A Christmas Tree with Heart by Janice Blair

A Christmas Tree with Heart
by Janice Blair
3 pair bobbins wound continuously with Filato per tombolo di Cantu30 cotton, Coats Opera 30
or DMC 80 tatting cotton
1 pair DMC Fil metallise red, 1 yd is enough
1 pair DMC Fil metallise green
Beads, assorted sizes and one star bead
Pins and pins with glass heads
Rainbow the green, red and two white pairs over first pin at the bottom.
The worker pair is hung over the same pin but to the left of the others.
Cloth stitch through all pairs working a whole stitch at the pinhole on the right.
After this the work is done in whole stitch at the edges and the metallic gimps are worked in
a chevron (lift center green pair, pass white over red pair and under green, separate green
pair and place either side of red pair).
• When a curve is reached use a pivot pin around it by working the inside pin once, work to
the outer edge, pin, and back to the passive but wrap the worker around the pin and under
the inside passive pair on each return to the inside pin; after the bend is completed and
two more pins are worked take the pivot pin out and gently pull on the inner passives to
smooth out the turn.
• The lines on the pricking indicate where beads are added but this is up to the lacemaker. I
suggest you take the pricking if going to buy beads to make sure they are small enough.
• Beads are added to the thread on the row above by taking the worker through the passive,
place a pin, but before closing take a crochet hook through the bead and pull one of the
worker threads through, catch the loop with a glass headed pin and place on the row
above. Close the pin and continue on.
• Tie the worker with another white thread, cut away all others except green metallics, use
them to tie around white pair, cut away white pair and thread green pair through the star
bead, tie a knot to stop the bead slipping off. Tie green threads together further up and
your ornament is ready to hang.
Hints:
• After pulling thread through the bead wrap it around wrong side of pin to tension and close
pin with passive.
• When a bead is reached at the row above, before removing the pin catch the loop on your
hook and make a sewing with the worker thread.
• When I reached the end I made a short half-hitch roll using a worker for the hitch cutting
away some threads so that it was thinner.
• I used hookie bobbins for the metallic threads, and by trying different types I think the
hookie bobbins that have a “C” shaped top are the best to use. You could cut a piece of
drinking straw to cover the metallic thread on the bobbin to tame it.
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© Janice Blair 2002
“A Christmas Tree with Heart”
Page 1 of 2
The size of the pricking is 3½” high x 3" wide.
© Janice Blair 2002
“A Christmas Tree with Heart”
Page 2 of 2