I spent my teenage years in Virginia. Our home had a beautiful magnolia tree in a corner, and I just absolutely loved when it bloomed. It was covered with 8-inch (20 cm) white flowers and smelled just wonderful. Magnificent! Unfortunately, magnolias don’t grow here in Colorado, and I miss them terribly sometimes. Magnolias and lightning bugs.
This Christmas my youngest son gave me a wooden frame he built in his shop class at school. It’s very simple, but nice. The only problem is that the opening is a non-standard size, so a photograph isn’t going to work. So I figured it’s a perfect opportunity to tat something worth framing. I had initially thought I’d do a rose with a butterfly, but then I remembered the magnolias. I have never seen a tatted magnolia, so I thought that would be a good exercise for me to design, and perfect for the frame.
I found this really great photograph on Wikipedia as a guide. Isn’t it gorgeous?
Here is a photo of some ornaments made by Gail Armstrong which she so generously shared with me. She used the magnolia pattern and attached them to glass balls filled with coordinating glitter. So pretty!
I am really pleased with how this pattern turned out. Even though there are no fancy techniques, just rings and chains, I will still say this is an intermediate pattern. The challenge in putting this together was the 3-dimensional shape of it and the fact that making the joins to connect the petals to the base were kind of tricky.
If you consider yourself an adventurous beginner, go for it! This pattern is intermediate level and uses one shuttle.
It helped a lot to have a small crochet hook with me to make the joins. It was difficult at times to pull the thread through the picots using the pick on my shuttle.
Printable pattern (157K. Opens a new window.)
Patterns are available for download as a PDF file and are readable by using Adobe Reader. Download Adobe Reader free.
You will need:
Variegated pink thread and white thread, size 20
1 tatting shuttle
ds double stitch R ring Ch chain
p picot j join lj lock join
Instructions:
Use pink thread for the flower base and center, and use white thread for the petals.
Flower base
Leave a tail for tying a knot later.
R: 3ds p (2ds p) 3 times, 3ds, close (You will have 4 picots on this ring and this ring only. This is not a typo!)
*Start next R 1/8″ (2 mm) away from prev R
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (2ds p) 4 times, 3ds, close*
Repeat between * until you have completed 4 rings.
Start next R 1/8″ (2 mm) away from prev R
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (2ds p) 3 times, 2ds j to first p of first R, 3ds, close
Tie to tail but do not cut.
Flower center
Continuing with pink thread
Start next R 1/8″ (2 mm) away from knot you just tied
R: 3ds p 11ds p 3ds close
*Start next R 1/8″ (2 mm) away from prev R
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, 11ds p 3ds, close*
Repeat for a total of 7 rings
*Start next R 1/8″ (2 mm) away from prev R
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, 8ds p 3ds, close*
Repeat for a total of 6 rings
Cut thread long enough to easily tie a knot with.
Thread this tail through all the spaces between rings, starting at the last space made. Thread the tail through the space between rings on the base opposite the knot tied there. Arrange the flower center rings in circles over the base then gently pull the tail. This will make them bunch up nicely. Tie the tails in a snug knot, making sure the base stays reasonably flat. Hide the thread ends.
Petals
Make a clover leaf as follows
R: 6ds p 3ds p 3ds, close
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, 9ds p 9ds p 3ds, close
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds p 6ds, close, turn
Ch: 4ds j to center p of any R on flower base, 4ds lj to center p of first R of petal, 11ds lj to center p of next R in petal, 3ds lj to same p again, 11ds lj to center p of last R in petal, 4ds j to 4th p of R on flower base, 4ds, lj to base of clover leaf, 6ds, turn
**Repeat the clover leaf from previous petal, turn
Ch: 4ds skip one p on flower base and j to the next one, 4ds lj to center p of first R of petal, 11ds lj to center p of next R in petal, 3ds lj to same p again, 11ds lj to center p of last R in petal, 4ds j to p you skipped on the flower base, 4ds, lj to base of clover leaf, 6ds, turn**
Repeat between ** around. You should have 7 petals. Cut thread and tie to base of first clover leaf, lapping the last part of the chain over the front of the petal.
Copyright 2008 by Nancy Tracy, All Rights Reserved.
