Where do you find the inspiration for your designs?

Sometimes I look at snowflakes, or frost on the window. I can see possibilities in lacey weeds or shifting shadows from a tree.

But just as often I turn to tatting found in old publications. I especially like Anne Orr both books. Her use of negative space appeals to me. Sometimes I have to ignore the poor quality of the tatted samples. I usually tat the sample I am looking at, and add or subtract ds and/or picots to make it look more appealing to me.

You can change an edging into a bookmark, don’t even bother to turn the corner, break your thread and start another strip of edging and attach to the first as you go.

The center of a doily or motifs can be used for the beginnings of a snowflake. You may have to change 8 points to 6 and adjust the number of ds accordingly.

You can also modify the construction of motifs by using split rings so you can make them continuously. Motifs can be used to create collars, bookmarks or even square or rectangular doilies or mats.

Here is a bookmark I am making after finding inspiration from “Tatting with Anne Orr” page 19, motif 23. I have played with this motif many times, and this is my current adaptation. I want to make a bookmark that is reminiscent of an insertion rather than a scalloped edging. I plan to start with a length of split rings, then tat a round of rings and chains to finish off.

Simple Split Ring (SR) Bookmark
Begin with 2 shuttles, continuous wound.
**SR1: 3 p 3 / 3 p 3
SR2: 3 p 3 p 3 p 3 / 3 p 3 p 3 p 3
SR3: 3 p 3 / 3 p 3.
Repeat from ** for desired length.
End with R3, use SH1 as ball thread.
Do not cut threads unless you want to change colors.
Ch: 3 p 3 p 3 p 3. RW.
R: 6 j(prev R) 3 j (next SR) 3 p 6. RW.
*Ch: 3 p 3 p 3 p 3. RW.
R: 3 j(prev R) 3 j (next p SR) 3 p 3. RW.
Ch: 3 p 3 p 3 p 3. RW.
R: 6 j(prev R) 3 j (SR) 3 j (SR) 6. Do Not RW.
R: 6 j(next SR) 3 j (next SR) 3 p 6. RW.

Repeat from * for the length of the bookmark. When you turn the corner, join the chain in the beginning of the first SR and continue in pattern.

Next month, we can adapt an edging to become a motif. Find an edging you like and play around with it. You can add split rings and/or split chains to eliminate cut and tie. How many points will your motif have? It is the center for a snowflake or the beginning of a doily? Maybe a motif to appliqué to a hankie edged with the edging that inspired you.

Here is a link to a scan of the bookmark: Challenge - Bookmark