Monday, June 20, 2016

Ends

This is motif 38. I really like the way it turned out. I have to say though that my heart sank a little when I first looked at the pattern. Here's why:
Six little flowers need to be made first in two colours! That's a lot of ends to deal with. Some thoughts: I tied the threads together with a reef knot so that I was just hiding the ends in the first ring and chain, rather than securing them.
I don't know if it's my imagination, but I think that if I snip the hidden thread after the first half of a ds, rather than after a complete stitch, I get a smoother look. I was a bit worried about dislodging the ends when I made the final join, so I cut the threads before making the join and then sewed them in instead of using a hook. 
My easy thread needles do make the job a bit simpler! 

Once the flowers were made, the rest of the tat went smoothly. Joining the little flowers in is perfectly straight forward. 

13 comments:

  1. It's a lovely motif - but I see your point about the ends. I usually just tat over tails in the beginning, and then sew in the ends when I'm finished - you don't tat over the beginning tails all the way round that first ring and chain, so there is plenty of scope for ending off. But I find the easy-threading needles are too thick for my tension - I use the finest needles I can get the threads through!

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  2. That's SO pretty. I use a weaver's knot to tie the two ends together and then cover them (like you did) in the first ring and chain. The weaver's knot tends to be a bit less bulky. Like you did - I thread the needle (just LOVE those self threading ones) take the one thread through the joining place, but then I tie an overhand knot and sew in that end and then the other end. Having said all that I must admit to avoiding patterns where there are too many 'small parts' but only cause I'm a lazy moo.

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  3. I understand what you're saying about looking at those tiny flowers and thinking of hiding all those ends. I felt the same way about Mary Konior's Primrose Path. However, once I settled down and got to tatting, I was very glad I took the plunge!

    I also snip the thread after the first half of the ds. Somehow, it seems that the end of the thread doesn't pop out as much.

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  4. Very pretty motif, my favourite till now!

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  5. this is beautiful to see and love the knot tips and I really don't mind tying off knots cause the color change is so beautiful it doesn't stress me out. I am impressed with your chains at the start and will work on this someday (I avoided this pattern)ha ha ha

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  6. Most tatters take a moment to decide if a pattern is worth the effort when there are a lot of individual parts like this. We like tatting, not the necessary evils of hiding ends! It turned out very well.

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  7. This is a lovely motif, even if one has to make the flowers first.

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  8. Not sure if I am interpreting all this correctly - for a change. I snip on the "wrong"side," if I do not want to see ends... That would be after either the first or second stitch, willy-nilly! Perhaps I should try it after the first to see if it males a difference... Interesting.

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  9. That makes sense. I don't do front side back side tatting so I don't have a wrong side.

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    Replies
    1. That is my thinking, too. I was beginning to feel like the only one!

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  10. Another lovely motif !!! Following your journey has put this book on my to-buy list :-)

    Your reef knot idea is very interesting ! Must try it out. I don't make any kind of knot when starting; fold the 2 threads over each other & tat over each tail within the elements.

    Not your imagination at all ! Stopping &/or snipping after half stitch does make for a neat closure & the reason has to do with a hint in my last post (under points to ponder) - it depends on the where the core thread is : after fhs, it emerges at the back & after shs it emerges from the front. One can make the adjustment for fs/bs.

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