Cluny Tatting Tips

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Cluny Tatting – My First Trials

This is not a post about how to make tallies/clunies. There are many wonderful online tutorials (text, diagram, video) to which I will add links as I go. In this post, I will be giving my own take/options on how to get results easily, what should be absolutely avoided, or why a certain thing is done in relation to particular tuts … just a few tips here & there, that might be helpful to someone starting out – simply to show that one does not have to follow only one style &/or follow it dogmatically.

Secondly, these are my first trials & the tallies are not all good or identical. My main aim in learning Cluny tatting is in the potential for free style/ freeform & 3D tatting, & of course the diverse shapes & effects they can create, so I was not too concerned when all my classic oval tallies did not come out identical.

There is still a Whole lot of learning, experimenting, & practicing required !

About Cluny Tatting 

1. Cluny "Tatting" - it is not strictly tatting (this style originated in lace making & requires weaving, not knotting);
2. Cluny (in the capital) refers to the museum in Paris where it was first exhibited
3. 'cluny' is again a misnomer - the form/element that is woven is called a tally (or leaf/petal), not a cluny. However the latter has taken root (& admittedly, I do like the term ;-P) & is here to stay, but there is no harm in knowing a bit of factoid.
"Put simply, ‘Cluny Tatting’ is a design style which incorporates tallies, leaves or petals". Judith Connors

Why Cluny Tatting ?

Tallies add texture, density, interest, feature, novelty, beauty, …. They add a point of contrast between open lace (rings) & filled-in/coloured-in elements/rings . Weaving introduces an embroidered effect, too. 

But they are Functional as well !

A normal tally will act like a chain or a split ring to carry both threads from one end to the other, thus spanning a space.

A hanging cluny/tally will acts like a normal/regular ring where the threads return to the starting point, at the base.
Thus, almost any ring or chain in a pattern can be converted into a cluny/tally !

Both types of tallies have the potential for classic oval shape, or for freeform leaf, petal, & even regular Geometric shapes !!! Think of the Vast potential these shapes have/can have in our tatting – whether in freestyle tatting, in 3D, in jewelry, besides the flat 2D usage in doilies, etc.

And if a finger loom is difficult to mqke or sustain (“the death grip”!), then there are varied kinds of looms that can be cut out/made from materials within the home (listed at end of post). Even in a finger loom, I hope some of the tips listed below will help ease the tension in the hand (more on how versatile a single card loom can be in next post).

Disclaimer : I am sharing what has/hasn’t worked for me & the lessons drawn thereof. We each have individual styles, techniques & comfort levels, hence these are just my own thumb rules..

Secondly, my experience is limited to barely a month of intermittent Cluny tatting & loads of experimentation is yet to be done. So if you come across any mistakes Please write & point out so that I can rectify the errors.

Thirdly, I am still very much in need of practice. As always, please excuse the lack of precision. I am, however, displaying All my trials, including ones with glaring mistakes to showcase some progress & evolution in the learning endeavour.... if I can, You most definitely Can !!!

While Cluny Tatting had been on my to-learn list, this video recommendation suddenly ‘loomed’ up in my Inbox motivating me to try it that very instant. Tammie demonstrates Very clearly & slowly, how to make the finger loom first. I wanted to try the finger loom first in order to understand the concept. Once that was clear, it was easy to shift to artificial looms and also to experiment further.
The finger loom “worked”, but left my little pinkie all blue. So I switched the ‘loom’ to my bed , wrapping the threads around pins stuck into the mattress. Much easier, but a tad fiddly – so steadied & tensioned the loom using 2 pins for each Warp . And then, Judith Connors graciously offered to mail me her directions for making a loom out of card stock (copyright, but shared on Craftree here). Well, then I Really took off ! It is very easy to maintain an easy & comfortable grip on the tally while weaving; easier to manipulate too.

For most of my practice pieces, I have used 2 different colours so that mistakes become easy to spot & work on in future practice.

