Onion Earrings Tutorial

The Onion Earrings are made using true ring needle tatting.

You will need:
#7 (fine) tatting needle
Lizbeth size 20 tatting thread
11º Takumi seed beads (large-hole size 11º seed beads made by Toho)
3x4mm crystal rondelle
size 10 (1.3mm) steel crochet hook
needle threader

Most size 11º seed beads do not fit over the eye of the #7 tatting needle. But Toho makes a line of size 11º seed beads with a large hole; these are sold as "Takumi" seed beads. They come in many lovely colors and they are fantastic for tatting with beads because they fit easily over the eye of the #7 tatting needle, allowing you to add beads at any point in a tatted element. You can buy Takumi seed beads online.

In the pattern below, note:

B = put a bead on the needle

bp = make a bead picot with 1 bead

3bp = make a bead picot with 3 beads

My next blog post will go into detail about the right side and the wrong side of true ring needle tatting and tips that will help you get the best results. For this tutorial, note that the first ring is made using Reverse Order Double Stitches (RODS). That is, begin each double stitch with what is usually the 2nd half of the double stitch and follow it with what is usually the 1st half of the double stitch.

Slide a crystal rondelle onto the ball thread before starting. It is NOT inside the first ring, so slide it 5 feet down the thread. Use the first 4 feet of thread for the rings. The ball thread, including the crystal, is used for the chains.

Begin True Ring Needle Tatting

Note: To begin true ring needle tatting, the orientation of the needle thread must be as shown below. That is, the double stitches are formed using the thread coming from the needle, not from the ball (as in usual needle tatting).

RODS for ring 1

1. Ring of RODS: 12, p, 3, p, 12; close, RW.

Reverse order double stitches on the needle for Ring 1. 

Using the reverse order provides a 
smooth close for the true ring.

2. Chain: 1, (B, 1) x 8; close, DNR.

3. Clover of 3 rings:

Since we didn’t RW after the chain, the clover rings are worked on the right side. So these rings are not made with reverse order double stitches. But to keep the ring close symmetrical, end each ring with an extra 1st half double stitch! 

String 3 beads for the bead picot before beginning each ring. That is, slide 3 beads onto the tatting needle and push them down onto the needle (ring) thread. 

To join the chain just made to the ring, use a crochet hook to pull up a loop of the needle thread (start with thread under the picot) and transfer that loop to the needle, as shown.

a.     Ring: [string 3 beads] 6, 3bp, 4, p, 2; close; DNR.

b.     Ring: [string 3 beads] 2, j, 4, 3bp, 4, p, 2; close; DNR.

c.     Ring: [string 3 beads] 2, j, 4, 3bp, 6; close; DNR.

Normal order of double stitches, because the clover rings are worked on the right side. Note the extra 1st half double stitch at the end.

4. Slide up the crystal on the ball thread. Join the ball thread to the picot of the large ring (this is a non-locking join).

5. Chain: 1, (B, a) x 8; close. To join this chain to the beginning of the ring, pass the needle through the base of the ring, where the first chain starts.

6. String 6 beads on the needle and slide them down to the tatting. Tie the ball thread and the needle thread in a square knot, enclosing the 6 beads in a loop for the earring finding. Cut the ball thread and use a needle threader to hide the thread ends; trim the thread. 

7. Apply fabric stiffener, if desired, or wet block the completed motif.

     

Onion motif earrings made using True Ring Needle Tatting

Note that all rings and chains have the right side showing!

Janet Palumbo