More Hearts for Kay

I've tatted a couple more hearts for Kay Foster. This will be the last I do on this project, but I hope lots of other people will contribute.

This is "Antique Rose Heart" from Martha Ess's book Tat's Amore.  The thread is "Coral Rose" by LadyShuttleMaker. I like the way Martha designed this pattern; although it's in several rounds, you never have to cut the threads thanks to split chains and a split ring. Since I was using HDT on a small floss bobbin, I was able to use the bobbin to tat the second half of the split ring, so I didn't even have to wind a second shuttle.

 Many will recognize this as Mary Konior's "Queen of Hearts", from Tatting with Visual Patterns. I used Krystledawne's "Vineyard at Dusk" HDT for the rings, and the matching "Twilight Grape" for the chains, and I really like the way it came out-- I think it has just the right amount of purple.

This is the first time I've ever made this pattern; I was always afraid of getting lost in all the twists and turns. It turns out it's much simpler than it looks. It actually has a repeating motif, which was not immediately obvious to me at first glance. Just the joins and the length of the chains connecting the repeats change; the only part that's completely different is the ring on the bottom. As for the twists and turns, you just have to remember to do a shoelace trick at the beginning and end of each of those connecting chains between the repeats.

The "Vineyard at Dusk" HDT,

if you took the purple out, would look a lot like Squijum's eyes.

You have to look closely to see it in these photos, but he's got a bit of green around his pupils that just matches the light green in the thread.

Trying to get a cat to hold still so you can take a picture of his eyes...