ated by the arrow in fig. 487, and bring it out behind the loop.

[Illustration: FIG. 487. SECOND POSITION OF THE HANDS.]

[Illustration: FIG. 488. THIRD POSITION OF THE HANDS.]

Here the first difficulties for beginners arise and until they have
sufficiently mastered the movements of both hands not to confuse them,
we advise them to pay careful attention to the following instructions.
As soon as you have put the shuttle through the loop, place the right
hand on the table with the thread tightly extended, leaving the left
hand perfectly passive.

Then, raising the third and fourth fingers of the left hand with the
loop upon them, pull up the loop, stretching the thread tightly in so
doing by extending the fingers. By this movement a knot is formed, the
first part of the "double knot", which is the most common one in
tatting.

Remember that the right hand must be kept perfectly still as long as the
left is in motion and that the knot must be formed of the loop thread
that is in the left hand.

The right hand, or shuttle thread, must always be free to run through
the knots; if it were itself formed into knots it would not have the
free play, needed for loosening and tightening the loop on the left
hand, as required.

[Illustration: FIG. 489. FOURTH POSITION OF THE HANDS.]

FOURTH POSITION OF THE HANDS (fig. 489).--The second part of a knot is
formed by the following movements: pass the shuttle, as indicated in
fig. 489, from left to right, between the first and third fingers
through the extended loop; the right hand seizes the shuttle in front of
the empty loop and extends the thread; the left hand pulls up this
second part of the knot as it did the first.

[Illustration: FIG. 490. SINGLE OR HALF KNOTS. SMALL JOSEPHINE PICOT.]

[Illustration: FIG. 491. SINGLE OR HALF KNOTS. LARGE JOSEPHINE PICOT.]

SINGLE OR HALF KNOTS. JOSEPHINE PICOTS (figs. 490 and 491).--The
Josephine picot or purl, as it is also called in tatting, consists of a
series of single or half knots formed of the first knot only. These
picots may be made of 4 or 5 knots, as in fig. 490, or of 10 or 12
knots, as in fig. 491.

FIFTH POSITION OF THE HANDS (fig. 492).--When the second knot forming
the double knot has been made, the two hands resume the position shown
in fig. 487. Fig. 492 reproduces the same and shows us a few finished
knots as well.

[Illustration: FIG. 492. FIFTH POSITION OF THE HANDS.]

[Illustration: FIG. 493. POSITION OF TH