Celtic Angel Copyright 2008 Ruth Perry

This angel design is a variation of a machine lace piece that someone showed me last year.

Earring using Balanced Double Stitch and long woven picots
Copyright 2008 Ruth Perry

This could be tatted with any size large bead in the center, just adjust the number of stitches and picots to fit around the ring. This ring has 39 BDS and makes a nice circle. Notice how well it holds the shape without bunching, ruffeling, or twisting! Also notice how I have woven the long picots over and under each other. I used the little case that floss threaders come in as a picot gauge, and Altin Basak thread in peachy pink. The teal blue seed beads and purple E beads contrast nicely with the thread.

Ring (3BDS VLP 3BDS VLP 3BDS VLP 3BDS + 3BDS + 3BDS + 3BDS VLP 3BDS VLP 3BDS VLP 3BDS + 3BDS + 3BDS + 3BDS)

Beads:
Tie a square knot in the two thread ends and put them both through a size E bead, then both of through a seed bead, one from each side, then string 12 seed beads on one thread, and pull the other thread through them from the opposite side, then both threads back down through the E bead. Pull both threads snug so the beads form a circle, and tie them in a square knot.

One thread will go over one side of the ring and the other thread under the ring. Next, string enough beads to go through the middle of the ring on both threads. Next take one thread over and the other thread under the ring again on the opposite side from before, then both through another E bead. And then, one thread through 3 seed beads from one side and the other thread through from the other side, then both back through the E bead, and back through the beads in the center of the ring.

Tie a square knot in both threads at the beginning of the ring, and hide them in the tatting, then cut the thread ends off close to the ring. Put this on an earring finding, or on a chain for a pendant.

Oh, what to do with left over thread? This "Southern Belle" starts with the ring in the center of the skirt. Now, how did I do the rest of this piece? Later. I need to leave to go teach my tatting class now.

The Belle of the ball! Copyright 2008 Ruth Perry

Celtic Tatted Daffodil copyright 2006 Ruth Perry

Click Here! to view the Easter Patterns from the tat-calendar.

Ruth's 2008 Celtic Cross - copyright 2008 Ruth Perry
Click the link above to go to the instructions on the tat-calendar site.

Dragon's Eye Pendants Copyright 2007 Ruth Perry

These patterns will be in Sarah's book, The King and the Dragon

Shamrocks: http://tinyurl.com/3cnr9d

Hugs,
Ruth

Easter Egg with Block Tatted Ric Rac Copyright 2008 Ruth Perry

I just love the variegated thread I bought at Zig Zag corner on Wednesday!!!!
It is Anchor size 20 in Spring colors.

Tatted RicRac Copyright 2008 Ruth Perry

Block Tatted Ric Rac
Copyright 2008 Ruth Perry
One tatting shuttle and ball CTM, any color of thread
This is patterned after a “Ripple” crocheted afgan, which has the mountains and valleys seen in ric rac.
Row 1
Begin with a 10 ds Zig Zag Chain alternate 10 normal stitches, then 10 direct tatted (rds), 10 ds, 10 direct tatted (rds) to desired length.
Chain 10 ds , 10 rds , 10 ds , 10 rds, repeat to desired length . There should be picots at each turn as usually done with Zig Zag chain.
Row 2
Depending upon if you decide to end on an “UP” section or a “DOWN” section you will tat the next row of either all ds or all direct tatted reverse ds. In this sample I ended on an “UP” section that is tatted with direct stitches. Make a picot, then continue tatting direct stitches.
D Chain ( - 9 – 1 + 1 + 9 + 1 – 1 + )
That is, the picot to turn for the second row, 9 direct stitches, a picot, one stitch (necessary to make the picot), join to the picot of the first row.
I used a dental tool to open up a picot to join into when the picot there wasn’t big enough to get to.
Next I tatted one direct stitch, then joined into the previous picot of this row, then 9 stitches. Next join into the picot at the top of the “mountain”, 1 stitch, necessary to make the join, and then a picot and the stitch necessary to make the picot. Next join back into the picot at the top of the mountain, then 9 stitches.
Repeat this pattern of going up and down the mountains. With two joins at the top, and two joins at the bottom to make the turns. It takes practice to make the turns look graceful.
Row 3
In this sample I began and ended on an “UP” section. To turn and tat the next row, just make a normal ds, picot, then continue this row:
chain (9 ds – 1 + 1 + 9 + 1 – 1 + 9)
Do the joining at the valleys and mountains as in the second row. Repeat to desired length, and as many rows as you wish, just alternate normal tatting on one row, and direct stitches on the next.