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We've all heard of writer's block. Well, this month I had "designer's block". I'd planned on creating a Christmas-y design and just couldn't get my mind around it. So I went back to my favorite form of tatting and designed a snowflake. I love the old way of tatting and the old uses for it.
Another motivation I had for doing a snowflake is that I intend to use this design as the center of a new doily I want to design. I will add a new row each month until it's done!
This snowflake was tatted with size 30 DMC Cebelia thread.
This is an intermediate-level 1-shuttle pattern using simple rings and chains.
Printable pattern (210K. Opens a new window.)
Patterns are available for download as a PDF file and are readable by using Adobe Reader. Download Adobe Reader free.
Instructions:
| ds | double stitch | R | ring |
| Ch | chain | j | join |
| p | picot | lj | lock join |
| lp | long picot | sl | shoelace trick |
You will need:
Tatting thread in your choice of color, size 20 or 30
1 tatting shuttle
Round 1
Clover leaf (use this same clover leaf throughout--will be abbreviated as CL
R: (3ds p) 5 times 3ds, close
R: 3ds j to last p of previous R, 5ds p 1ds p 1ds p 5ds p 3ds, close
R: 3ds j to last p of previous R, (3ds p) 4 times 3ds close, turn
Ch: 5ds p (3ds p) 4 times, 5ds, turn
R: 3ds j to 2nd p of previous R, 5ds p 1ds p 1ds p 5ds p 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 5ds p (3ds p) 4 times, 5ds, turn
CL, joining 4th p of first R in CL to last p of previous R
Repeat until you have 5 repetitions of the pattern, making sure you j to the appropriate p on the first CL once you've reached the last repetition. Cut and tie.
Round 2
*R: 3ds p 3ds j to center p of chain on previous round 3ds p 3ds, close, turn
Ch: (3ds p) 3 times, 3ds, sl, do not turn
CL, do not turn
Ch: (3ds p) 3 times, 3ds, turn*
Repeat between * around.
Cut and tie.
Steam and starch the snowflake so that it's flat. This particular pattern has a tendency to twist if you use the shoelace trick. If you'd like to avoid the twisting, just use two shuttles instead.
Copyright 2005 by Nancy Tracy, All Rights Reserved.
