Renulek Wiosna 2015 Row 7

Sulky  Blendables 12wt  is not a forgiving thread. Oh it tats up fine, its the retrotatting that I am getting frustrated with. 

I have been using this doily tatalong as practice, practice of some new techniques and how I am holding my thread.  I like to hold the pinch with my thumb and middle finger and the tension is regulated with the index finger but I find I can tat faster the traditional way but I drop the shuttle or don't flip so I have had to undo and redo stitches.  But it is nice to make something that I am not feeling the pressure on and perhaps I will have something at the end. 

The pattern can be found on Renulek's site, her spring doily of 2015. I believe a new row goes up every Friday.  You can tat along or save for future use. There are a few of us over at Craftree who are doing this.

Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki 8/2007 Huge Doily tat-along Row 9

Row 9 is completed and the doily/tablecloth is now at the edges of a single foam board. I can put four of these together to block as the doily grows.  I gave it a very very light spray at this row and pressed with my fingers. I have marked the edges with colored paperclips so I know where the "bows" or next elements will be placed. 

I believe I need to work with two shuttles now so I have cut off the ball. 

I will not be tatting as much for a few weeks as the office is busy and there are more late nights to work. :( 

Tatting over tails and SSSR

Only another tatter would know what the title means.  It is when we hide our thread ends by encapsulating them within the double stitches alongside the core thread.  It is a very useful technique to learn and practice.  This pattern calls for the five ringed flower to be placed between the two elements on the previous row.  Here is how I solved this problem.

Using only one shuttle, start a ring, after you complete the first ds, fold the tail thread back over to the core thread and tat over the tail for the next  five stitches, this is the shorter green thread. 

Then  I tatted the next three rings, joining to the previous round rings two and three. Tat the fourth ring.  Now complete the fifth ring using SSSR technique but when you are putting the thread over the ring also put it over the first ring tatted, the one with the hanging  thread and all the rings are now together.  Clip the thread and you are done. 

For a more detail on SSSR please visit Jane Eborall's pages shown below.

Single Shuttle Split Ring 

Single Shuttle with Join