Saturday, July 6, 2013

New Russian Book and a Ring Question (Motif #23)

 Well, it makes sense that, living in Russia like I do, I might pick up a few Russian language tatting books...

 What doesn't make sense is that I would buy them on eBay and have them shipped to our address in the States to have them sent on to Russia...which is the story of the new book I got this past week!

 Even though this is a Russian publication, it's not available to buy in Russia! I had to order it from the Ukraine! :)
I really wanted it for the vest on the front, but I thought I'd try out some of the smaller motifs first. :)
Motif #23!
 If you haven't seen a Russian tatting book before, the patterns are...different (and in this case, if you look at the actual stitch/picot count in the picture wrong!) Вот (look):
к means ring, д means chain, п means picot...and rings 1.1 and 1.3 need two more picots than the pattern calls for! :)
 I was glancing through the book and noticed patterns calling for split rings and other types of two-color tatting I've avoided over the years...

 I only had a little more blue thread on a shuttle so I decided to practice until it was gone, and ended up making a funny little house and a decent string of split rings...


Here's a question that's been bothering me a bit since I started with the shuttle:

When you are finishing a ring (split or otherwise) do you pull the shuttle thread out on top of the inside thread?

Or do you drop the shuttle down through the ring before pulling it tight?
 Or does it matter? :)

15 comments:

  1. Dropping the shuttle through is called something like "posting the shuttle". There are many who do it claiming that it looks nicer. It's also supposed to make untatting, dis-tat-ifying says my husband, easier. I don't "post the shuttle" and am happy with my work.
    I
    Aughed aloud at the story of your book purchase! The patterns must be frustrating but they look beautiful!

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    1. Yes, it will be a fun challenge to see what I can make of it...one of the funniest things about the book...some of the larger projects shown don't actually have patterns! Thanks for the info on the "posting." I was told to do it by the person who taught me the shuttle last year, but nobody on the Internet really talks about it. Sounds like I can do it if I want, or not. Yay choices. :)

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  2. I bought that book recently and was disappointed at the quality of the finished pieces in it. Think I spotted several knots left showing.
    To answer the split ring question. It doesn't honestly matter, I don't think but I do tend to do the 'posting' thing as I've acquired the habit now. Sort of 'old dog, new tricks' thing for me!!!

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    1. Both of the Russian books I have seem to be disappointingly lower in quality of finished work than I would have expected. If nothing else, they are a visual reminder of why blocking is important! I think I have been posting until now because that is how I was taught. since it doesn't seem to make a difference, I think I will continue as I have begun. :)

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  3. In front side / backside tatting, if you post the shuttle on the back side, the thread will be in position in a better way when you reverse and tat f/s. Make sense? I don't do it!
    Fox : )




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    1. You mentioned frontside/backside tatting in your post today, and I'm still not 100% sure what it is, but I will look it up! Thanks for pointing me toward another new tatting concept! I love learning! :) Also, I'm glad to know I'm making life easier for myself in at least one small way! :)

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    2. Kristen, do you follow InTatters?

      http://www.intatters.com/forum.php

      There are lots of discussions about fs/bs and lots and lots of other interesting subjects, all related to tatting. A wealth of info there.
      Fox : ))

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    3. I would say I have dabbled in InTatters, but haven't even begun to scratch the surface! What an excellent suggestion, though! Thanks! :)

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  4. They have all answered the question but I don't see it makes any difference I just pull the thread that runs to close to ring.
    Margaret

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    1. Yes, I have been playing around with it the last couple days and don't really think it matters-I guess I will just pick one way and stick with it! :)

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  5. Some people think dropping the shuttle through the ring improves the look of the tatting and makes undoing the tatting easier. I've tried it and I think it makes the lace look worse and I've never had difficulty undoing my tatting as it is. I think it's a useless step that just confuses new tatters. Many little tips and tricks that get suggested are mostly just the personal preferences of individual tatters and are not necessarily helpful, easier, or better. They're just different. The BEST thing you can do, is try it, see if you like it, or find it useful and then decide for yourself whether you want to do it or not.

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    1. Sound advice, thanks Sharon! I still haven't figured out un-tatting from the shuttle--it doesn't seem as easy as it is off the needle...something I'm sure ill have to deal with as I continue! :)

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  6. Replies
    1. Thanks! This shuttle thing is definitely a work in progress! :)

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  7. There are very nice single shuttle split ring demonstrations on you tube and two of them don't post it and fun to watch on your own time and you can stop and start them to follow along too.

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