I saw this really cool idea of Chris Hinton's to suspend a tatted motif in epoxy in order to create a shuttle with it - the important links are
here (forum) and
here (shop).
That reminded me I had designed a shuttle pattern way back in 1998 (I hadn't tatted this pattern in a while and had kind of forgotten about it). As I remember, back when the Tat Chat group was in existence we were trying to come up with a pattern for a "tatted shuttle" and this was my contribution. I reworked the pattern slightly since then and have posted it here. If you are interested in getting one of those cool shuttles and would like to use this pattern for your tatting, feel free. There are also other shuttle-shaped patterns available on their site.
Two shuttles, wound in the continuous thread method. I use the method of front side/back side tatting. In size 80 thread, the motif measures 2" x 1".
Pattern Key:
R ring
Ch chain
p picot
+ joining picot
vsp very small picot
lp long picot
RW reverse work
Shuttle #1
Cloverleaf
R1 6 p 4 p 2.
R2 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 vsp 2 lp 2 vsp 6 p 2.
R3 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 vsp 6. RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
Cloverleaf
R4 6 + (to last vsp of R3) 4 p 2.
R5 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 + (to 2nd vsp of R2) 2 + (to lp of R2) 2 vsp 6 p 2.
R6 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 p 6. RW.
Ch 2 + (to p of previous chain) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R7 3 vsp 3. RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 3. RW.
Cloverleaf
R8 3 p 2 p 2.
R9 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 3 + (to vsp of R7) 3 + (to 2nd p of R6) 2 p 2 p 3 vsp 3 p 2.
R10 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 2 p 3. RW.
Shuttle #2
R11 3 + (to p of previous chain) 12 p 12 p 3. Do not RW.
Shuttle #1
Ch 3 + (to last p of previous R) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R12 3 + (to 2nd vsp of R9). RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
Cloverleaf
R13 6 + (to 5th p of R9) 4 p 2.
R14 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 + (to 2nd vsp of R5) 2 + (to lp of R2) 2 vsp 6 p 2.
R15 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 vsp 6. RW.
Ch 2 + (to p of previous chain) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
Cloverleaf
R16 6 + (to last p of previous R) 4 p 2.
R17 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 6 + (to 2nd vsp of R14) 2 + (to lp of R2) 2 +(to 1st vsp of R2) 6 p 2.
R18 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 4 p 6. RW.
Ch 2 + (to p of previous chain) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R19 3 vsp 3. RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 3. RW.
Cloverleaf
R20 3 p 2 p 2.
R21 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 3 + (to vsp of R19) 3 + (to last p of R18) 2 p 2 + (to 1st p 0f R1) 3 vsp 3 p 2.
R22 2 + (to last p of previous ring) 2 p 3. RW.
Shuttle #2
R23 3 + (to p of previous chain) 12 p 12 p 3. Do not RW.
Shuttle #1
Ch 3 + (to last p of previous R) 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2. RW.
R24 3 + (to 2nd vsp of R21). RW.
Ch 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 + (to 1st p of the 1st Ch) 2. Tie off ends at base of first cloverleaf.
