a venetian blind slat - tilting mechanism including a pair of top - mounted bars to which tilt strings are attached at opposed positions and which are attached together through a nut threaded to a rod . the rod is connected to a pulley which is turned by a tilt - adjusting cord . the motion of the pulley turns the rod and moves the nut laterally , thus moving both bars and tilting the blind &# 39 ; s slats . additionally a slat - lifting mechanism is provided in the form of lift strings running over support pulleys to raise and lower the blind .