Many vintage patterns which have been modernized using today's tatting techniques recommend the use of the mock picot and split ring to climb out from the center. Climbing out eliminates one set of tails to hide. There is a circumstance in which a tail still needs to hidden even if these tools are used. In the case of one shuttle tatting which creates all rings there remains one tail.

Many years ago I learned a neat method of hiding this single tail from Lily Morales. This flower from the 1896 Butterick's Tatting and Netting book (see free download: ) is a great example for this. The center ring is tatted with one shuttle and with one free standing picot short. Instead, the mock picot replaces the freestanding picot. The tail from the start is used with the shuttle thread to make the mock picot. That same tail is also needed to tat the single split ring which is needed to climb into the second round.

This small split ring must be tatted "second half first". Form the ring and wrap the second half of the ring using the end BEFORE tatting the first half. Begin to tat the first ds of the first half of the split ring normally. However, make the next three ds of the first half of the split ring but do not set nor tighten down the stitches. Leave them loose.

Use tail to wrap the second half of the split ring.	With shuttle begin to tat normally but do not tighten the half stitches.
Introduce the tail through each loop of the double stitches heading toward the base of the ring.	Gently pull the tail completely through but do not cut the thread until the piece is finished.

Next, take the tail and insert it through the loops of double stitches in the direction of the start or base of the ring. When you are through all the ds, gently tighten each half stitch individually. Finally, close the ring with the shuttle and then pull all the tail through toward the base of the split ring. Trim the thread to about an inch and don't make the final cut (flush with stitches) until entire piece is finished.

For the stem, you may tat from either end. I would do a padded center stem. I would create the branch or tendril in the manner of tatting a single shuttle chain. As you approach the branch with leaves, use one shuttle and measure off an inch or so of bare shuttle thread. Then tat the trefoil. Hold the trefoil extended away from the stem and keep it taut while you wrap sufficient DS to reach the center stem again. Repeat on the other side.