The Evolution of a Pattern

Sorry all! I've been having some internet problems lately, and this isn't a guarantee that I'll stay on for very long. Oh the life of using another's internet.. Aah well. Also, sorry for those who don't have Japanese characters on their system. There's a part in this post that is written in hirigana..

Seeing as how I go through several different patterns/designs, I thought I’d share how I make my patterns in Illustrator. I’m working on a snowflake of my own design, which I’ve got called the “Sakura Flake,”　ふれっくのさくら (fure-ku no sakura, or Cherry Blossom Snowflake. That is, if my translation is correct..) It uses one shuttle and a ball, a first for me. I’m so used to using two that it’s a bit unnatural to not have that second shuttle to dance with! Here’s the first part of it, as I originally wrote it:

Abbreviations:
R- ring
Ch- Chain
Cl – close
P – mock picot
RW – Reverse work
+ - join
LJ – lock join

Round 1
R (5-4-4-5) Cl. RW
P, Ch (6-6) RW
R (3-3-3-3) Cl. RW
Ch (6-6) RW
*R (5+4-4-5) Cl. RW
Ch (6-6) RW
R (3-3-3-3) Cl. RW
Ch (6-6) RW *
**Repeat four times, making five rings, then
R (5-4-4-5) Cl. RW
Ch (6-6) RW
R (3-3-3-3) Cl. RW
Ch (6-6) LJ to p before 1st chain. Cut, tie, and hide ends.

The problem with this flake is that the smaller rings didn’t quite give me the look I was going for, so I tried for something a little bit different, just by changing the stitch count and adding a join. Here’s the chart, as everything is the same except for the chains.



I still had the same problem, and decided for yet another variation:



This chart doesn’t show the correct scale.

And finally, the cart that I’m currently working on, and is a bit closer to what I want to achieve:



Still not fully happy with them, but oh well.

I’m planning on doing a better job at the chart once I get the pattern all figured out, so keep an eye out. I thought I’d share this little progression, and I’ll have full pictures later. My batteries are dead! (sigh)

Until then, happy tatting!