Pearl tatted snake

Now a few weeks ago I had a message from Val Aldridge who pointed out the possibilities of using a pearl tatted chain and making it 'wiggle'.  I guess if you were an intelligent person (like Val is) you'd call it a shaped pearl tatted chain.  The concept is simple (least it is when somebody like Val has pointed your aged nose to it).  An extra ds on one side will start the curve.  Anyway, let's put this in her own words as the email message came to me:-


"Materials: Core thread, I used size 10. For the shuttles I used size 20 thread

Tie all three threads together.

I used my green shuttle  with green thread as shuttle 1

I used my pink shuttle  with pink thread as shuttle 2 

All stitches are unflipped

*Start with SH1 over the back of the hand. 

Make 1ds unflipped with SH1 and return SH1 to back of hand (so that the head of the knot is at the top of the core thread)

SH2, make 2nd half of ds, unflipped, then 1st half of ds still unflipped ( this helps to ensure the head of  this stitch points down)

Repeating from * produces a standard pearl chain  with no curve.

To introduce an arch shaped curve,  **start with SH1 over the back of the hand, make  2ds and return SH1 to back of hand. 

SH2, make 2nd half of ds, , then 1st half of ds.

Repeat from ** as many times as you wish.

For a more gentle curve, alternate 1ds with SH1, next time  2ds with SH1 and repeat in sequence 

As my tension tends to be fairly tight, I try to loosen the tension a little for SH1 and/or tighten the tension for SH2 when working the curve. 

One can obviously make a U-shaped the curve by always doing 1 ds with SH1 followed by 2 with SH2 

I started doing this when I was sampling the neck part of Pam Palmer's beautiful peacock just to encourage the curve and make blocking easier. I quite liked the effect of two colours as well, but obviously the thickness and colours of the thread can be varied.

When I have time (when oh when) I might see if this could be useful for making interlaced knots.

Riet's  method makes life so much easier, and I can't think that no-one else has done this."

I'd never thought of the possibilities of this before Val pointed me to it but what a stonking great idea.

Naturally I had to try this out and came up with this simple little snake.  BUT I do have a pattern from Val to share with you - in due course (which actually means 'tomorrow')!!!!