Leap day wishing for Peace

 

Peace symbol in wire wrapping + tatting

Wishing for peace everywhere to everyone. ☮ 

The wire frame before tatting is described on my previous post.

For the center tatting I used 2 multicolored threads plus a green thread, in the encapsulation technique (unflipped double stitches over a multiple thread core). I have a short video on that here, but for this project I kept the flowers small, only 1 "petal" each.

The tiny "flowers" are Josephine rings tatted using the same half stitch repeated, along with an occasional normal ring.

I used only 2 threads, normal tatting in green for the "vine" around the edge. 8 Victorian sets of 2/2 between each Josephine ring. I usually use about 9 half stitches for each ring. 

For the outside edge I generally used the modified soumak weave with 28 gauge wire, changing to simple coiling when the base wires overlapped. I arranged the tatted "vine" around the edge and caught it in the wire occasionally. Some 2mm beads were also included for added texture.

 

This was quite a challenging project for me! More difficult than the usual wire-wrapped + tatting pendants that I've made before, because of the smaller spaces to work the wire into and trying to keep the symbol clear enough to be recognizable. But, I'm happy to have one done that I can wear, and to get more ideas from!

Sea green Victory and beginning a peace symbol

 

Done! This "Victory" necklace in my own hand dyed sea green (the darker color) and Lizbeth number 686 Seagreen Lt. My finished necklace is listed in my Etsy shop here and the pattern is there.

Something I learned is to measure the round beads! Just because it says "6mm" on the package doesn't mean that the beads actually measure 6mm! The quartzite stone beads were a little larger, which explains why the tatted ring around the focal bead at lower center didn't quite fit, and it took less beads to make the neck cord the correct length.

So then, I came up with earrings to match, sort of. The last join on these is a rather tricky folded join, but otherwise they're fairly simple. I might write this up as a free pattern someday.

The earrings in progress

_______________________________________________________

New experiment combining tatting and wire-wrapping is in progress! 

I'm trying to make a peace symbol, the iconic 1960s peace symbol, out of wire and adding tatted "flowers" on it in a way similar to my other wire with tatting pendants. We will soon see if this works! 

To form the wire shape I followed the DIY Peace Sign Earrings video demonstration by Heather Boyd Wire on YouTube. Changes I made include continuing the wire up over the top (to form a bail later) and I added a 2nd circle of wire around the outside to make a doubled edge, which makes a wider border and will keep the tatting facing front.

My concern is to keep the peace symbol recognizable while being covered with the tatted "flowers". A work in progress....

Dragon and flower and towels and more

 

It was fun making this dragon bookmark designed by GaliciaBee! Her bobbin lace patterns are beginner friendly and are an excellent way to learn basic bobbin lace techniques.

Because I still need step-by-step guidance with bobbin lace, I also purchased GaliciaBee's Dragon 1 Video Course and followed her demonstration while making my dragon. 

Wow, wow, wow!!! I love the tatted flower pattern "Broosh Karen" from FairyLace. I chose colors that remind me of springtime for my brooch. It's a challenging pattern for advanced tatters. This project certainly provides plenty of practice with using a picot gauge. 

These colorful tea towels (aka bar mops, artsy rags) were all woven from the same warp. Finished after 2 years on the loom, since I don't weave very often.

An example showing 2 different brands of thread that were both labeled "size 10". Yes, both in the same pattern (my own "Duchess" necklace from "Boutique Tatting". The green was Hakelgarn brand, the black is Lizbeth. Well, fortunately the pattern still works with the larger thread, though I replaced the 2mm beads with large hole rondelles.

Finished a bracelet from my own "Heart Aglow" pattern in hand dyed thread. This item has been listed for sale in my Etsy shop here.