How to Do Block Tatting

Tatting is a thread craft used to create decorative and sturdy laces for various uses. By creating a series of knots and loops, this thread-knotting technique can create any number of designs. One such variation is block tatting. This uses lines, or chains, of knots to create rectangles and squares. If you have the basic tatting technique down, you should easily be able to create block tatting.

Instructions

1. Create the first line. If you're needle tatting, double-stitch to your desired length and then slip a pin or thread into the final loop before closing it to form a small picot. Slide them off the needle and tie as if tying the beginning of a bow on a shoelace (also known as the "shoe lace trick," or SLT). If you're finger tatting, wrap the thread around a paper clip or safety pin to form a mock picot. Double-stitch the desired length and secure with two half stitches.

2. Begin the second line. For needle tatting, create a small picot and tat the second line of knots. Add the pin or thread and slide off the needle. Bend the second line so that it's beside the first line. For hand tatting, turn the first line over counterclockwise, as if turning a page, and make a small picot and tat the desired number of double stitches.

3. Join the bottom of the second line to the top picot of the first line. This applies to both techniques. If you're hand tatting, secure the line after making the join by tatting two half stitches.

4. Repeat the second line and join until your block is the desired width. You can increase or decrease the number of stitches you use in rows to create shapes other than squares and rectangles.