Two-tone tatting patterns

Recently I wrote about two color tatting. You can find that post here. This time I will give the patterns for the flower and the leaf above. These two-tone tatting patterns were designed with color in mind.

Compared to the other two patterns these are much more difficult. You tat both of them in one round. In one way that’s nice because you don’t have to worry about a Round 2. On the other, however, you can see this means lots of twisting and turning in completing that round. This is not a pattern to complete in front of the television set, especially the leaf. The flower tats relatively repetitively once you get started.

As I mentioned last time, this pattern dates from September, 1927. I can’t imagine trying to complete this while chatting with a front porch friend. Actually, I don’t have to imagine it –– I attempted to begin the flower while chatting with another tatter and it took everything I had to follow the pattern and the conversation at the same time.

You may notice that the lines from the hexagon center seem wiggly. That’s because they are. In order to get this to lay flat you are either going to have to pull those center chains really tight, or remove 1 ds from both sides of each spoke. Or maybe both. I ended up with a cupped flower, which suits my needs exactly. I want to use this to decorate a Twenties style hat.

Without further ado, the patterns:

Hexagon/Flower two-tone tatting pattern

Fill two shuttles with two separate colors. Your rings will be one color and the chains another: thus, two-tone tatting patterns.

1. Make a ring of (3 ds, picot) three times, 3 ds, close. The middle picot should be a bit longer than the others. Reverse work.
2. Chain of (2 ds, picot) nine times, 2 ds. Reverse work.
3. Ring of 3 ds, join to last picot of previous ring, 3 ds, join to center picot of previous ring, 3 ds, picot, 3 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
4. Chain of (2 ds, picot) seven times, 2 ds. Reverse work.
5. Repeat Step 3.
6. Another chain like Step 2.
7. Ring of 3 ds, join to last picot of previous ring, 3 ds, join to center picot, 3 ds, join to first picot of first ring, 3 ds, close ring. This completes one compact group of four rings along the outside. Reverse work.
8. Chain of 5 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 9 ds. Reverse work.
9. Ring of 3 ds, picot, 3 ds, long picot (you will be attaching five more rings here), 3 ds, picot, 3 ds close ring. Reverse work.
10. Chain of 9 ds, join to last picot of long chain just made, 2 ds, join to next picot, 5 ds.
11. Ring like Step 1.
12. Chain of 2 ds, p, 2 ds, join to 8th picot of third long chain in preceding scallop, (2 ds, p) seven times, 2 ds.
13. Repeat from Step 3 around. When you get to the last long chain of the sixth scallop, join the 2nd picot to the 8th picot of the previous scallop as before. Also join the 8th picot to the 2nd picot of the first long chain to make a hexagon. In addition, join the last picot of the sixth center ring to the first picot of the first ring. Tie securely and hide ends.

This hexagon can be used for doilies, borders, or used as a single motif.

The Leaf

Everyone needs a good tatted leaf motif. Right? Especially if you are reconstructing vintage clothing or articles.

Two shuttles filled with two colors, as before. I knotted the ends to begin and then worked all the ends in later. This pattern begins with the top of the two rings on the far side.

1. Make a ring of 5 ds, (picot, 2 ds, picot, 7 ds) twice, picot, 2 ds, picot 5 ds, close. Reverse work.
2. Chain of 3 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 5 ds. Reverse work.
3. Ring of 4 ds, join to last picot of previous ring, 2 ds, join, (5 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot) twice, 4 ds, close ring. Do not reverse work.
4. Chain of 3 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 3 ds. Reverse work.
5. Ring of 5 ds, join to first picot of first chain made, 2 ds, join, (5 ds, picot) twice, 2 ds, picot, 5 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
6. Chain of 3 ds. Reverse work.
7. Ring of 5 ds, join to picot of second chain made, 2 ds, join to chain, (5 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot) twice, 5 ds close. Reverse work.
8. Chain of 3 ds. Reverse work.
9. Ring of 5 ds, join to last picot on ring to the side, 2 ds, join to next picot, (5 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot) twice, 5 ds, close, Reverse work.
10. Repeat Steps 8 and 9 until you have two more rings on each side. Do not reverse work.
11. After the last ring make a chain of 3 ds, (picot, 2 ds) three times. Reverse work.
12. Make a tiny ring of 3 ds, join to the side of the ring at the left, 3 ds, close. Reverse work.
13. Chain of 1 ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) 4 times, 1 ds. Reverse work.
14. Tiny ring of 3 ds, join to top of same ring, 3 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
15. Chain like Step 13 with 5 picots. Reverse work.
16. Tiny ring like Step 14 joining to next ring. Reverse work.
17. Repeat Steps 15 and 16 twice. (You should have 5 tiny rings total at this point.)
18. Chain of ds, picot, (2ds, picot) three times, 1 ds. Reverse work.
19. Tiny ring as before, joined to top of same ring as last ring. Reverse work.
20. Chain of 5 picots like Step 13. Reverse work.
21. Tiny ring joining to top of next ring. Reverse work.
22. Chain of 5 picots like Step 13. Reverse work.
23. Tiny ring joining to side of current ring. Reverse work.
24. Chain of 6 picots as before (add one more 2 ds, picot to make 6). Join to the top of the third ring you made (next in line as you progress around the leaf). Do NOT make a tiny ring to join. Then chain ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) twice, ds. Reverse work.
25. Tiny ring as before (3 ds, join, 3 ds) joining to the top of the next ring. Reverse work.
26. Chain of ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) twice, ds. Reverse work.
27. Tiny ring joining to top of next ring. Reverse work.
28. Chain of 6 picots. Reverse work.
29. Tiny ring joining to top of next ring. Reverse work.
30. Chain of ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) twice, ds. Reverse work.
31. Tiny ring joined to side of current ring.
32. Chain of 4 ds, join to 2nd picot of chain with which you started. Then for the leaf stem chain 6 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 12 ds, join to last picot made, 2 ds, join to next picot, 6 ds, join to picot where stem started, and fasten off.

As you can see this is a rather long set of instructions. Once you begin and get the rhythm you will be able to check every now and then to ensure you’re on the right track, stopping to count every couple rings or chains to make sure you’re in the right place.

How will you use them?

What uses can you imagine for these two pieces? Do you prefer them in two colors, or one?