Needle Tatting a Ring

Preparation for learning to needle tat a ring:
If you are just beginning to needle tat, please review the article, "Needle Tatted Double Stitch."
"https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1740.asp
On that page you will find photos 1 - 4 demonstrating the technique of wrapping the double stitch.
Follow that by viewing photos 5 - 9, "Needle Tatting Practicing the Double Stitch." https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10745.asp

Thread the needle and leave thread attached to ball. Position the left hand with the thumb sticking up and the four fingers slightly curved inward and around the left hand side of the thread loop. (Just like you were going to go hitch-hiking.) Take the thread as it comes up and over the forefinger of the left hand and stretch it taut between there and the pinching point.

Bring your right hand and the needle towards you and around your upright thumb clockwise. Place the point of the needle on the side of the thumb closest to you and go from the base upwards sliding under the thread. Gently pull the needle to the right and the thread slips off the thumb. Note here that a loop, i.e., the first half stitch of thread is around the needle.

Holding the thread in the left hand firmly pull down until the slack is gone from the loop and the thread completely encloses the needle. Slide this loop to the mid point of the needle and hold it in place with the outstretched forefinger.

With the left thumb upright take the needle and move it away from you wrapping the thread around the thumb in a counterclockwise movement. Take the point of the needle and place it at the base of the thumb on the side farthest from you and slide the needle upwards again picking up the loop of thread. Let the thread slip off the thumb. Note here that the thread is again in a loop around the needle, this time in the opposite direction, i.e., the second half stitch.

Holding the thread in the left hand firmly pull down until the slack is gone from the loop and the thread completely encloses the needle. Slide this loop to the mid point of the needle and hold it in place with the outstretched forefinger.

You will now see the familiar double stitch of tatting has been wrapped around the needle. Let's try a real ring with picots now.

A picot in progress Continue in this manner for two double stitches. As you tighten the first half stitch of the next DS leave a space of thread about 1/2" long. Reach forward with the forefinger to hold this loop in place while the second half stitch is wrapped. When the new DS is complete physically push that DS down next to the other DS. Note that the space of thread is forced outwards and thus forms a picot.	The number of picots in any pattern will vary. You can add or delete picots as you like except for those picots which are used for joining or construction purposes	To correct an error, slide the ds off the point of the needle.
After wrapping the number of ds and picots needed for your pattern, position the needle with the point up and slide the ds down over the eye of the needle. It is important is keep the loop open until the next movement. Now take the point of needle and slide it through the loop from right to left. Remove all slack.	Place closed ring down with the threads on the side away from you. Turn ring from right to left as if turning the pages of a book. Note the threads cross. Bring the needle under the thread on the right and over the thread on the left.	Pull on both tails to make a tie (just like tying your shoes) and secure. Congratulations! Your ring is complete.

You Should Also Read:
Needle Tatting Double Stitch
Needle Tatting Practing the Double Stitch

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