Cutting threads?

[Tweedles]

Posted on October 20, 2008

I have the book by Coats & Clark 'Learn How Book' (knitting, crocheting, tatting, and embroidery) - 1975. On p. 54 there is a pattern for a tatted edging. It is a repeat of 3 rings with picots with the 3rd ring separated from the other two by 3/4" of thread. My question is, do I cut that 3/4" of thread? These threads seems to be holding the pattern back from taking the shape it should. And if I do cut them, how do I knot them so they won't come undone? Thanks! - Jamilyn

[Tweedles]

Replies to This Discussion

Reply by Lynn on October 20, 2008 at 5:46am
Where does your pattern say to turn the work? It sounds like a single shuttle repeat where you tat two rings, then turn the work, leaving 3/4" thread, work the next ring, then turn the work again, also leaving the 3/4" thread and work the next two rings. I am assuming that the bottom rings are joined together, and the top rings are joined together. Does this help make sense of it for you? Check the pattern closely for where to turn your work, and it should work out okay. Cutting the threads is not the answer.


Reply by Shindeco on October 20, 2008 at 6:23am
It may also be just a question of differing tension. If, after checking Lynn's suggestions, all is as it should be and the darn thing is STILL not lying properly...leave a longer thread! I find that recommended lengths of bare thread must be taken with a grain of salt. Go with what YOUR project needs, not with what the pattern designer's project needed. We all tat slightly differently.


Reply by Lynn on October 20, 2008 at 12:49pm
Please be advised that by "turn the work", what I really meant and should had said is "Reverse Work" which is usually written RW. Hope this clears things up for you.


Reply by PattyD on October 20, 2008 at 3:16pm
Hi Jamilyn! I learned to tat from this very book when I was a youngster. I have a collection of 3 different editions. Let me find the little darlin's and see what kind of an answer I can give you.


Reply by Jamilyn on October 20, 2008 at 6:22pm
The pattern doesn't say for the work to be turned. Reversing the work is explained after this pattern. Is it okay for me to post the pattern for you to read - or is that against copyright rules? Thanks! -Jamilyn


Reply by PattyD on October 20, 2008 at 8:00pm
I found it! The pattern is an edging consisting of a clover, a space of bare thread, and then another clover. If your edging will not lie flat, then the length of the space between the clovers is just too short. The clover is the combination of 3 rings that join to each other.

The trick is to figure out how long the bare thread needs to be. The bare thread comes out of the bottom of the clover and then travels twice the length of last ring in the clover to get you to the starting place of the next clover.

I would rewrite the pattern thusly:
- = a picot
= = the picot in the last ring to join to
+ = join to the picot marked = in the last ring
a number = number of double stitches (DS)

Ring 1 of the clover: 5 - 5 - 5 = 5
Ring 2 of the clover: 5 + 5 - 5 = 5
Ring 3 of the clover: 5 + 5 - 5 - 5

Leave a space of bare thread twice as long as the last ring in the clover

Repeat to the desired length


Reply by Susan B. T. on October 21, 2008 at 2:44am
Looks like you have gotten some correct and good answers...

Any time you do one shuttle work... you leave a spce of thread so the piece lays flat such as and edge. if you left no space and worked the next clover ( set of 3 rings) the piece would curve.


Reply by Lynn on October 21, 2008 at 3:05am
Hurrah for PattyD! Having the pattern makes all the difference. Let us know how you get on now, Jamilyn.


Reply by Jamilyn on October 21, 2008 at 4:08am
I think that the length of thread I was leaving was too short because I have 4 repeats done and it is curving. I will make the threads longer and see if that works. Then, when I attach it to a handkerchief or pillowcase, do I leave those space threads on and just hide them? Thanks for all your help and advice! I've only been tatting 2 weeks or so! -Jamilyn


Reply by Lynn on October 21, 2008 at 8:26am
Usually, the bare thread is part of the pattern and does not need to be hidden. I know, after doing chains and rings, it looks kind of strange, but the bare thread is supposed to be just that - bare.


Reply by TattingChic on October 27, 2008 at 3:56pm
I think this sounds like the best solution. Sometimes the pattern will say leave "x" amount of thread and like, Shindeco said, we all tat differently and a different amount may need to be left between the rings in order to lie properly.