Tatting Tuesday - Modified Christmas Tree

After I completed the first Christmas tree project, Susan had some suggestions on how to improve the result.  The first one was to use a thread that was a prettier green.  Another was to use larger, tatted-in beads for the ornaments, instead of sewing on smaller beads and sequins afterwards.  This gave me an opportunity to try a new technique, so I started working out how to modify the pattern.

After a couple of test "branches", I decided the best place to put the ornaments was at the bottom of the ring. So, I would need to string the beads for each piece (five for the lowest "branch", four the next, and so on) and hold them with the shuttle, pull a bead into the working area each time I started a new ring, and snug up to it when I closed the ring.  For the final bead (the "angel" on top of the tree), I decided it would go on the picot that would be the peak of the tree, and I would have to glue it into place to keep it at the top of the loop.

Tatting Project #3 - Modified Christmas Tree

I think the result is much better - more integrated and Christmasy.  The pattern still suffers (from my perspective as the tatter) from having way too many starts and stops, making a lot of ends that must be worked in.  I think the next modification to try is to work the body of the tree as one piece (plus one for the trunk).

This piece belongs in my dear wife Susan's collection, and will probably find its way into our ornaments the next time we decorate for Christmas.

Larry