coronavirus doily, part 1

Because we have to amuse ourselves somehow...  and keeping our hands busy keeps our minds more peaceful, I offer the first part of a series

Coronavirus doily part 1

You will need a fully wound shuttle left attached to the ball.   You’ll also need a crochet hook and a paper clip.  Begin at the base of the block-tatted column, hang a paper clip on the thread between the shuttle and ball and snug the first stitch against it.

CH: 2-2

[ST, turn, -2+ 2] 18 more times.  At the end of the second row you’ll remove the paper clip and join into that space.

At the end of the 19^th row, use the crochet hook to pull a loop of ball thread into the middle picot space and post the shuttle through.  Drop the ball thread to the back.

R: 2+ (into p space at closest end of row) 8-7-4.

R: 4+7-7-4.  Use shuttle thread to join again into the middle picot space of last row.

R: 4+7-7-4

R: 4+7-8+ (into p space at this end of the row) 2.

Special “trick” used here – with the front side of tatting facing you, pull up a loop of ball thread from the back to the front, about 2 rows down from the four ring cluster, and post shuttle through.  Pull up another loop in line with the previous one, also 2  rows down and post the shuttle through, and repeat until you’ve reached the bottom of the column.

Optional – R: 6-2-6.  (the rings at the end of each column are joined to each other at picots.  It makes a crowded center.  I was thinking of the world at that point and it made sense to me.  But you can also leave off those rings for a more streamlined look.

Finish the column by pulling up a loop of ball thread through the last picot  (the one on the right-hand-side of the column when it’s facing you and the rings are at the top. 

Begin the column again with CH: 2-2.  The left hand side of the column is joined twice to the corresponding right hand side of the previous column.

Continue until you have 11 joined columns.  The last column is joined to the first column and the previous column.  If you’re making the optional rings at the center, you can cut the ball thread and tat over that tail with the final ring, leaving you only one end to sew in.

When the center is complete, sew in end/s.