Now what?

[PattyD]

How have you been joining up until now? Don't you just run the needle through the picot? Isn't that one of the basic ways to do it in needle tatting?

You get to the spot where the join should occur and run the needle through the picot you are joining to. You may have to pull the thread through if it is awkward, but then you just continue with the ring you are making. I have always envied needle tatters for this.

If I confused you before, please forgive me, I just didn't notice this was from the needle tatting forum.

[britinpa]

Do the final chain as normal (you should have 4 chains), then bring the needle up through the first stitch of the first leaf (of the first clover at beginning of work), so that the first and last chains of the motif come together. Tie knot, and hide ends as shown in Totus Mel's video.

[britinpa]

I have just spotted that you need to undo part of the final ring, as you need to join the first and last rings, before you do the final chain.

[britinpa]

This video might help with the last join. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8aNGPvEam4

[Sherongb]

I failed to mention that I am needle tatting......so I had no tail in the beginning (which is obviously the benefit of shuttling). Thanks for the vid - I'll check it out!

Actually you did. It's the thread from the eye of the needle to where you made the first stitch. I would suggest putting your needle through the base of the first ring, to anchor it and pull the two sides (first ring of first clover and last ring of last clover) together, then work the chain.

Edited to add: ignore everything after my first sentence as what I was picturing is different than what you showed.

[Holly Ann]

ok, let's see if we can help you... you have 2 options. 1) undo your last ring and remember to connect the picot to the 1st ring in the begining of the piece. Then chain and slip your needle to the 1st stitch in the begining of the piece and tie a couple of knots (like double knotting your shoe a couple of times). I usually do a couple of knots because I don't want it to come apart. The other option 2) chain and connect the end to the begining (slip needle through the begining of the piece and use several knots) then take a piece of left over thread and use it to tie your picots together...this is NOT the best way as you will see a knot inbetween the picots, but I've done it because most people will look at the entire piece at once and not the knots individually. Hope this helps. Let me know if it doesn't and I will try to say it a different way.

[Judy]

Joining a picot from the first ring and the previous BOTH to the last ring is a classic problem.. trying to keep the picot from twisting. Linda Davies has a nice video on how to do it for shuttle tatting.... ignore the shuttles, but pay attention to how she turns the work over to get the picot in the right spot so you can join without twisting. You need to have it in the same position if you're going to needle tat and do a join onto the needle. Check it out. if its still a problem, post here again on where you're stuck. Search here at IT for Linda's videos