Double Stitches--step one

One of my cousins wants to learn how to tat. Unfortunately, I am too far away to teach her in person. So I thought I'd put my own instructions here for her to see. Hopefully, it will help and not hinder!

Two contrasting colors of size 10 thread and one shuttle. Wrap one of the threads on the shuttle. Doesn't really matter which one.

Tie the two threads together. 

Wrap the ball thread (red) around the pinky finger of your left hand. I've done it twice here, but three is better. 

Pull the thread over the back of your fingers toward your fore finger and thumb.

Position the knot on your fore finger. 

Secure the knot by holding it between your fore finger and thumb. Hold the shuttle in your right hand as shown.

Wrap the shuttle thread (white) around the middle and ring fingers of your right hand. Go below them and then over the back.

Pass the shuttle UNDER the ball thread between the fore finger and ring finger of your left hand.

Bring the shuttle back OVER the ball thread and through the loop formed by the fingers of your right hand. 

Here you can see that the white thread is going around the red thread. 

Pull the shuttle thread tight. Don't forget to collapse the fingers of your left hand! That thread needs to be loose. That will flip the thread so now the red thread is going around the white thread. 

Here's a close up.

Tighten the red thread around the white thread until somewhat snug. 

Close up. This is half of the double stitch. 

Keep practicing the first half of the double stitch until you are comfortable with it. It will twist as shown here. 

Coming soon...the second half of the double stitch.