Tag: colors

The Creative Corner · Vintage Needlework

Two-tone tatting patterns

VintageJenny
Leaf and flower tatted in two colors. Bright pink and bright blue give contrast to the design of the lace.
Imagine this leaf and flower decorating a Twenties costume

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?

The Creative Corner · Vintage Needlework

Tatting with Two Colors

VintageJenny
A tatted leaf and flower in tatting. Both are created with vibrant blue and pink threads.
Effective use of color in tatting

Most of the time beginning tatters start with one thread color. For one thing, a single ball of thread is cheaper than two. Especially if someone embarks on a new hobby unsure if they will like it. As you can see above, however, tatting with two colors can be quite effective. Today I will give you patterns for several two-color designs.

Today many tatters incorporate color into their work. During the Twenties, however, almost all tatting was white –– or at least one solid color. That’s why the designs above caught my eye. They appeared in the September 1927 edition of Needlecraft Magazine.

You can see the influence of the 1920s in the leaf and the flower. These would look magnificent fastened onto a Twenties cloche or other style of hat as decoration. The leaves alone would bring a lively look to a Twenties outfit, marching in a vertical row down one side of a dress or jacket. If you pull the spoke stitches very tight, the flower should lie flat. (You may need to subtract a stitch from each spoke, however.) If you leave the spokes the tiniest bit loose, your tatting will cup like a flower. Your choice. Even in the original illustration the spokes did not lie completely straight.

Because a couple of these patterns are rather lengthy, I’ll present two this time and two in a later post.

You will need

For all these tatting with two colors patterns you will need two balls of thread in any colors. High contrast colors like the pink and blue I used work better, but if you want a subtle effect white and lavender, light blue, light green, or light pink would work too.

I tatted all these in size 20 thread. Use whatever size you enjoy working with, or the size that will best fit your final project.

I also used two shuttles, one filled with each color of thread, but you can use a shuttle and ball if you prefer. The most effective (and easiest) way of tatting with two colors is to use one color for chains and the other for rings.

A simple edging

Simple tatted edging of bright pink rings and bright blue chains in a straight line.
The simplest of edgings looks great in two colors

This edging is simple enough for any beginning tatter who knows how to make rings and chains.

  1. Make a ring of (3 ds, picot) three times, 3 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
  2. Chain of 3 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 3 ds. Reverse work.
  3. Ring of 3 ds, join to last picot of previous ring, (3 ds, picot) twice, 3 ds, close ring.
  4. Repeat from Step 2.

This makes a nice edging for handkerchiefs done in a fine thread, or anything else small that needs a trim.

Two rows of bright pizzazz

Deeper tatted edging in two colors. Most of the edging is bright blue. A bottom scalloped edging is formed of bright pink rings.
The original called for all rings to be the second color but it took away from the overall effect.

You never know when you will need a good scallop pattern. This one makes neat, orderly scallops to trim something special. It’s made in two rows. Originally the instructions said to make all rings the second color, but that broke up the color concentration in the scallops. So instead I completed the first row and attached the ball thread to my blue-thread shuttle for the second row. Then I made the rings with the shuttle and the chains with the ball.

Row 1

  1. Make a ring of 4 ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) three times, 3 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
  2. Chain of 6 ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) twice, 6 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 6 ds. Reverse work.
  3. Ring of 3 ds, join to last picot of preceding ring, 2 ds, join to next picot, (3 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot) twice, 3 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
  4. Chain of 3 ds. Reverse work.
  5. Ring like Step 3, joining first two picots to last two picots of preceding ring. Reverse work.
  6. Chain of 3 ds. Reverse work.
  7. Repeat Step 5.
  8. Repeat Step 6.
  9. Repeat Step 5.
  10. Repeat Step 6.
  11. Repeat Step 5. (Six total rings made so far.)
  12. Chain of 6 ds, join to last two picots of preceding long chain, 6 ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) twice, 6 ds. Reverse work.
  13. Ring of 4 ds, join to last picot of preceding ring, 2 ds, join to next picot of preceding ring, (2 ds, picot) twice, 4 ds, close.
  14. Repeat Step 2.
  15. Ring of 3 ds, join the first two picots to last two of preceding ring, 3 ds, join to picots 3 and 4 of last large ring, 3 ds, picot, 2 ds, picot, 3 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
  16. Repeat from Step 4 for the length required.

Row 2

Either use one color for the chains and the other for the rings as before, or tie on your ball thread and use that color for rings and chains for this row.

  1. Make a ring of 5 ds, picot, 5 ds, join to first of 3 picots at top of long chain, (2 ds, join to next picot) twice, 5 ds, picot, 5 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
  2. Chain of 5 ds, picot, 5 ds, picot, (2 ds, picot) twice, 5 ds. Reverse work.
  3. Ring of 5 ds, join to last picot of previous ring, 5 ds, join to chain picot, (2 ds, join to next picot) twice, 5 ds, picot, 5 ds, close ring. Reverse work.
  4. Repeat from Step 2 across.

Use them!

Need a thin narrow band and don’t have ribbon? Use tatting in two colors! Tat the first pattern in two colors for a great replacement. Looking for something a bit thicker? Make the first pattern twice, either connecting ring to ring or chain to chain. This creates two entirely different looks.

I’ll present the patterns for the leaf and flower in a later post. To explore other possible patterns that would look good in two colors, check out this post on Tatting with Rings and Chains.