Trefoil Table Runner

After a year and a half, and about 200 hours of tatting, the trefoil table runner is finally finished:

The runner is tatted in Lizbeth size 20 thread. It measures 55 inches long and 8.5 inches wide. It is all tatted in one pass. You can get to the Etsy listing for the pattern by clicking HERE

I want to use this blog post as a companion to the written pattern (there's a link within the pattern that will direct here). I will be showing in progress photos of the table runner and will include some additional information at the bottom of the post.

The Trefoil Table Runner began as a challenge to make a magic rectangle (a rectangle that could be expanded to any size, all in one pass). I soon realized that the tatting path for this rectangle would be much different than what I was used to for magic squares. Instead of the complex magic square path, I needed to work back and forth in rows, similar to making a crochet blanket. However, to make both sides symmetrical, I had to work one half at a time. The tatting path is shown below:

For the actual runner, I started by making a strip of connected trefoils. I worked to half of the length of the dining table, letting the end of the runner drape a bit before turning the corner. Our table has a line down the middle where two pieces connect, so it was easy to measure the halfway point:

After turning the corner, I worked my way back to the middle of the table. Upon reaching the middle of the table I made another turn:

I want to point out that there is an extra trefoil along the edge. Below is a closer photo of it. The extra trefoil will line up with the middle part of the runner:

I continued working in this zig-zag fashion. Here is the second column in progress:

I decided to work a tapered edge to give the pattern a little more visual interest. Here are the third, fourth, and fifth columns being tatted:

After finishing the fifth column, my table runner was at the halfway point. I then needed to create a mirror image of the first half of the runner. Without cutting my thread, I worked another strip of trefoils, making sure it was the same length as the first half. At this point, I needed to move my table runner to the ottoman because it was becoming too long to photograph:

As with the first half of the runner, I worked back and forth in a zig-zag path. The two halves are connected horizontally, through the middle of the runner. Below is the seventh column being built and connected back to the first half of the runner:

The eighth and ninth columns are made in the same way. The tapered edge mirrors what was done for the first half of the runner:

The tenth and final column is worked back to the starting point. The last elements are joined back to the first, and the thread is cut, tied, and sewn in:

Here is a closer photo of the runner, including the tapered edge:

I worked from a 1 kg cone of Lizbeth size 20 thread. My finished runner weighs 107 grams, which is equivalent to about 5 balls of Lizbeth thread (each ball weighing 25 grams):

In total, my table runner has 478 trefoils. Each trefoil took about 25 minutes to tat (only 20 minutes for trefoils along the edge because they didn't have thrown rings). Using several Catherine wheel joins definitely slowed my tatting down quite a bit. Adjustments can be made to use other join types if speed is of concern.

400 Trefoils

I'm getting closer to finishing the table runner. It's up to 400 trefoils now (78 more left to finish the runner):

Here is another angle on the table:

And on the ottoman to see the full runner:

Right now, I'm working on another project, but I still plan to finish the runner before the end of the year. The pattern has been written up and I have tested some parts of it already.

350 Trefoils

I'm slowly making progress on my table runner. It's up to 350 trefoils now:

I will continue to post updates periodically, as I make my way through the rest of the runner. I still have to write up the pattern for this and am hoping to have it in my Etsy shop sometime later this year.

300 Trefoils, and Etsy sale

I took a break from tatting in April, and then started working on my table runner again in May. It's now up to 300 trefoils. I had to lay it diagonally across the table to see the whole thing:

When placed in the center of the table, it drapes a little over each side:

This is an extendable table, so I'll have to insert the middle piece for future photos. That way it will be easier to see the entire runner.

In other news, I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop from now until May 31. Everything is 20% off, no code needed. If you miss this sale, I will be having another one at the end of November.

Table Runner, 5th Column

I've started working my way down the 5th column of the table runner:

When I reach the bottom, I will be at the halfway point. Then I need to create the second half the same way as the first. It's all made in one continuous path, which reduces the amount of ends I have to hide.

Here's how it will lay on the table:

There's about 150 hours of work left for this project (which includes writing up the pattern), but I'm not sure when I will get it finished. I've been working on the table runner in between other projects to keep things a little more interesting.

Table Runner, 4th Column

I've been working on my table runner in between other projects. I'm on the fourth column now:

There will be a total of five columns on this half of the runner. The next half of the runner will also have five columns and will be a mirror image of the first half.

More trefoils

I added some more trefoils to my table runner, and have just turned the corner of the third column:

After this, the fourth and fifth columns will taper downward, with the fifth column acting as a border. Then I will need to double the length of the runner to span the other half of the table. Here is how it will lay on the table:

As you can see, there is still a long way to go. I probably won't be finished with it until sometime next year.

100 Trefoils

My table runner is up to 100 trefoils now. It's about 20% of the way finished:

In the photo below, you can see the end of the table runner in the bottom left corner. This will hang over the edge of the table. I'm tapering it to give it more visual interest. The tapering is hard to see right now, but will become clearer as I progress with the design.

