bingo, found it

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 My tatting-related activities are so scattered. And I feel quite scatter-brained. Wonder which came first, hmmm. Over the past several months I have been tatting samplers for the Glossary. Since it is progressing in sporadic bursts, I tend to either forget I've tatted it or misplace it. The pile-up does not help at all, neither does the various steps involved in saving and processing if not done sequentially and soon.

However I had a lucky breakthrough! Finally found the sneaky little Double Pearl chain sampler, whew. Incidentally, the PICOT Bingo game has one box for this technique, which is why I am sharing it here. 

My initial objective was to tat a short sample. However, the rhythm became quite addictive and I enjoyably continued till one of the threads ran out. What was meant as a short chain turned into a necklace.

Pearl Tatting is the double-sided technique with picots and stitches facing both sides. We are more familiar with the Single Pearl, worked with 3 threads instead of 2 for chains and it's counterpart the Maltese Ring worked with 2 threads instead of one. Pearl is the vintage term for picots. There are a few tutorials listed under Chains 🠆 Pearl Tatting, here. Mlle Riego wrote a book dedicated to this technique in 1867! 

Double Pearl tatting/chain, consequently, is an extended single pearl using extra auxiliary threads - a total of 5 threads for chains which tend to be straight.  

Double Pearl tatting requires 5 shuttles (or at least 3 or 4 shuttles + 2 or 1 ball, respectively) and encapsulation. Numerous permutations and combinations are possible, but I stuck to the basics.

You can change

• the number of colours and their relative position,
• the number and size of picots,
• the addition of decorative elements thrown off the chain,
• the thickness of threads,
• the stitches used (double and reverse stitches) and thence the number of shuttles used,
• embellishment with beads, etc., and so on.

● We can even have decorative chains instead of the long bare thread picots! For instance, dot picot string, bullion knots, JRs, Josephine knots, scallops, etc. 

On the left part in above image, you can see the thrown Josephine rings instead of the small picots.

TIP: If you wish to add such elements on each segment, ensure you have 5 shuttles.

I deliberately used 4 different colours. But imagine the confusion one can create if working with the same colour throughout! Even experienced tatters might find it difficult to identify how it was done, LOL.

I then continued as before, enjoying the rhythm. Josephine rings tend to break that working rhythm.

Threads used - Anchor mercerized cotton size 20 (equivalent to Lizbeth size 10) in 5 colours 

TIP: Only 4 colours are visible. The core thread can be of same thickness or thicker than the outer threads for a stiff cord. The core thread can also be made visible by simply bringing it forward, or by using Repositioning methods such as SLT, etc.

Picot gauge - 2 cms

TIP: It was easier to hold the gauge horizontally while measuring.

Starting the chain was tricky. I knotted the 5 threads together, but leaving the right length of bare thread took some trials.

Also, initially I made mistakes in maintaining a consistent overlap between threads. However, once I understood where the thread of last segment should be held while tatting the new segment, it became smooth sailing and addictive. 

TIP: Immediately after tatting a segment, I would place the shuttle to my left at the front of the work. Thus, when its turn came again, the picot overlapped from the front.

Directional or FS/BS tatting was maintained throughout. I didn't block the finished piece, except for shaping with fingers since I wanted to keep the gracefulness of the sinusoidal arches intact. 

I could've added more picots, including graduated picots, in each segment; or embellished with beads. However this was a relaxing, enjoyable tat, and I wasn't in a very adventurous frame of mind.

Since the core thread is of same thickness, it was easy to curve the straight chain. And it had become long enough to become a necklace instead of a bracelet, LOL.

TIP : Another way to ensure curvature is to shorten the picots on one side. 

I do wish I had added a few highlights such as beads and findings to finish off the 'necklace' properly. And one can use metallic threads for stiffness. Otherwise one might need to stiffen the piece for the picots to hold their shape when worn as a necklace or bracelet. So, I hope Natalie forgives me the lethargy.

Submitting this for two blocks in the PICOT Bingo - 

Double Pearl Chain, and 

Tat a Necklace.

