Lace making?? Has anyone ever heard of tatting? Does anyone do it? I was doing a search for something related to knitting earlier and came across this tatting website.
Now I’m curious about it…
I needle tat. Well, I USED to needle tat before I became a knitting addict. It’s much easier to learn than shuttle tatting, or at least it was for me. If you have any questions, I may be able to help, but no promises! 
There is more than one kind? OH my… I saw the site about shuttle tatting, but didn’t see needle tatting.
I wonder if any craft stores here in NZ would even know about it or what it was. I had to search really hard as it was just to find a yarn needle yesterday. Hmmm… Google is my friend. Now I really want to try it! First I have to find out where to get the supplies. LOL
Needle tatting is much rarer, even though it’s easier. Some shuttle tatters are tatting snobs and don’t think of it as ‘real’ tatting. It does make the same stitch and once you’ve learned the basics, you can adapt shuttle patterns to needle tatting, however, a very, very, VERY experienced eye can look at a piece of lace and tell if it was from a needle or shuttle. Still makes gorgeous lace, though.
I’m thinking… (everyone stand back!)
I’d be surprised if you could find needle tatting supplies in NZ. Maybe we could trade? I have no idea what shipping rates are, but my stuff is just sitting here collecting dust. Think about it. I’ll also look for the web site of the main lady who does needle tatting supplies, and more importantly, easy to teach yourself from instruction books.
Here’s the website. I learned from her books, they are really just pamphlets. I’ve lost book 1, but still have 2 floating around somewhere. She does have some instructions with great pictures on the site. I never bothered learning split ring techniques, I went straight for the the little Christmas wreath pattern in book 2. But split rings aren’t hard, just different, and give you lots of options.
Wow, thanks ladybug! Is needle tatting similar to crochet? My step mother does some beautiful lace doileys and table cloths with her crochet. I’ve always wanted to be able to do it…
I really want to learn to tat one of these days, but with my knitting obsession I don’t yet have the time! My dear grandmother shuttle tatted, she’s the only one i’ve ever known who tatted, and I always have wanted to learn just to feel close to her (she died 6 years ago).
Seeing this thread rekindled my urge. But I so don’t need to be getting a new hobby right now!
I’ve only crocheted a bit, but IMHO needle tatting isn’t like crochet in the process. The thing I liked best about needle tatting when I first started was that your stitches are made on the needle, so the diameter of the needle sets your gauge. You’re usually tatting with crochet cotton that has very little give to it, so it doesn’t matter how tight you pull, your gauge is even. (I often times tend to craft on the tight side, so that was a plus for me.)
Needle tatting reminds me a bit of casting on in knitting, but only using the ‘tail’. Your first half of a stitch is done ‘forwards’ and the next is done ‘backwards’, forming a hitch type knot. When you have the prescribed number of these hitches on the needle, you pull them off and they slide onto the thread from the ball. Depending on how you pull them off, they will form a curved line (a chain) or a circle. If you leave some space in between complete hitches, it will become a picot. Before you know it you’ll be adding beads and collecting needles of all sizes. Then the real fun begins… :devil:
Enabler?? You say that like it’s a BAD thing… :??