Let's Talk Picotee

Day 210: What do certain flowers have in common with crocheting and tatting? Roots. Taken in the semantic sense as opposed to the botanical, we discover that the edges of both forms of needlework are often finished with picots, i.e., little loops of thread or stitches. When a flower is rimmed by a different colour, it is referred to as "picotee." The word has its origins in Middle French, "picot" meaning a point or peak. Google Translate will tell you "picoter" means "tingling," referring to another Middle French definition, "to prick," as in the pins-and-needles sensation experienced by a person whose hand or foot has gone to sleep. Perhaps there's a touch of synesthesia in the etymology demonstrated here, although personally, I find it stretching a point to relate my lovely little African Violet's flowers to the thought of my foot waking up after I've sat on it for an hour while crocheting picots along the border of a tablecloth.

Decorative Edge

Day 44: Knitters, crocheters and lace-makers will be familiar with the term "picot" as it refers to a decorative edge. The French word by itself means "pin," and refers to a lace-making technique which twists threads and winds them around a pin to leave a small loop when the finished lace is taken off the pillow. In knitting and crocheting, something similar is executed in various manners depending on the work. In horticulture, the word undergoes a slight change when it is applied to petals with a distinct border and becomes "picotee," i.e., a flower with a fancy edging. This type of colouration is often seen in begonias, dianthus, ranunculus, cosmos and others, and petunias commonly exhibit this marking in striking reverse to display a distinctly white edge on a richly coloured trumpet. A picotee Zygocactus is a festive addition to any holiday mantel!