And 💥Bingo💥! I have completed my first horizontal strikethrough! The middle row consisting of Tat a Necklace; Add Beads; Free Space; Graduated Picots; Catherine Wheel Join.

gaming bookmark

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 An insertion as a bookmark is my entry for the two 2024 games I am playing.

Main body is from 'Tatting Techniques' by Elgiva Nicholls (p27, 1976) and the charm is from Rebecca Jones (fig123, 1985).

I have too many variegated Lizbeth, mostly with shades of pink/magenta. Difficult to always use for fear of eclipsing the pattern. But I took the leap and it came out okay I think. Lizbeth size 20. 

Learning from my past experience, where my chains are usually tighter/shorter than vintage patterns, I increased the chain stitches beforehand and it worked out well.

Pearl Tatting tail for the bookmark using Anchor perle cotton size 8. I didn't use any picot gauge since my main aim was to enjoy uninhibited tatting on International Tatting Day, 2024.

In order to avoid sewing in ends, I ended with two heavily picoted folded rings, hiding the other colour within each.

Pearl tatting is one of the blocks in Natalie Rogers' PICOT Bingo game which you can join here - https://www.patreon.com/posts/picot-bingo-95729145?  This is my fifth submission so far. Need to speed it up a notch!

The tail was attached to the #123 medallion from Rebecca Jones , shared here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/03/happy-itd-2024.html

Turning an insertion into a bookmark is nothing new or unique. Bookmarks, being short, are a good way to enjoy a pattern with a different use. 

The large rings are linked through a common picot. I think the colours are doing fine together.

And the bookmark is also my entry to splocik's Small Decorations game that was first announced here - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/01/mae-dekoracje-galeria-grudniowa.html

She shared the March entries here - https://splocik2.blogspot.com/2024/04/mae-dekoracje-2024-galeria-marcowa.html

Many thanks to all mentioned here for lovely patterns and fun games!

picoted S Chain cords

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Ever since I shared the S-chain cords using scrap threads, there has been a renewed interest in this beautiful effect. Last week Madhur asked for help with the picoted S-Chain I had used in a bookmark tail here. 

I took pics and prepared a quick pdf to send to her. I’m sharing some background notes here along with detailed steps and large pics, if you are interested.

S-CHAIN WITH PICOTS or faux Pearl tatting!
- PICTORIAL -

NOTES :

1. Sabina Carden-Madden first wrote about the S-Chain, along with instructions and comparison. 
2. 1 double stitch is followed by 1 reverse stitch or lark’s head knot. In other words, 1 flipped stitch is followed by 1 unflipped stitch/hitch, and repeated to desired length.
3. If picots are added before every stitch, the cord looks like Pearl Tatting, without the hassle of 3 threads or even 2 shuttles.
4. It can be tatted with single shuttle and a ball, but the effect is best seen when there is a contrast between colours.
5. For initial practice, use a thick thread and 2 colours.
6. For even picots, a picot gauge can be used. Scroll down to page 3, III-A – Direct Tatting, to see how a gauge is used in direct tatting or reverse stitch.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Above pics show vertically and horizontally measured picots in 2^nd side of split ring which uses reverse stitch.

Double Stitch v/s Reverse Stitch :

1 double stitch is made of 1^st half-stitch (under-over) followed by 2^nd half-stitch (over-under).     1 ds = fhs, shs

1 reverse stitch is made of unflipped 2^nd half stitch (over-under) followed by unflipped 1^st half stitch (under-over).     1 rs = ushs, ufhs

UPDATE - 1 reverse stitch is made of 1st hitch (over-under) followed by 2nd hitch (under-over). 1 rs = 1st h, 2nd h

Pictorial shows coloured thread in shuttle, and a ball of cream thread.

Tie threads or start with a ring in order to get a good grip.

The 1^st image shows a ring (with tails hidden within) followed by (1ds,1rs)x4 already worked.

1.  
Start chain with picot followed by 1 double stitch. 

2.

The next stitch is a reverse stitch or unflipped stitch (as in 2^nd side of split ring).

