one is here

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Remember this? Well, the Summer 2020 IOLI issue has arrived and I am so excited to hold the magazine in my hand! The previous (Spring) issue is obviously lost, though editor-in-chief Prabha has generously assured me they will send in another copy. 

Hubby was so excited to see the article, co-authored by my prodding pardner, Anita Barry, that he has now urged me to reveal my real name and use/include it in future. So, meet Meenakshi Jain, popularly known in the tatting community as muskaan ;-)  Most correspondents already know my name and Georgia Seitz gave me one of the best compliments when I told her the meaning of this Sanskrit term,  'eyes shaped like a fish'. She said, I was 'meant to tat! Rings are often called oeillets and shuttle is called fish (because of it's shape) in certain languages.'

Back to the publication. It is the last article in the bulletin, and the only exclusively tatting article. But there are so many interesting articles to go through and the images have already inspired me to convert those laces into tatting patterns!

Bookmark adapted into a Mat - WIP

One of the distractions a couple of weeks back was test-tatting a bookmark pattern for Ruth Perry. I liked the central round rings made with balanced double stitches and decided to work it as a square mat instead. It is still a work in progress and can be worked in one pass - several magic pathways are possible! However, I ran out of threads and have shifted attention to completing the hanky edging.

In Anchor size 20, this is just over 7" long. The thread is probably 20 years old and considering the deceptively large amount used up in just this, it might be sufficient to complete the entire mat. Have some ideas in mind to introduce another colour...

This is a multi-purpose pattern. Work it as a single square motif or a beautiful bracelet with ribbon woven through the rings! Or with multiple rows, as a mat! 

Download Bookmark-8-2020 pattern here. She has several more patterns, including a beautiful new Celtic Knot Tatted Square, that I am resisting for now.

Usha's motifs

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PLEASE NOTE : The sequence of posts has altered when I was updating my posts yesterday, causing my newest post in the Cluny tatting series - hitch the loom - to mover 2 posts down, in case you were wondering or missed it. Blame it on Blooper's (err Blogger's) whimsies.

  

For the last few days I’ve been tatting up a mini-storm of Blossoms Motifs while working on the numerous pictorial presentations. A quick break was in order when Usha’s Split Ring triangle motif turned up.

The near-perfect circular rings attracted me in the first place. And circles that formed an equilateral triangle. It is certainly impressive to successfully convert such a shape into actual tatting.
Large rings - whether normal, split, or scmr - often close into a circle rather than teardrop.

In Lizbeth size 40, the sides measure 1½”.

Having mistakenly made a picot at the corner of the first ring, I repeated it for the other 2 corner rings.
In the pattern all rings are split rings. However, one can start the motif with a normal ring, and add new thread for the 2^nd ring and onwards.

I ended with a normal ring, sewing in the tails. But one Can hide tails in the last split ring without sewing.

Future Idea : It would be interesting to see this motif repeated as a magic pathway to form a larger lace fabric! And notice how one can form a diamond by removing 2 and adding 1 ring ?!

Many many months back, I had also attempted Usha's Fringed Petals motif but worked only the first 3 rounds. What I liked about this is how the clever designing of 3^rd round lifts the rings of the previous round, ending in a raised and curved textural effect! Notice how they are ‘normal’ in the 2^nd round (above pic), but suddenly acquire that 3D look when the next round is worked (pic below)?

However, the working was fiddly and I was not quite happy working through it. I would definitely like to see more of that curving effect, though !! 

My apologies for not completing the motif - I intended to, but never got around to it. I might some day when I find where it's run off to ;-D

This motif also uses long picots with CWJ (lp_cwj), notes for which I shared here and again in the beaded version here.

An enjoyable break, thanks Usha :-))) Now back to some more pictorials - I'm on a roll and want to make the most of it while I can (but can I beat my own record of 15 posts in Sept 2017?!). I hope you will be tolerant through it all :-D

retreading the path

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magic squares, doilies and magic/infinite pathways - common threads VI.

This post is an exploration to satisfy the researcher in me. There is no absolute right or wrong – it is my perspective or thought experiment. Fair warning - walk away while you have the chance; or stay to humour me? ;-P A new thread in Craftree inspired me to retread the path.

So yes, the pathways in this earlier post were all just that – pathways – a sequence of working and joining motifs continuously without having to tie and cut after every motif. And for this we can use bridging elements or tweak the design to allow us access to next motif.

The magic pathways moved straight along column/row or moved in a concentric spiral. Therein lies one of the major difference with the magic square.

Ia.  Magic Square

I explained the magic square concept in my 2014 post here. All the magic squares till then had been based on the original Ann Orr triangular corner design. Someone found that one could work continuously from one triangle to the next to create an ever-increasing square – hence the term ‘magic square’.

Last year new interest was generated with the incredible series of new magic square patterns that Robin has spawned, including the reverse/inverted squares. She adapted an existing square into a magic square by ‘breaking’ the square into triangles for a workable continuum. 

She shared her deconstruction of the concept and process in detail, inspiring others to join in with their own magic squares (eg., Jane McLellan and Ninetta Caruso). These also followed the original style of working and the original triangular pathway.

