Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Leaf Braid With Flowers

I'm tatting a leaf braid with flowers to go around the neck of my polka dot dress, so I took some photos to show the process.

Leaf Braid With Flowers ©Jane McLellan 2018
Using a split self-closing mock ring, which I learnt from muskaan's post https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-correct-guess.html where she explores Randy Houtz's technique.


Materials
3 shuttles, 2 wound CTM with green thread, size 20 and shuttle 3 with white thread. Note, I used size 70 for this, but size 20 can be used, as shown below.

Abbreviations
ds double stitch, CTM continuous thread method, jk josephine knot, SCMR self closing mock ring
Foundation
Using any method for starting with a chain, work 3 ds using the shuttles wound with green thread. Then wrap the white thread around a green thread and work a josephine knot, of 12 second half stitches, hiding the end inside the jk.

First split SCMR
Using shuttle with white thread as working shuttle, wrap thread around pinky and work 2 ds, picot, 6 ds chain with green thread:

Then remove the loop of white thread from pinky and put it on forefinger. Using the other green thread, work 4 ds in direct tatting, as per the second half of a split ring:



Now pass the white thread shuttle through the loop and pull to close the ring:

Work another jk with white thread.
Second split SCMR
Work in the same way, but work 4 ds on first half and 2 ds picot 6 ds on second half.

Work these 2 split rings alternately, with jk in between.

Note, instead of working a jk for 'flowers' you can make a ring with picots:

The original leaf braid, without flowers, is shown here. The stitch count for this one is the same, just adding the third shuttle and split SCMR technique. I've made a PDF, there's a link on the right hand side of the page. 

11 comments:

  1. How pretty can't wait to see it on your dress. Although carefully explained it still looks a bit complicated!

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    Replies
    1. Once you get going, it’s not difficult. I hope I didn’t make it look more complicated than it is!

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  2. Lovely. Using a combo of JKs and and picoted rings looks like a combo of flowers and buds.

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  3. Very pretty - I'm going to squeeze this in between projects - a short braid for a card ... thanks for sharing :-))))

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  4. Fascinating technique and your braid is beautiful in both versions. Thank you very much for the pattern!

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  5. Nice tutorial! I keep meaning to edge some of my tops with tatting. I guess I just haven't found a top worthy of the effort yet!

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  6. Fascinating really interesting, can’t wait to see it on your dress.
    Thank you for sharing your technique

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  7. This is great and I could see it used with red and green for a Christmas effect too!

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  8. Both leaf brides are beautiful, interesting pattern, thank you!

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