Bookmarks, Part 1

Here's the finished Chinese Coin Bookmark, designed by the lovely and talented Jon Yusoff.

It's done in Lizbeth color 122, Caribbean. I love this thread- it's got all my favorite colors in it. The main body of the bookmark is size 20; the lock-stitch chain and single motif are in size 40. I've never understood why, if you make the same motif in a thread half the size, the motif is not half the size. In this case, the single motif is 3cm across, and each section of the bookmark is 3.5cm. Curious.

I think I need to borrow Jane's brain cell #3. She, of course, uses it to create her ingenious patterns and invent new tatting techniques. I need it just to follow a pattern. I kept having to re-open rings because I apparently can't count to 4. And remember where I left off last time I showed this bookmark? I worked two more sections of it, and then had to cut ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHERE I WAS BEFORE because I had forgotten to join every single one of the chains. Can you see where I joined on the new threads? Jon's diagram is perfectly clear and easy to read. I just didn't pay attention.

Using a leftover scrap of thread, I made Lady Shuttle Maker's Treble Clef. And when I say leftover scrap, I mean that I had to finger-tat the whole thing, and I had to convert the final ring to a split ring or I wouldn't have had enough thread to finish the ends. This was my first folded ring ever.

A couple of notes for anyone who wants to try this pattern. After you make ring C, in addition to switching shuttles you also need to bring both threads around to the bottom of the preceding chain. I found it worked well to bring one thread in front and the other behind, like an alligator join. Also, if you do front side/ back side tatting you will need to start the first ring on the back side in order to end up with a forward-facing treble clef. Once I figured all that out, this turned out to be a fun little pattern to make. I'll definitely be doing more. I think maybe I see a pair of earrings in the future.

And finally, you may remember I said I'm planning to make bookmarks for some of the people who've helped me out since I got sick.

This is the start of the next one. It's another of Jon's patterns, Bookmark With Overlapping Chains.