Lock Join?

[Sunny_0ne]

Can someone tell me what a lock join is in needle tatting?

I just tied a knot at those points in the pattern and it seemed to work, but I'm guessing there is a better way.

[PattyD]

A lock join is a shuttle tatting technique. It's purpose is a join between the core thread and a picot below it. The more usual joins are between the working thread (that actually forms the double stitch -DS) and a picot on a completed element.

It's my understanding that it is not necessary to actually tie a knot in needle tatting, so you may be doing some extra work. I am sure a needle tatter will pipe up soon and explain what needs to be done in this case.

[carolivy]

When needle tatting, if you are making a long chain that needs to be joined to picots and it calls for a lock join at those picots, I always tie a knot, making sure not to change the order of my threads. This keeps your chains for getting distorted and easier to control.

[Sunny_0ne]

Thanks, PattyD and carolivy! It sounds like I was doing okay, then. The lock joins I was talking about were at the end of Jon's bookmark, and I figured that they needed to be strong enough to help support the weight of the tassel.

[Judith Connors]

To make a lock join (aka shuttle join): Tension the preceding work, then lift a loop of the needle thread through a picot (or the base of a ring, etc), and pass the needle thread through its own loop. Settle everything down carefully beside the last double stitch, as this join really does lock things in place.

[Sunny_0ne]

Thank you, Judith!!!

[jamlover]

Finally figured out a way to remember the lock join. Duh... Use the shuttle thread to join through the picot and go through the loop with the shuttle thread. Light bulb finally comes on!! Shuttle thread join. And it locks!! I had to keep looking it up when needed to remember how to do it. No longer. (Shall I admit, Jean the slow learner) hehehe

[PattyD]

Sometimes things that we really know how to do come at us sideways and don't look familiar. Happens to me all the time.

[Lynn]

That's a good mental illustration, Patty, of being broadsided by something you know. Call it by a different name and put everything out of whack. Kind of like seeing a former student out of uniform and out of class. Vaguely familiar face, but totally wrong context.

[jamlover]

Speak of former students. I had most of them at junior high age. I'm in a check out in a neighboring town and give them my credit card. They are sure then who I am and call me Mrs. M.... After 30 years I usually remember the name but they have changed so in looks and name!! I taught mostly girls at one time. Home ec. But I'm always glad that they bother to speak to me personally.

[PattyD]

My students were in Sunday School, we grew up together. Now the boys tower over me and are starting to get married. Sigh.....

[rsmre]

To make a lock join (aka shuttle join): Tension the preceding work, then lift a loop of the needle thread through a picot (or the base of a ring, etc), and pass the needle thread through its own loop. Settle everything down carefully beside the last double stitch, as this join really does lock things in place.

Hello Judith,
Thank you for highlighting the key words in your instructions. It helped me to realize that I have been making the lock joins with the ball thread instead of the needle thread. That is why the lock joins just didn't look right. I shuttle tat, too. It should have occurred to me to use the needle thread, but it didn't. Thanks again.
rsmre

[Judith Connors]

rsmre,
Depending on how you want your chains to curve, there is another join which will keep a chain in its natural curve. It's known as the Dora Young Join. In the past some tatters have called it Catherine Wheel join, onion ring join, split chain stitch join, lark's head join. Do an advanced search for these join names as there are several threads about them. They're all the same join - Dora Young's knotless method.

[rsmre]

Hello Judith,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I understand what you mean about keeping the chains curving in the correct direction. I will take some time today to look up the other joins that you mentioned.
Many thanks,
rsmre

[Judy]

One thing more I discovered recently when doing lock joins -- I had all the steps right except the last one. If you tighten it in the wrong order, or try to short cut it, it comes out looking like a mashed picot. If I tighten it in 3, yes, 3! steps, it will look more like a double stitch and fit right in, hardly noticeable. Start from the previous ds end, where the core comes out of the ds.