vintage false CTM

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There are so many methods and even more combinations to add new thread to a work in progress lace. We came across Eleonore Endrucks' advice to fix mistakes in her 1920 book, 'Die Schiffchen-Spitzen'. Here is the translation - 

We now call it False CTM (false continuous thread method) and I have shared several scenarios and applications over time. Here, we limit ourselves to Endrucks' method, a variation of the same, and a knotless method.

All this has been presented as pictorials in this PDF - 

False CTM - Endrucks' Advice & Pictorials -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Jm7puHcMemY3lhwP2cP8G3EmcgamlVj/view

Since everything is already presented in the PDF, I will be brief here, with only a few selected pics. Please click on the link above to download the document.

1. False CTM - Endrucks' Method

Notice 1. the old tails tied together and the new ones tied together ; 2. the knots are far apart, with the new knot wound on the ball or 2nd shuttle, far from the point of attachment to the work in progress.. The blue thread between these two points creates the false continuous thread.

However, since the two tails (in each pair) are tatted over in the same element, it creates bulk. This can be countered to some extent by tatting very tightly.

TIP: Use a slip knot to tie the new threads (blue) so that it can be opened and the knot repositioned as desired.

2. False CTM - Variation of Endrucks' Method

In order to avoid bulk, here the old shuttle tail is tied with new shuttle tail and old ball/2nd shuttle tail to the new ball/2nd shuttle end. Preferably, maintain a distance between the two knots so that we have a continuous thread space to work with.

Look closely, all four tails are hidden (tatting over tails) in four different elements. The extra ends are trimmed later.

3. False CTM - Knotless Variation of Endrucks' Method

Knotting the tails can be completely avoided. Above the new ball or 2nd shuttle thread is being folded around the old tail and will be tatted over in the chain element. 

Similarly, the core thread can be added and worked over.

The other tail in each case can be sewn/whip stitched later, or pulled through stitches using a magic loop, etc.

The choice of the three methods would depend on the specific situation - how long are the old tails, etc.  The above is merely a small glimpse of the numerous ways in which we can apply false ctm. Some related posts/pictorials/PDFs -

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/10/false-ctm-part-1.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/10/false-ctm-part-2.html

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=false+ctm 

Tatting Over Tails (PDF updated from 2017) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kwszAseuEZqkMdXosfTHtXdw0diCwmKz/view

Starter Picot or Starting with a Chain (PDF) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vzSHMxas51Yn5iujdmror1obx27AuIhw/view

Hiding Ends and Adding Thread - vast compilation of options and tutorials - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/11/beginning-or-ending.html

Hope you find this helpful in some future situation. 

Starter Picot pictorials

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 Ninetta and I have been working on a resource page dedicated to the Endrucks 1920 Project. Over the years many tips and pictorials have been shared but they were scattered. In our attempt to finally gather and organise them, we discovered certain lacunae and decided to create pictorials and/or videos to address the issue. 

One such is the Starter Picot or Starting with a Chain. Elgiva Nicholls calls it the Link Loop or link loop picot. Several of Eleonore Endrucks' patterns in her 1920 book 'Die Schiffchen-Spitzen', start with a chain. She ties two threads together, and starts with a chain of 1ds, picot, and the rest of the chain. Of course most tatters now start directly with a picot and with continuous thread (CTM). Yet there are different approaches. Following are glimpses into the options detailed in the PDF which I won't repeat here....

Please note that this is a compilation sourced from various sites/blogs, some of which are no longer accessible. It is the reason Ninetta and I wanted a resource that did not have to rely on outside links, as far as feasible. The only outside link we included is for The Online Tatting Class, besides our own blogs. As it is my Tatting Resources page (tab above) lists tons of outside resources with credit. 

Starter Picot Options with Pictorials by Muskaan Oct2025 (starting with a chain) - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vzSHMxas51Yn5iujdmror1obx27AuIhw/view

1. Starter Picot with paper clip, marker, or coilless pin.

Between the choice of spacers, I prefer the thread marker (or luggage tag loop) as you might remember from my past posts. I find it less interfering, and more importantly we can measure the picot to the exact size required - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/01/measured-picot-on-core-thread.html

2. Starter Picot with 1st half-stitch

or 2nd half-stitch

I left out this 2nd hs collage from the PDF since it is basically the same as the 1st hs pictorial.

3. Starter Picot with lock stitch

What happens when we want to work with two colours or we have leftover threads on our shuttles and wish to use them? Obviously CTM is not an option, but we do have False CTM. 

