Sunday, February 25, 2007

Needle Tatting: Clover Leaf Heart

Motif #3 of 25 Motif Challenge
Today I started working on another needle tatting motif! I saw this heart in the Handy Hands Catalog it's called "Clover Leaf Heart" by Mrs. J.M. Blackman Published in 1917 the pattern is also in their newsletter Volume 11 Issue 1.
There are a lot of mistakes in this heart! But since I am a beginner I guess that's to be expected. I did see myself improving as I progressed with the pattern(starting on the right and working around to the left). I added close-ups of some spots that are messed up looking. It's like they got twisted...I'm not sure what went wrong but I know I was getting confused at those times so I may have twisted it around wrong or something. I also had never done the clover leaf before so that was very new to me. I noticed that my stitches were kinda loose so I started making sure they were nice and tight and that seemed to help too. I know I'm using the correct needle and thread so that is not the problem. I'm wondering if I'm not tugging the chains tight enough or am I tugging them too tight?
I'm going to try this pattern again and see if I can make it better. Wouldn't it make the most loveliest necklace? LOL I'm a necklace/pendant girl all the way! I'll use this messed up one on some Crazy Quilting since you add beads and embroidery on it anyway and it still looks nice even if it's not perfect.

I still have that needle tatting class coming up on March 2nd...so what I'm going to do if it is needle and not shuttle and if I have learned what the class was going to offer, I'll just try doing a pattern instead so that I can learn to read them and I can ask any questions I have...it's really frustrating to have questions that you can't just ask someone and show the work and pattern to them.

4 comments:

Jane Eborall said...

I've been watching your progress over the days and you are doing SO well. Time to take to the shuttle now! If you want more patterns then have a look at my site http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~nickeb/ Do contact me if you need help. Jane on a beautiful day in the UK.

Sarah and Jack said...

What mistakes! Your heart is lovely.

Melissa said...

Thank you Jane! I will soon be learning shuttle tatting! I'm taking things one at a time though! LOL

And Sarah and Jack, thank you as well it's mostly the upper right corner of the heart that is messed up since that is were I began at...there are some twisted chains and oddities that I can't quite put my finger on what went wrong. BUT I'm going to try it again and see if the problems disappear.

Mamapooki said...

Wonderful tatting Melissa, I needle tat also, and I love the heart pendant. I haven't did much tatting lately, I've been knitting with a KAL for dishcloths. I may add a finishing touch to them by tatting a lacy border.