Some  Terms/Concepts  Used In  Discussion 

In order to decrease confusion, I have capitalized the W in Warp while wrap remains in small font,
Loom is made with the ball/chain/SH2 thread, forming the Warp (vertical). One can call this the Loom shuttle for convenience.

Weaving is done with the core/SH1 (or auxiliary) thread, thus forming the weft/wrap (horizontal). This can be called the Weaving shuttle for convenience.

Finger loom – when loom is made on fingers/hand by looping the Warps around fingers.

In a 3 Warp/thread loom : inner or 1st Warp (extreme left near index finger) , middle Warp, & outer Warp (extreme left towards pinkie). 

NOTE : Inner or 1st Warp is always the point where the tally starts & is attached to the previous tatting/element. This always remains the same, while the 2nd & 3rd may change if adding more Warps.

Card/Box/Artificial/Plastic loom – any artificial loom cut out from card stock, visiting cards, plastic containers, etc. In the discussion, I have used ‘card’ loom for convenience.

1 wrap/weave = movement or pass from right to left & back to right (starting point)  ; One can thus assume that 1 wrap = 2 passes in opposite directions.

Almost ready to post, and this table bug hit me ! This is a rough equivalence between normal tatting & Cluny tatting . See the similarities ?

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UPDATE : See new 2018 series starting with basics and through to 4-Coloured Cluny Tatting -pictorials and practice patterns. All listed here : https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/my-tut.html 

12  Tips  for  Easier  Cluny Tatting 

While the numbering below reflects the steps involved it is more for convenience in listing.

1.  Start  Tally  with  A Stitch  ? 

Many tuts mention/show that in order to bring all the threads together & 'lock' them in place, it is preferable to make 1 ds or 1fhs on inner (1st Warp) thread, before the actual weaving begins. They also point out that it is quite difficult to flip the stitch/half stitch.  Well, a reverse stitch / Unflipped stitch or half stitch works just as well.

I start with a reverse stitch on first Warp (extreme left) of loom, Instead of a ds. Ds is difficult to make – flipping a fairly taut Warp is not easy. RS/reverse stitch works just as well.

Confirm that the loom threads are free to move, before proceeding to weave further.

Some start with a half stitch (flipped or unflipped) - this works too, but one has to be Real careful when closing the loom due to it's propensity for getting knotted. Best avoided.

Fig  1.

This step is easily omitted in a card loom where one has more control & grip over all the threads.

Also, I did not like the tiny telltale knot at the base, as visible in the close up of the Frauberger Bookmark tail#1 (indicated by arrows in above pic).
UPDATE : See also HITCH THE LOOM.

2.  Anchor  the  Loom  Shuttle

This is an idea that was buried somewhere in my subconscious from Lilas’ diagrams ! Brilliant in it’s simplicity & practicality ! No more blue fingers !!! … And now, while researching some more for the post, I came across another Great tut by Jennifer Williams who has illustrated the exact technique !

Fig 2

For finger looms, after the Warps are made & tensioned, wind the thread till the SH2 or loom shuttle is anchored firmly behind the fingers as seen in pic.

Fig 3

The same technique worked Splendidly on the card loom, with SH2 anchored behind the side slit.

3.  Slip  Off  Loop  

Continuing from the previous objective to ease the strain & tension on one's fingers/hand, one can Easily remove/slip off the loop held around pinkie. (Compare Fig 2 & 4) 

Fig 4

It can be left hanging down (not seen in pic)! If one is not comfortable or confident at the very beginning, make one complete weave & Then slip it off. Recall the SCMR where one can leave the loop hanging down after making the 1^st ds.

4.  Shuttle  or  Needle ?

I have used both to do the weaving part. I am very comfortable with the shuttle on a card loom. To avoid the shuttle hook from catching the Warp threads, I hold the back end of shuttle in front & weave..

A long, thick darning needle (or tatting needle, of course) is ideal for weaving with auxiliary thread, as in the case of a hanging cluny.

5.  Weaving Order  

For right-handers, weaving starts from right to left & back to right, by going over or under the Warp threads.

