Cluny For Klutzs
Below are images of Cluny type petals I have worked using the block tatting method.They are not perfect but fill the bill for me. And I thought they might be of interest to those who like me don’t have the Cluny tatting gene.
Block tatting is just what it sounds like. Rows of chains are worked back and forth to create a solid block. The edges are square. By starting and ending each row with a half stitch and using a reverse shuttle join I have managed to create an oval shape.
The reverse shuttle join brings both threads together and doesn’t leave a lumpy knot as a normal shuttle join will. To work a reverse shuttle join,bring the shuttle thread through the picot as usual. But instead of passing the same shuttle through the loop, you remove the ball or chain shuttle from your left hand and pass that through the loop instead. Adjust the join with both threads as you would do in a normal join.
In Block Tatting the worked is turned not reversed. (Reversed the work is flipped north-south) Turned, the work goes east-west, as in turning the pages of a book. This is very important, if the work is reversed instead of turned the chains will not line up as they should. See diagram:
Note the pearl tatting in the upper part of this free form motif below. (Free form, means I started one thing, it didn’t work out so I ended up with something else)
A small square with petals and a pearl tatting border.
I tatted this motif using size 80 thread. I wear it on my name tag at lace meetings
