differences

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A few months back I worked on some lattice tatting samplers. 

This one is in Lizbeth size 10 threads. Each zigzag chain is made in a different shade. 

This one is in Anchor mercerized size 20 (which is almost similar in thickness to Lizbeth size 10) threads. Only two colours, worked continuously. 

But notice the difference in the stitches?!! 

The difference in how flat and even the chain segments are in the former? 

And not to mention the sheer joy it was to tat with the former, and that Lizbeth photographs so much better.

Hmm, there are tatters who can work with any thread and their results are always perfect and spectacular. Guess I'm not one of them! Threads seem to alter the visual appearance of my models, LOL.

LATTICE TATTING is simply stacked rows of zigzag chains, each trough joined to the peak of the  previous row. You can work it in separate rows, giving you the option to use several colours. Or work it continuously in one or two colours. 

Each zigzag chain is made with a segment of double stitches alternating with a segment of reverse stitches. This automatically creates the visual zigzag effect. Depending on the length of each segment, numerous effects are possible! 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/04/picoted-s-chain-cords.html - picoted zigzag chain (1ds,p,1rs) with pictorial and explanation

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/07/tailed.html - single stitch zigzag chain (1ds,1rs)

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/03/squares-from-knotty-creations.html - a few patterns using zigzag chains

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/bigger-flower.html - from Anne Dyer's book 

The above sampler is worked with 2 shuttles loaded with 2 contrasting colours. To climb up to the height in order to start the next row, I used a Lock Chain.Lock chains can be considered a very basic zigzag chain where each flipped half-stitch is alternated with an unflipped half-stitch.

Somewhere in the 3rd and 4th rows I made a mistake while climbing out. I got confused and kind of winged my way through. Hence the chains are worse than the thread be blamed for ;-P Hopefully I will find the time to try it again in a better frame of mind.

Each row in this multi-coloured sampler is tatted individually using one shuttle and ball. The threads were a gift from a loving friend, Denise W (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/06/im-on-take.html). Took me years, but I've used the samples to fairly good effect, with some lengths still remaining.

I left the threads uncut and unhidden 'coz I have yet to decide how to use this sampler (a bookmark is my guess, which means continuing for some more length). 

treble stitches

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This post is a response to a request by Tatting with Sherri who wanted a visual comparison of treble tatting with crocheted treble, etc. It started when a confused tatter posted a pic in a group asking whether the arched chains between rings were made of tatting (treble stitch) or crochet, especially since the image was a bit blurred. Unfortunately I cannot share that pic here. Verdict was divided between crochet and treble tatting, with most tilting towards crochet.

Just a reminder that the treble tat stitch (tds) was first invented by Ninetta Caruso in June 2018, to resemble the crochet stitch, and evolved into an all-encompassing 3rd stitch in tatting! https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/

The picots on the left chain should've been longer for the effect to be seen clearly. You might remember 

Wally Sosa's Maga Hibiscus https://www.needles-n-shuttles.com/free-patterns where the long picots were anchored with a round of crochet. 

Crochet and Tatting have been used together occasionally. Wally also has a Heart pattern with a crocheted heart in the center, surrounded by tatting.

This is pure crochet where a chain was worked first and then part of the 2nd round is made with trebles (double crochet) and partly with half trebles (half double crochet).

NOTE: This crochet can be done over a tatted chain (eg. the blue chain on the right in the next pic) instead of a crochet chain 

As pointed out above, #3 can be worked over a tatted chain.

Cro-tatting is another option. eg. in the above sampler rings are tatted over the cro-tat hook (needle-tatting fashion) and the chains would be crocheted using the same tool. Then one has an option to cover those chains either with treble tatting or treble crocheting.  

On the right side are close-ups of each option.

In the image that started the discussion, the 'chains' were arched. Above is one example of how arched treble tatting looks like. Pattern - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/05/double-trouble-motif.html

This is another pattern with graduated treble tatting, but a more gradual arc compared to the pointedness of the previous motif. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/05/peacock-in-snow.html

A close-up. 

