How to Read Tatting Patterns
Reading patterns for a craft you have not done before can be confusing. Always read through all relevant patterns at least once prior to starting any project. In terms of tatting, a craft that involves creating lace using a variety of knots and linked loops, you must understand the symbols, steps and how to connect the steps in order to ensure a successful project outcome.
Instructions
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Learn tatting abbreviations and their meaning. Not all will be used in every pattern, although as you progress in your skill you will see more abbreviations. When you see a number after the abbreviation, this tells you how many times to make that stitch, while letters of the alphabet identify the rings or chains being made.
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Keep the abbreviations nearby, either on index cards or a filing system near your tatting material.
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Practice the abbreviated stitches to better understand what you are reading. The abbreviations include:
1. Beginning - Beg
2. Chain(s) - Ch(s)
3. Close or close ring - Cl
4. Continuous Thread Method - CTM
5. Double Stitch - Ds
6. Join - J
7. Josephine Knot - Jk
8. Loop - Lp
9. Picot(s) - P(s): smP, mdP, lP for small, medium and large
10. Previous - Prev
11. Ring(s) - R(s)
12. Reverse Work - Rw
13. Separated - Sep
14. Space - Sp
15. Split Ring - Sr.
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Learn what various symbols stand for. For instance, an asterisk (*) stands for "repeat instructions after this mark." There may be a number connected with it, which tells you how many times to do the repeated section. If part of the pattern is in parentheses, only repeat the instructions between the set of parentheses. Again, there may be a number attached to parentheses telling you how many times to do the repeated section. Finally, a period (.) will indicate that you are to close the ring or chain.
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