Some start weaving from right to left by going over-under-over/o-u-o (& vice versa on the way back)

While others start with under-over-under/u-o-u (& vice versa on way back).

I was a bit confused when comparing some tuts, but the reason dawned on me when Judith shared her loom instructions.

Both are correct, depending on how the shuttle (weaving) thread is placed in comparison to the center/middle Warp.

Fig 5 

If the weaving SH1 is above/over the middle Warp or is in line with it, then first method is used as it immediately ‘locks’ the weaving thread on right side. Clever Cluny,  Karen Cabrera 

Fig 6

However, if the shuttle thread is under the middle Warp, then in a sense weaving has already begun & the 2^nd method is applied. Portella Julie , Carollyn madtatter80 , Lilas, Judith Connors

6.  Check  for  Slide/mobility  

Just as in normal tatting, the core thread should be able to slide freely within the ds being made on it, similarly, the loom threads should be free to slide while the weaves are being made otherwise closing will become impossible. Keep checking, especially as a beginner, to see that the weaving is allowing the loom threads to slide easily. Remember, the 1st/inner Warp will be locked in, but all other threads should be able to slide when tugged correctly. Just a tiny tug at the centre & extreme right (outward) loom threads will ensure that no knots have formed.

Fig 7

Sometimes I hold both these together & gently pull . (see #8 for cautionary note)

7.  Tauten  the  Warps

A loom is simply a frame made of Warps, to do & hold the weaving together (just like the core thread in regular tatting). These vertical loom threads should remain taut throughout the process in order to get nicely formed tallies. In case one of the Warps slackens a bit, pull the thread segment/loop that follows/is next to it (towards the Loom/SH2). Any Warp thread can be carefully tensioned in this manner, even when the weaving is in progress, because the loom frame is formed in one contiguous sequence.  Notice the taut Warps in each of the images above – whether made on a finger loom or a card loom.

8. Tension Each Pass     

Weaving cluny leaves in this manner means having to tension Each pass for a smooth margin . One cannot make multiple passes/weaves & then pull to bring together. It will simply resist, distort, knot over in a crumpled mess.  If each pass & wrap is not tensioned, one can see a tiny bump along the margin (see pic below).

Fig 8

madtatter80 shares her interesting "dropping" motion for the 2^nd pass, which quickens her pace. 

9.  Pack  Down  the  Weaves/wraps   

For a good-looking, evenly woven tally, it is essential to pack down the weaves as they are being made. It can be done with the help of a crochet hook, needle, shuttle point, etc. Or one can hold the Warp threads together in a pinch & push back the weaves (indicated in Fig.7). One thing to be careful about (I realized after some trials) is that if one pulls the rightmost/outer Warp thread too strongly, negligently, or too often, it can distort the curve of the tally, usually flattening the arc.

Fig 9

Also, notice the tiny colour blip at tip of some of the tallies where tensioning or packing down is wanting.

Opinion varies on whether a ‘tatting’ cluny should be packed down too tightly unlike a bobbin lace cluny. I guess ultimately it is the tatter’s personal definition of what is 'too tight'.

10.  In  the  Pinch  Always

Keep tally within a pinch while weaving, especially on a finger loom. (On an artificial loom, one has some leeway. In fact, I often use both hands to weave to & fro on the card loom).

This becomes Especially critical when closing the tally. If one relaxes one's pinch there is the heightened risk of getting the threads all in a knot – it is extremely difficult to unravel the knot. I speak from personal experience, where many a cluny got ‘locked in’.

11.  Weigh  Down  While  Closing    

When making tallies, many loops have to be closed in sequence, & each one has a tendency to twist . This can be very easily avoided , irrespective of the loom or tally .

As each Warp loop is removed from finger/card to start closing, place a steel crochet hook (or any slim but slightly weighty object) into the loop that is being closed . Do this as soon as you remove that loop from the loom. If one starts closing before weighing it down, chances are twisting will start & it becomes more difficult to get it all straight especially if one’s fingers are encased in the finger loom.

