How to Read Tatting Patterns and Diagrams

This post is about reading and understanding tatting patterns and diagrams. I decided that since I create tatting patterns, I should do a post in how to read them and understand them.

Tatting patterns are not hard to understand once you get the hang of it. Like, sewing patterns, knitting patterns, and crocheting patterns, they can be kind of confusing at first. But, with practice you’ll find that they can be easy to understand.

Before you find a pattern you need to have a basic understanding of tatting. Like, how to make rings and chains and picots.

Tatting is one of my favorite crafts and you can make a lot of beautiful things with tatting. Tatting is a form of lace making and it’s the easiest form of lace making out there.

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What you need to get started.

To get started tatting you really just need a couple of things to get started.

Crochet Thread (size 10 is a great size for beginners to start with).
Tatting Needle or Tatting Shuttle.

You’ll also need a pair of scissors to cut your thread and if you want to do shuttle tatting you’ll probably want a small crochet hook. The crochet hook makes it easier to join your picots, unless your shuttle already has a hook on the end.

What patterns to start with.

When you start tatting you need to start with easy beginner tatting patterns. Because, starting with an intermediate pattern can be more frustrating.

And easy tatting pattern will usually just use basic tatting techniques. While more intermediate patterns will somethings use spilt rings, split chains, floating rings, self closing mock rings and more.

And easy patterns will usually be smaller and take less time to make. While intermediate pattern can be larger and more elaborate.

Tatting patterns can be usually made with either shuttle tatting or needle tatting. But, needle tatting is the easiest of the two. So, needle tatting is great for beginners.

Reading a tatting pattern.

Once you figure out the basic of a tatting pattern, they are really easy to understand. Tatting pattern are written in abbreviation. And some pattern writers will include a tatting key with their patterns.

Tatting needles, tatting shuttle and tatting thread.

I include a tatting key on each of my tatting pattern posts and in the PDF patterns I sell in my Etsy shop. A tatting key can look something like this.

ds = double stitches
Ch = chain
R = ring
(-) = picot
(+) = join

There are more abbreviations in tatting, but these are the most common ones.

In a tatting pattern you’ll see a line that says something like this:

R: 6ds – 6ds – 6ds close, turn your work over.

This means that you’ll make a ring and the numbers are how many double stitches you’ll make in between the picots. Then, you’ll close your ring and turn your ring over for the next step.

Hint: Remember when you’re tatting that the double stitch used to make the picot is counted as one of the double stitches that is numbered.

Here is an example of a chain written in a tatting pattern.

Ch: 8ds – 8ds, turn.

Ch means you’ll make a chain with 8 double stitches, picot and 8 more double stitches.

If instead of a (-) you see a (+) that means you’ll join to a previous made picot.

Reading a tatting diagram.

Like reading a tatting pattern, tatting diagrams are easy to understand after you’ve figured out the basics. The picture below is an example of a tatting diagram. In fact this is actually the diagram for my flower bookmark. And Here is the link to that pattern.

The circles or ovals are rings and the arches are chains. The little dashes the connect the rings and chains are the picots.

And of course the numbers between the picots are how many double stitches there are. This tatting diagram doesn’t, but some diagrams will have “starting ring” inside one of the rings, so you know where to start.

And usually whenever tatting you start with a ring, not a chain. If the project you are working on has more than one round, you always start with the inside round and work your way out.

With tatting diagrams the rings can be shown as round circles, ovals, or like most of my patterns teardrops. But, the chains are always arches.

Conclusion

That is how you read tatting patterns and diagram. I know it can be a little confusing at first, but with practice the easier it gets.

And I like to take step by step pictures for my patterns, so you can see how the projects are supposed to look as your make it. Some tatting patterns just have a picture of the finished project.