smiling flowers

I’ve a fascination with 3D flowers tatted with thin thread. A pattern I love is Jeanne Lugert’s rose (I tatted a miniaturized version too - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2018/01/anonymous.html ).
Lately, while exploring possible designs where I can use treble tatting stitches, I found in my notebook a round motif from 3 years ago, for which I haven’t shared the pattern yet, you can see it here: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/06/special-note-for-my-dear-email.html. Looking at it with new eyes, I thought the rings with treble tatting stitches would be good for making petals… Well, tiny petals with my size 80 thread! 

It’s not a brand-new idea and a very simple pattern too! But I like it and it’s going to be my new favourite pattern for emptying shuttles! I’ve already tatted a dozen of them, and I’m happy to share the pattern with you. I hope you like it, and that soon you’ll have your bouquet!

I already have a name for them! Thanks to the Endrucks 1920 Project, The Smiling Lady and I are in constant email contact, and I know for sure that she loves flowers (especially roses). Have you already seen her “E43 3D Generic Flower”? (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/07/so-many.html )
So, I chuckled and for once found the perfect name for the pattern! "Smiling Flowers" - in Muskaan’s honour!

ds = double stitch
tds = treble tatting stitch
fhs = first half stitch
shs = second half stitch
- = picot
vsp = very small picot

Smiling Flowers have two parts: the flower (centre with a bead, and two layers of petals), then the “green” part, which is calyx, stem, and leaves.

CENTRE (pink thread in pics)
I used Drop Miyuki 3,4mm beads. Load the bead in the loop around the hand.
Hide the starting tail under the first stitches.
Ring (6 picots): 2ds, -, 2ds, -, 2ds, -, 1ds, 1 bead under the leg of 1fhs, 1shs, (-, 2ds)x3. Close and do not cut thread.

Here is how I placed the bead:

 

Then, there are two layers of 6 petals each, around the central ring:
 
PETAL
Ring: 1ds,5tds,vsp,1ds. Close.
After each petal, always lock join to the next picot in centre ring. (see Fig.1)

After the first layer of 6 petals (see Fig.2), I repeat another layer of petals on the back of the first layer, and always lock join to underlying picots in the central ring (see Fig.3).

I tatted two layers of petals, so there are 12 petals. Then leave a tail of about 15cm and cut the thread. To finish, from the backside, pass the tail through the bead to move the tail under the centre of the flower (see Fig.4).

CALYX (green thread in pics)
With one shuttle loaded with green thread - unwind from the shuttle a tail of about 15cm.
Ring: 1ds,5tds,vsp,1ds. Repeat 3 times. Do not cut the thread. (see Fig.5)

Make a knot (between starting tail and shuttle thread) and pass the flower tail in the centre of the green rings, as shown in Fig.6.

STEM under the calyx
After the calyx, I encapsulate the two tails (green and pink) in the stem.
Tat a Josephine (or Spiral) chain of 20 fhs.

LEAVES
Ring: 10ds,3fhs,p,3shs,10ds. Close.
In the stem: Encapsulate the two tails with one fhs (see Fig.7 and 8)
Repeat 3 times.

Leaves are 3 rings, note that I tatted one fhs in the stem after each ring

STEM after the leaves
Tat a Josephine (or Spiral) chain of 20 fhs.

FINISH
Form a loop with the two tails and tat 10 unflipped half stitches over all the 4 threads of the folded tails (see Fig.9)

Then, open the loop as it was a ring, and tat 16 unflipped stitches, as in the second side of a split ring (see Fig.10).

Pull the two tails and close the loop like a mock ring. Secure the shuttle thread at the base of the mock ring and cut all tails (see Fig.11 and 12).

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Ideas for using the Smiling Flowers:

- Make wreaths or bunch of flowers for gifts
- They can be earrings, too! Just hang the mock ring to a fishhook and wear them.
- Glue two or three together for brooches or on hair clips for girls.
- Link flowers to chains or lobster clasps, for bracelets, decorations, or trinkets.
- Lanyards. Don’t cut the thread after the flower, tat the stem and the leaves and continue with another flower!
- Edgings. Tat flowers in assorted colours (without the green part) and then tat an edging in green, joining flowers at intervals.

wreath - flowers sewed with invisible sewing thread on the green ribbon wrapped around a cabone ring.

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If you google tiny tatted flowers, there are wondrous pics by Japanese tatters, for example I found flowers tatted by megumi_tatting (https://www.instagram.com/megumi_tatting/  ) and "Atelier Sakamichi" (she writes a tatting blog: http://atsaka.exblog.jp/ ).

I’ve just bought (in Amazon) the Kindle edition of “Tatting Lace Flower Accessories” by Emiko Kitao (2016). If you love tiny flowers, that is a beautiful book for you too! Also, there are patterns for tatted letters, framed in flowering hearts. There are creative ideas and clever use of picots. You can read Leigh’s review here: http://www.somethingunderthebed.com/CURTAIN/REVIEWStat/REVIEWS_ItoL/JPN/Kitao/KITAO5.html  
It’s in Japanese but with clear diagrams and pictures! Ahah! Don’t laugh! When I opened it for the first time I was confused!… My fault! I should have opened it from the last page. In fact, Japanese books read from right to left, the reverse of what I usually do.

(Fingers crossed, I hope I made you smile for the flowers and not because of my English!)

Ciao, Ninetta