Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Atomic Tatting and more Chainmaille

Look! I'm posting again, and it hasn't been a week since my last post. I actually planned on posting on Sunday, but it was late when I finished tatting, and didn't deal with the ends in time to get a decent photo. I've also been working on my tie, and am just about ready to start the next page of diagrams. I also realized I am getting close to running out of thread. I am close to running out of thread on one of the shuttles, so I divided up the remaining thread on the ball between two Ez-bobs (for any Canadians wanting Ez-bobs, BeadFX carries them though they call them "No Tangle Bobbins") and counted 28 yards left. I may need to order another ball, though I'll have to try and remember who I bought the thread from. There is a Lot # on the back of the circular card from the ball and I should see if I can get it matched. I knew I should have bought two balls. C'est la vie. On to the tatting!

Hopefully from the title you can tell what I've been tatting. If you can't, then a picture should help:


This is the Tatted Atom from Yarnplayer's book Up and Tat 'Em. This pattern is the reason I wanted the book. There are plenty of other pretty patterns in the book, but this was the one I knew about. It also has some guy friendly potential, if the beads used were plain, which is plus for me. This one was made with my mom in mind so I used Lizbeth size 20 thread in colour #633 Dark Purple with a clear faceted Swarovski crystal bead in the centre (the nucleus) and simple silver toned beads for the electrons. The actual tatting was pretty easy. What made it a bit difficult was that at the midpoint of the pattern, six shuttles were in use, and they all tangle. You also have to weave the chains (the "orbits") over and under each other in a certain way, which I hope I did right. All in all, it was a pretty quick motif to tat, and it kept my attention (another plus). I do plan on tatting it again.

Now I have a few chainmaille pieces I want to show you. I showed you the sample of dragonscale in my last post, and Gina mentioned how the sample would look as a pendant. I've been thinking about that all weekend, and yesterday I sat down and made another sample. A sample with a purpose; I give you my Dragonscale pendant:



As you can see, I've added some smaller rings to the sides to help the weave hold together. I found during my testing-I wore the pendant for a while instead of my regular chain-that the large rings at the top and bottom tended to separate enough for the smaller rings come out of alignment. But the rings I added to the sides seem to help, at least my further testing shows they stay in place. In case you are wondering, the pendant is made out of bright aluminum and bronze. Hopefully I'll get it in my shop soon, but no promises.

I think that's going to be it for tonight. I do have another chainmaille piece to show, but it's getting late, and I'm tired. Even if I don't get any tatting done for the rest of the week, I can still write another post. Till next time.

13 comments:

  1. Well done! (Can I be adopted?) *grins*

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  2. Your pendant looks lovely and I love the beads you have used.
    I like the chainmialle looks good as a pendant. something different should sell well in your store.
    Margaret

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  3. All of your work is so beautiful. Six shuttles for the tatted pendant - that is a lot!!

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  4. I really want that book - I have Marilee's other book 'Tatting Boutique' which is nice, but need to get my tatty little hands on the Up and Tat 'Em

    The chainmaille is nice - I know you call it dragon scale, but it also reminds me of honeycomb

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  5. Kocham frywolitki, ale tym razem zachwycił mnie łańcuszkowy wisior. Rewelacyjny pomysł!

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  6. Hooray! I adore the dragonscale pendant. It would be neat to see a sort of upside down triangle of this maille that attaches to the cord all across the top edge. Does that make any sense? I see it in my head but I don't know if/how it would work!

    Great projects.

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  7. Wow, oh wow!!! Congratulations on completing the atom! It looks great in those colors and you did a fantastic job of tatting. I'm happy to hear someone say it was "pretty easy". Yes, the 6 shuttles is what makes it tricky to deal with, but it's the woven orbits that give it the "atom" look.

    I'm glad to hear a guy tatter call it "guy friendly" - that gets me thinking about what other things could be designed more along that line.

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  8. Thanks everyone. I'm glad you like both pendants.

    Isdihara, you'll probably need to get in line. There's a few people ahead of you!

    If you like Marilee's first book Lily, you'll probably like the second one. You're right, I see a honeycomb pattern too.

    Thank you Woalka. I'm glad you like the pendant.

    I think I know what you mean JQ. I'll have to look into that idea.

    Marilee: I did find it pretty easy. And I do believe it has some "guy friendly" potential. Of course I look for that in all patterns.

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    www.jewellerybijou.com

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  10. I'm a Tatter & just recently got the chainmaille 'bug' due to costuming a High School Production of 'She Kills Monsters'. I learned how to create faux armor from EVA Foam, found a chainmaille belt at thrift store, altered it to add to the faux armor... became fascinated on the spot! I want to explore more now! Please God give me more time!

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