Split Ring Join, Karey Solomon Threads & Bjorn Snowflake

A little note on Square Elegance:  I made it so that you end the last round with a trefoil.  In practice, when I make it, I start with a trefoil and end on a chain so that I can hide ends in the last chain (as many of you know: I HATE sewing ends in!).  I was going to write the pattern like that but I realised that for many people it could be off-putting as you do have to fiddle about to get the last chain done with the last join on a small picot and two stitches after that.   Anyway, I wanted people to know that you can end on a chain with this motif if this is a method you like to use to be able to hide ends in the last chain.

Also, I had put a P.S. at the top of my previous post for those who have the Papillon pattern and needed help on how to do the join on the second half of the split ring at the end - here it is again:  the video on how to do this.

If you click on the YouTube logo in the bottom

right-hand corner, you can go over to YouTube

to watch it with a bigger picture and where

you can adjust the quality for

a better definition as well.

A very kind tatting friend who was going to Palmetto Tat Days generously offered to buy some of Karey Solomon's threads for me.  I've said that before, but I'm going to say it again:  tatting people are the best!  Well,  I just received my little package and I just had to show you a picture because they are soooo beautiful!  I only wish they were easier to get a hold of!

And I can even say the picture doesn't do them justice.

The colours are even prettier IRL.

(For some reason there's too much blue in this picture)

I really like how unique her threads are, the colour changes are different to most other HDTs.... though Jess! of Tat-ilicious has also produced the lovely Messy-Jess!y which appeals to me with its subtler colour changes too.

The problem was, I just couldn't decide what to tat with them or even which one to use first.  So here is a pitiful bit of tatting just to give you an idea of what it tats up like.  Hopefully I'll find the right pattern for these lovely threads and show you something better soon.

Just one "hedgehog" from Mary Konior's book

which is in fact a reproduction of an old Lady Hoare pattern.

I thought that was too disappointing as the only tatting to show you so tonight I set to and tatted a pattern I'd been meaning to do for a looong time.  The first time I saw this on my cybertravels, I went straight off and bought the book.  Then I never made it!  So recently, I saw it again and I got the book back out and finally tatted it.  It's the third snowflake from the book "24 Snowflakes in Tatting" by Lene Bjorn.

But now I find there's too much contrast between the red and the silver.  I would re-do it in different colours.  I do like the shape of the outer petals very much though and the "fluffy" centre is interesting and original.

Best wishes,