#12 of 25 Motif Challenge

I thought this one was going to be much harder than it was! This is Plate 2, figure 9 from the D.M.C. Tatting by Therese de Dillmont which I've chosen to use for my 25 motif challenge.

The idea is to take the original instructions and tat them, updating with new techniques when possible. I also like to show some potential variations and use elements we have today that were not widely available back then, like the beautiful variegated threads and a huge assortment of beads and other embellishments.

Remember scallops? They are rings that are not completely closed. This edging starts off with a series of scallops, 4-6-4 ds.

Originally, I thought I could come back from the end of the row for the second row but my 2nd shuttle thread was at the beginning, so I still had to end off and start with 2 shuttles for the second row. This is mostly chain work with rings thrown off the chains but Dillmont only refers to right and left hand shuttle in the instructions.

It tatted up really fast!

Here's the stitch count for the second row.

It was suggested to crochet the header and then tat onto it, but since the single crochet goes OVER the bare thread space, that won't work with this one. The instructions said to single crochet 3 over the bare thread, then chain 5, then single crochet 3 over the next bare thread and continue on that way. The chain 5 was too much and created a loop so I shortened it to chain 3 which seemed to work out well. Then you chain 4 to turn and double crochet after skipping one stitch below. As with the last header, you chain 1, skip 1 stitch, double crochet in the next and continue with this the length. I blocked the tatting part but have not done anything with it since I crocheted the header on.

This was such an easy tat that I had time to tat a crown for Barbie with 2 strands of DMC copper metallic floss. My first thought when I tatted the original was of a crown.

So...I'm almost halfway through the challenge! I will complete the challenge before I finish the publication but I'll probably go ahead and tat the rest of the publication just because I want to follow through with it. But then again, I might be sick of it by then!