Hic Dracones

In between my crosses, I got the urge to make another Flying Minor Norwegian Dragon! This is the Meadow Dragon, distinguishable to the careful eye when resting camouflaged among the primroses and grass in a mountain meadow.

I'm actually not sure that I'll make a dragon in two colors again, particularly with the colors placed like this (as opposed to, say, body/head/tail one color, wings another color). I'm conflicted about whether I like the overall effect. But it was pretty interesting getting the colors to go right and I got to practice my Double Core Single Shuttle Split Rings. (whew, that's a mouthful of a technique name!) I still think the beauty of the pattern shows through best when done in one color -- that way the colors do not distract from the shapes, which work together beautifully in this pattern. But that is my own personal bias -- I find it so difficult to work in more than one color because the shapes and structure of a pattern are always what strike me the most vividly. I definitely enjoy all the beautifully executed multi-colored tattings that I see on blogs -- I am always surprised by how different the right color choices can make a pattern look.

I made a major boo-boo on one of this dragon's wings -- can you find it? It's at least a consistent mistake!

Crosses

So, a month or so before Easter, I started rounding up cross patterns to tat.... and I've been tatting crosses ever since. I meant to stop... but there are so many good patterns! Also these are so easy to give away, so I have made several versions of the best patterns. It's been fun experimenting with tails to turn them into bookmarks. Here are some of the results.

This is the first pattern I tried: Julie Patterson's Hearts and Flowers. I like this one; simple and elegant in appearance. It's not completely simple to tat, and I fiddled around with various combinations of split rings and chains. The yellow and black was my first one and you can see I tried an onion ring with no tassel for the tail, but I really don't like the way that looks! The onion ring with tassel on the pastel and black cross is much better. There's also an Elizabeth Zipay mini-cross on the right of this picture. Great pattern, so quick and cute!

 Here is my new favorite pattern! The Anna Burda design that was beautifully adapted by Jane into a bookmark, and has now been even more beautifully adapted by Grace Tan into a cross. It's unique in its construction -- not only do you make it in split rings but to make it a cross, you tat one L-shaped piece from arm-end to arm-end, and then you begin another L-shaped piece and attach at the center as you make the second piece. This has the advantage of keeping it fun and interesting to tat and it tats up very quickly once you get the hang of it. I made more than three of this one!

And an old favorite; Mary Konior's Small Cross. I never get tired of this one. The shape is so beautiful. I tried with a tail and tassel and with just a tassel. I like both ways. 

This is by no means all the crosses I've done. More coming up, along with a few other motifs. I did in fact tat some things between Easter and now that were not crosses! ... Two things, to be exact. Impressive number, no? I am not kidding about how many crosses I made. And I haven't even gotten to all the patterns I wanted to do.