Pattern pdf - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rcOCAAP8u-LQxPwJazzevTxQ9oCvKws_/view

You will find links to Cro-tatting and Treble Tatting here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html

Also check out Hybrid Tatting - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/08/hybrid-tatting.html

knot stitch stepwise

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I'm not sure whether I will be using this stitch, but it does not hurt to have options. Never say never! It is not difficult and I soon got into a rhythm where the knot stitch, first seen in 1924, could be accomplished in one smooth movement. So, though my pictorial has numerous steps and detailed instructions, it is best to simply pick up your shuttle and tat along. Choose a thick thread in light colour for your first attempts.

The original diagrams in Priscilla Book 3 (free download from http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/tatting.htm) are very clear. Snapdragon has shared the scans here - http://www.snapdragonlace.com/?p=183   More links in my previous post - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/01/old-in-new.html 

Rose Motif from the same book, in Anchor pearl cotton size 8. Bridging elements (chains) use the knot stitch. I am so much happier with this one and the thread behaved itself! More at the end of this post.

At the end of the pictorial I have also compared the knot stitch chain with a split chain, which was a later invention.

KNOT  STITCH  Pictorial

( https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/01/knot-stitch-stepwise.html )

Shuttle and ball, continuous thread. Shuttle with a hook (or pick) is preferable for fluid movement. 

I start with a backside ring and reverse work, so that the shuttle is in position, to the right of ball thread. 

Always keep the ball thread taut; all movements are with the shuttle and there is no transference.  

1.  Wrap the ball thread over your left hand as when working a chain. In this method, ball thread becomes the core thread over which we make the knot stitches.

Move shuttle to the left Over the ball thread. Let's call this loop a , 

2. ...and bring the shuttle back towards the right to create a second loop on the other side of ball thread.

Important : The black arrow tells you to keep both threads in your pinch (between left thumb and finger) through to figures 6 or 7.

3. This becomes loop b. Notice that the shuttle thread is still over the ball thread as well as above a. 

4. Bring shuttle over a, but under the ball thread, and hook b 

5. With a slight rotation of the shuttle, it is easy to pull b through. Let's call this loop c. Keep shuttle tip under c. Note that loop c is under the ball thread and is pulled over a.

6. Pull all of b into c. Keep pulling c outwards, while keeping your pinch where the black arrow is. Notice how the shuttle has moved and rotated smoothly.

7. As c is being pulled out, you can simultaneously tug on the thread indicated by the crochet hook. This will shorten a. When c is large enough, pass shuttle through the loop. Then loosen your pinch on the left.

8. The shuttle has fully passed through c, and keep tugging to close a. 

I actually use my right hand (with shuttle still in hand) to pinch the indicated thread to ensure all slack from a is removed ... 

9. Notice that a has disappeared and only c is left. Now keep pulling shuttle thread to close c.

Important : Close all of a before closing c.

10. All loops are closed and 1 knot stitch is complete.

11. 7 knot stitches made. We have successfully climbed out of the central ring with a chain.

12. After the 7ks chain, I continued with a normal 4-4-4 chain using double stitches.

Then leaving bare thread of same length as the previous ks chain, make a lock join on ring picot.

13. With ball thread in left hand as if making a chain, cover the bare thread with knot stitches.

14. Another ks chain is complete, followed by a regular chain.

Comparing knot stitch (ks) and split chain (SCh) -

I wanted to compare these ks chains with a split chain (the 3rd segment on the right). At a glance, there is not much difference. 

SCh looks exactly like a normal chain, with exactly the same thickness and curvature. The simulated double stitches are made using Dora Young's knotless method.

