Butterfly Edging #324 Needle tatted.

Worked by Carolyn Groves November 2001

R Ring + join

C Chain - picot

cl Close -- long picot

rw Reverse Work lj lock join

Head R 10--6--10, cl.

Body C 6-12, cl. R 6-6, cl. C 12-6, cl. Join to head.

Wings C 6, join to p on body chain.

R 7-6-5-5-5-6-7, cl. R 6+5-5-5-6, cl. (join to picot of previous ring). Lj to p on body.

C 12, join to base of ring on body. C 12, Join to p on body chain.

R 6-5-5-5-6, cl. R 7+6+5-5-5-6-7, cl. (join to picot of previous ring). Lj to p on body.

C 6, cl. Join to base of head. Rw.

Outer-Wing C6, cl. Join to 2^nd p on first ring.

C 3-3-3, cl. Join to next p. C3-3-3-3, cl, Join to next p. C3-3-3, cl, join to next p.

C 4, cl, join to p between rings. C 3-3-3, cl, join to next p. C 3-3-3-3, cl, join to next p. C 3-3-3, cl, join to next p. C4 join to p on body chain. Join to p on body chain (opposite side). C4, join to next p. C 3-3-3, cl, join to next p.

C 3-3-3-3, cl, join to next p. C 3-3-3, cl, join to p between rings. C 4, cl, join to

next p. C 3-3-3, cl, join to next p. C 3-3-3-3, cl, join to next p. C 3-3-3, cl, join

to next p. C 6, join to base of head. Tie & cut.

For those who don't like the above short hand pattern style, I've attempted to do a graphic pattern. Please excuse my lack of drawing skills! My husband is the artist in this family! This may be helpful in following the written pattern. Rings are in blue, red is the body chain and green is the Outside row of chains. I've numbered the stitches on the right side, just mirror image for the left.

When Georgia asked for volunteers to work up an antique pattern I decided to jump in. Normally I work a lot of Workbasket patterns and some older "10-cent" book patterns. However, this one is a real doozy! My first read through the pattern left me really scratching my head. No mention of rings or chains or reversing work. I figured I would start working the pattern trying to follow the text. My first attempt didn't turn out too bad; even though I later discovered I got the pattern wrong!

For the second attempt I decided to play with the pattern. I made the body in zig-zag stitch and still made the same mistake as in the first version. In both 1 and 2 I did the bottom ring after the first wing was formed. Doing it this way, I read the pattern as having a mistake at the end. It finally dawned on me that when the pattern called for shuttle use a ring was made, when "second thread" was used a chain was done.

As they say, "third time's the charm". For some reason the pattern suddenly popped out at me. I saw the ring for the head, a chain, then ring, then chain. Then the right wing rings, second body chains and left wing. Then came the outer row. I worked the first half then sat there really puzzled. I understood the directions but my modern tatting mind just didn't want to do that strange cross over join!

Then I just had to play! The left butterfly has a 25 mm silver bugle in the center. I did the bottom ring, threaded the bugle, did the head, then did the second chains for the body attaching them to the bugle.

The right butterfly has a crocheted body. I did the bottom ring, chained 12, then worked a row of sc down one side, up the other encapsulating the extra thread on the second row. Then Re-threaded my needle and worked the second body chain and wings as called for in the pattern.

Working up these models from the antique pattern gave me a greater appreciation of our modern standard patterns! I'm so glad the current designers stick to the same terminology and provide a "terms" list with their patterns! mdtatter@yahoo.com