Halloween is Actually Closer Than Xmas

 These Day of the Dead Earrings are a Lot Like Halloween ...

... not quite there yet, but getting closer. 

Pattern

Aunt Lydia's #10 thread in Mexicana Variegated colorway
6/0 Czech beads
Skull bead
Handy Hands #5 needle. 
Size 1.1 mm Crochet Hook
Stitch Safety Pin or Paper Clip

DS = Double Stitch
pb =  Place Bead

Load 10 Czech beads on the ball thread and have the skull bead ready for the Long Picot when you get to it. 

* To make the LONG PICOT that holds the skull, pull the ball thread up through the skull bead using a small crochet hook, then slip a pin or paperclip through the top of the LONG PICOT to hold the skull while you continue tatting.*

Needle Tatting Pattern for the ring around the skull is:


1DS, pb, 2DS, pb,  2DS, pb, 2DS, pb, 2DS, pb, *1DS Long Picot 1DS*, pb, 2DS, pb, 2DS, pb, 2DS, pb, 2DS, pb,1DS

Put needle through Long Picot end held open by pin or clip, and then through the End Loop and cinch to complete ring.  Knot.  Hide ends.
- - - - - - - -


I didn't add the R= 2DS,p,2DS that you see at the top of the picture to the pattern. I was thinking that I needed a tatted 'jump' ring to attach the ear wire.  Now I'm leaning twoards running the earring through the join knots once the thread ends are hidden.

On another note, Aunt Lydia's Metallic size 10 doesn't work for me on the tatting needle; the metal ply catches and bunches.  It might work in shuttle tatting and I know it works with crochet so nothing lost.

Finished Earring is Nickle Size