Balanced double stitch

[yarnplayer]

I've seen Ruth Perry's instructions on the balanced double stitch at Georgia Seitz's website, but I just can't figure out how to do it. It's the balanced double stitch (with the extra loops in the middle) that can tat a straight chain. Anybody know how to describe how it's done?

Thanks!
Marilee

[Marty]

I'm pretty certain it's the same thing as Jane Eborall's double double stitch. Her instructions are here (http://www.e.n.e.btinternet.co.uk/doubledouble.pdf).

[carolivy]

Are these the directions you are looking at? http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2008/ruthplongringchains.pdf
If they are, they way I understand it, you just wrap the stitch an extra time around the core thread before finishing the DS. It worked that way with the Needle. I just tried it...very interesting. Instead of just slipping my needle under the thread like I normally do, I wrapped it, making sure there were 2 loops on the needle before finishing that 1/2 of the DS. Does that make sense or did I just confuse things further?

[carolivy]

I'm pretty certain it's the same thing as Jane Eborall's double double stitch. Her instructions are here (http://www.e.n.e.btinternet.co.uk/doubledouble.pdf).

Exactly! I did that with the Needle though. Very intersting effect.

[BlueDode]

yarnplayer:

I've tried it a couple of times: it takes the curve or "arch" out of a chain. what you end up with is 4 wraps of thread passing around the core thread on the bottom of the double stitch, instead of 2; and you still have 4 threads on the top of the double stitch: two for each side of the "table top" (horizontal piece -- it has other names: a student of mine called it a "pagoda") and one each for the incoming and outgoing thread. That makes the "balance": 4 threads on top and 4 threads on the bottom, as wrapped around the core thread.

Basically in involves double wrapping each half of the double stitch and double flipping it. These stitches are a bit fiddly to close, but would be very useful when you want a straighter, less curved chain in a pattern.

Sleep on it and try it sometime when you are refreshed -- that can make all the difference! Perseverence in the face of sheer frustration never seems to work for me: naps/a good nights' sleep sometimes shed new light on things.

Another thought: if you have another kind of tatting thread available, try a thread change: some threads might be harder to work with than others.

Good luck!

[yarnplayer]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions, everyone. Ruth also sent a link to her video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3c99nb0CIg

So far, I can manage the first half, but the second half just isn't working for me. I'm going to take BlueDode's advice and sleep on it :-)

Marilee

[carolivy]

I find it so fascinating to watch the Shuttle Tatting Videos! They just blow my little ol' mind! :blush: I WISH my hands would let me try that form of tatting! :cry:

[shannon_in_love]

i'm doing what the video is telling me to do but its not looking like the pictures...any tips?

[PattyD]

The only thing i can think of is that you don't tension or flip between the two times that you take the shuttle thread UP UNDER or DOWN OVER.

I picked up a shuttle to make sure what I was talking about LOL!

The ball thread wrapped around your left hand should be under tension until after you have finished taking the shuttle UP or DOWN twice. Then flip and tension. Locking the first flip before beginning the second loop around would probably not let you tension the half stitch.

[shannon_in_love]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGYKY3fTYes

it may be a bit grainy but is this how to do Balanced double stitches?here's a still of what my practice looks like
4807

[PattyD]

Oh! Oh! The second half is the problem. The second time through the second half, make sure the shuttle is inside the first pass. For the first half of the double stitch that happens almost automatically because it is left to right, but the second half is right to left.

[shannon_in_love]

WOW. that truly makes a world of difference. its looks spectacular now. thanks patty... see i knew something was going wrong. i really like that stitch now...lol.

[Lynn]

Thank you so much for the video, Shannon. I completely misunderstood what I read for this, and so it never came out right. This really helps.

[Jon Yusoff]

Oh! Oh! The second half is the problem. The second time through the second half, make sure the shuttle is inside the first pass. For the first half of the double stitch that happens almost automatically because it is left to right, but the second half is right to left.
I tried this a few times and each time I ended up with a knot in the second half, :mad: No worries, just have to try a few more time.

Anyway, that was not my concern in this post, rather about the stitch count. If I am including the BDS in an existing pattern, how do I adjust the stitch count? The way I see it there are extra 'legs' popping up in between the double-stitches since there are two extra thread width for each BDS.

Or, do they need adjusting at all?:ermm:

[PattyD]

Well, a little geometry tells me that the BDS changes the shape, but not so much the size. Since BDS straightens the chains (I can't imagine trying to straighten a ring!), and the caps are the same size, I don't think patterns would have to be adjusted. Hmmmmmmmmmmm... that gives me an idea for working more robust block tatting. I will have to try BDS with block tatting and see what kind of difference it makes. I am always trying to get lumps and wiggles out of my block tatting.

[frakira]

can somebody post photo of complete pattern which uses this stitch? I have never seen it before..

[Lynn]

Check out this flower (http://tat-calendar.blogspot.com/) by Ruth Perry. I'm sure there are others as well. Try a Google search for tatted balanced double stitch.

[frakira]

I tried it, but I really don't see difference at first sight.. and second too.. ;-( It seems I must try it myself to understand why to use it.