that bewitching and mysterious beauty

Today I’d like to introduce you to Consuelo Piras and her tatting. She helped us in the Endrucks 1920 Project, with the pattern n.4 and also she’s created a bracelet from it.

The “model” in her picture is a reproduction of a Nuragic Sardinian bronze sculpture, four-eyed and four-legged mysterious hero from the Nuragic Sanctuary of Abini (the original is in a museum in Cagliari). I had to ask Consuelo for info because I hadn’t any clue about the sculpture! So then I studied and discovered that that archaeological site is about in the centre of Sardinia island, I would say in its heart!

Back to the bracelet, the pattern is two repetitions of the edging, the two sides are worked continuously, passing from one side to the other with long spiral chains. After completing both sides, she added those round elements, they are all split rings of 4d/4ds (that is first side 4ds, second side 4ds). Beads are sewn on at the end. 

Here it is another picture:

And that is on Consuelo’s wrist:

In the old original sample, in Endrucks’ book, the pattern starts with a dead-chain, but it can be also started with a ring, just like Consuelo did in her samples:

The double lines in the original pattern and in Consuelo’s sample and bracelet are tatted with the Block Tatting technique, facing all the same direction. But there’s no harm in trying to find alternative paths! Just like it happened with pattern n.43, tatted by Maria Grazia, there are only 2 chains that form the “bold” lines, then they can be tatted facing opposite direction, as we normally do in a simple rings and chains pattern. The consequence is that, in this case, it can be worked with one shuttle and ball without the block tatting technique. I prepared a little sample for this alternative, that you can find in the document for the reworked pattern.

I’ve tatted a short sample, too, that helped me to understand the pattern for preparing the document and I’ve enjoyed it so much, that eventually I ended with a corner and then a little square doily! I have a funny story to tell you, I was tatting this edging while a little girl came near me, quiet at first, staring at me and at my mysterious tool... then after few long seconds without a word from her, she stated: “oh ok, I can see, you are doing a line of teddy bears!” Adorable, sweet girl!

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I’ve been in touch with Consuelo since I first joined Facebook, in Dec 2010, she is a very nice and pretty lady, I remember that she used to be admin of an Italian tatting group that no longer exists. Some years ago, she also tatted all the jewellery worn by models in local fashion shows. She has a personal page where you can admire her tatting, that is here:

 https://www.facebook.com/ibijouxdiconsuelo

You will find there, for example, the next unique tights that she designed on request, for a dancer:

She can also do macramé! I like sharing with you two samples of her macramé work that, just like all her works, it is inspired by her bewitching and mysterious island. The “sun” is inspired by a Sardinian traditional jewel called “corbula”, usually made in gold filigree; then, the starfish is a typical Mediterranean theme.

Thank you, Consuelo!

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Direct link to modern version pdf file for this pattern n.4 : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zQh2jDfisoIx3PLZ84KpVZiwC51AlToe/view

That is a community project, we welcome every one of you to join in! Please let us know where we can find your renditions and derivative tatting!

We created the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project, so please use it!

We all enjoy sharing and the project is awaiting every one of you! 

All info and links are in the Endrucks 1920 Project Document, here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17LEVftXweztBIOWh4sL4BB7bX65ssoOsOn4oXIgCepY/view

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Ciao,
Ninetta & Muskaan