Weldon’s Practical Needlework houses a wealth of information on Victorian tatting. Here’s our 19th installment in this series from Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 4. The following are instructions for how to tat a “Chantilly Border.” The material is reproduced here just as it appeared in England in 1889. No alterations or corrections were made.
CHANTILLY BORDER.
THIS border is useful for trimming under-linen, pinafores, and other purposes. Procure crochet cotton No. 14 or No. 12. Thread the shuttle, and use the second thread direct from the reel. Make a loop with the shuttle thread, and work 3 double, 1 picot, 3 double, 1 picot, 3 double, draw up; * reverse the work, and with the second thread work 3 double stitches; reverse, make a loop with the shuttle thread, do 2 double, 1 picot and 2 double alternately ten times, draw up; reverse, resume the second thread, and work 2 double, 1 picot and 2 double three times; reverse, make a loop with the shuttle thread, do 3 double join to the last but one picot of the large oval, 3 more double, and draw up; reverse, resume the second thread, and work 2 double, 1 picot and 2 double alternately three times; reverse, make a loop with the shuttle thread, do 3 double, join to the next picot of the large oval, 3 more double, draw up; reverse, resume the second thread, work 2 double, 1 picot and 2 double alternately three times, join to the next picot but one of the large oval; and still with the second thread, do 3 double; reverse, make a loop with the shuttle thread, work 3 double, 1 picot, 3 double, 1 picot, 3 double and draw up; repeat from * . For the crochet foundation, work 1 double crochet in the first picot of the little round eyelet, 1 chain, l double crochet in the next picot, 3 chain, 1 double crochet in the centre picot of the large oval, 3 chain, and continue.
Find out more about tatting in our video download Shuttle Tatting with master tatter Georgia Seitz. If you have created any items from this series, we would love to see them. Please email us at [email protected].
Featured Image: Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 4, offers up a wealth of information on Victorian tatting.