Semiserious list - for my personal use only -

 

Just in case I'd tat another mystery doily, this is a list of my dos and don'ts.

WHAT TO DO
1) follow the pattern
2) follow the same pattern choosen in point 1)
3) take your time and plenty of patience. As Jane said, that should have been called "the Patience Doily".
4) print a polar grid, it should have at least 8 sections.
5) better to keep picots' size the same along rings. I noted imperfections in my doily due to a wrong choice in the first 2 rounds. That's not true for chains, at least for me.
6) go visiting aunts. Even if they haven't a solution, they have always nice words for you.
7) RELAX! They're only ring and chains, after all.

WHAT TO DON'T
1) follow the pattern. Experimenting is the greatest part of the fun.
2) be negative. It's very easy to make mistakes with this pattern. But, again, learn from inspirational and supportive aunts: try to go further.
3) put the doily inside a box for a while. That's worthless, even if the box is pyramidal.
4) start 2 mystery doilies in the same month. The great mystery is that the second will turn out VERY different from the first one (refer to point 1).



Ciao,
Ninetta

italian mixed salad

That's what I did with the pattern. It was a lot of fun, but next time I promise to follow Patty Dowden's instructions from start to end (…).

My gauge: 10 ds with thread dmc size 40 measure 1 cm.

GENERALS: all rings are 3-3-3-3.
All short chains between rings are 3 ds.
All long "S" chains are:
- coming from outside to internal cluster of rings: 7ds, join to previous "S" chain, 6ds, normal picot, 7ds, lock join to ds of last ring, reverse work, 6ds, small picot, 6ds.
- coming from internal cluster of ring: 6ds, join to previous "S" chain, 6ds, leave space for a picot, first half of ds, 1ds, reverse work, adjust last ds and do 6ds more, join to last picot of previous ring, 6ds, normal picot, 7ds.

ROUND 1) I've followed Vickie Reynolds' indications for clusters' repetitions. Total external repetitions: 8.

ROUND 2) the same. Total external repetitions: 16.

ROUND 3) the same. Total external repetitions: 32.

ROUND 4) I've followed Patty Dowden's indications for clusters' repetitions. No changes in my stitches' count. Total external repetitions: 48.

ROUND 5) I've started some variations. Outside clusters are all formed by 5 rings. Inside clusters are: 6 rings, 6 rings, 5 rings, then repeat the sequence; central ring of a cluster of 5 is joined with a swirl join, taking 2 picots of previous round: second last ring and second ring of 2 clusters below. Total external repetitions: 48.

ROUND 6) Outside clusters are all formed by 6 rings. Inside clusters are: 6 rings, 6 rings, 6 rings 5 rings, 5 rings (this pair is joined as clusters in the 3rd round); then repeat the sequence.
Total external repetitions: 60.

Round 7???

Ciao,
Ninetta.

aunt's collar - pattern for the edging - Part 2

After the previous post, you should have reached the upper right corner. Now there is a chain of 4 picots separated by 3ds, join to the central picot of the square's corner and tat another 3ds:

I joined with a lock stitch, but this is not a must, because now you're going to join to last picot of previous chain:

From now on, all chains will be the same length as in squares: 5 picots (considering a join as a picot too) separated by 3ds.

The rest of the edging recall the motif used as a corner in the square: RW and start a ring. Rings are even the same 3-3-3-3-3-3, but you should be careful where they are joined to the square motif. First ring is joined after the first 3ds to the central picot of the chain in the square.

pic 10

Then RW and start the chain. After 3ds, join it to the last picot of previous chain. Continue the chain.

Then, that's the same as in the corner of a square. You would not use a second shuttle, after the chain DO NOT Reverse Work and start the ring with the same shuttle. The outer ring is joined to the last chain in its last picot. So, the ring is 3ds, join to the last picot of previous chain, 3ds, then repeat  1 picot, 3ds, for 4 times.

Then, RW and start the inner ring that is joined to the previous inner ring at its second picot.

Then reverse again work and start the second chain, like in the corner of the square. (Refer to pic 15.) That chain is joined to the outer ring, so for the chain : 3ds, join to the last picot of outer ring, 3ds, then repeat  1 picot, 3ds  for 4 times. 

pic 15

(RW) Start a ring and join its 2nd picot to the 4th of previous ring, AND its 3rd picot to the central picot of the second ring. Tat 3ds, picot, 3ds. Attention now: you must join the central picot of the chain in the square:

Then the pattern is very repetitive. RW, start the chain. After 3ds, join it to the last picot of previous chain. Continue the chain. Do not RW, join to the central picot of the square's corner and tat another 3ds. Join to the last picot of previous chain, then continue with 4 picots separated by 3ds. RW and start again from pic 10.

Each pointed motif is repeated for the length of the collar. You should note that the connection point between squares is tatted the same as in the collar's corner, your left bottom side in the pic 18. BUT the chains are NOT JOINED.

pic 18

 This is the connection point between squares:

Start another chain, BUT don't join to previous chain:

Then restart another pointed motif.

When you reached the upper left corner of the collar, make a chain as usual, join to the central picot of the square's corner ring and tat another 3ds, join to last picot of previous chain and TAT ONLY 3 PICOTS MORE. That will take to the starting point of the edging.

RW, start a ring: 3ds, picot, 3ds, picot, 3ds. Join to the square motif at the next picot of square's corner ring. Continue the ring: 3ds, picot, 3ds, picot, 3ds. Close the ring, RW, make the last chain of 3ds, picot, 3ds, picot, 3ds. Cut and tie.

You should be proud of your new collar. I'm not. It's unwearable. :(

Ok, let's start a real collar then!

