This choker was inspired by a chandelier I saw on Pinterest.

This tatting projects uses a combination of rings, split rings, rings with beads, and the josephine chain. This was my first time tatting a ring with a bead in the center so I'm still learning how to perfect doing it.

Step 1: Supplies

Size 10 crochet thread: I used Antique White
Size 5 tatting needle
Beads: approximately 13
Pliers
Piece of standard thread
Collapsable Eye Needle
Cross Stitch Needle: optional
Iron
Spray Starch

For Closing either...
extra piece of crochet thread and Fray Check
four jump rings and two lobster clasps

Step 2: First Row

A tail of about 55 inches was perfect for me. (I had 13 rings and 12 connecting chains.) You can use this as a gauge, add more if you work loosely. Though, you should start with more no matter what and then decrease for the following rows if you so desire.

NOTE: Increase tail lengths if you use the tatting needle to hide the ends. I always use the cross stitch needle because it is easier and then I don't have to have such a long tail to deal with at the end.

1. R 3 - 9 cl. k.

2. Tat 12 k.

3. Split Ring: 6 / 3 - 3 cl. k (the 3 - 3 will be on the end of the needle with the eye)

4. Tat 12 k.

5. Repet 3 and 4 until it is the desired length (mine still had a gap of an inch or two because I didn't want it loose)

6. R 9 - 3. cl. k. bind off and hide ends.

I chose to do one row at a time so I wouldn't have to have a ridiculously long tail to work with. You can do the whole thing in one go if you want, you just need a really, really long tail. If you do, Step 6 will be R 9 / 3 cl. k. and the first ring of the next row will be R 6 - 3 / 3 cl. k. then you will be ready to go back with your second row. I did this the first time, but I kept running out of thread and having to bind it off and start over in random places. Doing one row at a time makes it easier and helps with it looking consistant (all the rings face the same way).

In case you tat different, make sure all the picots are facing the same way, down. They are for connecting to the next row. I don't make them very big because I don't want them to be noticeable. Also, the row will want to curve like it does in the first picture, but it will cooperate better as you attach more rows.

Step 3: Second, Third, and Forth Rows...

...or more if you want it thicker. It is all up to you.

1. R 3 - 6 (connect to picot of first ring from previously done row) 3 cl. k.

2. Tat 12 k.

3. R 3 (connect to picot of first ring from previously done row) 3 / 3 - 3 cl. k.

4. Tat 12 k.

5. Repet 3 and 4 until you have matched up to all but the last ring.

6. R 3 (connect to picot of first ring from previously done row) 6 - 3 cl. k. (same as first row except you are connecting to ring from previous row)

End of row.

Do this for how ever many rows you want. They are all the same because the picots will either be used to attach another chain or to connect the end hanging beads.

Step 4: Hanging Beads

(I ironed it once before adding the hanging beads, this is optional)

This step gets pretty tedious, but it pays off in the end.

Thread your needle and thread it through one of the picots on the bottom of the last row (Picture 3). You can do this to however many of the rings you want, I did it to all of them. I debated about doing it to just the front 7 or so or doing the middle one longer than the rest, but ended up just doing them all the same.

You won't need a lot of thread for your tail, but make sure you aren't too short. (again, add more if you use your tatting needle to hide ends)

Once you have threaded it through, do a Josephine chain of thirty stitches (Picture 4 and 5). A Josephine Chain, for those who don't know, is a chain of just the first or just the second half of the double stitch. It creates a chain of stitches that are forced to twist. It is a great technique when you want your stitches to go out straight instead of curved. Knot this.

Here is the hard part (for me). I had to look up how to add a bead and only found instructions for using shuttles, but it works pretty much the same for needle tatting.

Tat 6. Now, unthread the thread and you are going to put a bead on it. You don't just want the bead on it, you want the bead on the thread doubled over. The easiest way I found to do this without wreaking my collapsable needle was to bend the thread in half (picture 6) and wrap the basic thread around it. Thread the two ends of the thread through the collapsable needle. (If you use the collapsable needle with the crochet thread, you might wreak it because then you will be trying to thread the bead on, essentially, four threads at once.

Pull it down till it meets the needle like in picture 9. Don't let it fall off the end of the thread. Now you can take that loop you have created and loop it over the end of the needle (not the eye end). Pull it down tight so you can continue with your stitches.

Tat 6 more stitches pull the stitches off as if you are going to finish the ring, just don't pull it tight, let the loop still be there.. Don't close, don't knot. Make sure you have rethreaded the end of the needle at some point before you pull the stitches off.

Here is the trickiest part of it. You need to get the bead tight. I unthreaded the needle again at this point so it wouldn't get in the way.

(Let me know if my little yellow boxes are in the way.) Now, pull on the loose thread as shown in the picture while holding the bead. If it is done right, the thread at the top of the bead that is looped around the thread should pull tight. Once it is tight, then you can thread your tail through the loop to finish the ring and pull it tight. It takes a couple of tries to get it perfect.

Once it is closed, double knot it, and hide the ends.

Iron and spray starch it to help it keep it's form and you can manipulate the hanging beads to make sure they all lay right.

Step 5: Ending the Choker

To finish off the choker, you can either lace an extra piece of thread through (which looks nice but is really hard to do while wearing it), or attach two jump rings to the top and bottom rings on each end and then attach a lobster claw clasp to one sides jump rings. If the necklace is too short, you can add extra jump rings to each other to make the necklace a bit longer.

If you use the crochet thread, fray check the ends otherwise it is hard to thread it through those rings.

You don't have to use 2 clasps, I did to help distribute the tension so it wouldn't pull too much on one end or the other or the middle.