Sunday, March 4, 2012

Help Me Out Here...


This is Karey Solomon's heart pattern, 
from her booklet, 'Hearts Belong To Tatting.'

I love Jess's thread and thought this would be a perfect heart. The centre went well, but I cannot , CANNOT tat those outer chains, by following the directions.  And I get hopelessly confused trying to tat it without the written words because of the directional changes.  Can't do them.

So, after a few hours I gave up and thought I'd plead for the answer. I am wondering if the pattern is incorrect. Anybody?  

It is a pretty heart that I would love to finish.

19 comments:

  1. I don't have the pattern, so I'm afraid I can't help you out. I do love Jess's thread, though!

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  2. Fox,
    I wish I could help you! It's quite pretty though...
    j

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  3. I am not as experienced a tatter as you, but for me it helps to work a similar pattern with directions that I find easier to follow and then come back to the one with which I struggled...in this case, perhaps koniors snake chains is similar enough to help?

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  4. I don't have the book, but comparing the two pictures I think you are as near to the pattern as you can be.

    Love to Gian

    Margaret

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  5. Fox,
    I have looked at the pictures you put up on the work you are frustrated with. Now I could be wrong but I don't think so. Your's is going just like the one you are trying to do. So relax, breath, put it down for a little while & keep going. IF I'm wrong it won't work. But IF I'm right you will be almost done with this round of the heart. I hope this turns out how you want it too & should be. Good luck! Positive thinking is being sent your way.

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  6. Fox,
    maybe You need back to this little ring at the top and start working in the other way? And, when You get to the ring at the bottom of the work, You just have to do everything in reverse order...
    I do not know if this is helpful?

    Marta

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  7. I don't have that pattern either, I'm afraid. Fat lot of good that is, right?! Thread looks lovely though......

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  8. That looks like a great heart to tat and would be so totally awesome in the color you are using!!! :) What you have is already gorgeous!! :)

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  9. I heard someone needed help. Sorry I do not have the pattern but it is a very pretty heart pattern.

    The outer chain reminds me of Mary Konior's Drunkard's Path in her book 'A Pattern Book of Tatting' on page 37. I think you need to do a lockstitch and turn after the shuttle join. Hope that helps a little.

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  10. Thanks, everyone! I sure appreciate your supportive comments. I have put this away for a few days... will try later and see what happens.. Fox : ))

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  11. HI Fox, i don't have the pattern either, but looking at what you have posted, it looks like maybe you should have joined to the picot when you changed shuttles to change the direction of curve.
    Also, the joining picots should be smaller on those bi-directional chains. so that when you join them, they snug right up to each other with no picot spaces showing.
    pretty threads and you beads look nice in the center.

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    Replies
    1. AHAA!!! Thank you , Ladytats! Your comment got through all the dyslexic chatter in my brain! I could not resist picking up the shuttles - even at this late hour. So, I cut off the old bit and started anew and I think I can do this now. A thousand thank yous!

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  12. I've got the pattern and I've given it a quick look. Ladytats is right on--your picots need to be short joining picots except for the decorative one that is the first picot of the chains that curve outward. You need to reverse work each time you do a shoelace tie. Look at Karey's photo going counterclockwise and it is easier to follow the instructions.

    I think there may be a problem in the pattern too, though I could be wrong. Inside the {} I think you need another 6-6-6+ chain after the 3-6+ chain.

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  13. I think that Karey skipped a line or 2 a little further down the line. I seem to remember that Karey also stuck all the joins at the beginning of the line instead of the end. I fudged the middle parts on each side.

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    1. Victats, Thanks! I am relieved to hear this as I did what Snowy suggested - write it out - and saw that the photo did not match the wording. So, back to the drawing board - literally! It is a neat pattern in spite of the difficulties.
      Fox : )

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  14. beatiful thread , and very nice tatting

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  15. Old post, but however when I am struggling with a pattern I do it in pen and paper first, read a bit then draw it as I understand it. This can help as you can re-draw so much faster than re-tatting. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Snowy... I actually did try this to no avail! I got mad and stomped away because I got more confused than ever! I just have to leave this till the proper 'mood' strikes, or I just get angry - not an appropriate emotional state for a tatter! Also, I do believe the pattern is incorrect and I will try to write it utilizing the photo as well next time.
      Fox : )

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