Ciao,
Ninetta.

aunt's collar - pattern for the edging - Part 1

This is the tutorial for the edging around the square motifs. I've taken too much photos, then there will be 2 posts for this tutorial.

PART 1:  side closer to the neck.

In the next picture I pinned picots that are going to be joined: I started joining from pin number 1.

With a shuttle wound CTM, start a ring: 3ds, picot, 3ds, picot, 3ds. Join to the square motif (pin number 1). Continue the ring: 3ds, picot, 3ds, picot, 3ds.

This side, all rings are 3-3-3+3-3-3 (5 picots, considering a join "+" as though a picot). Rings join to square motifs in their central picot.

pic 1

RW and start a chain of 3ds, picot, 3ds. Reverse again and start another ring. This one is joined to previous after the first group of 3ds, to the last picot of previous ring, AND it is joined to the square motifs in pin number 2:

Then RW and start a chain a bit longer: 3ds, picot, 3ds, picot, 3ds. RW and start another ring, NOT joined to previous ring, but joined to the square motif in pin number 3:

RW and start again a short chain of 3ds, picot, 3ds. RW and start another ring. This one is joined to previous after the first group of 3ds, to the last picot of previous ring, AND it is joined to the square motifs in pin number 4. Then a longer chain follows: 3-3-3 :

Then they are all repetitions, till the last square, restarting from pic 1.

[ end of part 1 ]

Ciao,
Ninetta

apart

Tatting the 6th round, I bumped into an heart.

Ciao,
Ninetta

aunt's collar - 2 motifs joined

I pinned joining picots.

They are central picots of corner's rings and central picots of chains.

Ciao,
Ninetta

Lady Scissors

She felt neglected. I had to give her a sop.

pattern is quad 13

Thank you very much for your nice comments. I'd say that each of you is a treasured aunt, aren't you?
Ciao,
Ninetta

aunt's collar - pattern for the base motif

I've prepared a series of photos that show the basic square used in the old collar. I've talked about it in another post. I don't know from where or who this pattern originated, if someone recognize it as previously published, please let me know.

I've used the silk I bought last winter, I've talked about it from this post on.

The little square is worked with a shuttle and the ball.

I've wound 3 strands of silk together and the thickness is similar to a size 20 thread.

THE PATTERN:
Start with a ring. I started from one side, where the pattern forms the little "bow" with 2 joined rings. All rings in the pattern are 3-3-3-3-3-3. You can see that the silk thread used in the collar is thin, perhaps is size 50 or 60.

1

Tat another ring: 3ds, join to the last picot of previous ring, 3ds, then repeat  1 picot, 3ds  for 4 times.

2

All chains in the pattern are 3-3-3-3-3-3, too. As you can see, the pattern is very simple, you should only remember that each ring or chain has 5 picots (considering a join as a picot too).

3

After this chain, you should start the corner. Now, trust me, I've tried first to tat the inner part and the result was different from the original, so I'm quite sure that the Old Tatter made the outer ring first.

You would not use a second shuttle, after the chain DO NOT Reverse Work and start the ring with the same shuttle. The outer ring is joined to the last chain in its last picot. So, the ring is 3ds, join to the last picot of previous chain, 3ds, then repeat  1 picot, 3ds  for 4 times.

4

5

Then, refer to photo 6, Reverse Work and start the inner ring.

6

This inner ring is joined to the second tatted ring at its second picot.

7

Then reverse again work and start the second chain of the corner. That chain is joined to the outer ring, so for the chain : 3ds, join to the last picot of outer ring, 3ds, then repeat  1 picot, 3ds  for 4 times.

8

Then tat another 2 rings "bow". (RW) Start a ring an join its 2nd picot to the 4th of previous ring, AND its 3rd picot to the central picot of the second ring. This forms the corner. I still can't understand why the Old Tatter didn't joined the picot I took with my crochet in pic 10.

9

10

The 2nd ring in the "bow" is joined to previous in its first picot. RW and start the chain, but remember to join the previous chain: make 3ds, join to last picot of last chain, continue the chain.

11

In the pic 12 you can see the pattern (after quite an hour! but I took photos ...) where I've reached the second last ring. That is the point where the pattern reaches the closure. Join the 3rd picot to the central picot of the very first ring.

12

13

Now the pattern is almost done. You should tat a chain, the outer ring, the inner ring and the last chain. The inner ring in the last corner joins both previous and the very first ring in its 2nd and 4th picots.

I've hidden one end using the method of finishing with SSSR. If you don't know about it, you'll be happy to read this great tutorial by Miranda. It could be applied also to SSSC.

Usually - for chains - I hide the other end with the needle.

14

Well, now you're supposed to measure your neck, make as many squares you need and then to tat the external finishing edging. I think that it would be ok to have a tutorial about the edging after only two squares.
So I should go to tat.

Please, let me know if I wasn't able to be clear or if I made mistakes. Thank you.

Happy tatting!
Ciao,
Ninetta

July 6th 2015:
I got to know via Pinterest the existence of a book by a Czech lady, "Frivolitky" by Milena Tomkova published in 2003, 70 pages. In one page, pinned by someone, I found the same pattern of the collar.

December 18th 2019:
Correction: in Tomkova's there is the visual pattern for the single square, not for the whole collar.
Then I found the same pattern in the star n.3 at page 43 of the book "Tatting Patterns and Designs" by Gun Blomqvist, which is a translation of a previous Swedish publication from 1967 (I have the Dover reprint edition).

naughty mystery

It cups, then ruffles, then wants to cup again...

Then I ... ergh... CUT...

But only two or three repetitions and started adding "big holes" (2 clusters in place of one) every 3 "little holes".

Ciao,
Ninetta