Thus the magic square, characteristically, is made of repeatable square motifs that work as “…building blocks…” (Robin) and follow a diagonal path (triangulation) resulting in as large a square as one desires. The square will get “…opened out just by turning the direction of tatting” (Grace Tan), not by the application of bridging elements.

Ib.  Open-ended Motif or Transitioning Elements in Magic Square

There is one aspect that needs to be highlighted before I begin the next segment – the slight ‘asymmetry’ of each motif within the fabric. While working, one corner remains ‘open-ended’/different in order to change direction and continue to next segment. 

For instance, in the old magic square motifs, while 3 corners have chains, the 4th corner is made with rings in order to continue to the next section. Only the final fabric will have all 4 corners completed/identical (chains, in this case).  

Similarly the new squares needed some slight adaptation to transition into a continuous working path as in Konior's original square motif, and the Onion Ring magic squares.  

The reason this happens is clarified in Robin’s own words : You start with a formula (triangular pathway for magic square, or up and down columns for the table runner) and make the design work for that path. A one round square can be redesigned into a magic square, and now I’ve found a bookmark can be redesigned into a table runner.

(Notice that the bookmark is essentially a rectangle. It doesn't strictly adhere to the magic square definition since it follows the straight column/row magic pathway, and well, it is not a square to begin with). 

These transitioning elements are not merely functional, but visually appealing and create lovely patterns to break the monotony.

TIP : Incidentally, Jane’s magic square can be worked as a magic pathway, with each motif intact. Robin’s 2^nd Onion Ring magic square can also work along a magic pathway with complete & symmetrical motifs because of the single outward ring which can be worked as a split ring. Clearly, a ring in the corner is an asset!

IIa.  Magic or Infinite Pathways 

During my Quatrefoil polygons, I discovered other pathways which would allow the tessellation to continue uninterrupted and create large fabrics in the same shape as the original motif. Thus I could trace paths for a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon; and recently the Fortuna Square, by climbing out/in using split rings.

With so many shapes, Magic ‘Square’ seemed like a limiting term to me, hence I used the term Magic Pathways - there is magic in figuring out an infinite route :-)

At the end of the day, though, it is just continuous or one-pass tatting which can go on forever (hence Robin uses the term ‘Infinite Pathways’). During the writing/researching of this post and some recent discoveries, perhaps ‘Infinite Pathways’ is a better term than Magic Pathways. Yet I’d like to spell it out …

IIb.  Rationale for the term Magic Pathways : 

When we have shapes other than a square as a building block; use bridging techniques (climbing out/climbing in); and follow paths other than along the diagonal, then I like to call this one-pass or continuous tatting a “Magic” Pathway, because ….

1. it creates an immediate association to the essence of a magic square – that a large fabric can be worked continuously from the same repeatable pattern

2. it is magical that a simple substitution (eg. 2nd shuttle instead of ball, split ring/chain instead of regular ring/chain, perhaps simply switching shuttles, etc.) can allow us to tat infinitely

3. the straight/zigzag and/or spiral pathway is not limited to a square – depending on the pattern of the motif any geometrical shape/polygon can be tessellated into a large lace fabric. eg. the quatrefoil triangle, pentagon, hexagon and Robin’s mat and hexagon from Dillmont’s triangle. 

  

4. it is magic to puzzle over and trace out a continuous sequence keeping the original motif intact - without changing, tweaking, or redesigning an original motif or creating any transitioning motif.

Future idea : 2 different motifs tessellated alternately/side-by-side through a magic pathway. Note that the transitioning part of the magic Squares tend to automatically create a different motif in the center of 4 motifs.

I hear you ask - If a magic pathway is simply one-pass tatting then wouldn’t a doily worked in one pass also qualify? Hmmm….

IIIa.  Is the magic pathway different from a One-pass doily?

We frequently use climbing out techniques (split rings, split chains) when working on a doily, even if not specifically designed. So if we can complete a multi-round doily in one pass, does it become a magic pathway? After all we are moving in a spiral pathway whether the doily is circular or angular.

I don’t have a clear-cut answer for this. But my guess is ‘not exactly’?

To me, part of the difference lies in tessellation : motif v/s medallion. Each row of a doily comprises of repeatable motifs while the magic pathway is for medallions that we use as motifs. Medallions are standalone complete designs, and the magic pathway allows us to join them continuously and repeatedly to create a large fabric in the same shape as the original medallion and the same pattern as the constituent.

Further, even if we use the same motif in All rounds, we may have to change the stitchcount to prevent cupping or ruffling especially in a round/oval doily. In magic pathways, there is absolutely no change in stitches.

Future idea : It will be interesting to convert a circular medallion into a magic pathway.

IIIb.  What about more elaborate one-pass doilies?

Remember these doilies that are specifically designed to be worked in one pass such as Iris Niebach's TIAS doily and tattingweed's Crinoline Doily?

These take a long serpentine and circuitous route through multiple ‘tiers’ with each repeat, to complete the tatting in one pass. German tatters such as Endrucks designed elaborate one-pass doilies. These do appear magical to even design, let alone tat! 

