July Mystery Motif

A couple of days ago I got this delicious fabric postcard from Bonnie Peters. I wish my dieting were that easy! I've had such a busy week that I've not gone to the gym the last two nights and had better get cracking if I'm going to make it yet today. On top of that, I've spent nearly all of today, so far, tatting...and eating cookies. I don't normally have cookies in the house. I'm rarely prompted to buy them so they aren't around to tempt me but Monday I happened to stop in a place that had pecan sandies on sale so I bought a package. I was going to take them to work yesterday but after 3 trips to the car with various loads yesterday morning, they got left behind. I finally opened them last night. MISTAKE! I just put the rest in a container and put them in the cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind. And they aren't even as good as I remembered! What a waste of calories!

Jeff's package is sealed up and waiting to go to the post office tomorrow. I started the mystery motif last night (late) and got one done and the other this morning and then blocked both. I was getting ready to rewrite them in modern notation when I decided to tat another one with the new text and see if it was right. I still need to do the second one but then they will be all ready to post on the 15th.

I've also been tatting part of the online lesson for July and have that all written up, just need to proof my writing. These have been much more fun than I expected. I realized today that I'm spending every spare moment tatting...not a bad thing but I have other things I need to get done too over the next few weeks. For one thing, I want to get the bridal hanky done. Everything else (tatted) can wait at this point. I'm also having a garage sale with friends at the end of the month so I have to get stuff ready asap. That means I'm going to stay off the computer as much as possible this weekend.

As before, once you tat the mystery motif, if you'd like to know if it's right, just shoot me an email with a scan and I'll let you know. I know it's kind of a pain not to be able to post it until the 15th but if you do, it takes the mystery out of it. I'm not sure if that's a big deal to anyone or not, but for this month, we'll keep it that way.

July Mystery Motif

This is an item that was commonly used nearly a century ago but could also be used today. Even when you finish it, you might not know what it is. There are 2 versions and since they are short, I’ve included both.

The instructions say to use size 20 ecru but a coarser thread may be used too. I used a shuttle and ball for the first one and since I’d filled my shuttle, I had plenty of thread for the second one and wound part of it on a second shuttle. It’s mostly chain work, so keep that in mind. I’ll provide a few tips when it appears to be helpful since you won’t have a photo to refer to. It might be helpful to read through the instructions to look for ways to substitute with modern techniques before actually tatting.

No. 1

Make a ring of 1 double knot, picot, (2 double knots, picot, 6 double knots, picot) 3 times, 2 double knots, picot, 5 double knots, close. (NOTE: it does not say whether to drag the thread over to the picot or to cut and tie and start a new round.)

Join to next picot ( NOTE: the picots are in pairs and you will be joining to the 2nd picot shortly so make sure you are going in the direction that will allow you to join to the very next immediate picot, not the one that is 6 stitches away)

Chain of 5 double knots, picot, 5 double knots, join to same picot, join to next picot, chain of 5 double knots, join to picot at top of preceding loop, 5 double knots, join to picot where last chain started, 4 double knots, picot, 4 double knots; repeat around, joining last chain to 1st picot.

(NOTE: The instructions do not say to cut and tie but at this point, you either have to cut and tie, since you are starting a new round, or if you know how to make a split chain, you might want to do something different with that last chain of the previous round.)

Join to picot of chain, chain of 5 double knots, picot, 5 double knots, join to picot at top of petal of 4 chains, 5 double knots, picot, 5 double knots; repeat around, joining last chain to picot where 1st started.

(NOTE: Again, you have to cut and tie at this point OR…think about a split chain again)

Join [thread] to picot of chain, make a chain of 7 double knots, picot, (5 double knots, picot) 13 times, or as required for length of cord wanted, turn, (5 double knots, join to picot opposite) 13 times, 7 double knots, join to picot of next chain of medallion and fasten off.

Attach a tassel to the picot between 2 chains. [at bottom of medallion].


No. 2

Make a ring of 1 double knot, picot, (2 double knots, picot) 5 times, 1 double knot, close. (NOTE: no indication of whether to cut and tie but there are 6 picots total and the next step joins in the last picot)

Join thread to last picot, * chain of 6 double knots, picot, 6 double knots, join to same picot, 6 double knots, join to picot of last chain, 6 double knots, join to next picot of ring, 2 double knots, join to next picot of ring; repeat from * around, joining last chain of 2 double knots where 1st chain started. (NOTE: tie and cut to start next round)

Join thread to top of petal, * a chain of (7 double knots, picot) twice, 6 double knots, join to chain between petals (NOTE: a picot to join in might have been nice here), 6 double knots, join to last picot made, 7 double knots, picot, 7 double knots, join to top of next petal, repeat once from *, chain of 7 double knots, picot, 13 double knots, join between petals, 13 double knots, picot, 7 double knots, join to top of 1st petal; fasten off. (NOTE: another potential split chain)

Join threads to picot of preceding chain, make a chain of 10 double knots, picot, *3 double knots, picot, repeat to desired length for cord, turn, 3 double knots, join to picot opposite, and again repeat the length, ending with 10 double knots, join to picot of next chain; fasten off.

Make a tassel and attach to top of petal opposite the cord.