I'm having trouble with Linked Ring-Chains

[rsmre]

Hello Everyone,
I've been following Rachel's Piney Woods Tatter blog, and I really like the (Linked) Ring-Chain motif that she uses. I went here for help: http://needletatting.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=howtomakeadoublepicot&action=display&thread=357, but I'm still having trouble. I can get the first two or three rings worked, but after that disaster! Looking at my last attempt, I got four rings to lie nicely, but the fifth ring is going in the wrong direction. Also, I am having trouble closing the third and fourth rings. Does anyone have any tips or advice for working these Linked Ring-Chains.
Rosemarie

[Antiquarian]

The link doesn't work if you're not registered - FYI. Could you post pictures of your troubled work so we can see the problem and help?

[Judy]

There are lots of needle tatters here at InTatters. As Antiquarian says, post a picture so we can see the problem. The Needletatting website has some great things, but its chief organizer and owner, Roger aka Freeman has been missing from the site for nearly 18 months; I'm not sure who monitors calls for help there. There are a few stalwart members, but most of them are also here at InTatters. These members around the globe can usually respond pretty quickly.

[Piney Woods Tatter]

Hi, Rosemarie. Thanks for following the blog! If you could post an image of your work, maybe we could figure out what's going on. Is the 3rd or 4th R twisting? I'm sure that a solution will be figured out & you'll be tatting interlocking chain-rings soon.:biggrin:

[rsmre]

Hello Everyone,
Sorry that I didn't get back to everyone sooner. What I tatted so far is in the dust bin. I'll have to make another attempt and post some pictures. I am a little confused about one thing, though. Should I be working from a cut piece of thread, or should I be working off of the ball?
Many thanks,
Rosemarie

[Piney Woods Tatter]

Rosemarie,
I work off the ball, but you can cut a piece and work independent of the ball- either method works fine. For foundations of 8 interlocking chain-rings or more, I will cut a length of thread and thread the other end with a second needle. This is strictly to help keep control of the thread.

One question I have for you is: when you place the needle through the first ring & start to tat the next, are you leaving a small space of thread before beginning tatting to allow the rings to wrap and lay smoothly? If you do not have a small bit of "free thread" to allow the rings to form and wrap, they will not lay smoothly- they will bunch up on you & twist. Has this helped you? Let me know if you need any further assistance.:smile:

[Piney Woods Tatter]

I just posted images and step-by-step instructions for needle tatting interlocking chain-rings on the blog:
http://pineywoodstatter.blogspot.com/2011/11/interlocking-chain-rings.html
Please let me know if this is helpful to you:flowers:

[carolivy]

Thank you for a great tutorial Rachel! I've done this before but I always ended up doing each ring separately. Great to know that they can all be done with one thread!

[rsmre]

Thank you for the great tutorial, Rachel. You run the needle through the previous ring from underneith. I was running it through from the top. I'm not sure, but it is possible that I did it both ways on different rings. :) I apologize for not posting any pictures. Getting ready for Thanksgiving has taken most of my time, and I hadn't tried to make another one of the interlocking chain-ring motif. Thank you to everyone who tried to help, too.
Rosemarie