These last two crosses done for mom are more of my favorite patterns to date. [Of course, I have many patterns I haven't tried yet . . . ] The first one is Mary Konior's Large Cross, from her Tatting with Visual Patterns book.
I used size 30 threads for this one, because as the pattern name states, it is LARGE when done with size 20 thread. [It takes up darn near the whole page of a 6 x 8 book!] I used a cream color for the chains and white for the rings. I love the shape of this one, but I can really see some problems with my tension in the chains. It's even worse looking at this picture! Nevertheless, it's still the one that grabs me first out of the 5 crosses I made.
The second one is Julie Patterson's Hearts and Flowers Cross, done with white size 20 thread. This is the very first cross pattern I made, and I still love it. I have an oops in the center that I couldn't quite figure out even how I made, but overall it's OK. Again, the picture seems to look worse than the actual bookmark. This is when I REALLY admire those tatters that post perfect pictures of perfect work.
While I was looking for cross patterns, I came across an old Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine (Christmas Ornaments) I have kept since 1992. Wow, 20 years. That is about when I took a community ed class to learn how to tat, but then there was never a group or store or lessons anywhere after that. I could make rings and chains, but that was about it. Couldn't read a pattern, but I kept the magazine for "someday" when I learned. There seemed to be very few tatting patterns available at that time.
In any case, I still need to make the cross from that magazine now that I've found it again, but I decided to make the simple tail shown on that one. Simply long strands of thread looped onto the tatting, and then braided to however long desired.
Knot the end, leave a little tassel and ta-da! Quite simple, but I liked doing something a little different with the tail.
I think it's back to some burlap sewing now. This time will be for ME. And I really want to add a tatted motif somewhere on whatever it is I come up with :) THAT will give me a whole new reason to tat motifs - especially ones with beads!
They are both beautiful
ReplyDeleteMargaret
There are so many beautiful cross patterns! I have yet to tat Mary Konior's Large Cross. I guess I've been put off by the name. Maybe I should just bit the bullet and tat it in a finer thread!
ReplyDeleteGreat crosses and I love the tail and tassel!! :)
ReplyDeleteThe cross with the braided tail in the 1992 magazine was designed by none other than Mary McCarthy, who is an active member of the Shuttlebirds in Spokane, has been a teacher at their annual tatting event, and was the editor of a tatting newsletter called 'Knots' back in the 1990s, before the iternet arrived I only knew of her through the many attractive patterns she had published in several magazines in the '90s, and I made several of her patterns in my early days of tatting. I still tat her famous butterfly from the Workbasket. I only recently discovered her association with Shuttlebirds, and am glad to know she continues to be active in the tatting community!
ReplyDeleteWow! You are so good, Kathy! You must have this magazine too ;) This is a very pretty cross pattern - now I have to find that Workbasket butterfly . . .
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