Making Split Rings as we know are to help climb out of a round. In this un-conventional way we are making a bookmark with split rings to help show how the rings can be used to work out of a pattern but also, side splits/off center splits. These may be helpful in a pattern or helping you to create your own pattern as you learn to Needle Tat.

With this little bookmark you have probably seen or even did one once, and you usually start with a ring then a chain. I have done the center of all rings first and then went around the outside and made my chains.  But with this I hope it will show you some ways of doing split rings and off center split rings. In some patterns you will see Cl  and Rw. This one is done all just by closing the rings, and making the next one. In patterns you will also see 3ds - 3ds / 3ds - 3ds CL This is saying do half on point side of needle and half on the eye side of the needle using the eye thread. Note: To make all your ds's on the same side of the work, when you do the eye side reverse your ds's, so you are doing the 2nd half first and then the 1st half. It's a little tricky at first but you will become more comfortable as you learn.

You can make this bookmark as long as you desire, in this example I have just done a row of 6 rings up and 6 rings down, and the outside border. Start by making your first ring in the usual manner, 3ds - 3ds- 3ds- 3ds CL Make your first split ring, on the point side, 3ds - 3ds  Turn your needle around and, take the eye thread out and use the eye thread to make the other half of the ring, 3ds - 3ds Rethread the needle and CL  NOTE: Remember to do your eye side ds's in reverse order, so all the ds's face the same way when closed. *Continue making the split rings up in the same manner for the amount you want your bookmark to be, before going to the next photo. STOP- If you make it with 12 rings up, stop at 11 and go to next photo to see how to get from top ring to next side top ring.

This is the last ring to be made at the top which is a side split ring. You will see it is a Off Center Split Ring. It is actually closing at the side of the ring, see small photo. For this one we do on the point side 3ds - 3ds - 3ds and on the eye side do 3ds Cl

Now we are ready to work back down from that top ring that was made off center. On the point side we make 3ds - 3ds - 3ds / eye side 3ds  You will see the small picture top left of how it should look when closed.

This will be the second split down. On the point side we make 3ds - 3ds On the eye side we have to join to the other side by doing 3ds + (join to side picot) 3ds CL. **Continue down the side in this same manner for the rest of your other half of the bookmark.

Now here you can see were we started with a regular ring, worked split rings up to the top, and made a Off Center Split Ring. Then working back down with more split rings. Once at the bottom I started making my top chain. 3ds - 3ds - 3ds - 3ds, slide off needle and shape the chain. I just joined the next picot by sliding needle through the picot and doing a small chain of 3ds, shape the small chain, join slide needle through the next picot and make 3ds - 3ds work up all the side ring picots to the top with 3ds - 3ds. At the top do the small 3ds chain, then the top of 3ds - 3ds - 3ds - 3ds joining in the next picot and working back down.  Join to the first chain made, tie cut and hide ends. If making a tassel for your bookmark, on one long chain make a small Picot in center to attach it.

  For another idea of how to use a mock/false picot to climb out of the center ring and then making a split ring to continue into the next round.