Bring shuttle over-under to make an unflipped half stitch.

Do NOT snug tight. Leave picot space at the beginning. See next pic for a better idea.

3.

Notice the bare threads after previous ds? This will later become the picot.

Make next unflipped half stitch (under-over) to complete 1 rs.

4.

Now snug the stitch.

The space converts into a picot at the beginning of this reverse stitch.

Also notice that the reverse stitch faces downwards as opposed to the double stitch.

IMPORTANT : Snug properly only after you are satisfied with picot length because each stitch locks the work in place. See above on how to use a picot gauge.

5.

Leave picot space and make another ds.

6.

Repeat the 2 stitches (p,1ds, p,1rs) for desired length.

See bookmark tail made using a doubled-up cord. It is also linked into a mock ring that resembles a Maltese Ring! 

Hope to see this cord being used in patterns - it can easily be substituted for regular chains, mock rings, etc. Vary the length of picots to create feathery effects! Let your imagination free

UPDATE : If distinctly contrasting colours in size 20 or thicker thread are used, a beautifully woven pattern emerges! Check the image in this post -  https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/05/tracking-both-sides.html

beautiful hearts

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First, erratum in Heart Square pattern : I have updated the pdf and also written it out in my previous post here. If you have printed, add the ‘cwj’; otherwise please download the pdf again.

Usha sent me this quote after seeing my heart square :

Y One beautiful heart is more  important than a million beautiful faces. Y

This post is all about beautiful hearts in the tatting world. I have been fortunate to share their special friendship as well their creativity, making tatting that much more pleasurable.

So dedicating this to All my tatting friends, many of who have a presence in this compilation. 

Rose Bookmark

by Coretta Dee Loughmiller

I had the pleasure of testing and diagramming it for her. It is such a fabulous adaptation, extension & application of Vicki's original. In one pattern you have a bookmark, pendant and earrings! 
In diagram – change in colour denotes turn or reverse work. and switch shuttles. The accompanying pics of tatting steps further clarify the process in her beautifully laid out pdf.

Judith reminded us of the reverse join instead of lock join. With the former, the rose can be worked with ball & shuttle instead of 2 shuttles.

I added a bud and some floating twisted picots for thorns. 

The bud needs some tweaking.

In answer to a question in class – We are using 3 threads for pearl tatting the stem, adding the third thread as directed.

‘Pearl tat in sets of 6’ means you make 6 unflipped stitches with one shuttle then 6 with the other shuttle, over the 3^rd core thread (thus encapsulating it). This tutorial & this stepwise pictorial show how to get the sets to face in opposite directions. 

This time I cheated making sets of normal 6 ds by using the ‘encapsulated’ thread in shuttle and alternating the green threads to form the stitch. This made it easier to twist the picots for thorns.

The stitches should’ve been snugged closer to make the chain more compact and stiff. I needed to stiffen it with diluted white PVA. It does work!

I would’ve loved to make a Josephine chain with thorns, but using finer thread for the stitches.

The pattern is free on her blog.

UPDATE : Check out Coretta's tutorial on the multiple ways in which this rose can be worked, not including all-chains (starting with a mock ring).

YYYYYYY

I chose to do the rose in yellow again for my niece for her book.

YA friend is the best gift ! Y

The collage shows the other bookmarks that will go into her big book of 

'what happens after' in popular fairy tale stories ! Clockwise from top left, - 

my Better than Nothing bookmark ; 

Morning Glory bookmark (my virtual soulmate, Eliz) ; 

Rose bookmark (creative Coretta from Craftree) ; & 

Jane's bookmark (my hands-on inspiration Jane McLellan)

YYYYYYY

Rosebud  Heart

The little rosebud effect in this Rose Circle doily posted by Ka-ryun intrigued me. You know I love layers! Initially I mistook it for some kind of onion ring. However, these are simple rings that are inserted inside one another before joining on the way back. I worked a heart shape around it.

This was a quick trial. The ring size needs tweaking to better resemble a rosebud. 

