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Did you know...? The Split Chain technique which shuttle tatters have been using for the last few years to "climb out", etc., was actually patented by Dora Young who wrote "All New Knotless Tatting Designs" published in 1974. As you may know, it isn't possible to copyright a technique (a technique is free for anyone to use - it's the form in which it is written that cannot be copied). So the alternative was for Dora to patent her Split Chain technique as an invention since she wanted credit and recognition for it. Her patent subsequently expired after 17 years from when she recorded it and her technique is the one in use today - sometimes called the Dora Young Knot but more commonly known as the Split Chain. However... in the Priscilla Tatting Book No.3, a "new stitch" was introduced which served the same purpose as the modern Split Chain (a technique which enables tatters to "climb out" of a round rather than finishing off and starting with a new thread in each subsequent round). This Priscilla "new Knot Stitch" was incorporated in a small medallion, a number of which - along with leaves, make up a rather large centerpiece in this Priscilla booklet. Used in this small medallion was an eye-opening technique - unfortunately, only a pass-of-the-shuttle away from enabling today's perfect Split Chain to be formed. One can't help but wonder who the clever tatter was that came up with this near-miss! The Priscilla books, unfortunately, never gave credit to their creative tatting designers - shame on them! Here is the Priscilla "new Knot Stitch" technique written out and diagramed for you to try. No mention is made but the work should be reversed after the center ring and before and after the small rings on the "new Knot Stitch" chains. All Chains will be formed on the back side of the medallion so you may first want to work second-half and then first-half double stitches on the regular chains. This will ensure that all double stitches and picots appear correctly formed when viewed from the front side. DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING KNOT STITCH: Shuttle thread is marked A, and ball thread is marked B. Hold thread as for making chain. |
| Throw shuttle thread from right to left to form a loop with ball thread running up and down back of it. |  |
| Pass crochet hook or point of shuttle from right to left over shuttle thread, under ball thread, and catch shuttle thread on opposite side. |  |
| Draw thread through to form a second loop, and draw first loop firmly as in Diag. 4. |  |
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| Pass shuttle from left to right through second loop and draw up firmly to complete stitch as in Diag. 6. |  |
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DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING ROSES (MEDALLIONS): Make all picots as small as possible Ring (4 ds, p) 5 times, 4 ds, close. Over ball thread make a bar consisting of: * 4 knot sts (k), r 7 ds, close, 3 more k over same thread, leave p. Chain 8 ds, p, 3 ds. Join shuttle thread to r, leaving a space of thread between ch and r, same length as first bar and repeat from * five times. This takes chains and bars entirely around the ring which forms the center of the rose. Join last ch to first p made. Over ball thread make a bar of 5 k. Chain (2 ds, p) 5 times, 2 ds. Join shuttle thread to p in middle of ch, leaving short bar of thread over which make 4 k. Continue chains and bars around rose, alternating long (5 k) and short bars (4 k), joining last ch to first ch. This completes the rose. |
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Happy Tatting