Just Like the White Winged Dove

From now on, I will only tat abstract motifs with meaningless names, using thread colors that also have very boring names.

Not really, of course, but I am getting kind of sick of getting songs stuck in my head based on what I'm tatting. Does this happen to anyone else?

The white winged dove in question is Jane Eborall's.

I think this is one of Jane's prettiest patterns, and they were fun to make. If you look closely, you will see that I have stuck with my policy of not making two identical items for the sale, although it is harder to do this when realism limits the color choices. The top dove uses Miyuki Delica seed beads with a "silk luster" finish, in linen color, and Lizbeth Dark Evergreen for the olive branch. The bottom one uses Miyuki Delica "Ceylon" seed beads in pearl white, and Lizbeth Christmas Green for the branch. Both use Lizbeth White as the main thread, with 3mm round black beads for the eyes.

I made up my own thing for the olive branches. For each dove, I made the branch first, and as I was tatting the dove's beak, I made an alligator join over the stem of the branch. The branches are thus directly attached to the doves and have no risk of becoming separated.

There is one thing to note if you decide to make this pattern. I don't know about anyone else, but I never read a pattern all the way through before I start it. Therefore, I didn't realize when I started the first one that, except where Jane specifies "vsp", all picots will carry a bead when joined-- not just the long beaded picots, but the normal picots too. Until I figured this out, I made my first few picots a bit small, so getting the beads on them with enough room for the join was a little tricky. After breaking a few beads, I started making the picots longer.

I have to send everything for the sale to my mom by the end of this month, and there are so many more things I want to make!