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How to Crotat

To learn the technique, we are going to make a Butterfly and Flower.

Butterfly Pattern

Ring 1: 6 ds, p, ds, p, ds, p, 6 ds, close ring.
Ring 2: 4 ds, p, 4 ds, close ring.
Ring 3: as ring 2.
Ring 4: as ring 1.
Fasten off and tie ends to make antennae.

The pattern can also be shown as a stitch diagram.

Crotat Butterfly & Flower stitch diagram

Unless you have tatted before, in any form, this pattern will look like a load of Double Dutch to you.
We are going to work through it, learning the stitches and terms as we go.

Crotatting is worked in two main stages - putting the stitches on the hook and taking them back off.

Putting the Stitches on the Hook

To put the stitches on the hook, all you need is the first finger of your left hand, hold all of the others out of the way.

The main Crotat stitch is the "Double Stitch" (ds). It is the commonly known as the "Cow Hitch" and is worked in two halves.

First Half of Double Stitch

First Half of Double Stitch step 1
1. Make a slip knot on your hook.

First Half of Double Stitch step 2
2. Place the yarn over your finger as normal.

First Half of Double Stitch step 3
3. Using the yarn at the back, wrap the yarn over the hook.

First Half of Double Stitch step 4
4. Drop the yarn from your finger and slide the stitch up to the slip knot.

Second Half of Double Stitch

Second Half of Double Stitch step 1
1. Replace the yarn on your finger.

Second Half of Double Stitch step 2
2. Fold your finger so that the yarn over the back is showing.

Second Half of Double Stitch step 3
3. Slide the hook under the yarn.

Second Half of Double Stitch step 4
4. Drop the yarn from your finger and slide the stitch up to the first half.

This is your Double Stitch (ds) completed.

Second Half of Double Stitch step 5
Make another 5 ds in the same way.

It is important to make sure your stitches fit snugly together but are not tight on the hook. If they are too tight you will not be able to draw the hook and yarn through them to close the ring.

Picots

Picot step 1
To make a Picot (p), you simply leave a gap after the previous ds.

You can either use your finger . .

Picot step 2
. . . . or a "picot gauge" to help make the space.

A picot gauge can be a piece of card cut to the right width or those wooden stirrers you get when you drink coffee out.

Picot step 3
When you slide the ds up tight, it forms a loop.

Repeat this another twice so that you have 3 picots.

Picot step 4
Then make another 5 ds.

You now have - 6 ds, p, ds, p, ds, p, 6 ds.

This can also be written as - 6 ds, p, (ds, p) twice, 6 ds.

Now take the stitches off the hook >>>>