The Good The Bad and The Ugly

 #10 Motif Challenge

 Here is one of  Martha Ess's hearts, using  Jane's blip-less join.

This is THE GOOD.

Now comes THE BAD, accompanied by its evil twin, THE UGLY.

 Delusions of Designing

I began a pattern from this book, and quickly became bored with it. so thought I would change it into something else.  You can clearly see what happened!  Not a good idea, especially since the original, "Coppelia," is such a lovely pattern.

I suppose I am just not in the mood for doilies.

I think I am hankering for another hanky... Did I just write that!

But, you will understand if you go and see Frivole's gorgeous "Iris" border. Even if you are not interested in the border, go and visit the blog.  It is a great read, and she has some of her patterns to download there as well.

Here is, happily, more of  THE GOOD.

 

This is, of course, one of Mary Konior's more recognizable patterns - Queen of Hearts. In the past, I have had dyslexic drama galore because of all the chains that curve in opposite directions.  

Usually, I cannot get going on this pattern till about the fourth try.  Here I have done it in - get this - ONE!  I am shocked! Somewhere within the labyrinth of neurones, my brain has finally made a good connection.

Also, I hate to admit this, but I see that the pattern is a repeat of itself all around the entire heart!  Never did I realize this in all the billions - well dozens anyway - of times I have tatted this pattern.  Oh dear.

But, so that I do not get carried away by this success, I see that I tatted the initial ring with too many picots, so I have to start again anyway, just for another reason this time!

Forgivingly Blip-less

# Motif Challenge
Another beautiful Cluny pattern by Elisa

I do forgive Jane, for her effervescent encouragement for me to begin tatting another border, ONLY because I am so enchanted with her blipless-join technique!  It is amazing!  (The next motif I post will demonstrate this technique more clearly than this one, where I did not utilize it as much...)

I have always been perturbed by the colour blips, yet had no idea how to get rid of them completely. I think I hid them fairly well by tatting conscientiously at the join, but this trick just eliminates the whole frustrating problem.  I used it in this motif and am using it in a little heart I am tatting to use up that pink thread.

Afterthought: 

I forgot to say that the variegated thread is Lizbeth, #40, and the plain pink is Altin Basak, courtesy of my friend, Suneeti.

I have to confess that I really like this #40 Lizbeth, which does not do anything BAD as does all my other Lizbeth.  It is silky, smooth and a joy to use.

This pattern is on Elisadusud's blog and is pretty, isn't it?

A Done Deal

 #8 Motif Challenge

It was really difficult to photograph this well.  I cannot get the beads to sparkle, but they do!

Also, it was hard to iron; I cannot believe how delicate this cotton is.
It is much prettier in real life and I am surprised that it looks so flat on the monitor.

Now what am I going to do!  Oh no!

You Asked...

Wow - I botched this up!  Thought I would make it easy.  Right.  What I mean is that this join is good to attach completely separate parts of a design.  It is not useful for the picots between rings because there is usually no need for the double picot, which might just look bulky.  Maybe there would be a use in some design, but I'll wager not as often as the first use.  Am I clear?  Oh, to communicate!

Ahem - that would be "edging".... : ))