Sunday, May 02, 2010

Tatted Bookmark

This is the most recent bookmark I designed. I used some of the vintage size 80 thread I won on ebay because I wanted to see if it was good for tatting or too frail from age to be usable. I'm glad to say that it worked out just fine. I selected a solid and a variegated that I though would work together well.
The variegated appears to be the same as some crocheted pieces included with the thread so I sort of had an idea how it would look. The colour change is very short for a commercial thread which really surprised me, but maybe vintage threads had shorter changes because more people used them for tatting.

I was making things up as I went along using pink for the cloverleavess and the variegated for the chains but it was too skinny and I didn't like the idea of the empty spaces left between the cloverleaves that happens when you join them top to top. So I added a row of split rings down the middle which both filled in the space and carried the variegated thread throughout the bookmark.

I didn't want to use tassels because they take too long to make and because this bookmark is for my Bible and I wanted several markers. I like to read a little Old Testament, a little New Testament and a little of the Psalms every day but I don't like to break the binding on my Bible by putting too much between the pages. With this bookmark I can leave the bookmark in one spot and take each of the ends and put them wherever I happen to be reading. Just for variety I used a different motif on each end. One has a daisy, one has a cross, and the middle variegated one is a butterfly.

I didn't think to match the colours on the split rings down the middle. I was just using as it came off the shuttles. When I did the ends I needed to put more thread on the shuttles so I matched the colours and I'm glad I did. If I was to do this bookmark again I think I'd match up the colours for all of the split rings.

The bookmark measures about 6.5 inches long and about 1 inch wide (2.5 x 16.25 cm) and as you can see from the picture the split ring ends are almost as long as the bookmark.

11 comments:

  1. Ooh la la! C'est si bon!

    Delightful!
    Fox : )

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  2. This is the most GORGEOUS bookmark I have ever seen.... And the colours are just lovely.

    Are you going to sell the pattern on Etsy?, If so, please do provide the link to it when it's up and running.

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  3. I like this very much!

    And I really like the idea of 3 different tails. When I saw it I thought oh that would be a perfect bookmark for a Bible.

    Beautiful!

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  4. Wunderbar! I love it, love it, love it!

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  5. Wonderful bookmark!

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  6. Anonymous5:32 AM

    What a lovely bookmark! I like the idea of several tassels. That's also useful in a service- or hymnbook.

    Anke

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  7. Love the color and the design of the bookmark.

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  8. Is there a way to get this pattern, I love it, you done a beautiful job, I hope you will get back with me. unicorn683@yahoo.com

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  9. you have done a wonderful job, is there away to get this pattern. if so could you email me the place get it please unicorn683@yahoo.com

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  10. The pattern is already on my blog in the next post. It's also available on my website at http://www.rsbriggs.com/slb/index.html

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