Round Robin Designs

So, I'll send the thread with the pattern and tatted piece of work. I've done my centre in Lizbeth Leaf Green Med. It looks nice. (I'll upload pictures tomorrow.) So let's say that that will be the main colour, and the next person could use it, or pick a colour that goes nicely with it. But, er, who is the next person? Someone needs to organise us...

Ok but it will take me a lot longer to get things posted if I have to send the thread. I can send the tatting without getting to the post office - the thread I need to get to the post office to send the parcel which is tricky as they are only open at the same times I'm at work.

From what I can see the following are all "in"

@GraceT @taryn @tattrldy @pattyd @ginnyw @coretta @dlskidmore @muskaan

This will result in 8 lovely doilies of somewhere between 8 and 12 rounds (some of you might decide to do 2 rounds for your "row")

If any of you are not able to take part please let me know ASAP.

PM me with your postal addresses.

I'll then sort out a posting order for each of you.

Meanwhile, you each will need to get one-two balls of thread for sending with your doily. I suggest size 20 but you could also go with sizes 10 or 40 (size 10 will need an extra ball of thread). Thread brand can be whatever is to hand.

I strongly advise against cluny leaves - they may look great in one round but if they aren't repeated at the right interval could make a design look disjointed and as a couple of you have stated that you are not familiar with them it probably wouldn't work.

Meanwhile, get started on a first round. Remember to package up your blocked doily, thread and the instructions for all previous rounds including the one you've just done.

Okay, Folks, here is my Round 1.
Here are my trial designs:

I started with the idea of alternating bigger and smaller rings around a central ring, to make a roughly hexagonal shape. As you can see, the first trial ruffled a lot. So then I did all the rings the same size, but some close to the central ring and some further away. That one lay flat, but looked too tight. So I scaled it up, and in my final trial I removed the central ring. The central ring served its purpose, though - it helped me to place the rings properly.

And here it is in Lizbeth Leaf Green Med - the thread I'm going to send with the round:

I meant to ignore FS/BS for this round robin, but before I knew it I had done the chains with RODS!

I suppose, if the doilies are going to be 8 rounds or more, one ball might not last for the whole doily. I could throw in my ball of Pineapple Parfait - I think it matches quite well...

This is all so very exciting! I have never experienced a 'round robin' but have only heard of them... I can't wait to see what lovely designs you all come up with! Hopefully there will be another one sometime in the future that I can join in on.

in reply to kersti's post:

Oh dear, although I would Love to join, I can't at present. Juggling too many balls in the air !!! And this involves parcel ing, posting/couriering, going to PO, .... too much for my laid back life ;-P

I Will, however, keenly follow the progress, & if anybody requires a test-tat or something (maybe diagramming, etc.) , I can offer my services.
You are all such great , creative designers .
I wish you all the very best & look forward to some beautiful doilies :-D

@GraceT, your first round looks good as a stand-alone ... like a snowflake ! Quick work, there :-)

in reply to muskaan's post:

@muskaan, yes, my Round 1 does look like a snowflake! I might write it up as one, or maybe add another round...

Ok today I'm starting to play with design ideas.

@GraceT I love the colour and the motif. So quick of the mark

I'll use sizez 30 altin basak for my thread as I have heaps of it and double balls of some colours.

@dlskidmore Ooh that's a good idea. Its because its not flat so I can't post as a letter. I can print of postage labels for letters but not for parcels.

Please do, Grace :-) I can see it with a few beads !
Your speed, creativity & enthusiasm is very infectious ! Last night, as I was reading Elgiva's book, your centre & one of her sections inspired me so much that I immediately drew up a potential center or medallion or whatever it might become once it's on the shuttles ;-P Did a quick Google search & didn't find anything similar ... so goes into my to-make list.

Good on you, Muskaan! I hope my doily centre is also original enough; I haven't had time to do a search...

Here's my design - hopefully original.

On a side note how do people hide varigated thread ends? I ususally sew into caps but this time I had the wrong colour ends to blend in. I tat too tightly to run the thread back under the double stitches and have never mastered magic thread trick. I just cut and glued this one (which is never my favourite method).

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@taryn .... Love the square medallion! How exciting to have a potential square doily/mat .

right now i am so busy with the monster doily and life i cant do this but the next time i will

in reply to taryn's post:

looks great!

in reply to GraceT's post:

Nice start! You're way ahead of me. I still have to choose what color thread :-)

Ooh, @taryn, that looks really interesting! I'll look forward to receiving it when it's my turn...

@taryn
When I am working with more than one color of thread (which is usually), I stick to tatting over tails as I go along.
For instance, if you have different colors of threads where one color is for the rings and another color (or multicolor) is for the chains:

As I begin the first ring, I cross a short tail of the ring thread with a short tail of the chain thread. As I start to make the DS for the ring, I pull the short tail of the chain thread through the same stitches I am making with the ring thread for 3 - 5 DS.

After completing the first ring element, I repeat the procedure by tatting over the tail from the first ring for 3 - 5 DS.

Now both tails are tight, but I leave them until I am sure that pulling on the wrong thread won't allow the thread to pull out.

Later, trim the ends close to the work. I like to tat over tails like this until I have enough stitches to hold the tail in place AND I don't make the last half of the last DS tat over the tail. This helps by sending the tail out through the back of the work where if it is just a tiny bit longish, it won't be noticed. Also, the short tail doesn't have to match the DS being made.

When tatting over tails on the backside, still skip the last half of the last DS so the tail thread can be clipped close, after you have finished.

That's my story and it may suit your needs. We all tat the same, but different!

@taryn, I sew under caps even for variegated threads. Once you pull on the end, it pretty much disappears under the caps. Not 100%, but good enough for most purposes.

I notice that Taryn has done two rounds for her "Round 1". Wondering if I should do the same...

in reply to GraceT's post:

Ypu also asked if you should do another round. I think you have a great beginning. How big across is it? I think that matters more than how many rounds.