Finished critter with wings pulled back Antennae cut & curled

Buzzz the Waspette - Sue Hanson © 2005
Here two-colour block tatting is used for the abdomen and the head made with an exaggerated onion ring with beads on the core of the chain for eyes.  A lock join is used with a picot over it for the mandibles… Legs are made using a picot gauge and wings comprise of beads only and are bent back after completion.  Ends are hidden as you go… All in all a complex little critter!  Enjoy

1 pair black CTM (Sh#1 & Sh#3) & single shuttle yellow (Sh#2)

2 small drop beads for eyes (black)
4” of beads for wings (no need to count size dictates how many)
1” picot gauge
vsp gauge 3 mm

Black load 2” beads, 2 eye beads on Sh#1 then other 2” beads with 1 yard of thread on Sh#3 YEP shuttle 3

Head 2 shuttles CTM
R1: 4 vsp 4 (add in Sh#2 leaving 2” tail) & clr RW
  Ch: 1 vsp 6 B 4 --- (1”) 2 +LJ (R1) - 2 --- (1”) 4 B 6 vsp 1 +LJ (base R1) RW

Body place 2” beads for 1st wing around hand
…Carry Sh#2 yellow on 2nd side of split ring
…Yellow tail end is hidden inside 1st side of SR2 to balance in thickness
SR2: (Sh#1) 1 + (adj vsp) 3 <2” B’s > 1 --- (1”) 1 --- (1”) 1 --- (1”) 3 vsp 1 // (Sh#3) 1 + (adj vsp) 3 <2” B’s > --- (1”) 1 --- (1”) 1 --- (1”) 3 vsp 1 clr
…Pull picot beads tight before working next ds or wings will be floppy!
…Cut black Sh#3 thread, tuck to back & hide it in next portion of chain

Abdomen with right side facing & using Sh#1 black & Sh#2 yellow
+ LJ (vsp 2nd side SR2) placing shuttles for block tatting
SLT & turn (like a page, back & forth so work does not get tangled)
Yellow stripes are marked with highlighter

Sh#2 Ch:     vsp 3 + LJ (SR1) SLT & turn
Sh#2 Ch:    vsp 4 + LJ (last Ch) turn & SS
Sh#1 Ch: hs vsp 6 + LJ (last Ch) SLT & turn
Sh#1 Ch:     vsp 8 + LJ (last Ch) turn & SS
Sh#2 Ch: hs vsp 10 +LJ (last Ch) SLT & turn
Sh#2 Ch:    vsp 10 + LJ (last Ch) turn & SS
Sh#1 Ch: hs vsp 10+ LJ (last Ch)  SLT & turn
Sh#1 Ch:    vsp 9 + LJ (last Ch) turn & SS
Sh#2 Ch: hs vsp 8 + LJ (last Ch) SLT & turn
Sh#2 Ch:     vsp 6 + LJ (last Ch) turn & SS
Sh#1 Ch: hs vsp 5 + LJ (last Ch) SLT & turn
Sh#1 Ch:     vsp 4 + LJ (last Ch) turn & SS
Sh#2 Ch:     1 vsp 3 + LJ (last Ch) SLT & turn
Sh#2 Ch:     1 vsp 2 + LJ (last Ch) SLT & turn
Sh#2 Ch:    1 – (sting) 1 + LJ (last Ch) SLT, tie & cut

Block Tatting
Work top sided tatting for this, from the front normal ds (1,2) & from the back - reverse the order of ds (2,1)
Use a small picot gauge for consistency of size…
To make the join on the following row easier use the shuttle point/hook to lift it up after working a couple of ds…
At the end of a normal row work a SLT <shoe lace trick> & turn work ready for small picot on next row…
On changing colour turn work & switch shuttles then you need to make a half stitch before the vsp to put the thread in the correct position

Finishing For antenna cut long picots at base on the inside taking care not to cut the mandible Using back of scissors curve thread as shown Turn beaded picots to lay at back of body

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