Making the Last Join without Twisting the Picot

A common problem for new tatters is the final join between the first ring and the last ring of a circular motif. It is also a common problem for experienced tatters when it's late, you are tired and when you are rushed to finish for whatever reason.

Assume for the purpose of this example that you are doing a simple motif of five rings, each joined to the next one.

You have completed the fourth ring and are in the last stages of the final ring, when you realize that the picot you need to join to is in a very awkward position on the side of the first ring you made. How do you get it into a position where you can work with it? And how do you make the join without the last picot twisting on you?

The answer is to fold the motif in half, so that the front of Ring 1 is in contact with the front of your partial Ring 5. In this position Ring 2 is in contact with Ring 4 and Ring 3 is folded onto itself.


Use a crochet hook. (Later you will be proficient enough to use the point or hook of your shuttle, but it's not that good for learning.) Insert the hook FROM THE BACK into the picot on Ring 1, as in the figure above.

Now rotate the hook DOWN and to the BACK until the picot is twisted as in the figure below.


Now capture the thread of Ring 5 (what I call the covering thread, what goes around your hand) and pull it back through the twisted picot. Move the shuttle thread (what I call the core thread) through this loop from BOTTOM TO TOP.


Before you snug up your join, make sure that your shuttle and ball threads are both on the same side of the construction. It's not a vital point in this example but it's a good practice to get into. Now snug up your completed join and check your work.

Do the last double stitches of your Ring 5, but DO NOT CLOSE your ring until you are satisfied that the join is correct.

This is a modified version of a handout I made up for my students. The graphics were done in a crude paint program as I do not yet have a scanner and a graphics program, but I hope they will suffice for now.

<©>Every Stitch by Jessie, Inc., 1999. All Rights Reserved. You may make one copy for your personal use. Please email me at jessie@dakota2k.net for permission for other uses, such as a handout for tatting teachers, which will be freely granted if requested.

ENJOY!!