How can I cut out a mistake on an all chains round?

[rsmre]

Hi All,
I am needle tatting a doily. The pattern calls for 5-5-5-5 +..., but in one spot I tatted 5-5-5+...:sad: I've tied cut and hidden the tails already. The error is about half way through the round. Is there a way to cut out and correct a mistake on an all chains round, or must I cut out and repeat the entire round?
Rosemarie

[PattyD]

Well, I am a shuttle tatter, but my approach is useful to consider.
1. Clip the both threads of the chain that is wrong at the midpoint of the core thread to leave 2 core tails as long as possible.
2. Work the replacement chain using a continuous thread to eliminate 2 ends to hide.
3. Rework the chain segment, tatting over tails of the cut threads at the beginning of the work.
4. After the segment is remade, tie and hide the ends.

[rsmre]

Hi Patty,
Your solution is brilliant! I just couldn't figure out what to do. I wasn't expecting anyone to get to me today since it is a holiday. Thanks so much for taking the time to help.
Rosemarie

[rsmre]

Well I tried. I never was any good at tatting over ends with the needle. I tried using the shuttle, and I may be able to get it to work, but the differences between the needle tatting and the shuttle tatting are going to show to much. One good thing about this though, maybe someone will make a video on how to needle tat over ends. I know that it isn't complicated, but I'm all thumbs when I try to do it. Plus, it is something that I rarely need to do.
Rosemarie

[Judy]

I don't very often tat over ends, but I do tat over a magic thread or floss threader,.. sometimes one of each, so that I can dispose of those ends. In this case I might use a sharp needle, like a chenille needle, and not worry about hitting the exact center where the core thread lies. Running through bits of the threads might actually strengthen the bond and make the ends less likely to re-emerge.

[nanibly]

I dont get it.... I dont understand steps 2 & 3. how do you work another chain when all you have are 4 little subs?

[Judy]

You work the new steps/replacement part just as if you were starting from the beginning, from a thread off a ball (all chains & needle, remember). Then you use the four stubs to tie into the new piece and, and last hide the stub ends. The stubs are there for connection purposes only.

[nanibly]

Thanks, Judy, I now see that you make a replacement chain...but how is it that the CTM eliminates two ends to tie when they are a completely separate piece?

I also dont get how you would attach the stubs. You would have 4 stubs, from cutting apart the chain, right? Just cut the chain in half, and you have a tiny stub from the needle thread and a little bigger than tiny thread from the knots. One set from the first half of the chain and one set from the second half.

How can you do anything with then? Sorry to be so dense.

[PattyD]

You are not being dense. A new idea takes time to ferment.

After you cut the chain in the middle, you are correct that there are 4 stubs, otherwise known as tails.

Thread the needle again, bring the needle through the previous join (I am assuming an all chains design will have joins between the chain segments).

Here I plead ignorance of needle tatting, but either tat over tails from the stubs from the beginning of the chain you cut or hide the ends afterwards. Complete the replacement chain and again, either tat over tails or hid the ends. I would hide the stubs from the cut chain in the replacement chain and the tails from the replacement chain in the original work.

I hope this lights up some understanding.

[crazytatter]

Well, now I can imaging it better too. Nanibly, you are not the only dense one, I am so glad you asked the questions first, because I don't even know how to put my confusion into words.

[Judy]

Hi again,
You haven't described your situation, but here's a common chains only situation: a round of arches, marching around a doily. mmmmmm, joining to a previous round. The error is in the middle. When you cut you're going to need at least 1.5 cm in each stub to work with it without using tweezers, so you may have to make it into mm mm, or even m mm or, m m.
You're right, the knots tail will be longer, and there will be 4 tails. By using CTM with the replacement mMMMmm you will only add two new tails to hide, not 4 ... so the total is 6, not 8.
You want to unravel back to a join, where there may be a lock join, or a point where you took the thread off the needle and tied an overhand (shoelace), maybe twice because you weren't reversing direction. If you did regular joins, or joins where you just put the needle through the picot, you'll need to reinforce that join. You can back out of those, too, and then retie them catching your new CTM replacement thread in the retied knot/join. Now, as you tat the first replacement chain, catch one of the tails in the stitches. You can do it with a hook, just have it sit next to the needle before you snug the half stich on the needle. One down, five to go. As you approach the end of the replacement piece, put in a magic thread and tat 3 1/2 stitches over the magic stem, leave the last 1/2 out. Join to the continuing chain knot, and take the stitches off the needle. This will be the difficult end. There are 4 ends that you have to hide at this point. I suggest using a variety of methods.. one into the magic thread loop, one into the old chain, and carefully, two into the round you're joining to. My suggestion is to thread needles into the tatting below the join first, then pull the needle nearly all the way before you put the tail through the eye of the needle. 5 done, 1 to go. Back to the start of the replacement to hide the last tail.