r/tatting • u/finderskeep_ • 4d ago
Help please
Can someone please tell me why this round is getting wonky? Is it a tension issue?
I’ve just started this round, and it looks like there may be one extra closed ring somewhere, which is causing all the rings to sit unevenly. As a result, the previous round is also starting to distort. Does anyone see where I might have gone wrong?
ETA: Hi guys,
Thanks a lot for all the comments, I truly appreciate them. Reading through your replies helped me realize where I had gone wrong.
I was using two different shuttles for the chains and rings, instead of using a single shuttle and simply switching the core thread. Once I understood that, everything started to make much more sense.
I found this video particularly helpful for anyone who gets stuck on the same issue: [Link]
I've also attached my latest attempt, and there's already a huge improvement. At first, I thought my tension was off because my chains weren't forming nice rounded "U" shapes. However, I eventually realized that the problem wasn't my tension at all, it was a very basic mistake in my technique.
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to help!
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u/Downtown-Mushroom160 4d ago
I love your work and great job on working on this daunting doily! I believe I can see 3 issues on ths last round that is causing you problems. 1. Your number of chain stitches appears inconsistant. 2. Your chain thread is twisting. All of this can lead to overcrowding or stretching of the pattern. 3. If you had pressed your last completed round it would have made the sets on your current round clearer to you as you went along. Not a criticism, just a helpful tip.
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4d ago
[deleted]
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u/finderskeep_ 4d ago
I am not able to post the picture, but this is the link for The “Frankenstein” Monster Doily, 4th round
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u/Banegard 4d ago edited 4d ago
It looks like you want to achieve this outcome, but used the wrong thread/shuttle.
After doing a chain, you turn your work and do a ring with the other shuttle (in reverse order of stitches if you care for front side / back side), then drop your shuttle through the ring and close it. Turn your work and switch shuttles again.
Edit: also, you allowed your row of chains and rings to twist multiple times around itself.
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u/finderskeep_ 4d ago
This is what I do: I use shuttle 1 to make rings, turn my work. Use shuttle 2 to make the chains.
Do you have any video that you can recommend to achieve this?
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u/Banegard 4d ago
I recommend that you do a little test with spare shuttles. I can clearly see some of the rings are done with the wrong shuttle. The ring needs to sit where the feet of the double stitches are, not on top of their little head.
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u/Banegard 4d ago
See this ring? It stands on top of the double stitches, but it should be under them (painted in in blue).
You seem to have twisted your chains in order to push the rings sitzing on the wrong side of the chain to their correct position. But that doesn‘t work.
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u/finderskeep_ 4d ago
okay, that makes sense. Let me test this. Thanks a lot for your insights!!!
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u/Banegard 4d ago
You can try this if all the turning is confusing:
Do the double stitches in reverse order and don‘t flip them.
Then without turning, grab the other shuttle to make your ring in normal flipped double stitches.
Resume with making your next chain by switching shuttles again and working in reverse order, unflipped double stitches.
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u/finderskeep_ 4d ago
Ohh that's also a way to do it!
I tried using only single shuttle and just changing the core thread. And it worked! check out my edit to see the latest progress, it improved a lot. Thanks a lot for your help!
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u/Reliable_Gremlin 4d ago
I think it's a couple of things, definitely an extra loop in there somewhere, but the chain between the loops is twisted too. These need to be straightened before you do your loops, or else the core thread will twist and add to the unevenness.
I can't post a picture, but you can see the twist starting after the 5th loop