How to Make a Square of Tatting (De Dillmont)

This is a two-toned square from the Thérèse de Dillmont needlework collection. It is worked with two shuttles and two colours of threads.

1. Start with the light colour. Work 2 double, 1 picot, 4 double, 1 picot, 4 double, 1 picot, 4 double, 1 picot, 2 double. Close the ring.
2. Make the first row. With two shuttles, the dark coloured thread across the left hand, fasten the thread to a picot and make:
   
   • * 2 double, 1 picot, 2 double, 1 picot, 2 double, 1 picot, 2 double.
   • Pass the right hand thread through the picot of the ring, 1 picot over the connecting thread, then repeat 3 times from *.
   • The last picot over the picot of the small ring is made at the end.
3. Make the second row. With two shuttles, the light thread over the left hand, fasten the thread to the picot over the light picot:
   
   • * 2 double, pass the right hand thread through the picot of the 1st row, 1 long picot over the lower picot, 3 double.
   • Pass the thread through the next picot of the first row in the corner, 1 rather longer picot than the one before, 3 double.
   • Pass the right hand thread through a picot, 1 long picot, 2 double.
   • Pass the thread through a picot; repeat 3 times from *.
   • To form the last picot, fasten off the thread on the wrong side by two or three stitches.
4. Make the third row. With one shuttle and the dark colour:
   
   • * 4 double, pass the thread through the picot above the picot of the small ring, 4 double, close the ring. Leave 10 mm of thread.
   • Make a second ring like the first. Leave 10 mm of thread.
   • Make 6 double, pass the thread through the long picot, 6 double, close the ring. Leave 10 mm of thread.
   • Make another ring of 12 knots, fasten it to the same picot. The preceding knot is fastened to.
   • Then make a ring of 8 double knots and repeat 3 times from *.
5. Make the fourth row. With one shuttle and the light colour, work like the third row, leaving a rather longer length of thread between. Then make 16 instead of 12 double for the corner rings.
6. Make the fifth row. With one shuttle and the light colour:
   
   • 8 double, fasten the thread to one of the corner loops and between 2 rings of the 4th ring.
   • 8 double, close the ring.
   • Turn the work. Leave a length of thread, 3 double, 1 picot, then 4 times 2 double knots and 1 picot, 3 double. Close the ring.
   • Make the second ring as close as possible to the first, beginning and finishing the second with 5 double knots.
   • Make a third ring like the first, join it to the second ring by the fourth picot.
   • Turn the work.
   • Make another ring of 16 knots and join it to the same loop of the fourth row, to which the two other rings are already joined.
   • Turn the work. 1 ring above, with 4 picots, like the first one described, then a ring of 12 double knots below.
   • At the top, 6 detached half rings, placed between 3 connected rings, which form the corners. The top rings are to be joined after the 3rd double knot, to the 4th picot of the preceding ring.
7. Make the sixth row. With two shuttles and the dark colour only. Fasten the threads to a picot that serves as a connecting link, take the dark thread over the left hand and make:
   
   • 3 double, 1 picot, 2 double, 1 picot, 2 double, 1 picot, 3 double.
   • Fasten the thread to the connecting picot and carry the half rings all round the square.

• 2 tatting shuttles
• 2 different thread colours