In recent years, many new techniques in tatting have come into being. One of these
is front-side/back-side tatting. This means that there is a definite front side
to the tatting and consequently a back side.
To be aware of the difference between front/back tatting and traditional tatting,
the tatter must first understand the make-up of the stitches. The following instructions
will be run-of-the-mill to most ezperienced tatters but will be invaluable to new
tatters or those who tat in traditional style.
As you already know, tatting is made up of a series of Double Stitches (DS). One
DS equals a first-half followed by a second-half DS. When a picot (P) (pronounced
peekoe) is made between two of these DS on a ring, this is usually considered a
front-side ring.
Until recently, as a general rule, tatters have been taught that after working a
ring made up of first then second half DS, they should reverse their work and make
the chain in the same manner - first then second half DS. Of course, when the work
is reversed after making a ring, the appearance of the P on the ring changes and
a P made on the chain looks as it did on the ring before it was reversed.
To better understand the construction, wind a shuttle with some size 5 or 10 thread
and don't cut from the ball (this is known as Continuous Thread Method). Work a
ring of 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 (each small dash = a P) and close it. In fact, close all rings
in all the directions which follow. Don't reverse or flip this ring.
Look carefully at a P. You'll see that it comes from behind the bars which make
up the top part of the DS on each side. Now reverse this ring and make a chain of
6 - 6. The P looks the same as it did when you examined the ring.
Again reverse the work. From this side, compare the P's on the ring to the P on
the chain. I think you'll agree that the P's on the ring look much neater. In fact,
from this same side, the P on the chain appears to be between a second-half and
a first-half of a DS with two vertical threads in between. You'll note that the
P doesn't come from behind "bars". From this same side, look closely at the chain
and you'll also become aware that there is a second-half stitch nearest the ring
and a first-half stitch at the other end.
From this, we can conclude that when a DS (first-half/second-half) is worked on
one side then on the reverse side it appears as a second-half then a first-half
stitch.
As part of this front-side/back-side thing, we're about to shatter a traditional
tatting technique... joining to a P! I'm not usually so adament about saying a technique
is "wrong" but in this case the following joining instruction isn't an option -
even when it isn't front/back tatting. Instructions to join have been absolutely
wrong in just about every tatting book ever written - even the two I recommend for
"best beginner instructions"! Before I get any flack on this (if I do, I'll send
Gary Houtz after you and you know how big he is), promise me you'll wind a shuttle
with size 5 or 10 (easier to see what's happening) thread and try out the traditional
and this method.
In fact, continue on with the ring and chain you just tatted. Reverse your work
after the chain and work a ring joining in the traditional method by inserting your
hook down through the P and pulling a loop up through it - this is known as an UP
join: 3 + (last P on previous ring) 3 - 3 - 3 RW. For those who don't already know,
+ means to join and the instructions where to join to are usually given in parentheses
right after the +.
Reverse work and do another chain (6 -6 RW).
Work another ring the same as the previous one but this time, when joining, instead
of putting your hook down through the P, position the thread with which you'll be
making the loop on top of the P and insert your hook up through the P and pull a
loop DOWN before putting the shuttle through it, complete your join with the second
half of a DS as you usually do. This is known as a DOWN join. Finish the ring.
Carefully examine the joins in the last two rings. I (and Gary and Randy TATTING
THE GR-8 SELF-CLOSING MOCK RING) think you'll agree when we say "this isn't an option"!
The Down join is much neater and flatter. Joining from a font-side ring should always
be a DOWN join.
Yes, there are occasions when a Down join isn't appropriate such as when joining
from the back side (between second and first half) to a P. In this case an Up join
should be used.
This tends to get a bit confusing to the beginner but it is essential to make these
joins correctly for the work to lie really flat and you have to know both joins
in order to do good front/back-side tatting.
The conclusion, then, is that on the front side of a piece of tatting, all P's should
be between the second half of one DS and the first half of the following DS. On
the back side, these P's should appear differently.
So... how do we go about getting all these P's onto the front side? Let's do rings
and chains with the same number of DS as we did already: Tat a ring 3 - 3 - 3 -
3 RW. You will now be working on the back side: Chain 6 - 6 BUT instead of tatting
it in the traditional manner, make the second half of a DS then the first half -
count this as ONE. Make six of these then make a P (between a first half and a second
half) then six more second half/first half stitches. When you reverse your work
after this chain, it should appear as six DS with the P between the second and first
half of a DS (from behind bars) - right in the center. For practice in Down Joins,
continue in the same manner working ten rings and ten chains - always joining into
the last P of the previous ring and, of course, joining the final ring also to the
first ring - to make a small motif.
This raises another point! If you've been making your final join (to avoid a twisted
P) as Rebecca Jones teaches in her COMPLETE BOOK OF TATTING on pages 46 and 47 -
do you have to make any changes? Yes, you do! I'll leave it to you to figure out
- keeping in mind the following paragraph:
Gary Houtz teaches this front/back side to his new students right from the beginning.
He teaches that when you reverse your work, you must reverse the order of your stitches
and most everything else - that makes it easy to remember, doesn't it?
Now that you've got that down pat, here's a very pretty insertion piece which will
drive you out of your mind when you tat it front side/back side - you did say you
welcome a challenge, didn't you? Judi Banashek's Shoe Lace Trick is not involved,
so good luck!
I tatted mine with size 20 in dark green for the outline and Anchor 1288 variegated
in the same size for the flowers. Flowers are 6 - 6 for the first petal and 6 +
6 for the three others in each series. All chains are 6 - 6 except for the one joining
to a prior chain which is 6 + 6. All P's are 1/4" spaces.
Keep in mind that if you're going to join a back-side P to another P, to complete
the join you have to do a half stitch. In this case you should do a first-half stitch.
