Tatting Techniques

One basic stitch forms the foundation of tatting techniques.

The art of tatting -- knotting and looping thread to form lace -- employs a basic stitch, the double stitch, to create circles, lines and joinings. Varying the pattern of stitches and loops, or picots, can produce a versatile range of effects. Tatting is not just for doilies. It can produce edgings, pillow cases, baby booties, jewelry and stationery.

Double Stitch

The double stitch is the basic and only stitch in tatting. There are two parts to the double stitch. Instructions vary depending on left- or right-handedness. For right-handed tatters, the first part involves threading the needle, holding the needle in your right hand and taking the long side of the thread behind the needle. You wrap the thread around your left index finger clockwise. Going upward towards the end of the index finger, you transfer the thread to the needle and remove your finger. You then hold this first part of the double stitch with your right index finger. For the second part, you wind the thread counterclockwise on your left index finger. Bending your finger, you bring the needle to the fingertip and pull the thread down the needle to be close and taut with the earlier stitch.

Picot

Adding variety and breaks between stitches are picots, which are loops made from creating short gaps between stitches. You make these simply by starting the new stitch at a short distance away from the previous stitch. You should keep this distance uniform, such as 1/4 inch for every picot made. Once formed, you push the new stitch down to meet the previous stitch. You may also pull the loop of the picot to tighten the thread.

Ring

Rings use the basic tatting stitch, the double stitch, to form a set of double stitches in the shape of a circle. To make a ring, you slide the double stitches you made down the tatting needle past the eye of the needle, holding onto the stitches as you do so. You will continue to pull the thread once it is off the needle, until the ring forms. Pull the thread until the ring closes, adjusting the tightness depending on how small you want the ring to be.

Chain

Acting as bridges between rings or design elements, chains are strings of double stitches. To form the chain, you place the needle next to the last stitch made and tat three double stitches, picot, three more double stitches, picot, until you have four sets of three double stitches. The beginning of the chain should be close and tight to the ring or other formation it is adjoined to. Once completed, you pull the stitches off the needle to form a crescent, reverse the chain, or turn it over from right to left and pull the needle through the loop formed to tie the end of the chain.

References

• Vicnet: Tatting Tutorials
• Be Stitched: Tatting Home
• Carrie's Tatting: Shuttle Tatting Instructions by Carrie
• Handy Hands Tatting: First Steps in Needle Tatting