Thursday, 19 April 2012

Starting on a Chain - NO PAPERCLIP

To celebrate "thumbs down" on videos (see previous post) and the fact that I shouldn't be so silly as to worry about it, I decided to make another video!

A little while ago, during a conversation over at In Tatters, Wolfgang explained how he didn't use a paperclip when he started on a chain.  I tried his way and found it much better than the paperclip method. Here's why:  first of all, the obvious one, you don't need a paperclip!  But more importantly, I find it makes a much better starting loop which lies completely in line with your tatting

 I took two photos to show you.

With paperclip, slight twist in the work, loop facing down.
No paperclip, nice small loop in line with tatting. 

So of course, I wanted to share my discovery with all of you.
And grateful to Wolfgang for mentioning how he does this.

Here is the video, very short and sweet:

Best wishes,

Posted by Frivole at 14:06

17 comments:

  1. Karen Cabrera19 April 2012 at 14:18

    I love this method. It's the same one I use :)
    And your videos are great and whoever gave you the thumbs down are not worth your trouble. I speak from experience! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fox19 April 2012 at 14:51

    Brilliant video! I now see where I was making a mistake.

    In true Fox-fashion, i started every time with an unflipped stitch and could not figure out how that would work! i kept reading Wolfgang’s instructions over and over, making the same idiotic mistake, till I gave up.

    Thank you! I LOVE this little technique. So very useful. Your videos ROCK!

    Question: If it is a b/s chain and you are starting on the b/s, do you then use the first part of the ds when you begin?
    Fox : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Frivole21 April 2012 at 15:08

      I must admit I don't working b/s-f/s so hadn't thought of your question... but I've just done a quick test and it works with starting with the 1st half, leave picot, continue with 2nd half and then the rest of your stitches.

      Delete
  3. Tat-a-Renda19 April 2012 at 15:24

    Thank you, thank you. It is so much clearer seeing how it is done, rather than reading the instructions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CarolynK19 April 2012 at 15:36

    Thank you for the video. I always am fumble fingers with the paperclip method. This is much better!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carol19 April 2012 at 15:37

    Thank you for the well done video! It's nice having more and more videos to watch to explain things.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Marty19 April 2012 at 16:36

    Way nifty! I hate having to find a paperclip -- I've been using a loop of thread so I can drop my shuttle through the loop and pull the thread through the end of the chain in another loop --- la, la, la, pain in the patoot. I like this much better.

    ReplyDelete
  7. StringyDogs19 April 2012 at 17:43

    Thumbs UP! I had to stop and re-run it several times to see just how it worked. It is so neat. Thank you for sharing and teaching me something new!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kathy Niklewicz19 April 2012 at 20:59

    Because I am not (yet) a member of In Tatters, I wasn't aware of Wolfgang (no blog?), but I certainly applaud his ingenuity! I have been aware of the paperclip method, but have rarely started with a chain. However, it's becoming more common now, so this method is great to know! The loop definitely looks neater!

    I certainly appreciate ALL your videos! Thanks so much for going to the effort to make them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Frivole19 April 2012 at 22:56

      I don't think Wolfgang claims that it's HIS method, just that it's the one he uses and Karen above said that's her method too. It's just that it's from Wolfgang that I first heard of it.

      Delete
  9. Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane19 April 2012 at 22:57

    Thumbs up from me! I really appreciate you taking the time to make this little video. I'd read Wolfgang's directions several times, and I just wasn't getting it. I guess I truly am a visual learner!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jane S.19 April 2012 at 23:03

    So simple, and what a difference! I'll be using this method from now on. Thank you for the video.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Margarets designer cards20 April 2012 at 07:44

    I used to do this and now I have started using a paper lip, but I do perfer the method with the paper lip, I think I kill be going back to my old method which i thought was wrong.
    I was unable to leave a comment on your video, but I thought it was very good, well done and thank you for showing this method,
    Margaret

    ReplyDelete
  12. ancolie20 April 2012 at 09:06

    thank you for sharing the video
    nice day
    ancolie

    ReplyDelete
  13. Carla23 April 2012 at 06:57

    Thank you for the video

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fox24 April 2012 at 17:53

    I had thought that this was only possible if you started with the CTM, but I was wrong.

    Knotting two threads together works exactly the same way. You just have to be a little mare careful with the spacing to get the knot in the right place so the threads can be sewn in later properly. It works! Good to know. No more paperclips for the beginning of a chain. Thanks again.
    Fox : )

    ReplyDelete
  15. MimiD29 April 2012 at 18:48

    Thank you for sharing this technique and saving me the angst (and frustration) of losing yet another dead end start into the chain even after I kept so carefully on the end of a paperclip! This is much easier.

    ReplyDelete

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