real designing'. Despite my apprehension, I was able to come up with a fair design on paper. I was able to bring my basic techniques to play for this lesson. I was able to design something that include split rings and chains, clover leaves, rick-rack and Josephine knot. Real challenge came when I started tatting it.

I think I still need to work on my stitch count. My design came out be bit cramped and crowded yet I wanted it to have little bit more negative space than what I ended up having. I believe having two transitioning rings instead of only one big one from the basic motif might have helped a bit. I will try again to see if this theory works. For now, I'm proud of my design in spite of the difficulties that I came across. Perhaps, I can get some more suggestions from my blog friends-- ;)-- what say???

Anon!