Tatting - Twisted Picot Join Tutorial

There are many explanations of and tutorials on how to make twisted picot joins floating through cyberspace.  I have decided to add my own explanation because I believe that an AHA moment of understanding can sometimes take more than one explanation or a photograph that clicks with someone.  Perhaps this description of the twisted picot join will be helpful...

Here is a simple motif which is ready for its final join i.e. twisted picot join.  A is the picot by which the final ring will be joined to the beginning ring.  B is the stretch of taut thread between the pinch and middle finger which will be joined to A.  To make the twisted picot join the motif will be folded along the blue line to bring A into alignment with B.

To begin, I am holding the motif in the normal fashion.

In this photo the motif has been folded.  The back of A is now visible and has been brought close to B.

I have inserted my crochet hook into picot A from the underside.

Now I turn the crochet hook clockwise to put it into position along the taught thread at B.

I'm ready to pick up the thread...

And pull the taught thread through the picot to form a loop large enough...

For my shuttle to pass through.

Don't ask me WHY I used such a big shuttle for such a small motif!

My ring needs 5 more DS before closing.  I add these now BEFORE unfolding the motif.

After the ring's stitches are complete, unfold the motif and make sure the twisted picot join is in fact NOT twisted and that stitches are correct.  I'm ready to close this ring!

Here is my completed motif.  The final join is my twisted picot join.

Look Ma, no lumps!!!