"But, really, why does anyone create? You feel a... a restlessness inside, a need to make something new, something no one has ever seen before. You want to add to the beauty and the richness of the world with a gift, an offering that is uniquely yours. It's an act of selfishness and generosity, all rolled into one."

-- Bruce Coville,
The Last Hunt

Monday, August 13, 2012

Cross Bookmark


This is Mary Konior's "Large Cross" pattern. Last year, I made it as a Christmas ornament; this year I decided to make it as a bookmark. I do need to block or press it a little bit; you can see a couple of spots where it doesn't quite lie flat on the scanner.

There was no random happenstance in color selection for this piece. I think that this pattern looks particularly good with a variegated thread for the rings and a solid for the chains; this emphasizes the cross shape in the center while adding visual interest to the outside. Once I had chosen the size 80 HDT for the rings, I had to pull out every size 80 solid I own to find just the right one for the chains. The HDT is from LadyShuttleMaker; I think it's called "Flower Child". The solid blue is Majestic color 847.

The double tail is nothing original; lots of people have done things like this on cross bookmarks. Each of the small crosses consists of SCMR's and SR's, with the final ring of the second one made as a double core SSSR to hide the ends. I just did a 1/1 zigzag chain between the two small crosses, joined in the middle to the main cross.

The next time I make this pattern, I vow to pay attention at the corners so I don't have to keep untatting!

5 comments:

  1. This is a beautiful cross, I also love this pattern and I have done it with white around the outside and colour in the middle, which i put on my blog last month.
    Margaret

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  2. Very pretty! I've never seen a tail like that! So clever : )

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  3. Wonderful colours!

    Un-tatting? What IS that?
    : ))


    Fox

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  4. Excellent colors, and the solid center defi itely gives it eye appeal.

    I know this is a large cross, and I haven't tatted it because I don't have the patience for size 80 thread, so I admire your skill with it. I understand the tail instructions in theory, but they sound tricky, especially in size 80!

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