The ks chain is slightly bulkier or denser/compact and just that tiny bit straighter. The ks does not have 2 distinct half stitches - it is more like one loop is nestled within (see fig 10 above - notice where the shuttle thread is emerging from). This creates a lovely texture along the edge which might be slightly more evident in lighter shades. 

Knot Stitch can do everything a Split Chain can - climbing out for continuous tatting; bridging between elements in any direction.  

It would be interesting to use ks as a design element, with perhaps a bit more slack on a to look like picots. What about curlicues (single shuttle split chains), floating chains, and filet tatting? Playing with colours? See more links for variations here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2021/01/old-in-new.html

Read Judith Connors' comments here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/07/splitting-mesh.html

Rose Motif from Priscilla Book 3. As in my first attempt here, I made graduated picots along the outer chains, but kept to the original pattern in all other respects. I started with a backside (RODS) central ring, reversed work and continued to next round. Both rounds are worked from the front in clockwise direction. The ks chains have thrown/floating rings; so remember to reverse work before and after each ring.

In Anchor pearl cotton size 8, the motif measures 3.5cms after 1st round and 5.5cms final. Worked with one shuttle and ball, ctm.

The one below is from Anita Barry. I roped her in and she readily agreed to refresh her memory. Her first one was years back. 

I hadn't noticed till she pointed out that all her ks chains do not face the same way. There is a tendency for the ks chains to twist a bit especially if the joining picot is long. But her picots were very small, as directed in the original instructions and seen in the 2 WIP pics. Hmmm. Any ideas?

Many thanks to all tatters who have shared across time 

so that we continue to have options and ideas!

never say die

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Serious readers of my blog may recall my inexplicable difficulty in working Aurora's onion rings, despite the fact that I understood the concept and she had laid out a stepwise pictorial with instructions here. Yet based off that method, I easily accomplished Kathleen's variation as seen in this pictorial.  Judith left a couple of comments there today and I decided to give it one more try.

This time I did not follow Aurora's pdf. I went with her concept in my mind and Voila, I got it!!! Yup, never say never! So here is my take ... a quick comparison of 3 methods which includes Judith's suggestion that lies in between.

Specs :

• All rings are true rings, worked with single thread/shuttle.
• Each segment is 6ds.
• Ball thread join or Slope and Roll join used to link outer ring to inner ring. (scroll down to JOINS for tutorial links here)

From left to right :

1. Kathleen's captured onion rings (Variation #1 of Aurora's onion rings method). The inner ring is captured within the base of the 1st half stitch of outer ring - within the leg of the half stitch.
2. Judith's half-hitch capture (Variation #2 of Aurora's onion rings method). The inner ring is trapped between the 1st and 2nd half stitches - between core and working thread. 
3. Aurora's onion rings (original method). The inner ring is trapped after making 1ds. Thus it is trapped between 2 stitches - between core and working threads.
4. Kathleen's method repeated for sake of consistency.

My first thoughts :

• I found it easier to maneuver and position the inner ring using Kathleen's method.
• In Aurora's method (#3 OR) I worked only 5ds in the last segment since 1ds had been worked while trapping the inner ring at the start.
• This also causes a slight offset or perhaps I need to practice more.
• I can barely detect any difference in the bulk in either of the 3 methods, although I understand that technically Judith's comment is right. 
• They are all fairly flat.
• I think Judith's variation is visually best, though Kathleen's is easier to implement. 
• Judith also mentioned posting the shuttle. I tried it, but didn't like the result, and pulled the thread back to 'normal'. To be sure, I post shuttle Only for backside rings - works for me.
• More practice and application required, along with experimenting with 2 colours.

UPDATE : I forgot to add a slightly different type of "captured rings" - Floating Beads method used to capture the inner ring with the flexibility that it can lie flush against the outer ring, or can float at a slight distance. Here are a couple of pictures showing the diversity -

 

Floating Beads method with Tatted Rings 

It is not as elegant as the above methods, obviously.

