Tatted Bookmark - Gertrude's Pattern

This pattern is derived from a tiny picture my Grandmother snipped from a needle work magazine. She got Priscilla and some other magazines in the 1910s and 20s, and I inherited some of her clipped tatting patterns and pictures. The snipping that inspired this bookmark has 6 or 8 rings, and that's it. No instructions, no words, and the quality is not good enough to enlarge to count ds. Here I show the bookmark after 6 repeats of the pattern. The first ring is left, bottom.


To the left you see the bookmark is now half done. I've turned the corner and started the second side. I made 28 rings before I made the point and turned. You can see the split rings in two colors, and how to join the chains to the adjacent chains on the return row.


This pattern was on my Geocities website, now gone and largely forgotten. I needed a tatted bookmark, and remembered this pattern. I'm glad I tried it again, I forgot how well it works, and I'm amazed I actually figured all this out. Here's the pattern, as it originally appeared.









Gertrude's Tatted Bookmark


Size 30 Cebelia makes a bookmark 2" wide, by 6" long, plus the braided tail. Make all picots very small for nice joins. The first ring should be made with the color you want on the outside chains. Use two shuttles, two colors. When you begin, leave 12" ends on both threads for finishing the split rings at the end.

Ring: 6 p 6. RW.
Chain: 8 p 10 p 5 p 1. RW.
SS (switch shuttles) join to p of ring. 6 p 10 p 8. RW.
*Ring: 6 (join to 3rd p of prev ch) 6.
Ring: 6 p 6. RW.
Chain: 8 p 10 p 5 p 1. RW.
SS. join to free p of ring. 6 join to 2nd p of first chain, 10 p 8. RW.

Continue from * until you have finished the 24th ring.
Make a split ring 6/6. Regular ring of 6p6, another split ring 6/6, now start again with the first ring.
When you make your chain, join to adjacent picot on the opposing chain.

When you get to the end, make similar split ring, then use your thread ends to make another split ring, use all four threads to make the final ring, (join as necessary) and then attach more threads to make the tail.

If you can't do split rings, you could end off when you reach the length you wish for your bookmark and begin again, joining your chains as you go.

Hints: Make sure your chains are snug before you join or start a ring. The symmetry and consistency of the curve depends on a snug chain. Heads up! This one is challenging, even though it's only rings and chains. Make sure you join your rings to the right picot! I had two false starts because of that reason. The bookmark is also pretty in one color.

You're welcome to print and use one copy for yourself, please contact me if you wish to share with others. Thanks!