Here's a view from further back to get an idea of how the project will sit on the table. As you can see, there's still a long way to go:

Earlier this week, I received my order of Liz Metallic thread. I got Rose, Raspberry Pink, Sea Foam, Silver, Sand Dollar, and Gold Dust:

I thought it would be fun to make a flowery bookmark with metallic thread, and that's why I bought the Raspberry Pink and Sea Foam. I'm still not sure what I will make with the other colors.

I also wanted to continue my thread size comparisons for the Liz Metallic. In my last blog post, I found that the Liz Metallic is noticeably larger than the size 20 Lizbeth. At the time, I didn't have any size 10 thread to compare it to. Well, a few days ago, I managed to find some size 10 Red Heart crochet thread while I was out shopping. I still don't own any size 10 Lizbeth, but am hoping that the size 10 Red Heart is close enough. Here's how the three samples stack up:

The Liz Metallic is right in between the size 20 Lizbeth and the size 10 Red Heart. I'd call the Liz Metallic a size 15, if such a thing exists? 

One final thing before I close out today's blog post. In my last blog post, a few of you said I should submit my color idea for the Liz Metallic thread. Here's an update on that. In response to my suggestion to add a black metallic to the available colors, I was told that Handy Hands is not taking any color suggestions for the Liz Metallic. I was reminded several times that the thread is a metallic (and not a cotton) and therefore they cannot make any color they want.

I also took the opportunity to ask if Handy Hands is planning to expand the metallics to a smaller thread size in the future. The answer to this is also no.

50 Trefoils

The table runner is getting bulky and awkward to work with, even though I'm only 10% of the way done. It's going to be much larger than this:

Here it is on the table. I've completed 50 trefoils, and the finished runner will need around 500:

The start of a very long project

I adjusted the stitch counts for the midline of my table runner, and I think I found something that will work. It's very close, so I should be able to block it into place if needed. I've now started on the actual runner. I had to coil the long end to take a close up photo (looks like coiling a tatted edging could make a flower too):

It's going to be a very long project, and I need to make around 500 of the trefoils. So far I have 25 of them. I began in the middle of the table and then worked my way to the edge before turning. If the table didn't have a line down the middle, I would have started from one end and worked my way to the other end.

I want the runner to drape so that's why the sample hangs over the edge. This end will taper into a point instead of running straight across. More on that as I continue with the project:

Adjustments needed

I got my shipment from Lacis yesterday, containing the cone of size 20 Lizbeth thread. Looks like this will be plenty for several large projects:

However, I can't get started on the table runner just yet. As suspected, the midline of the runner is difficult to get right. My tatted sample (pictured above) curves inward in the middle instead of forming straight lines down each side. I have a few adjustments in mind, but will have to tat a subsection to see if it works. I hope to have that figured out by next week.

Table runner design progress

Here's where I'm at with the table runner design. First, I needed to make a tatted draft where I could experiment with different stitch counts, edge options, etc. I took this photo while sitting on the couch and you can see all of the tatted scraps on the corner table.

After this draft comes a final sample, so I can make sure everything fits together before embarking on the larger project. It's still a work in progress, and I need to come down the right side and then tat the bottom half. I'm using gray thread because it shows up well in a scan which will be useful to include in the finished pattern.

Of particular importance is the bottom edge of the tatted sample in the photo above. It will become the midline of the table runner and needs to line up with the center of the trefoil in the lower left of the sample. Here is the line that I'm talking about:

I won't be certain that it works until I loop back around and finish the sample. Even if it doesn't work it will be close enough to gauge the adjustments needed for the actual table runner.

It might be a couple more weeks before I get this sample finished, and collect enough white thread of the same dye lot to begin the table runner. Handy Hands is all out of the size 20 Lizbeth cones, so I've ordered from Lacis and am hoping it will ship (rather than be cancelled due to lack of stock). If not, I might have to order the individual balls from Handy Hands and see if they can send me 6 in the same dye lot. I'll keep the blog updated as I progress with things.

From bookmark to table runner?

I thought some of you might be interested to see me turn a bookmark pattern into a table runner. I'm at the beginning stages now and will be working with this design:

A little backstory: Ever since I made a magic square, I wondered what other shapes could be tatted infinitely, in one pass. I thought about making a magic rectangle, and drew some possible paths for it. Since a bookmark is rectangular in shape, it seemed like a perfect building block for a magic rectangle.

To get started, I took a birds eye photo of the bookmark pictured above, and digitally spliced it together using an app called Photo Grid. I then drew missing elements using another app called You Doodle:

I soon realized that the magic square path would be too complicated for a rectangular project, and that it was much easier to zig-zag back and forth. Here is a sample of a zig-zag path, also drawn with You Doodle:

If you look closely, you will notice that the zig-zag path is not completable on the tatting pictured above. I have to redesign the midsection to create a continuous path which will allow me to travel from one "bookmark" to the next.

I often work with a lot of digitally altered images, which I keep stored in my iPad's photo album. It gives me a visual roadmap of where to take my tatting, and an idea of how the larger project will look. Next time, I'll show some of the redesigns involved in getting the zig-zag path to work.

Speaking of bookmarks, I've been talking to Dorothy Cochran over on Etsy (link to her shop), and she has sent me written instructions for the Priscilla Bookmark. I've updated the pattern to include these instructions, and you can find it on my free patterns page or directly by clicking here. Thanks Dorothy!