Almost Celtic, sort of

 

I couldn't find my shamrock, so I wore this - and received a compliment! This is one of my free patterns called "Vision Necklace" which you can find on my free patterns page here: https://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/p/my-free-patterns.html

You'll find shamrock patterns there, too!

An Irish Blessing ♥

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

The shamrock and green heart

I still need to follow the illustration of the Celtic knot from Celtic Tatting Knots and Patterns by Rozella F. Linden every time I tat one of these shamrocks! Actually, I do it backwards from the illustration, using the paper clip end to weave the knot so that a Celtic shuttle isn't required. 
This particular shamrock pattern is mine, and you can find it here.

These green heart earrings are based on the "Sweetheart" pattern in Boutique Tatting, but I altered it. I'm always experimenting! Instead of 2 shuttles, I used 1 shuttle and ball, and when I reached the bottom, I lock joined, tatted the ring, and lock joined again. At the top, I substituted lock stitches for the Josephine chain.

After the tatting was finished, I wire wrapped an emerald green Swarovski teardrop, connecting it to the bottom ring while wrapping. I also made the earwires.

Not much tatting lately, since I've been busy with my cello music. Often choir music contains parts for several instruments in the score, but seldom for cello. The choir director gave me a trombone part, but after hearing it we both agreed that the cello is definitely NOT a trombone ☺ 

So, what I'm doing is transposing the "C" instrument part (usually intended for flute or violin) down an octave into bass clef for cello. I have music software, which helps, but I still have to do it note by note. Naturally, I'm putting my name in as "arranger" underneath the composer's name on my printed sheet music (I'm the only one who'll ever see those pages, anyway). ☺

Forest and shamrock

 The "Forest" batch is done and in my shop! I tatted a shamrock from it. Celtic knot center in the shamrock was inspired by the book "Celtic Tatting Knots and Patterns" by Rozella F. Linden. I still need the instructions in her wonderful book to figure out how to weave that Celtic knot! The rest of the shamrock is my design from 2009.

The Tatting Days in Indiana is approaching fast! I've been notified that the classes I'm teaching are filled, but there are many other teachers with a variety of tatting projects and techniques. So, if you're planning to head over to the Tatting Corner, the event runs November 6 through 8. I'll be there all day on November 7, and the morning of November 8. Maybe I'll see you there!

Shamrocks in many shades of green

Tatted in a variety of threads, using the Celtic knot from Rozella F. Linden's book Celtic Tatting Knots and Patterns, but this particular shamrock idea is my own. This shamrock pattern is written out on a previous post in my blog, but you'll need the aforementioned book for the instructions on how to weave the Celtic knot.

I'm so glad that March is finally here! Am looking forward to spring, but no signs of it here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin yet, we are buried deep in snow.

Now that I've finished writing up the "Fairest" collar and bracelet pattern, and finished a bunch of shamrocks, I can get back to hand dyeing thread. And, looking forward to March 11, the 2nd meeting of the Greater Milwaukee Tatting Guild!

St. Patrick's Day Treasury

My tatted shamrock was chosen by ILoveYoYo for her St. Patrick's Day treasury on Etsy! This is the celtic knot shamrock that was inspired by the wonderful patterns designed by Rozella Linden. Check them out!

Here is an Irish blessing for you:

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Celtic knot shamrock

What I did was follow the well-illustrated celtic knot instructions from the book "Celtic Tatting" by Rozella Linden, adding a "stem". Then I added a 2nd round of rings and chains to form the shamrock, starting at the top. I used an "alligator join" at the stem, continued around, and finished with a short Lock Stitch chain and a ring for hanging. Actually, it ends up that the celtic knot isn't exactly centered, but I think it looks pretty anyway.

Ruth Perry has graciously provided the link to shamrock patterns from the Tatting Pattern Calender. You'll see other shamrocks there that use the celtic knot center.

Here is my basic Celtic Knot Shamrock pattern:

Rnd 1: Ch (18-2-2-) 3X, 18. Weave celtic knot, LJ to start. Ch 6 or so for stem. R 10, hiding ends.

Rnd 2: R 4+4 (to center p of the top). RW, Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2. LJ to next p of center. Ch 5, LJ to next p.
Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2. RW. R 4+4 (to next p of center). RW. Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2. LJ to next p of center.
Ch 6. Alligator join around stem. Ch 6.
Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2. RW. R 4+4 (to next p of center). RW. Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2. LJ to next p of center.
Ch 5, LJ to next p.
Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2. LJ to start of rnd 2. Lock stitch chain of 4 or so, then top R 6, j to finding, 6, hiding ends.
A variation I thought of but didn't tat would be to make it into a lucky 4 leaf clover by omitting the stem and using a 4th leaf there instead - I think the celtic knot would stay centered then, and the motif could be tilted by putting the hanging chain between leaves instead of at the top.


To be a shamrock though, I think it should have 3 leaves.

Anyway, the thread I used was size 20 for a shamrock about 1 and 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) across. The color used in the top one was "Celery", which I know I need to make more of. I also tatted one in "Forest" and one of the new "HH Lizbeth" colors from Handy Hands, varying the beads for different looks.

My beaded shamrock (from last year)

For this pattern as pdf click here.

Abbreviations:
beg. beginning
bp bead picot
ch chain
cl close
cm centimeter
CTM continuous thread method
ds double stitch
j join mm millimeter
p picot
R ring sb seed bead
sh shuttle
/ separates stitches on each side of split ring, or sets of rickrack tatting
ZZ zigzag, or rickrack tatting of victorian set stitches (first half of ds repeated a number of times, followed by second half repeated a number of times, completing one set)

Supplies:
Size 20 crochet cotton
12 size 8 seed beads
1 size 8mm round bead
42 size 11 seed beads
2 tatting shuttles

String the 42 size 11 seed beads and 3 of the size 8 seed beads onto the crochet cotton. Wind 2 shuttles CTM with the 42 beads on sh 2 and the 3 larger seed beads on sh 1.

Note: All joins in this pattern are shuttle joins made with sh 1. The large picots must be able to hold 3 size 8 seed beads when closed.

Begin with an open end ch.
Ch 7. R using sh 2 of 10, large p (about 18mm open), 10, cl.
Ch 7. J large 8mm bead by slipping it onto the open end of chain, pull sh 1 through the open end and cl.
R with sh 2 of 10, large p , 10, cl. Ch 7. R with sh 2 of 10, large p, 10, cl. Ch 7. J to beginning.
Ch 9, j to base of r.
*Ch (3, bp) 7 times, ch 3. J to large p, placing 3 size 8 seed beads on the p before j.
Ch (3, bp) 7 times, ch 3. J to base of same r. Ch 9. Rep. from * for a total of 3 “leaves”. J to beg.
(Stem) ZZ ch 2 sets of 4/4. R 7, p, bp of 3 size 8 seed beads, p, 7, cl. ZZ ch 2 sets of 4/4. J to beg.