Playing with Konior's Large Cross...

Hi, My Name is Julie and I like to play with other people's patterns...I think it's an addiction and maybe should be added to the tatter's 12 step program!  Tatting itself is addictive, but creating something new from something existing or even just tweaking something a little to make it your own is even more addictive. 

Here is the latest Mary Konior "Large Cross" from Tatting with Visual Patterns that I have been working on...

Working on this one in a size 70 variagated lavendar/purple star thread # 139.  It's nearly done, needs to be done so it can be mailed off to reach the recipient by her birthday later this week...but I keep getting distracted...This is my latest deviation from the pattern...

I was tatting along on the cross and the thought occured to me that just one side would make a lovely edging...so modified it slightly, adding an extra picot on the chain, an extra stitch (to even out the numbers) and picot on the large single ring, as well as a picot on the middle ring of the clover. So...there you have it, an edging adapted from Mary Konior's "Large Cross."  It is different enought that I think I will count this one as #23 in my 25 motif challenge.

I have fun playing with tatting little bits of different edgings to grace these little shirts for my Rosie Posie...and she loves them.  I have learned that the size 10 thread seems to me to look nicest on the knit fabric and produces a suitable length of edging with only a small bit of time commitment.  This thread is size 10 Coats Royal Classic Crochet Thread (mercerized cotton) in Ocean.  It contains a number of my Rosie's favorite colors and she loves it. 

The edging is attached to the fabric by both the chain and ring picots, to prevent excessive curling when washed.  Since this is for a toddler, it has to be wash and wear...and I've found that attaching both sides of the edging helps it to stay prettier for longer.

I do realize a lot of tatters don't enjoy larger size threads, feeling that after tatting with smaller thread the larger feels like rope.  However, I don't mind them at all and readily switch between sizes.  I believe this may be because I crochet quite a bit with a variety of yarns and threads so the size difference doesn't seem to bother me at all...and I have many pretty threads in these sizes.  I also like to fit the thread size to the projects I'm working on, the size 70 being perfect to make the "Large Cross" small enough for use in one's Bible and the size 10 terrific for a knit childs top that must be laundered regularly.

Oh...and, no, neither the shirt nor the edging was pressed in the above photos...someone insisted on wearing it right away and I'm lucky to have gotten those photos...

Here she is, in her shirt, playing a version of peek-a-boo with an apple and an orange!  She's a darling...very fun to have her in our lives, she is a blessing!

I continue to hope to post more...but cookie sales for my Girl Scout troop and the general business of the household and children who have been sick with colds and stomach ailments has been keeping me away.  I continue to tat, stitch, draw, and craft though...and to read and enjoy everyone's posts on their blogs!!!