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| 1st side with Alligator Join |
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| 1st side with modified Alligator Join |
But, then I ran into issues with the joins. On one side, considering the direction the threads were going, it seemed logical to do an "Alligator Join", which resulted in a smooth curve around the central beaded ring. But, when I reached the other side, my only option there was a Lock Join, which breaks the curve. The 2 sides don't match - that's unacceptable!
I experimented some more, and discovered that a regular Lock Join at the 1st side just looks messy. So then I tried doing the 1st half of an Alligator Join, followed by the 2nd half of a double stitch unflipped, to lock the curve. The 2nd photo shows how this makes the 1st join look more like a regular Lock Join, while keeping the tatting going in the direction that I want for the design.
Well, I've now re-read this post and it all sounds very tedious! Maybe I'll go back to tatting it in 2 halves, after all.
However you work it, the colour is glorious!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Fox :)
ReplyDeleteThe color is actually Lizbeth #131 "Vineyard Harvest", which looks very similar to my hand dyed "Tourmaline" batch. Not sure if I will bother making Tourmaline HDT anymore when the Lizbeth color looks so close.
I think it looks good with the modified Alligator and the idea of doing it in one continuous round is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI would have never guessed this is vineyard harvest, I have some and it looks so different to me, though I love the color, it seems different in your piece. I absolutely love your piece here, and think it really is incredible, and the beads are such a perfect match it is like they were made specific for this .
ReplyDeleteI thought for sure this was your tourmaline HDT! I just ran out of my supply.
ReplyDeleteHowever you plan it and then try it will look gorgeous, sometime the easy way is not always the best. I think you are getting there by way of tatting it in one piece.
ReplyDeleteMargaret5
I appreciate all the research you (and others) do in your search for perfectionism! I admit I'm not 'up' on a lot of the different techniques, but I sure learn a lot by reading your blog! Great post!
ReplyDeleteI thought the thread looked like Vineyard Harvest, one of my favorites. It looks excellent on your design! You can at least 'practice' with it!
Thank you all very much. I think I will write the pattern up as tatting the center in 2 parts, since it's easier to explain, and to join that very long beaded picot.
ReplyDeleteYep, writing patterns involves many, many hours of seeming to accomplish nothing:
tatting, re-tatting, photo-taking, discovering I did it wrong after looking at the photos...sigh. And I can't even show most of what I'm doing, because it's for a "mystery" collection...to be revealed sometime in the future...possibly....
The process of discovering it probably was tedious with all that trial and error, but now that you know how I don't think it will be tedious at all. Just an alligator join, unflipped half stitch, and keep going. That sounds way better than more ends to hide!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bri, Tourmaline does look different from Vineyard Harvest in real life. Yours has more pink, and the Lizbeth has more purple.
I like your creation 'motif'
ReplyDeleteand the thread very beautiful