Tatting over tails part 1 frontside

Sewing in ends is arguably the least favorite task of a tatter. The easiest way to avoid this is to tat over the tail ends.

We have plenty of good resources showing us how to accomplish it. See annotated list here. Yes, we can start any element, or add new thread in shuttle tatting without a knot. It is called Tatting Over Tails – basically encapsulating the tail within newly-formed stitches.

All tutorials I have come across so far simply stop tatting over the tail after the first few double stitches – specifically after the 2^nd half stitch.

This pictorial is to demonstrate and compare why it is better to leave the tail in the middle of a double stitch, rather than at the end. This holds true for directional tatting - whether one is tatting frontside or backside.

Part 1 illustrates where to leave the tail in frontside ring.

Part 2 will illustrate where to leave the tail in backside chain.

Contrasting colours are used to show the difference. Focus is on the process and concept.

DS – double stitch ; 

FHS – first half stitch ; 

SHS – second half stitch.

 Tatting over Tails 

Part 1 - frontside

In traditional and frontside tatting, FHS is followed by SHS to complete 1 DS.

Frontside tatting : 1DS = (1FHS,1SHS)

Most tutorials simply leave the tail after the 4^th or 5^th double stitch.

Here the tail will be left after the FHS of 4^th double stitch.

1. Blue is the tail to be hidden; orange/pink is thread from the shuttle to start a ring and hide blue tail within.

2. Start ring. 1 DS made encapsulating the tail.

FHS being made, with tail being encapsulated.

Notice the position of the threads within – they tend to remain behind.

3. FHS tensioned.

4. SHS started with tail within.

Notice the position of threads within – they tend to be come in front.

5. SHS tensioned

6. I stopped tatting over the tail after 4DS and 1FHS ; then continued to complete with 1SHS and 1DS. Thus 6DS made in all.

Tail is not visible in front

7. Now, IF I had stopped tatting over tail after 5 DS ie. after a SHS, this is how the tail would look – it emerges from the front !

Compare #6 & #7

 8. Tail hidden and ring completed as viewed from front.

9. the same when seen from the back. 

These last few pics clearly show how the tail automatically stays at the back of the work when we stop tatting over it after a first half stitch in traditional or frontside tatting, whether it is a ring or a chain or any other element.

Backside tatting over tail on a chain will be published in next post.

Do try it for yourself, and see the difference.

This is the way I like to do it and it works for me. Hopefully some of you will find it useful, too.

Tatting over Tails - the middle path - 

download complete pdf here (parts 1 & 2)

happy tatting always :-)