Heart

by Anita Barry (my tatting mate)

This belonged with her tip in previous post. But I deliberately saved it for now.

However, I will now add the pic there as well. You can clearly see how the picot between 4 first half stitches (seta) & 4 second half stitches (setb) creates a pronounced dip.

Heart Square

Usha Shah's red heart model!

See the heart square in red & pink, worked by Usha (the friendly dot picot tatter)!

I was sick of working with pink after my 5-day marathon and had opted for a gold and purple combo. I'm glad she did the work for me ;-P

There are so many others, not named here, who have immensely enriched my tatting life in these few short years. Y My thanks to each one of you for your beautiful heart. Y

Y wishing you many happy hours of hearty tatting  Y

Part 2 present and past

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continued from Part 1 - Ikuta's Picots on a Chain

Here is the second part of the tat-along exercise on Method 3 of Ikuta’s Picots.

But besides this, there is something wonderfully interesting at the end !

After the 1^st exercise, we now have some understanding of how each picot effect looks (layered and overlapping) and how it is constructed on a chain. The same basic principle follows for the ring.

IKUTA’S PICOT EFFECTS ON RINGS

PART 2 of tat-along exercise

A ring, unlike the chain, is a closed loop, increasing the difficulty a bit. Yet, we can still identify the commonalities between the chain and ring arrangement, as shown in the combined picture below. 

On the left is the chain which we have already made ; on the right is how the elements for a ring will be laid out.

In the ring,

1. think of the ring loop as the blue scrap thread of chain
2. yellow scrap thread remains the same - a chain thread
3. the blue shuttle thread in ring replaces the red core/shuttle thread in chain

For the sake of continuity, clarity, and comparison, the same 2 visible colours have been used. 
The red core thread of chain has been replaced by the SH1 blue thread.

ALL TATTING IS DONE BY THE BLUE SHUTTLE 1 THREAD, ALTERNATING BETWEEN THE RING LOOP (blue) AND THE CHAIN THREAD (yellow)

The above picture shows how we can loop and hold the threads taut. Holding the threads in this manner, we can work alternately on the ring loop and the chain thread without having to drop & pick repeatedly.  

Personally, I had to drop the ring loop when making the yellow stitches, since I am used to wrapping chain thread very loosely once around the pinkie. So, do whatever is comfortable. (Please read related discussion on how to construct below)

To start each part of this tutorial, make a ring loop with SH1 blue thread, 

and attach SH2 yellow thread to the base.   

We will follow the same sequence as in Part 1, starting with the easier layered effect.
Download my previous pictorial on Ikuta's Picots (Method 3) for tips and suggestions on how to start & end a ring, how to connect, and much more.  

V. Layered Picots on a Ring

As the term suggests, the picots are in two distinct layers, just as we saw in the chains in Part 1 of the tat-along. This is in Section V (page 8) of my pictorial pdf 

These picots do not require a 2^nd shuttle (unless using 2 colours) and can be replaced with a ball and single shuttle, without cutting off the thread, ie. by continuous thread method.  

Start as shown in Pic 21, and make 3DS on the ring loop with the blue SH1. 

Leave yellow picot space & make 3DS chain with yellow stitches. 

(this was termed 'chain segment' in my pdf) 

Keep yellow SH2 to the left, pick up the ring loop, leave blue picot space & tat 3DS . 

(this was termed ring segment in my pdf)

Again wrap yellow SH2 thread around pinkie, leave picot space & tat 3DS , as in pic 22.

Repeat these alternate blue and yellow segments till end. Close ring.

Notice the placement/layering of picots : each picot is separate, but yellow picots lie in front or above, and the blue picots lie behind throughout the ring.

These colours can be switched. So how about a bit of homework before we proceed further ?

homework : 
For practice, make another ring, but this time have blue SH1 picots lie above & the yellow SH2 picots lie below. Compare with previous ring. 

And for the sake of interest, let’s turn the previous ring over to see how it looks from the back side ....

The colours are switched ! But the homework is to tat this colour effect so that it lies in front.