4. Starter Picot with false ctm in two-colour tatting

5. Starter Picot with false ctm in two-colour block tatting

The above collage was shared by Ninetta showing a two-coloured block in progress. And she starts the 1st chain with 1ds, picot like Endrucks. However, instead of tying the threads together, she uses the false CTM method.

For many more situations in which a False CTM comes in handy, click on the tag at the end of the post. I have two dedicated posts along with some specific projects where I used it. https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/search?q=false+CTM

Hope this is helpful in your future projects. 

what the heart wants

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.... the heart follows! I hadn't planned on playing the game of this month - Pattern Me Endrucks (July2024) because I wanted to focus on other tasks and had told Ninetta. Yet the heart yearns and one gives in to that knotty call. 

E43 Pattern pdf - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JRu7OggaSna0eXDRA2P18dRu6uE4-1J7/view

Some entries have already come in and wow, each of the participants has seen a different aspect in this motif and followed that direction! Can you blame my heart for wanting to join them? I could see an orange segment, but you know my penchant for complicating my life. So, while not a very unique idea or shape, I decided to go for a 3D flower.

Mind you, this is a prototype with a few mistakes, lots of retro-tatting, and Dr. Downplay ruling. Hopefully the next petals will turn out better.

My goal was to deviate as less as possible from the original pattern. 

My Notes, TIPS, and Future Ideas - 

Since I wanted to work with two colours, here's how I started without tying the threads together -

A] Started with false CTM, pulling out a short length (A). from the shuttle.

B] Attached a marker/luggage tag loop to the starter picot (B).

C] Using A as core thread, finger-tat the chain using thread (C) from shuttle for the stitches.

D] 2nd shuttle with thread in another colour was added at the end of the chain. The A thread is cut short and hidden in the next element (tat over tails).

For more False CTM scenarios: Part 1 ; Part 2 .

• The tatting proceeds from right to left, unlike the diagram. I think the reason could be that if one direct tats the chain (reverse stitches), it will proceed from right to left. This dawned on me when I noticed the inset diagram showing the start! The written instructions are for normal tatting.
• As it turns out, on reaching the other end, I decided to keep the chain maroon, hence you can see the colour difference between left and right.
• In order to position colours lots of Reverse Join (RJ) is used.
• Midways I decided to use the Catherine Wheel Join (CWJ). However I was tatting the return chain backside. I have done the CWJ from the back before, several times, including my cheat trick of a half-stitch shift! However this time I watched Marilee Rockeley recent video CWJ from the back side - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqxTqb8UMww

• The outer row of chains is done with Victorian sets or zigzag tatting. Continued down.
• The left chain was made first and is a bit longer than needed.
• I decided to use the small motifs on the sides (in original pattern) to cover some of the negative space. Added a 3rd colour to make the twin rings and cut off the thread. I've deliberately left short tails instead of hiding them.
• Then picking up the original shuttles I continued with the chains to complete the first petal.

The shuttles are still attached and I can easily continue with the next petal. I'm thinking a total of 3 petals should complete the flower. While I'm not too thrilled with my colour choices, Dr Downplay rules! 

I have deliberately created a 3D version for the petal. Otherwise the motif lies flat.

You can find tutorial links to the terms mentioned, here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/p/tatting-resources.html

FUTURE IDEAS: 

• This same petal, with a bit of tweaking can become a peacock plume! 
• Or joining 3, 4, or more motifs in the round to create a broad round for a doily. And then design inner and outer rounds to complete the doily. This, however, will be a big project for another year!
• And of course, orange fruit carpels/segments!

Do you have any suggestions for improvement or any more ideas? Please share ....

More to come; hoping to finish tatting this today so that I can get back to the other stuff.

Many thanks to Maria Grazia and Ninetta Caruso for the reworked pattern, and to Marilee Rockeley for her demo.

Related Posts -

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/07/so-many.html
https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2024/07/tadaaaaa.html

false CTM Part 1

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Before the tatted rope jumped in, I had started an old doily pattern to keep my hands busy, but my mind disengaged in order to focus on pattern writing. But it, too, led to a ‘quick’ foray into ‘false CTM', something I’ve been doing a lot, in numerous situations, especially when working with 2 or more colours. I like this term recently coined by Jane McLellan.

CTM – continuous thread method, where we wind one shuttle, and thread stays continuous with the ball. Or in case of 2 shuttles,(and here, including comments), wind one shuttle, then without snipping off thread, wind the other.

We tatters prefer to start with a ring and also add new thread on a ring.

With ctm, one can start anywhere, even with a chain, with NO ends to hide. However, it works Only with single colour tatting, obviously.

False CTM is essentially the same but one of the threads is a fairly short, utilitarian length, and new thread is added at a distance. This new thread can be of same or different colour. 

