Introduction:

Tatting is a delicate and intricate form of lace making that allows you to create beautiful designs, such as doilies, earrings, bookmarks, edgings, and more. One of the fundamental components in most tatting patterns are rings and picots. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating rings and picots in tatting to help you improve your skills in this craft.

Materials:

– Tatting shuttle or tatting needle

– Thread (fine crochet cotton or a tatting thread preferred)

– Scissors

– Optional: crochet hook for joining picots

Techniques:

1. The Ring: A ring in tatting is a circle of double stitches that closes on itself. Here’s how to make a ring using a shuttle or a needle.

   With Shuttle Tatting:

– Create an overhand knot called the Lark’s Head Knot close to the end of your thread.

– Hold the shuttle in your dominant hand and let a small loop of thread extend from your index finger.

– Pass the shuttle under the thread loop then back over it, pulling it snug to form a double stitch.

– Work until you have created the desired number of double stitches.

– Close the ring by gently pulling on the shuttle and working thread.

   With Needle Tatting:

– Thread your needle and leave enough tail for threading back into your work later.

– Create a series of double stitches on the needle until you have reached the desired number.

– Close the ring by pulling on the tail thread, making sure to slide all double stitches off the needle tip.

2. The Picot: A picot is a small decorative loop linking rings together or just adding ornamentation. They can vary in size depending on thread thickness and individual preferences. Here’s how to make a picot:

   With Shuttle Tatting:

– First, create a double stitch.

– After completing the stitch, leave a small gap (approximately 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch, depending on the desired size of the picot) between the stitches.

– Create another double stitch, locking the picot into place. Make sure not to close the gap.

   With Needle Tatting:

– Similarly to shuttle tatting, after creating a double stitch, leave a small gap for the picot.

– Then, secure it in place with another double stitch without closing the gap.

Practical Tips:

– Begin your tatting project with simple patterns that have fewer rings and picots to get comfortable with the technique.

– Always remember to keep an even tension in your work to make it visually appealing and consistent.

– A small crochet hook can be useful for joining picots together in more complex patterns.

Conclusion:

Learning how to make rings and picots is an essential part of mastering tatting. Incorporating these foundational elements into your projects will not only enhance their visual appeal but also allow you to create increasingly intricate designs. Keep practicing these techniques as you continue on your journey through the world of tatting.