How to Tat a Chain

When making a chain, you first make a ring and then a chain, another ring, then another chain, alternating until you have your desired length. Use both the ball thread and the shuttle to make a chain. This means you don't cut the thread from the ball after winding the shuttle.

Things You'll Need

• Embroidery Scissors
• Tatting Needles
• Tatting Shuttles
• Tatting Thread
• Beeswax
• Bobbins
• Crochet Hooks
• Fabric Stiffeners
• Sewing Needles
• Tapestry Needles
• Threads
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Make a ring (see "How to Tat a Ring," under Related eHows).

2. Close the ring and reverse the work. (Turn the ring just made upside down - what was on the top is now on the bottom.)

3. Lay down the shuttle.

4. Hold the ring just made between your left thumb and forefinger.

5. Pick up the thread coming from the ball, and wrap it across the back of your left hand and around the little finger several times to keep it in position.

6. Pick up the shuttle. You may need to remove the excess thread extending from the shuttle by winding up the slack. Leave about 5 inches of thread between the thread that's wrapped around your left hand ready for chaining and the shuttle that's on the right.

7. Make double stitches (see "How to Tat a Double Stitch") over the thread area on the left hand. Be sure to make the first double stitch up close and touching the base of the ring previously made (leave no space in between).

8. Continue making double stitches, picots (see "How to Make a Picot in Tatting"), double stitches ... for the desired length (for example: 6 ds, p, 6 ds). All double stitches must slide along the chaining thread, the same as when making a ring.

9. Pull the stitches together. They'll form a natural curve.

10. Release the thread from around your left hand and pinkie when your chain is the desired length.

11. Reverse the work again (turn it upside down).

12. Prepare to make another ring: Wrap the shuttle thread completely around your left hand, forming a circle.

13. Make the double stitches for a ring as before. However, in making the second ring, you'll "connect" the second ring to the first ring made by attaching in the picots. (See "How to Join Two Rings in Tatting.")

Tips & Warnings

• When making the chain, the ball thread will be forming the stitches over the shuttle thread.

• The stitches on the chain must slide freely along the thread. If a knot is formed and the stitches won't slide, this knot must be removed before continuing.

• Picots can be added in chains. Leave a small space between double stitches. When the next chain stitch is pushed against the previous chain stitch, a picot loop forms.

• Advanced tatters often use two shuttles, winding thread around shuttle one, pulling several yards of thread off the ball before cutting, then winding this yardage around shuttle two. This creates what is called the "continuous thread method" (ctm). Both shuttles are connected to the same thread.

• Avoid working with long lengths of thread - they tangle too easily.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish