2009 Doily Pattern

Description

Level: Beginner

This pattern has four rows that were done over the course of several months. All rows are included in this pattern.

I recently had the occasion to sit in a laundromat and while my washing was going, I tatted and watched the people there. It’s always an interesting place to people watch.  I met one nice man there who shared his Girl Scout cookies with me and who used to work in the same place I have, but before I got there. We had a nice chat.  Then there was the single mom with her two pre-teen children. I remembered those days! I wish her well.

I created the first row of this design while I was there, plus a while longer to refine it and make it sit neatly. Once it was done, though, I decided it would make an interesting doily. So, here is another doily.

I’ve decided that one of the nice things about doilies is that you can often stop on any row and still have a nice piece of tatting.

This pattern is beginner level and uses one shuttle for the first row. I used size 30 DMC Cebelia thread in white.

Part of the fun of designing is watching unexpected patterns develop.  I enjoyed how the second row of this pattern seemed to totally change the first row. Once the second row was added, it became not so easy to see that the first row had sets of two rings on the outside. I didn’t really expect that.

Normally, if I can do a shoelace trick instead of using two tatting shuttles, I do it. I tried it with this pattern, and it just didn’t work. I got totally confused about which direction I was going! So for the second row I used two shuttles instead.  Also, the tatting lays better when it is done with two shuttles, so it really is worth the bother.

I actually had this pattern for row three all figured out a few weeks ago, but I’ve had a devil of a time getting the correct length of the thread between rings in this row. I finally figured it out when making this last attempt.

Sometimes getting one row of a doily to fit smoothly above the previous row is a real challenge. This one was one of those! The rings in this row are arranged in a way that doesn’t allow for much stretching to fit, so the length of the thread between rings mattered more than usual.  After about three attempts, I have it figured out! You should only need to tat it once.

Now that I’ve redone the third row and blocked it, it’s a lot more attractive. I hope you enjoy it. The fourth and final row is what is pictured here. All pictures and visuals are given in the pattern.