Dancing Peacocks medallion was adapted to become the center of my Design Round Robin doily. This is the center where Kathleen tatted the floating inner ring using her captured OR method instead of the FB method and I learned it from her.

Many thanks to all three tatter-designers ; 

love to have options and multiple paths toward improvement!

whimsical interlacing

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INTERLACED  RINGS  using 2 shuttles

(SSSR – single shuttle split ring method)  

When I first experimented here by reducing the number of shuttles, I thought this was a do-able but whimsical technique with very limited application. 

However, a couple of interested tatters, including a request, led me to post this pictorial. And as I went about it, a few designs cropped up in my head. I will try to tat 1 or 2 motifs for practice patterns later.

Skill required : how to make SSSR, Mathew Takeda style. Several resources, including Sabina’s pdf, are listed here (scroll down to RINGS -> SSSR).

This pictorial covers only front to back (over-under) movement in detail. The same concept applies to back to front movement as shown in my earlier posts here and here.

For practice, wind 2 shuttles with thick threads in different colours. Join them. I made a short picoted S-chain.

Each ring is : SSSR: 5-5/10.

The starting pair of rings is closed a wee bit differently than the rest of the braid.

For 1^st pair of rings :

1. Leave a bit of bare thread at the base, before starting ring.

Using shuttle1, start Ring 1: 5-5

2. Pull up a long loop from the shuttle

 3. and finger-tat 10 ds to complete the ring.

 4. Partially close the ring leaving just enough space for shuttle to pass through.

 5. Pass shuttle2 front to back through the open ring and tat 5-5

 6. Again post shuttle2 front to back through the same open ring

 7. This is how the 2 rings will look. Ring1 is still open, and interlaced Ring2 is partially tatted.

 8. Now start closing Ring1 by pulling the core thread part of the loop

 9. Ensure the loop is at the back of work, hence pass it through Ring2

 10. Then pass the starting tail through this loop in order to anchor the thread (otherwise the ring will unravel)

 11. and completely close the ring. Pull out a loop of shuttle2

 12. and finger tat the 2^nd side of the ring.

 13. Tug on the loop to close ring

 14. Pass tail through this loop to anchor

15. and pull shuttle2 thread to remove all slack from the loop.

The starting SSSRs are interlaced and complete.

For 2^nd and all subsequent pair of rings :

Leave a tiny bit of bare thread before starting each ring.

 16. With shuttle1, tat Ring3 just like Ring1, closing it only partially.

 17. Interlace shuttle2 ring and tat the first half.

 18. Close Ring3 but leave the finger loop open.

 19. Complete tatting Ring4 and close it, leaving the finger loop open. Notice the loops from each shuttle at base of respective rings.

 20. Now, pass the tail through BOTH loops simultaneously, to anchor the rings,

21. and tug the respective shuttle threads to remove all slack from the loops.

Second pair of interlaced SSSRs completed.

Repeat steps 16 to 21 for desired length.

The next 2 pairs shown in the above pic are interlaced back to front. All steps remain same (from #16 onwards), except for posting shuttle2 back to front twice.

Interlacing with SSSR - My Thoughts and Comparison :

1. Fewer shuttles required. But this also limits the number of colours that can be used.
2. Basic interlacing movement and effect remains same as for split rings.
3. Each pair of SSSRs is brought together at the base (due to the anchoring loops) unlike the linear path/separation for SRs. This is a visual effect, too.
4. When using interlaced SSSR in a motif, the pair has to remain unattached to previous elements in order for the anchoring loops to pass through unhindered. Some patterns may get around this dilemma, but the range becomes limited.

I had also wondered whether Dora Young’s knotless rings can be used in such interlacing. As I thought over it more, I realise it will be very cumbersome, if at all, to accomplish the interlacing. One will have to go back and forth to tat a pair of rings completely. I’m not in a mood to try it ;-P

Click here to find all posts - pictorials and patterns for Interlaced Rings technique.