Just playing around .... the central ring has only 1DS separating the picots. 

Thinking of an aster, in the right colours, of course ?! So many tatted flowers are possible !!!

And here, all I've done is added a normal picot in the center of each segment. 

Each segment between the overlapping picots is [2DS,p,2DS].

I will continue and conclude this tutorial with the overlapping picots (Method 3) with both over-under & under-over overlapping picots. There will also be a comparison with Daisy Picots.

DISCUSSION

Techniques

how to construct ?

With reference to the wrapping of the ring & chain threads, this paragraph was included on p9 :

"Some experienced tatters have compared Ikuta Picots with Shuttle Brothers’ Alternate Thread tatting or AT Rings technique from their book “Tatting Alternate Threads”. Gina Butler’s video for Alternate Thread Wrap is inspired by this technique & is a practical way of holding both threads in position : 

Mituko Ikuta’s book “Shuttle Lace - Tatting & Bead Tatting 3” was published in the late 1990s & 

Shuttle Brothers’ published their book in 2009.

I do not possess either book, hence am not qualified to determine."

BUT , instructions for this construction have been around for a century and a half !!!   Mlle Riego, in her 1868 book "Raised Tatting Book", details how to use the ring and chain thread to make layered picots, all facing the same side (p10). She has a beautiful star insertion pattern (pp10-12) using picots of differing lengths. 

This is my first practice trial, following her instructions only for the ring. The lower flower is seen from the back side. I will be tatting the entire pattern as a sampler.


is this pearl tatting ? 

Instead of a direct answer to the question asked in Part 1, to which a few answers have been ventured, let me first delineate what I consider the characteristics of Pearl Tatting.

As I understand it, pearl (perle) tatting has 5 main characteristics :

1. picots or perles or pearls
2. multiple threads
3. core thread slides freely
4. double-sided tatting ("double pearl")
5. encapsulation (implied in #2) usually with reverse stitch (direct tatting/wrapped/unflipped stitches)

Some of these conditions are essential and basic to pearl tatting, while others are merely a ‘by-lane’ - one of many paths to reach the destination. It is these by-lanes that lead to variations (& confusion !).

Let us examine each characteristic in relation to the layered picots ... 

# 1 - yes, picots are definitely present.
# 2 - In a chain we were clearly using 3 threads. And as the comparison picture (2nd pic from top) shows, the same reasoning can be applied when tatting the ring. So yes, we are tatting over 2 threads.
# 3 - yes, the core thread slides freely.
# 4 - no, all stitches and picots face the same direction - all are on one side. 

# 5 - encapsulation exists, but so far in the tutorial direct tatting or reverse stitch (RS) is not used. However, in the overlapping picots to be tackled in Part 3 (which are the "real" method 3 of Ikuta's Picots), we Can use direct tatting in the chain segments. Refer to Sec II - Using DS-RS & under-over picots on p.4 of my pictorial pdf. 
On the other hand, Mlle Riego also does not use direct tatting in her 1867 "Pearl Tatting Book". She works pearl tatting (or pearl beading) by reversing work for each segment worked with the extra shuttle(s) or worked on the other multiple thread(s).
So this direct tatting feature of pearl tatting can easily be considered as "optional".

Based on the above, is this form of one-sided or "single pearl" not a variation of pearl tatting, with picots & stitches all facing the same direction instead of opposite directions ?
Your verdict ?

For those who do not attend Georgia's Online Tatting Class, I will talk a bit about how the name "Ikuta's Picots" came about. 

Many thanks 

to Eliz Davis for her valuable feedback on the comparison pic ;

to Judith Connors for patiently guiding me, which includes leading me 

to the wonderful world of Mlle Riego's tatting ; 

to Georgia Seitz for introducing me to these beautiful picot effects ;

and to all tatters who have shown an interest in this tutorial.

to be continued

Related posts : Part 1 - Ikuta's Picots on a Chain

Ikuta's Picots Method 3 Pictorial

The first post

Cracking “Picotgate”

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(all links at the end of this post)

Yes, “Picotgate” is what they’re calling the Ikuta Picots (Method 3) in class now, LOL!

