Just a few words

I don't create new patterns any more (but maybe will create them later), and I seldom tat. However, I'm happy and proud to see that some of my old patterns are still popular! 

I have finally updated the links to follow the security update from Google, so hopefully no one will have issues accessing them now. Happy tatting, everyone!

New patterns location

Hi all!
I know, I haven't written for ages - just because I didn't tat for a long time. Still, I get your comments and appreciate them very much. Recently you let me know that my patterns are no longer available. So, I've moved them to Google Drive, so that now you can view and download them here. I've also updated links on Free Patterns page. Hope, it helps.

A good day!

Today is actually a good day for me! First of all, I finally made myself to write down one pattern that I created somewhere in the end of May, but forgot to write down. This is a little fan motif (#24):

The problem with this motif is that I couldn't find its' pattern, though I always write them down in my notebook before creating a PDF! So, I had to kind a create it again from tatted motif. I hope that it's ok, but if not, please let me know!
Secondly, I have an anniversary: a year of tatting! I started last September. I don't remember the exact date, but it doesn't matter. What does matter is that beautiful feeling of being connected to ancient magic!.. Tatting changed my mind. I always did much handmade, but rarely from my own patterns. Tatting gave me enough courage to express my own ideas in needlework, and this is priceless! I created 13 patterns during this year, and all of them are available on my Free Patterns page. Not so bad for beginner, I think! Also tatting let me get to know all of you, my dear readers, who give me so much favor and inspiration! I hope you will be with me!
Several month ago I saw a beautiful pattern, but I couldn't tat it because I didn't know some basic elements. Time passed, and now, for my anniversary, I tatted him: Flying Minor Norwegian Dragon by Anne Bruvold!

And one more thing - this dragon is motif #25! So, I've finished my 25 motifs challenge today! I want to start another one, of course! Let it start from today, a good day for me as tatter!

New blog for knitting and crocheting!

I did it finally! I started a new blog for my knitting and crocheting! Thus I removed two posts from this blog and moved them there (with slight modifications). I will be glad to see you there!
Blog: http://mariyas-knitting-and-crocheting.blogspot.com/
Page on Ravelry.com (still empty but I'm working on it!): http://www.ravelry.com/people/MariyaDavydova
You are welcome!
And I'll be glad to follow your knitting and crocheting blogs if you give me the links!

Two-coloured spirals

First of all, I'm very glad that so many of you liked my spirals! I didn't include their description in my previous post, because there isn't any strict description. I'm  afraid that everything I can do is to explain the idea.However I'll try.
Here are the photos of the front and back side:

The main idea is that you start from the end of one flower, tat a chain with some picots, then change shuttles and tat another chain that is connected to the first one and finish just before the next flower.
The first and the easiest way to tat this would be tatting the first chain with a number of normal picots and connect the second chain to them with Catherine Wheel Joins. However, this way has a serious drawback - the second chain will not be connected to the part of the first chain that is _above_ it, and spiral will loose the form when you try to move the tatting (e.g. using spirals in earrings).
That is why I decided to use downwards picots also. In fact I used some kind of joins that I can't find a name and description. They are something very similar to CWJ but the picot is _above_ the chain, not _below_ it. I hope that it's enough to understand what I mean, but if it is not, I will make a set of photos to show it.
So, some abbreviations:
p - picot
dp - downwards picot
CWJ - Catherine Wheel Join
DCWJ - Downwards Catherine Wheel Join (the join I described earlier).
You start tatting from the back side (!). At the picture the first chain is green.
Ch   8 dp 8 dp 6 dp 4 dp(#2) 3 dp(#1) 2 p(#2) 1 p(#1) 1
Then you change shuttles and turn work, and tat the following:
Ch   1 DCWJ (dp #1) DCWJ (dp #2) 1 CWJ (p #1) 2 CWJ (p #2)
This is the necessary part - tatting the middle of spiral this way you make it stable enough. Continuing tatting this spiral you should do all these steps at the same time:

• Tat (4 CWJ) till the end, where CWJ is connected to the space between stitches (we didn't do more picots on the first chain).
• Tat (DCWJ) instead of ds when needed.
• When you reach the point where the first chain started, make a simple join.
• When you reach the point where the spiral should finish, make a lock join.

Thus you get something similar to the shown spirals. As you can see the problem is to find a point for connection and to have a proper tension along the whole spiral.
Well, I hope that my explanation was not very boring! The only thing I want to add is how to change the size of spiral - you can add as many groups (8 dp) at the beginning of the first chain as you want.

I did it at last!

I wrote down patterns of all the things I tatted last several weeks!
Well, I must admit that there were some things that didn't let me write this post.
Firstly I decided to buy an account for World of Warcraft. If you know this game, you don't need more explanations. If not... Well, it is very attractive, believe me!
A couple of week later my husband and I bought bikes. Finally. I never had a bike when I was a child, but now I'm so happy! However, it was like starting from the very end - problems with balance, aching legs, etc... And I can bike quite well now! Except that I still have problems with curbs... However I'm working on it!
Nevertheless today I found time and desire to make photos and prepare descriptions of my patterns (earrings and one more braid, you can find them on the Free Patterns page). So, my earrings:

• Royal Flower (I've already shown them but now I've chosen the name):

•  Drop (motif #21):

•  Wheel (motif #22):

This braid - I've called it Pansy Braid (motif #23) - appeared as a result of playing with shuttles:

This bracelet... Oh, this bracelet! I spent a great amount of time trying to tat spirals:

Well, one day I decided to try to tat spiral. I didn't found anything interesting about it and tried to create some universal (you know, I like universal patterns!) way to do it. I used the Archimedes spiral equation as a base. I was not very successful, I must admit. These spirals are tatted from one end (after the flower) to another (before the next flower), they contain downwards picots and something like Catherine Wheel joins, but kind a upside down. The back side looks not very pretty, and the spirals are not very stable themselves. Maybe, somebody knows more about spirals?

My first tatted jewelry!!!

First of all, happy international tatting day!
Last Saturday I did something completely new for me: I designed and tatted earrings! I don't know how to call them but I will think up something a bit later (motif #20):

I didn't have time to write down the descriptions but I certainly will do it soon. It is also the first tatting with beads I've ever done! Except, of course, TIAS goat, but there are only 2 beads there, so... As you can see this earrings consist of two layers. The following flower consists of three layers. They are tatted independently, one after another, and are connected through petals' picots.

I finished the Umi & Tsuru Tat Along at last! I liked tatting these flowers and leaves, until I tried to connect the last leaf. It was terrible! As you can see, the flowers are obviously bigger than they ought to be with such leaves. It was mentioned in Umi & Tsuru blog that there should be 5 rows instead of 6, but till that moment I had already tatted most of flowers and didn't want to retat... Anyway, I think that with a bit smaller flowers this pattern will be really pretty!

And one more thing - my Lucky Clover grows and looks quite well now! And do you see this beautiful shuttle with lizards? I ordered two of these and now learn to tat with them (which is a bit complicated after Aero shuttles).

I hope to write down my new patterns soon. And I'm glad that you like many of my previous ideas!