Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Accident Becomes Inspiration!

Are you a Mary Konior fan?  I am!  I'm the happy owner of her tatting books (Tatting, Tatting In Lace, Tatting Patterns, and Tatting With Visual Patterns) and would like to draw your attention to "Leaf Braid," found in Tatting With Visual Patterns (on page 18 in the 2002 softcover edition published by Lacis).  It's a one-shuttle lace; if you're not familiar with it, it's two rings, joined, reverse work, two rings, joined, reverse work, etc.  MK calls it "the easiest pattern in the book and probably the most useful."

In my previous post, I discussed working the Leaf Braid in size 40 Lizbeth "Grape Splash," and wondering how long a piece of lace 15 yards of thread would yield.  It's about 13" - but there's a *gotcha* - it's not a straight piece of lace!  It turns a corner!!


I'm bad about not paying strict attention to my tatting - I'll be tatting and chatting, or tatting and reading, or tatting while watching a movie (at home), which generally leads to frogging.  This was the case when I was working on the Leaf Braid the other night - I turned over my work to start a new set of rings, and found that I had only done the first of the two rings the last time I worked on that side of the braid.  The braid had a definite bend to it, due to the missing ring; this started me thinking - could this be the way to turn a corner on this edging?  I worked another single ring (the first of the set), then reversed to work the "outside" where I worked another set of two rings, joined.  I reversed it again - the bend was at a more noticeable angle.  I kept working.

Three single rings were needed to make a nice, square inside corner.  I turned just the one corner and kept going straight - so one side measures a bit over six inches, the other over seven inches.  I found I could get a nice, flat braid by leaving a bare thread space of about 1/8" when I reversed work; and a very small 1/16" bare thread space between the pair of joined rings.

I like to experiment in tatting - and what if  starts me off on a new adventure.  What if you tatted the Leaf Braid, with the corner variation, but just did all first rings of the set on one side?
Merry Christmas!!

Of course, I got all bead-happy - but it would look pretty with just the beads in the middle of the circles of rings.  I may make another, with just those - if I do, I'll post it so you can see it.  I used four yards of thread for this - didn't have to cut it from the shuttle, as I was finger-tatting the last ring!  Nine points works fine - it lays flat - but if you wanted ten, I think that would work as well.

15 comments:

  1. I lLOVE the wreath- beautiful! I think I know what's going to be on my Christmas gifts....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mary's Leaf Braid is my favorite way to use up left-over thread on shuttles! I have bits of leaf braid all over the house. : )

    I never thought about turning a corner with it, nor have I ever thought of turning it into a beaded wreath. Great ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is terrific, I've love both the wreath and the cornering idea for the leaf braid...perfect and beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm quite envious that you have 'the big four' of Mary's tatting books! At least I have "Visual Patterns"!

    Im always amazed to see tatted samples from Mary' Visual Patterns book because it's as though I'm seeing the patterns for the first time, even though I've looked through the book many, many times! Color threads often make her wonderful patterns look even more impressive! !

    And I'm SO impressed how your ideas evoloved here: turning a corner, then coming up with the FABULOUS wreath, which is EXCELLENT! Love it! Mary would be delighted! And I've got to start working with beads!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brilliant, I love leaf braid. I would love to try out your variations.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh such a pretty edging! :) And I love that wreath! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've found this a very useful pattern too. I used it on a mask! playing is so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, your experiments really yielded useful and attractive results. Don'tcha love it when an experiment comes together? Now I want to make a pretty wreath with beads and a handkerchief edging!

    Thanks for sharing the results of playing around with Mary's Leaf Braid.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love you happy mistake that lead to the lovely wreath........I have been practicing my shuttle tatting with the Leaf Braid pattern and Now I am inspired to try making a wreath....I might have questions.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love your brain! That's so cool!
    j

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ha ha .. I read John's comment and I thought it might be a typo error - 'brain' instead of 'braid'. Reading it again, I love your brain too, to be able to work out something like this. This is just lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Y'all are so kind! Glad you like my experiments. I'm still intrigued by all the amazing things Leaf Braid can do - hopefully I'll be able to post later today, and show you what else I've been working on!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I just want to say thank you for giving details on your tatting! I can't wait to try all the wonderful things I can make with the leaf braid pattern. I too love MK. Thanks for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete