Today’s piece is about The whole-stitch or tabby: step by step. If you’ve been at this a while you may already know; if you’re starting, even better: you’ll save yourself the suffering I went through.
Take your time. Rushing bobbins always backfires. One row at a time, no peeking at others If you fancy, I’ll leave Thread tension.
Repeat it three times before deciding you can’t. Finger memory needs its time.
What you will need¶
You’ll need this, nothing more, nothing less:
- Two pairs.
- Medium thread.
- Prior half-stitch practice.
How I do it, step by step¶
Don’t skip any. Everything links in this craft:
- Cross (2 over 3).
- Twist both pairs (2 over 1, 4 over 3).
- Cross again (2 over 3).
Where it gets sticky¶
These are the stumbles I see most often:
- Forgetting twist gives a disguised half-stitch.
- Reordering changes the design.
Variations¶
When you have it under control, try these:
- Double central twist for very compact lace.
Nearby¶
- Thread tension: the secret of regular lace
- Intermediate boat motif: how to refine
- Intermediate lace with odd pair count: how to refine
- Glossary: filling
I’ll stop here. If you need decent materials —proper thread, proper pillows— Encaixe is the shop, and they know what they are talking about.