Friday 1 April 2016

Look !

Pin It now!

Look what a lock join unlocked !!! Access to my very first MK pattern. My head was literally spinning with palpable excitement when this popped out of the Tatter Chatter newsletter last week (March)! Thanks to Bev, and her wonderful team at The Tatters’ Guild of Australia (NWS Branch). Their newsletter was the first to officially publish a post of mine - How to Unlock the Lock Join.

And just as I was finalizing this post, Another Huge gift arrived, just in time for ITD. Once again from Australia & probably partially connected to my Joins in Shuttle Tatting series. Judith Connors sent me a copy of her book ”An Illustrated Dictionary of Tatting*! WooHoo – can you see me doing the happy dance ?!

In Hindu mythology, we consider Time as a wheel (‘samay / kaal ka chakra’) that keeps rolling … The Spinning Wheel glass mat symbolises how tatters across time, space & nations can come together through their continuing love for this beautiful art. We are truly joined, interlaced :-)

So what better way to celebrate International Tatting Day than dedicate it to Mary Konior, the queen of visual tatting.
I also want to dedicate this to the Wonderful online tatting community from where I have learned so much in such a short time & the community continues to inspire me in so many ways every single day, and in particular to Judith, my inspiration & guide.

Spinning Wheel Glass Mat
Mary Konior


The Spinning Wheel glass mat looks great irrespective of which colour(s)/colourway one chooses. But Diane's charcoal mat here threw up such interesting negative space designs tempting me to choose black.

In Anchor Mercer cotton size 40, black, it measures 4” in diameter.
Techniques I used :
2 shuttles CTM fully loaded bobbins .
Directional tatting
Switching Shuttles takes care of the change in chain directions (reverse chains).

It was interesting to note that directional tatting changed en bloc : while going up an arm, the rings were RODS, while returning back, chains were RODS.

If one stops at 6 arms or 7 arms, one gets a nice bowl shape – perfect for little truffles & treats to share on ITD :-)

There was a tip on Craftree to start the mat from an outer ring, so that it becomes easier to join back & tie off in the end. However, for my first mat, I decided to go as per directions.

I intend to tat another, with increased diameter like this, for my snood.  I've been collecting possible patterns but this one is exactly what I wanted !


Happy Tatting and nibbling on chocolates while you distribute tatted goodies :-)



I chose some symbolic tatting for the lead pic, alongside the Spinning Wheel glass mat –
Hold My Hand heart ( for the interlaced rings) ,
Anne Bruvold’s Hearts of Hope , and
Super 17 Butterflies to give away (one has already been given away on Sunday)

* This edition of the book is available at Lacis.com 

Related Posts : ITD 2014 - pattern

27 comments:

  1. Your Spinning Wheel Glass Mat is lovely! I think your chain shapes turned out better than mine. :-)

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    1. I think it is merely that my size 40 projects work out much better than the size 20 ones, Grace. Is there perhaps less stretch/elasticity to finer threads ?

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  2. Congratulations on being published! Looks as though you've had a good ITD, splendid.

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    1. Thanks Jane, it was published back in Sept & the newsletters always have something useful & informative. In fact, this pattern was accompanied by a rare photo of MK herself (it is under the mat)!

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  3. Your glass mat looks fabulous!!! :)

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    1. Thanks Sue – I do like it as a first attempt :-)

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  4. What a good news, congratulations for the newsletter! The book, the MK glass mat and the chocolate!! You had a memorable ITD!

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    1. Oh, Definitely memorable, Ninetta ! Hope you had a great tatting day, too, with lots of Ferrero Rocher chocolates :-)

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    2. Umf, not this week, I had a flu with a stomachache... But as soon as I can, I'd send you a certain picture related to that chocolates! Yum!

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    3. (Sorry, delete the word certain!)

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    4. Hope you get well soon, Nin ((Hugs))

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  5. Tatting makes the world a happier place: so does chocolate!

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    1. It so does, Judith ! If one can tat, then all is well with one’s world :-) And chocolate makes life so much sweeter. I hope to be able to spread this happiness forward (((Hugs)))

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  6. What a perfect, perfect ITD!!! I love your spinning wheel too!

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    1. It really was perfect, Michelle ! The generosity of tatters is beyond limits :-)

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  7. I'm glad you had such a wonderful ITD. Congratulations on being published and on your Spinning Wheel Mat. It does look great in black.

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    1. Thanks a heap, Eliz :-) I'm still smiling at the wonderful week I had !

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  8. Congratulations on being published! Your posts are all so informative, I think you could publish a book, and I'm sure there are many of us who would purchase it! ...just a thought!

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    1. Thank you so much Diane! You are all such a constant source of inspiration & support :-)

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  9. Diane is right and you are very "how to" sorry I have been away for a while and missed lots of fun blog stuff :(

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    1. We missed you, Carollyn ! Thanks for your kind words - always appreciated :-)

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  10. Congratulations sorry it's. Bit late, But I am ill and been in bed,
    Your glass mat - MK spinning wheel mat looks gorgeous, I do intend to tat this but other things keep getting in the way,
    You could easily write a book on tatting, just gathering up all your blog post or those that you need for it.
    Margaret

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    1. Hope you feel better soon, Margaret! Thank you for your appreciation :-)

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  11. Your blog continues to be mind-boggling. Your research, photos and attention to detail are stunning! I'm glad the Australian Guild has realized the value of your post and has featured it!

    And your notes about the mat are very helpful. Diane has certainly brought the mat to our attention (LOL!).

    Mary certainly deserves all the tributes to her! I've always been curious why photos of her are so rare - I've never seen one!

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    1. Thanks, Kathy.
      Mary's photo is actually under the mat in my pic above :-) Bev (the editor) came across it in some Japanese book !

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