I really have no idea why I pick some of the designs I do. This is one of them. It just seemed like a good idea when I thought of it. I was actually thinking of a sparrow when I designed this, but when it was done, it was an eagle! Go figure. Not many of my designs end up being exactly what I envisioned when I started.
The design of the first wing in this pattern was easy. Tat a series of rings, then lock join a chain to them. But when I got to the second wing, I had to tat the chain first. It had to face up so the curve of the wing would be right, and that didn’t allow me to make picots to join the rings to. That was a puzzle!
So I tried something new (to me at least). When I needed to make that first join, I just pulled the chain over top of the working thread and tatted a picot right over it. It was so slick and easier than I thought!
I gave this to a friend of mine whose son-in-law is in the military, and she plans to tat more in red, white, and blue. I thought it was a great idea for anybody who has family or friends in the military here in the US.
This pattern was tatted with size 30 DMC Cebelia thread. It is beginner to intermediate level and uses one shuttle.
Printable pattern (Opens a new window.)
Patterns are available for download as a PDF file and are readable by using Adobe Reader. Download Adobe Reader free.
Instructions:
| ds | double stitch | R | ring | Ch | chain |
| p | picot | j | join | lj | lock join (join using shuttle thread) |
You will need:
Tatting thread in your choice of color, size 30. The sample on this page was done with size 30 DMC Cebelia thread.
1 tatting shuttle
This pattern involves tatting a picot over top of a chain. When you are ready to make the picot, just lay the chain over top of the working thread and continue tatting as if it wasn’t there. This will put the chain through the center of the picot. Make sure the picot is large enough to slide easily over the chain, but not so large that it shows as big loop. This was done on the left wing of the eagle above.
Addition: Since I sent this pattern out, I’ve received two really great suggestions for improvement.
1. When you make the last ring of the center section, make a split ring ending at the last join. Then you can continue the design with the next chain. This way you don’t have to cut the thread! (Thank you Georgia Seitz for this idea!)
2. Instead of looping the picot over the chain on the second wing, make a downward facing picot. Thanks Katharina for pointing this out to me!
Round 1
R: 4ds p 6ds p 6ds p 4ds, close
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 6ds p 6ds p 4ds, close
Repeat last ring once more.
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 6ds p 6ds j to first p of first R, 4ds, close, cut and tie
Round 2
R: 3ds j to center p of any R on prev round, (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 2 times, 2ds, turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 6ds p (3ds p) 2 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 4 times, 2ds, turn
R: 5ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds j to next p of prev R, (5ds p) 2 times, 3ds p 5ds, close turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 6 times, 2ds, turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds j to next p of prev R, (3ds p) 3 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 9 times, 10ds lj to center p of prev R, 6ds lj to center p of next R, (5ds lj to center p of next R) 2 times, 7ds lj to closest join on prev round, 5ds p 15ds lj to next j of prev round, 33ds (referred to next in this pattern as long chain) p (1ds p) 9 times, 2ds, turn
R: 4ds p 3ds p 3ds, p over long chain, (3ds p) 2 times, 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 6 times, 2ds, turn
R: 5ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds j to next p of prev R, 5ds p over long chain, 5ds p 3ds p 5ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 4 times, 2ds, turn
R: 4ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds j to next p of prev R, 3ds p over long chain, 6ds p 4ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 2 times, 2ds, turn
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds p over long chain, 3ds j to center p of next R on prev round, 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 4 times, 2ds lj at next j on prev round, 12ds p (1ds p) 2 times, 2ds, turn
R: (3ds p) 3 times, 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 2 times, 2ds, turn
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, 3ds j to center p of next R on prev round, 3ds p 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 2 times, 2ds, turn
R: 3ds j to last p of prev R, (3ds p) 2 times, 3ds, close, turn
Ch: 2ds p (1ds p) 2 times, 12ds lj to next j on prev Round, 2ds p (1ds p) 4 times, 2ds
Cut and tie.
Copyright 2007 by Nancy Tracy, All Rights Reserved.
