it wasn’t love at first sight

When Muskaan and I talked about starting the #TALmeEndrucks in Jan 2023 (see previous posts with label TALmeEndrucks), she mentioned Endrucks's continuous method of climbing out, that she had tried in the E28 doily, and I was really curious to learn it, we both love exploring tatting techniques together. But neither of us had time to face the big challenge to rewrite and test the original pattern at the end of December 2022.

When I eventually tatted it, I was very grateful to Muskaan for her incentive, because I discovered the ***magic*** inside the pattern! Actually, during 2023 I tatted it 3 times following the original one-pass pattern with shadow chains (plus one another doily tatted in parts for the TALmeEndrucks game). I fell in love with the original pattern - from a technical point of view - and Muskaan is very right that it is an amazing example of E’s talent as designer.

Frau Eleonore has something to teach us in every round. For example, we usually find doilies where the number of ds increases in subsequent rounds. But she designed a flower in the centre, with double lines of chains. In Round 4 and 5 I think she was very clever to add shorter chains in the sides of the petals, that is: 4ds in Round 4, over the corresponding chain of 6ds in Round 3, and then only 3ds in next Round 5 over the previous chain of 4ds. This trick makes the “V” space between petals narrower, and the chains, one over the other, occupy less space. Once Round 5 is completed, the motif remains flat without the need to be blocked.

Also the finished doily didn't need any blocking, it was perfect just off the shuttle!! The credit goes entirely to the designer!

The pattern is rewritten in modern notation with diagrams - and I should thank Muskaan twice for proofreading it!  Here is the link to the pdf for the original one-pass pattern with shadow chains  - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y2j1TSp1ENorfe_fEeUlysq3TY-s1LoW/view

I haven't changed anything, I followed faithfully the original stitch count and pathway. It is so easy to work the entire doily in one pass using *shadow chains* (this is a term coined by Muskaan), and amazing how Endrucks created that path! In the old book there is only a slight difference between the original model and the original text (a difference that sometimes is present in other patterns too), that is the number of picots in 2 rings (r2 and r3, if you read in my pdf) - one picot less in the text -. In such case I followed the model showed in the old photo.

I copy here for you the text written by Muskaan:

Shadow chains "are “extra” chains, used by Endrucks for continuous tatting, to cross over elements or to climb out to the next row. Instead of using split chains (or split rings) to climb out like we would do today, Endrucks continued with extra chain(s) to reach the desired point to start the next round. As the name suggests, the extra chain is worked very close to a previous element. This causes the model to lose perfect symmetry, yet the shadow chains are not easily visible. […] you can find them if you look carefully for “bold” lines, but they almost disappear in the overall view."

Muskaan traced Endrucks' continuous paths with shadow chains in the #28 doily:
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/07/continuous-paths.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/10/bagatelle-to-bagaball.html 

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It wasn’t love at first sight between us and Frau Eleonore!

Muskaan started the exploration of E’s patterns in 2015, here: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2015/11/pattern-eleonores-angels.html - but many years passed before I started tatting my first model from the book, long after Muskaan’s first model. And now, after it’s almost four years since we started the Project, after that all the book’s patterns have been reworked, my PIC (Partner In Crime), Muskaan, found the right words to express our feelings:

It’s an open secret that in 2015 I was not impressed by the tatted lace I saw in Frau Endrucks’ book. There did not seem to be any visual elegance and if not for my commitment to Georgia, I would’ve given the book a miss. And what a monumental loss that would’ve been to my own tatting journey and to the eventual Endrucks 1920 Project and a prosperous partnership with Ninetta.

The cover doily was one such design that did not appeal to me. I’m pretty certain Endrucks was inspired by the radioactive symbol. What I find appealing and impressive are the outer arches that form the triangle! And to think that this entire doily is designed to be tatted in one pass, attests to the clever and innovative designing skills of the Frau.

I can’t thank my PIC, Ninetta, and Reiko, enough for taking on this huge task of doing the presentation of the E44 pattern (thanks to the reworking by Reiko Akamatsu) and hosting the tat-along. While I got to play with colours and work the doily in parts, Ninetta worked it in mostly one pass. This is something I am eager to tat myself, in order to admire firsthand the designing prowess of Endrucks. Since many of her patterns require mindfulness due to change of directions, working the motifs in two colours was our way to demonstrate which shuttle was in use, and ensure a wider participation.

This tat-along turned out to be such a satisfying and inspiring experience. The versions that our members tatted brought out so many hidden features of the pattern, highlighting different aspects. It also led to spin-offs such as 3D baskets, a mega doily, flowers, possible arrangements, and even a ship! One is truly spoiled for choice when it comes to this one designer of 44 patterns.

If you want to look again at the coloured version tatted by Muskaan for the TAL, here is the link: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-cover-covered.html 

And here you find Muskaan’s motifs with arrangements and combinations using Motif G from the TAL - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/07/e44-motif-arrangements.html

Note: If you like exploring the vast range of patterns, ideas, models, information related to the Project, we compiled all the important links in one document called EPLinks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view

Ciao, Ninetta.

#TALmeEndrucks - cover doilies roundup:
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/06/cover-doilies-roundup-1.html
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/07/cover-doilies-roundup-2.html
https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/07/cover-doilies-roundup-3.html