Hi, I could use some help with tatting

[MichelleMermaid]

Hello!

I've been wanting to learn basic tatting so I can make things to add to my cq work. Yesterday I went to the craft store and purchased a package of two tatting shuttles and three packages of size 80 mercerized cotton. These were the only supplies they had!

So I just sat down to give it a try. I found this tutorial recently on youtube and it looked really easy.

Twice now I've made about 15 stitches but when I get to the end where I am supposed to close the ring my shuttle thread won't slide at all! It just gets stuck or knotted and the thread breaks!

I feel like I'm doing the stitch exactly like the tutorial shows, but something is not working. Can anyone offer a suggestion?

Thanks so much!

[MichelleMermaid]

Hi All,

Isn't it funny when you answer your own questions? I watched the tutorial again and saw that you are supposed to form the loop with the thread that's cast over your hand, not the shuttle thread. I'm going to keep trying!

[Judy B]

I have the same problem! I call it Tangles rather than tatting! Tattingchic told me if I got to close a ring by Christmas I would do really well. I am glad she didn't say what Christmas! I have watched the same tutorial, by the way, and a couple of others on the list shown there.

[MichelleMermaid]

I am glad she didn't say what Christmas!

Haha!! That's funny!

I actually formed a little nub when I finally tried it the right way. I just had so few stitches that it formed a lump instead of a ring. I'll keep trying!

[Jenny]

If you are a beginner tatter, it is best to start with two seperate colours of a thicker thread & just practice the two parts of the basic knot. With two colours it can be easilly seen how the knot is formed, while the thicker thread lets you see easilly what is happening. To be correct, all the knots should be in one colour, and should slide easilly on the base thread of the different colour. If the knots do not slide, then the stitch has been incorrectly formed. Take special note on the video on how to form the stitch. My suggestion is to practice the stitch formation first. Once you have this understood, then try with one colour to form a ring like in the video Good luck.

[Judy B]

Thank you, Jenny, I think I should get out another colour as it will make it easier to watch the knot form properly. Listening for the little png when the knot turns over to the other thread helps too!

[Jenny]

You're welcome. Let us know of your progress.

[MichelleMermaid]

Yes, I realized larger thread would be better, too, but I already bought 3 skeins of what was available in the one size. It is really hard to see the stitches, but I'll keep working with it!

[textiledreamer]

Any smooth thread will do for tatting. So if you have any crochet cotton or perle cotton around in a bigger size, you could use those to practice. I really like the smoothness of perle cotton for tatting anyway.

[Sue Krekorian]

I had this problem when I taught myself tatting from a book, having already learned to do macrame. I hadn't got the idea of transferring the knot to the other thread, with the little tug you need to do, which is what makes it tatting rather than macrame.... Good luck. You seem to be making fast progress down the learning path.

[Thymedremr]

It sounds like the stitches are not flipping around the core thread.Try using a larger size thread like a size 10 crochet cotton. Almost all stores carry that size. When you are making your first half of the stitch give it a very gentle tug after it is formed before going on to the second half. Do the same with the second half of the stitch. You should be able to slide the completed stitch along the cord.

[Sharon]

There are demos that show you how to tat on my web site at http://www.gagechek.com/slb and as has already been mentioned thicker thread will help you to actually see what is happening. I always recommend that students begin with chains using 2 contrasting colours of thread. One colour is wrapped over the left hand and the other colour is wound on the shuttle. Knot the 2 colours together and hold the knot pinched between the thumb and forfinger of the left hand. Wrap the colour that's not on the shuttle from the pinch up over the back of the left hand and anchor it around the baby finger. In this case the thread over the left hand is called the chain thread.

Tatting is formed with the shuttle, but it's the action of alternately relaxing and tensing the thread wrapped over the left hand that transfers the stitch onto the thread wrapped over the left hand. You wrap the shuttle alternately under around and through between the shuttle and chain thread, and then over around and through between the shuttle and chain thread.

For each half stitch form the stitch with the shuttle. Relax the left hand. Pull the shuttle thread straight out to the right. Hold the shuttle thread tight while using the middle finger of the left hand to pull the newly formed half stitch up into position against the thumb.

One of the biggest challenges to a beginner is to relax. You end up being so tense trying to get both hands co-ordinated in unfamiliar positions, that you pull on the chain thread, UN flipping the newly formed stitch. The advantage to using 2 colours of thread on chains is that all of the stitches should be the colour of the thread wrapped over your hand. If any of the stitches are the colour of the shuttle thread they either weren't flipped, or they became UNflipped when you pulled too hard on the chain thread.

Once you have mastered chains you can be sure that you are correctly forming the stitches and you can go on to working with rings. SInce you will be making perfectly flipped stitches, your rings will always close.

[Jenny]

Sharon, these would have to be the best written instructions for tatting I have ever seen, and combined with your video, they would help any beginner tackle this craft on their own. Would have helped me tremendously when I was learning many years ago & did not know that I had to flip the knot. Thanks for sharing.