It is a very convenient solution to -

• use up threads already on shuttles
• climb out for continuous work
• start with a chain
• start with 2 colours
• add a different colour, yet work continuously
• spot or localised treatment for mistakes

It avoids having to hide a lot of ends in a single element and allows tatter to choose a convenient location to add new thread/colour. 

This may not be new for most experienced tatters. For newer learners, I hope the listing will help.  

1. False ctm to climb out in continuous/one-pass tatting

1A. Mignonette and single-colour tatting :

I first remember hearing it in the Online Tatting Class with respect to mignonette. Mignonette is a single shuttle technique with tiny rings and tatters began pulling out a length of thread from their shuttle to work the few split rings required to climb out after each round, and work continuously. No more cut and tie and hide ends after each round.

1B. Multi-colour continuous tatting :

This is a doily where I used false ctm a few times, reducing the ends to hide and also tatting the next rounds continuously despite using different colours. Where possible, either the core thread or ball thread from previous round is continued, replacing only one thread to change colour.

TIP : How to add new thread to a chain is a very handy skill.

2. False ctm when starting with a chain

I always make knotless additions – tatting over tail(s), as can be seen in next examples. Follow your preferred method of starting/addition.

2A. False ctm in chain, adding to core thread, closest ring faces inwards (is to be worked with core thread). The chain will continue in same colour (mustard here), but the new core thread can be of different colour, hence rings will be in that colour. This works on a shuttle and ball pattern where the red shuttle can be a ball.

2B. False ctm in chain, adding to working thread, and closest ring is a thrown ring. Pull length from shuttle and use this for the chain stitches. 2 shuttles.

Notice and compare the position of pulled length, shuttle(s), nearest ring, etc. in 2A & 2B. It keeps the old & new shuttles in the right position to continue without the need for any SLT (shoe lace trick).

2C. False ctm in chain with starter picot, 
A dead end chain or one starting with a picot is best started with continuous thread. In cases where this is not possible, a false ctm is Ideal. Pull out a length to tat till we reach a point where new thread can be added and hidden easily.

I have covered this earlier, in 2017, along with a pdf of Starting with a Chain (and starter picot) in 2-Colour Tatting.  

But here is where and why it started - starting chain with false picot – Needleart 1921 edging #6 where I wanted a grape bunch with leaves effect. 

3. False ctm when correcting a mistake

Jane used it to correct a mistake and avoid hiding 4 ends in the same place. With a false ctm, she moved the starting knots on both threads further down, hiding ends in elements of her choice.

There are More scenarios when a false CTM is so handy! These will be in Part 2. I didn't go into too much details for each collage pic, since the main points are already covered at the start. However, if anything is confusing, please let me know what you want.

to be concluded in Part 2

UPDATE : Part 2 of False CTM posted here

another colour dilemma

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A situation arose where I needed to start an edging with a picot on a chain.

No problem – go CTM and leave picot space with or without a holder (eg. paperclip)!

But I was interested in making that edging in 2 colours and CTM was not an option. All the tutorials/videos known to me start with continuous thread and there is no mention of another colour.

So here’s my solution to ….

Starting with a Chain (and starter picot)

in 2-Colour Tatting

Download the stepwise pdf here

Ø       Unwind a tail from ball/shuttle 2 (this acts like CTM) to finger-tat the chain;

Ø       Make a starter picot if required (with or without a holder),

Ø       Then add the other color for ring.

Ø       Tat over tails to hide.

With this solution, I don’t need to start with any messy knots, colour blips, or bulk (hiding 2 tails under one chain, making it 4 threads!).

And it is great for block tatting when we use 2 colours and have to start with a picot on chain!

I converted it into a stepwise pictorial pdf (with introduction & links to a few resources) for relative beginners.

This tiny motif was made as I went along, for anybody interested in tatting along.

There was another reason why this solution was needed. Here is a scan of the edging in 2 colours. 

BUT I made the leaves in same colour as stem whichmeant I couldn’t have the purple showing up at the starter and joining picots. More about that in a future post.

This method also works if the chain is tatted in reverse stitch (unflipped stitches as in a split ring) ! But here, instead of ball, we will need a 2^nd shuttle, because the tail acts as core, wrapped taut on our hand, and the shuttle makes the larkshead knots or reverse stitches.

Ninetta is my “Hiding Lady” partly because of her numerous solutions to hiding ends! She gave me valuable and instant feedback on the draft I sent her. With her stamp of approval, I’m sure there is some merit to this solution J  Grazie mille, Nin !

happy tatting in every situation :-)

Related posts :

starting dead end chains

Tatting over tails frontside and backside

tatting over tails - the middle path pdf

more tutorial links