Fig 10

Fig 11

The steel hook provides enough weight/pressure to the closing loop to keep it from twisting & knotting itself. At the last moment, slip the ‘hook off’ & give the final tug to close the loop snugly.

Please note the pics are taken After a lot of closing has been accomplished, although the hook had been in position throughout the pulling/closing process.

12.  Hiding  Tail  Ends

It is possible to hide thread/tail ends within a tally, but requires some dexterity. Place the tail parallel to the middle Warp & weave as normal. After a few weaves over the tail, tension the tail & continue the rest of the tally . When it is complete & closed, snip off the extra tail end. Since the weaves are packed down, the tail will remain secure within. (image below).

Or one can leave enough length in the tail end to sew it through the back of a tally. However, this, again, is not easy if the weaves are densely packed down.

In the next post(s) I will cover some of the many shapes that are possible, as well as include stepwise instructions on how to make hanging clunies and 4 & 5 veined tallies on a card loom.

UPDATE : All my Cluny Tatting Tutorials,  including COLOURED CLUNY TATTING, are listed here :  https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/my-tut.html

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Cluny Tatting Resources

A lot of the above ‘tweaks’ I figured as I went, enjoying the mental challenge. However, later research threw up excellent resources, tutorials & videos that have covered many of the above points. Here is my current list that covers the topics discussed above. I will add more to the list in later posts, & in Resources Page

Tutorials for beginners  

For starters, these are an Excellent & vital first step!

• Clever Cluny (Beginning Tatting Video Series)  After watching the 1st half of this video, I will Never forget how to make a loom - on fingers or otherwise ! I was able to continue with my tally after watching just this half ! The 2nd half deals with a cardboard loom cutout.
• Frivolité à la navette : le point d'esprit (Cluny leaf) : Very soon after this, Julie posted a great video, too ! Although text is in French, the demo is very clear & easy to follow.
• text is in French but very clear self-explanatory video demo. Another good finger loom tatting resource for beginners. 
• Jennifer Williams’ Cluny Tatting Technique diagrammed with instructions . Another Excellent resource to print & refer for beginners. I only came across it a couple of days back. 
• Lilas Lace diagrams  - superb self-explanatory diagrams . 

More Cluny Tatting Resources (in no particular order) :

• Mark Myers (tatman) How to tat a cluny leaf 
• Steph Peters’ Cluny Leaves in Tatting - diagrammatic instructions ; & stepwise pictorial   
• madtatter80’s Tatting Cluny Lace... the center SH2 thread is shifted to extreme right, & SH1 is 'dropped' on return for easy & quick tensioning. 
• Mimi Dillman’s Cluny Tatting Page with with a list of resources & her pictorial instructions. 
• kcabrera74 : Lesson 30 – Cluny    
• Linda S Davis' Shuttle Tatted Cluny video     
• Threads in Craftree ‘What is Cluny Tatting’ (Judith Connors) & Tips on Shaping Cluny Leaves (Patty Dowden)

Various Types of Looms & tuts 

• Clever Cluny by Lorraine Eisbrenner Wolak  loom on card 
• Star Plastic Canvas Loom
• Plastic Bottle Loom
• Judith Connors Cluny Tatting Loom (diagram & instructions)- The measurements of the card loom may be enlarged or reduced, even to using an old credit/loyalty card, for easy portability (I will talk more about how her loom helped me in making 4 & 5 warp & Hanging tallies too !): 
• Cluny Box Loom Shuttle tatting tut (Beginning Tatting Video Series) 
• Various Cluny Tatting Looms

  Cluny Tatting with Needle 

• Georgia Seitz' compilation of many resources 
• Wally Sosa's Pictorial Steps 1-4 and Steps 5-8 

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Related Posts : How to make the 3D petal and other shapes/effects

Hanging & Split Cluny Leaves on loom

Warp 4 & 5 Cluny Leaves with free pdfs

Free pattern for Studs 
Free pattern for braid