Thursday, July 2, 2009

TUTORIAL: WORKING thread VS. CORE thread with beads

A few posts back I was playing around with beads and I said I would share what I was doing. If you are a follower of my blog you know my life has been super crazy. But I always keep my promises...even if it takes seemingly forever. So here we go:
This is the first part...(double rows of beads tutorial to come at a later date).


Working Thread VS. Core Thread using beads:



Load up your shuttle with your beads.

In this tutorial all rings are 2double stitches each separated by 7 beads total.

In case you didn't know..(and I didn't know this for a long time) the thread in the ring is called your working thread because it will make up the double stitches. The thread coming from the shuttle is called your core thread because it is the thread that runs through the core of your stitches.

This example shows how beads are added to a ring the "normal" way. It's the way most of us tatters add beads. These beads are brought into the circle of Working thread that makes up the ring.

And this is what a ring looks like when we add beads on the Working thread.

Another way to do it, (and for a completely different look) you can add the beads from the core thread which is coming off of your tatting shuttle. See how the beads being added in this picture are not contained in the circle?

Here is what the rings look like side by side. The ring on the left was tatted with beads from the working thread and the ring on the right was tatted with beads on the core thread.

So of course, the next thing to do would be to mix it up and bring in beads from BOTH the working and the core threads as you can see in this photo.

Although I haven't done it in this example, if you wanted you can even get trickier by having the working thread beads a different color than the core thread beads. Cool eh?

Here are all three rings together.

...and I kept on going with some zany combos until I ran out of beads....if this doesn't give you some new ideas I don't know what will....LOL!



I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Now you can jazz up your tatting in a new way.

Of course I always love and invite comments, so please don't be shy and just say "hi".

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Fabulous! I just emailed this to someone who was just asking me about adding beads to tatting. I managed to explain adding them on the chain well enough on the phone, but knew I needed pictures to explain the ring part! Thank you...this way I don't have to search for hours trying to find the best explanation on the internet...it's right here! :)

LadyShuttleMaker aka MadMadPotter said...

You are welcome darling! Glad to be of service....LOL!

donna said...

Wow! That really looks amazing...would never have thought of trying that...off to try it for myself.

Ladytats said...

Ah Sherry,
you certainly make things very clear in your tutorials. It is always easy to know exactly what you are trying to say.
Thanks

mamatejedora said...

Thank you very much for the great help that we give to people who enjoy this beautiful art.
It is very interesting and clear information
Greetings

tattrldy said...

Ooo, love the look! I don't tat with beads much but I definately have to try this. Thanks for the tutorial!

connie said...

Thank you a zillion time
I was going to tat up rings with beads on different threads so I could always remember where they will end up. (it's always a surprise to me each time I do it)
You did all the work for me.
And you also finally solved the working thread core thread question.

Bonnie said...

Thank you for your great bead tutorial, Sherry! I'm sure it took alot of time that you really don't have right now, but I greatly appreciate it.

Beadings and tatting go together very nicely. The possiblities are endless :-)

Unknown said...

What a wonderful tutorial and I never would have thought about adding the beads on a different thread for a different look. The graphics are great and the idea very helpful. Many Thank You's.

Valerie said...

hey sherry, this is THE TUTORIAL to send to a colleague who's recently picked up tatting from me! Great job. The pictures really say a beginner should know about adding beads in rings. Thanks.

TAT19540 said...

OOOH I like your directions! There is a light at the end of bead- in-tatting tunnel! Thanks!

Tatskool said...

Good tutorial, great to have you back in tatland firing on all four cylinders!

Tat-a-Renda said...

Lovely tutorial. It is a good comparison to see them all together in one piece like this.

Kathy Niklewicz said...

My goodness! How were you able to take time out to do this?! Excellent tutorial, and very much appreciated. Great comparison of the effects of beads on the different threads.

Hope you had a nice holiday!

Fox said...

Wht a great way to explain the difference. You certainly cleared up any questions I had about the two methods. Thanks or the terrific visual experience!

Riet said...

Hi Sherry,
Better late than never.
It is a great way in which you explane working with beads, but you can go on and use beads on working thread and the core thread at the same place that is also nice to do
Nina Libin has written a lot of small books about beading in tatting.She has also a big book named Beanile Lace
I will look at your beading and how it is going on lots off success
Riet the B-engel

sewmuchfun4 said...

Hi!
I just wanted to say thank you! This is a GREAT tutorial! I think beads look so pretty in tatting and when I saw this tutorial, I had the confidence to give it a try. I appreciate your taking the time to put it together.
Ann

blushing rose said...

I would love to see this peice you have above created into a necklace, how delicate & unique. Love the post but I can't do any of these sewing things. TTFN ~Marydon

Anonymous said...

My mind is blown with how easy this is! So excited to give some practice pieces a go! Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

I've searched everywhere and this is the absolute best explanation for adding beads. It's the only place I've found that explains the different look from adding beads from the core thread vs the working thread. Thank you so much! I'm a such a happy tatter now! :)

Le'Quita H. said...

This was very helpful to me. I'm use to tatting with a needle so adding the beads is a lil different I think. This gives me a new technique to work on. I wasn't completely sure which thread was which while shuttling but you cleared that right up for ne ;) Thanks again for sharing.

Unknown said...

Again thank you for this information, you explain things so vey clear and simply that anyone just learning cannot get confused

Julita said...

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I need to do this right away.

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU!!!