But these are logistically and practically limiting. Inevitably, there comes a full stop. It cannot go on or be tessellated infinitely. So while magical in itself, it does not conform to the above concept. Or perhaps it is a 'magic' pathway, but not an 'infinite' pathway !!!  

To conclude :

• Magic Squares and Magic/Infinite Pathways allow us to tessellate infinitely to form larger and larger lace fabric working continuously without snipping off.
• Almost any square medallion can be modified/redesigned into a magic square, but not all medallions will allow a magic/infinite pathway.
• In the magic square, one first selects the formulaic diagonal path and ‘fits’ a square medallion to tessellate infinitely; in magic pathway, one selects a polygonal medallion and then figures out a continuous pathway. 

I was amused to read Robin’s comment here. How far she's travelled, now leading the way :-) And only a few days back I rediscovered her Dillmont inspired mat & hexagon where she has already outlined the pathways that I spoke of during the Quatrefoil series and diagrammed in the Fortuna Square!

If you have, thanks for reading. It validates my effort ;-)

I invite you to share your views.

All paths lead to Tatting !

magic pathways for fortuna square

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On seeing the Fortuna Squares tessellated into a coaster/mat, I was asked whether it could be worked as a magic square. Always up for a challenge especially puzzling out a maze!

Yes, it can be worked continuously and infinitely using only split rings! You can make it as large as you want. And you can choose between two easy pathways, neither of them diagonal! Moreover, the square motif is completed before moving to the next one, making it easy to keep track.

 Magic Pathways for Fortuna Square

Pattern is Fortuna Square by Henna J Hwang for Tat a Brussels Monument in Pink.

The mat is tatted by Lotus and the picture is from her blog here.

   If you want a pdf download of this notated pic, please let me know
Disclaimer: Since I haven't actually tatted the lace fabric, despite spending hours mentally figuring it out, you might find a mistake or surprise - please do share your feedback with everybody. 

• Notice that the very first square (red) starts with 2 back to back inner rings and has a single SR to climb out.
• All subsequent squares will have 3 split rings and are basically worked like the 2^nd square (blue) .
• This numbering sequence (red/blue) follows directional (fs/bs) tatting where the inner rings are worked backside. I chose this because I find it easier to work & keep track of such patterns when worked clockwise. Note that here the motif itself is worked clockwise.
• The numbers in orange & yellow are for traditional tatting. Notice that tatting is counterclockwise for first motif and when we climb out, the next squares and pathway will follow suit.

But we need we need to decide which path to take after climbing out of the 1^st square.

Pathway #1 : Along a Straight Line (pink arrows)

This pathway is ideal for a large rectangle. 

Fig 1

Fig 2

We can continue upwards along a column/side to desired length, then move to the right, tat a square, and move down, joining to the motifs in the previous column. (Fig 1)

Eg. the red/blue numbering with backside rings in fs/bs tatting. 

Instead of up, if we work the 2^nd square to the left of the 1^st one and continue down this side, then we will be adding new motifs along a row. At the end of row, make a motif to the right and move back down the row. (Fig 2)

Eg. the orange/yellow numbering in traditional tatting.

Thus we can move up & down in columns and new motifs will be added to the right; or we can move across in rows and the fabric will increase downwards.

TWoT Notes : If the first square motif is worked in clockwise direction, then the column pathway will move from left to right. If it is worked in counterclockwise direction then the pathway will move from right to left.

Opposite is true for the row pathways.

And here’s an interesting observation : After completing one pair of columns/rows, we will need to switch the way we do the elements for the next pair of columns/rows. So if we started with shuttle1 as the dominant shuttle for 1st & 2nd columns/rows, when we turn back for the 3rd column/row, shuttle2 will become the default in next pair; and back to shuttle1 for next two .... 

Pathway #2 : Along a Spiral (green arrows)

This pathway is ideal for a large square.

Fig 3

Fig 4

Here we tat squares 1 & 2 (red/blue) as notated in the main image, then instead of moving along upwards, we move to the right to work the 3^rd square, and again to the right to work the 4^th square, joining back to 1^st square. We now have a larger square made with 4 motifs! (Fig 3)

Continue on to the right of 4^th motif and then around the four squares as shown in the grid. The next round will have 16 motifs, and this can continue infinitely in an ever-increasing spiral.

For the orange/yellow squares, the spiraling movement will be counterclockwise. (Fig 4)

TWoT Notes : If the first square motif is worked in clockwise direction, then the spiral will also move clockwise. If it is worked in counterclockwise direction then the pathway will move counterclockwise.

Here is a trial of the Quatrefoil Square magic pathway (scroll down to end of post) using this spiral method. 

Note that each individual square motif is worked in clockwise direction, and so the larger 4-square fabric also follows that clockwise spiral, starting from bottom right. 

Now the question arises - Are the above fabrics magic squares or simply pathways? I will discuss this in my next post, and after that there's an edging/necklace pattern that I'm working on.

till then, happy tatting always :-)

Related Posts :

Fortuna Square

Magic square series

TWoT

Quatrefoil series