Tatted Dragonfly

This dragonfly was actually inspired by a quilt. The April photograph on my calendar on my desk is of a gorgeous dragonfly by Kelly Gallagher-Abbott.

I used the heart-shaped ring for the head because I wanted to shape it somewhat like a real dragonfly’s head. If you’d rather do a plain ring, just do the same number of double-stitches and leave the picot off.

If you tatted my bird pattern, this should be familiar to you because of the wings. I did change how the wing on the right half is done, though. After I sent out the bird pattern, I got several suggestions and links to instructions on how to make a drop picot, or inward facing picot. It is a much more elegant way of accomplishing the same thing.

You can find information on drop picots on the following pages, as well as patterns, too.

http://groups.msn.com/TheSocialShuttle/inwardfacingpicots.msnw
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art18859.php
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2002/hansonbfly.html

This information came from the good ladies at the Here-Be-Tatters Yahoo! Group. If you have questions about tatting, or just want to talk with people who tat, this is a great place to go! (I’m not affiliated, I just think it’s a great place to learn a lot and make friends!)

This pattern is advanced beginner to intermediate level and uses two shuttles.

Printable pattern (125K. 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:

Thread in your choice of color and size.
2 tatting shuttles
3 safety pins (for making the drop picots)

Instructions:

Bottom left wing

R: (4ds p) 3 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 6ds turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R (4ds p) 2 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 6ds turn
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 15ds lj to center p of last R, 3ds p 3ds, lj to center p of next R, 3ds p 3ds, lj to center p of first R, 3ds, sl

Top left wing

Ch: 3ds p 3ds, sl
R: (4ds p) 3 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 3ds j to center p of corresponding chain on previous wing, 3ds turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R (4ds p) 2 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 3ds j to center p of next chain, 3ds turn
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 15ds lj to center p of last R, 3ds p 3ds, lj to center p of next R, 3ds p 3ds, lj to center p of first R, 3ds, do not turn

Head

R: 9ds p 4ds j to last p on same R, 9ds, close, do not turn

Top right wing

Ch: 3ds dp (6ds dp) 2 times, 15ds, turn
R: 3ds p 3ds j to closest dp, 3ds p 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 3ds p 3ds, turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 4ds j to next dp, 4ds p 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 3ds p 3ds, turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 4ds j to next dp, 4ds j to free p on corresponding R on top left wing 4ds, close, sl
Ch: 3ds p 3ds, sl

Bottom right wing

Ch: dp 3ds j to center p of corresponding chain on top right wing 3ds, dp 3ds j to center p of next chain 3ds dp 15ds, turn
R: 3ds p 3ds j to closest dp, 3ds p 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 6ds turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 4ds j to next dp, 4ds p 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 6ds turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 4ds j to next dp, 4ds j to free p on corresponding R on bottom left wing 4ds, close, do not turn

Tail

Ch: 6ds, turn
R: (2ds p) 3 times, 2ds, close, turn
*Ch: 5ds, turn
R: 2ds j to last p of prev R, (2ds p) 2 times, 2ds, close, turn*
Repeat between * three more times until 5 rings are done.
Ch: 12ds lj to center p of last R, (5ds lj to center p of next R) 4 times, 6ds

Cut and tie.

Copyright 2008 by Nancy Tracy, All Rights Reserved.