Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Bracelet ideas and experimenting with spirals

Here are a few of my latest "experiments" with bracelet design. The design in the dark ecru I call "Beguile", and it seems to work okay as a bracelet. Or - is it an upside-down tiara?

I started with a strip of pearl tatting (size 20, Lizbeth cotton) and then embellished it. There are some split rings at the end, to make the bracelet adjustable. The tatted loop just fits over the bead. I'm hoping the bead at the end will hold it securely enough. Since this style needs to fit snugly, I'd rather not use anything that might poke the wearer.
The brightly colored bracelet is a similar design, "Bedeck", done in my own hand dyed thread, size 10 "Rhubarb Pie".

New books! They're not tatting books, but when I saw them, I thought I might get some ideas for tatting designs from them.

So, being all excited about spirals, I managed to tat one, climbed out of it with a chain, ring, chain - then I want to do another spiral. Problem! It looks like I will have to cut the thread to start another spiral from the center, then somehow work in the ends. Probably I should tat all the spirals as individual motifs, then add chains as a 2nd round. Or is there a better way? I sure hope so, LOL.
Anyway, the spirals have to wait. I need to get back to work at my dye batch, which this week is "Midnight Oil".

18 comments:

Marty said...

What neat bracelet ideas! I can just see the first one with a watch face instead of the brass ring -- there has to be a way to do that!

Gina said...

Oh Wow! When I saw the thumbnail on my update, I thought it was a tiara but it makes a gorgeous bracelet! And I love the way that spiral is going too. You'll work out something.

Walden said...

Lovely bracelets, they kind of look like mini tiaras.

Nima said...

OMG...that is an amazing piece of work....

LadyShuttleMaker aka MadMadPotter said...

Oh the bracelet is just GORGEOUS Marilee! Well done indeed.
It is funny, but I have been working on spirals too, I just haven't tatted anything I want to share yet (o:

Sally Kerson said...

The bracelets are unusual, elegant and very beautiful - its so amazing what you can create in tatting - thank you for sharing

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I LOVE your bracelets! I'm glad to see that your new books are not going to waste. I'm afraid I'd feel guilty about pushing books on you if they didn't give you inspiration!

tattrldy said...

LOVE the bracelets! Both look good and the bright one good enought to eat hehehe! I like Marty's idea about a watch instead of the brass ring - I like the brass ring, but I can see a watch there. Great job! And the spirals look good. Looking forward to seeing how you solve that little problem.

Umintsuru said...

I love these bracelets. Especially eager to see the finished bracelet with the spirals. What interesting and exciting use of tatting. Love your ideas. I hope you will share when your are done with the spiral bracelet. I am sure it is going to be exceptional.

Marilee Rockley said...

Thank you so much to everyone, for your wonderful, encouraging comments!

I like the watch idea! I will have to see if I can find some suitable watch faces somewhere.

The tiara idea is also worth looking into.

I need to do some more research about spirals, then I'll be able to do more with them and have more to share.

There are a lot of cool design ideas to be found in books! So many ideas, so little time...sigh...LOL.

Gunhild said...

Oh wunderful, I like your bracelets! A watchface inside, good idea, but might be very heavy....

Closure with beads might loosen, try this: one side normel carbiner, other side splitrings, like I did in my "blackrose", see my blog.
Yes sooo many ideas;-))
Happy tatting!

Marilee Rockley said...

Wow, more and more ideas - thank you! I'll keep busy for a long time :-)

Valerie said...

Bedeck is gorgeous! I love it!

The spiral idea you are working on seems fun to add to a bracelet too. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. :)

Carol Schockling Lawecki said...

Your bracelets are sooo cute!!! I really like how the spiral bracelet is turning out. Can't wait to see the finished project. What HDT color is the spiral bracelet? It is such a pretty color!!!!

Marilee Rockley said...

The spiral is shown in a HDT that I called "Vibrato". I do plan to get around to dyeing another batch of it someday. Thanks for the show of enthusiasm!

Singtatter said...

Wow, what great bracelet design! With classic colours, it sure looks elegant to wear on formal occassion.

Martha said...

Karey Solomon's Tatting Times August 2007 issue has a spiral that is tatted from the outside in. You could ask her if she has back issues or if it is OK for me to scan & send that pattern.

I love the understated colors of the ecru bracelet

Marilee Rockley said...

Wow, a spiral from the outside in? I'll have to check that out. Thank you, Martha, for letting me know about this.