Help w/ Heart Pattern -- SCMR?

[Judy]

After the first 4 ds., carefully remove them from the needle. You can put a paper clip in the loop and snug the stitches up to the paperclip. You'll be putting your needle through the loop at the end, so don't lose it. Now unthread the needle. Cut the thread off the ball as described above. Thread the needle with that cut end. Now, put the needle right next to that 4th ds. Keep the gap as small as possible. Tat the ring using the ball thread that's now through the eye of the needle. Make the join after 4 ds. Tat the next 4. You now need to close the ring with the 8 stitches on the needle, snug it up. Unthread the needle, and rethread with the 1st core thread. Again, keeping the gap as small as possible, tat the last 4 stitches with the ball thread. You'r now going to close the second ring... remove the stitches, put the needle through where the paper clip was, close, tie, hide ends.

The key is to try to close the second ring in a manner that hides how the floating ring was constructed. There will be a small gap which looks like a picot join.

[Catriona]

Thanks Judy, I thought that might by how it was done. The paper clip tip is helpful, I was wandering how I could secure the stitches if I had to take them off the needle.

[Judith Connors]

Hello, Anke. Re: the heart design
Start at the 'dip' of the heart with a clover (three-ring formation). This way you will already have placed the ring in the centre of the heart. Then tat the rings and chains around the outside to complete your valentine.

Needle tatters don't need SCMRs.

[Catriona]

here is my effort...



I had to use a darner needle as I don't have a second tatting needle the same size and I couldn't work out how to follow the instructions for the one needle technique. I'm pretty pleased with the results.

[carolivy]

Very nicely done Catriona!

[Anke]

Thank you, Judith. I did not see the possible clover at first...

[Judith Connors]

You're welcome, Anke.

Love your heart (pardon the pun), Catriona. What thread did you use? It seems to have a sheen.

[Judy]

Wonderful... as another thread here says, improvise, improvise, improvise... fortunately not too many stitches to put on the darner. I too love the thread.

[Catriona]

thanks guys. The thread is size 8 perle crochet cotton, i'm not sure of the exact shade as it was just in a bag of thread my mum had lying around.

[umbrellatoo]

Hi Judy,

Thanks for the explanation on making the SCMR with needle tatting. I'm trying to visualize how to do this before I play. I already make a heart and improvised by making two 4ds chains to make a ring. I'd like to try your explanation next. :) My question to you though is, what is the magic thread trick for hiding ends?

Thanks so much,
Debbi