Why? Probably because some tatters are still struggling to crack the effect – those picots seem to be in quite a conspiratorial underhanded deal against us :-)

So, here’s another post on the same topic. I don’t know the specific difficulties faced by tatters, but Deep Throat has learned a bit more since the first information was provided in the pictorial & the post, and is revealing it in a slightly different style – a tat-along exercise for the Woodwards & Bernsteins :-). Hopefully, some associations & connections might emerge from this little exercise in “doing is learning” .

We shall approach the picot effects through the chain route, going from simple to complex, so that beginners may take a shot at it too. I have taken all new photographs for a new perspective. 

IKUTA’S PICOT EFFECTS ON CHAINS
A tat-along exercise

For this tat-along exercise, we need only 1 shuttle, and 2 scrap threads, preferably in different colours. 

In my samples, red is the core/shuttle thread & blue & yellow are the ‘chain’ or scrap threads.

To start each part, I tied the 3 threads together & tatted a 3DS blue chain.

I. Layered Picots-1

Knot the 3 threads together & make 3 DS with blue thread.

After the chain segment is tatted, simply leave/drop the thread to the left.

3DS with yellow thread, leaving picot space at beginning.

I have only just noticed that 1 half stitch of yellow segment is missing – an inadvertent mistake; please ignore. 

Continue these segments. Notice how the yellow thread remains behind ....

... and the blue thread remains in front.

Notice the placement/layering of picots : each picot is separate, but one colour lies in front & the other behind throughout the chain. Also notice that the core thread remains the same throughout.

We can switch the colours if so desired (Part II of the exercise is optional) ...

II. Layered Picots-2 

Follow the same procedure as in I. But this time, keep the blue thread behind, to the left, after completing 3DS.

Compare with pics 7 & 8 with 4 & 5 above.

The final result is same as above, except that now the yellow picots lie in front & blue behind.

Pic 10 shows both the above effects together for easy comparison.

This style of layered picots was incidental ; not part of Ikuta’s Picots. But it helped me figure out how to overlap the picots to recreate Method 3. 

The 2 ways of overlapping are as follows - over-under overlap & under-over overlap , giving a sense of intertwined picots.

III. Over-Under Picots (Method 3)

In this overlap, the picot lies Over the arch of previous picot, but Under the arch of next picot. See inset in pic 15

Tie the 3 threads together & tat 3DS with blue , picot, 3DS yellow. 

Bring blue Behind yellow , leave picot space ...

& tat 3DS .

Repeat the same with yellow : bring yellow from Behind blue, leave picot space, & tat 3DS.

Continue in similar fashion for required length. (pic 15) 

Examine how the picots lie in relation to each other. They have an over-under overlap as explained earlier.

Now let's do the other overlap ...

IV. Under-Over Picots (Method 3)

As the name suggests, the left side of picot lies Under the previous picot & right end lies Over/above the next picot.

Make 3DS with blue ;

Bring yellow in front of the blue thread, leave picot space & tat 3DS. 

Bring blue in front of yellow, leave picot space & tat 3DS 

Repeat to required length. 

Examine how the picots lie in relation to each other. The woven appearance has an under-over overlap. 

The two overlaps shown together for easy comparison.

To refresh our memory & compare , all 4 chains are photographed together. 

Have you completed this exercise successfully ? Do the happy dance :-D

Do you feel confident of making the picots on a ring ? If yes, then we will continue our exercise on rings in the next post, along with a bit of conceptual input.

Before I sign out, here's something to ponder over :

IS THIS PEARL TATTING ? 

Can you give reason(s) for your answer ?

In case of Any difficulty or doubt please feel free to leave a comment or email me. Your input & feedback is also very valuable. I hope to get some answers to this question before I post the next part :-)

happy tatting :-)

(to be continued)

Related Links & Resources 

class material & logs for May 9, & May 16, 2016 (many thanks to Georgia Seitz)

pictorial pdf for Method 3

Outline of the pictorial & other notes