The Crafts and Lace Site

Tiny Cross

© Gillian Buchanan 2001

MATERIALS

• 2 Tatting Shuttles
  
• No. 20 Crochet Cotton (the thread shown in the example is one of the lovely Manuela variegated threads which is sadly no longer available.
  
• Paper Clip

SIZE

4 cm wide and 7 cm high excluding tassel which is about 4.5 cm long.

This cross is another design using mock rings at the centre. It is necessary to make all of the rings in the same way otherwise the centre looks a mess. The tail is made of split rings which climb out of the central rosette. The other great thing about this design is that there's no sewing in of ends - you use the ends to tie in the tassel!

1. Wind the two shuttles without cutting the thread between them.
   
2. SH1
   Thread on the paper clip and tat over it - do not make a lock stitch start, but make the stitches as normal throughout.
   
3. SH1
   C 6 DS, P, 4 DS, P, 4 DS, P, 6 DS, tighten C to look like a R, remove Paper Clip, SH thread join into the space left by the Paper Clip.
   
4. SH1
   Make 2 unturned stitches (lock stitches) to form a neat turn at the base of the R.
   
5. Insert Paper Clip and push up to the base of the R.
   
6. SH1
   C 6 DS, J to corresponding P of previous C, 4 DS, do not RW.
   
7. SH2
   R 4 DS, 3 P sep by 4 DS, 4 DS, cl. R, do not RW.
   
8. SH1
   C 4 DS, P, 6 DS, tighten C, remove Paper Clip, J into space left by Paper Clip.
   
9. Make 2 unturned stitches as before.
   
10. Repeat the above sequence until you have made the fourth single ring, but do not make a fourth ring carrying a ring.
    
11. SPLIT RING
    SH1 6 DS, J to corresponding P of adjacent mock R, 4 DS/SH2 6 DS, Core Thread Join as follows:-
    
    1. Lay the thread that is round your left hand in front of the Ring.
       
    2. Pull it through the picot and leave it hanging as a loop.
       
    3. Put the shuttle that is making the unturned stitches through this loop.
       
    4. Pull the loop back through, taking the shuttle thread with it.
       
    5. Tighten the loop to pull up the join.
       
    6. Finally, make the 2nd half of the DS in the same way as the other double stitches.
12. Make 3 more DS and close the Split Ring. Do not RW.
    
13. Make five more Split Rings of 4 DS, P, 4 DS/4 DS, P, 4 DS, cl. R, Do not RW.

Make a Tassel and tie it on to the Cross using the threads left from the last Split Ring.