Thoughts on Tatting

I have found several new tatting contacts and friends through the 25 Motif Challenge blog, and found that I had quite a bit in common with Kristen, who has been working on block tatting and rose motifs.  (She also had trouble with a size 80 Lizbeth thread breaking every time she closed a ring.....GRRR!  But I'm off topic...)  So, Kristen, here are my recent pieces using these elements.

This Marguerite motif went blotto on me, so I ended up cutting off the outer petals and stuffing it away to retry later.  I tried a new block method IN the motif--should have practiced on its own before sticking it in the work.  BOO!

Here's a little practice piece (left) using Jane Eborall's block method.  It was easier than the method in the Marguerite book, but again, DON'T try something new in the middle of the work!


On the right, my completed bookmark using the rose and pearl stem from my last post, attached to a gorgeous heart motif I found online by Tina Neudorf.

Another example below (Motif 8 for challenge):

I truly love the cream and red version of the Rose Heart, because to me this heart is the epitome of Victorian elegance, and the cream color is very Victorian to me.  Above, right, this partially complete motif from Anne Orr's No.13 tatting publication circa 1918 also speaks of a bygone era.  The actual publication date is unknown in the sources I checked.  This motif is worked in size 40 Lizbeth, while the Rose Heart is worked in size 8 perle cotton (left) and Red perle cotton and size 40 Lizbeth for the green (bookmark above).  I increased the stitch count in the green to make up for the size difference in the thread.

Kristen, as you can see, I fell in love with the rose motif too!