This is a shuttle tattle. The tutor - Phiona Richards - brought loads of different shuttles for us to try. I have one at home, but it is somewhere in the mountain of boxes that is my craft supplies.
You can see from this side view that it has a bobbin in the middle which we wound the thread onto. Being beginners, we were using 1mm chinese silk cord. MUCH easier than the thin crochet or tatting cotton used by the pros!
This beautiful white piece was one of Phiona's. You can see the difference between her work and mine (the blue)!
And this is my first attempt! We used two colours to make it easier to see the flip (when you pull the knot and it flips over), and it really did make it easier. I've tried to learn tatting before from a Craftsy class, but I just couldn't get it. I guess I needed someone there with me to get it. I'm glad I have the Craftsy class though, as hopefully, when I get a chance to practice, I can learn more. I started my tatting journey on the right of the above photo, with some half knots, then progressed to full knots. You can see the last inch at the end which is almost yellow - that's the good bit! That's where I got it!
The purple was my attempts at rings. You can see the progression from left to right! Then I swapped to the blue and did a ring I was very pleased with. I then attempted picots. Hmmm, a LOT more practice needed there!
Finally, on the red cord, I made an attempt at a picot flower, which has turned out very... abstract! I then did a couple more rings. I was supposed to do picots to learn how to join them, but fatigue was setting in and I forgot, on both of them!! One young girl progressed onto the thin 10 weight thread after this, but I don't feel ready! I enjoyed it, and it's something I'd like to get to grips with, but I think it's a lot slower than bobbin lace.
Meanwhile, my work on the house is starting to come together. I'm getting close to finishing both the bathroom and my craft studio. Then I'll have three rooms to show you as the top floor spare room is also finished - but full of my craft stuff!
I'm off on the Bag Retreat this weekend, so I'll have more to post when I get back! I also have a silversmithing update for you, and a post about a craft class I attended with my new "friend" (he was very willing to come along, no coercion happened!), but I have to do the finishing touches to what we made before I show you that.
16 comments:
I think tatting does speed up quite a lot with practice, but it probably doesn't keep up with pillow lace... Now you've got the trick of the turn, I suspect it is just a matter of practice.
I tried shuttle tatting once. It ended with a fit of rage and very many bad words.
I took a class on tatting once. But it was with a needle instead of a shuttle. From comments of students in the class, many have been trying to learn for years with a shuttle but never really got it until they tried with a needle. Personally, the needle tatting class helped me finally understand knitting lol
I have to say Wendy, this does look a little tricky! You've done a great job I think. Using the two colours to start sounds like a great way, and I'd no doubt be doing this for a while!
Have fun at the bag retreat, and I look forward to seeing both your new rooms and what you and your 'friend' have made!
Tatting is amazing.... I'm sure you will get the hang of it soon enough...
Hugz
Interesting! I've been wanting to try tatting.
I've always fancied a go at tatting, some of the first blogs I followed were of tatters :) well done
A very intriguing technique that I had never heard about! You must be very concentrated on your work if you don't want to end up tied up in a bundle!!!But the result is worth the patience it requires!
Hi Wendy wow this looks like a great craft to do,love what you have done so far,well done my friend xx
I do admire you for trying out all these different crafts but, for me, tatting would be a step too far I think (and not just because it was 50 miles away) - far too fiddly for my liking.
So impressed at your determination! Your work looks great.
I've just started to learn to tat, too. The Craftsy class didn't do the trick for me either but YouTube did. So many wonderful generous women with excellent tutorials, and it's easy to find someone whose style of presentation you like.
What would you like to tat? I'm slowly tatting my way through a bookmark, and I'd like to make coasters and then some jewelry.
It's a craft I would love to do, and I bought some books but without a teacher ( none around here) I will not be able to do tatting...
Keep going !
Anna
What a fascinating class. I can see the reason for using a thicker thread at the start. It also makes you appreciate those who work with the finer threads.
Great effort on your part.
Sounds like fun. I remember trying tatting at a craft show once, I was about 15 and sitting there with some older experienced tatters I was going great guns. I bought myself some stuff from their stall but when I got home I couldn't do a thing with it. Without those ladies there next to me to help I was scuppered! The was all pre internet days too.
I do hate the thought of being beaten by it though, I'd love to give it a try again.
Oh yeah, definitely looking forward to the next updates.... I was looking out for you in IG photos from the retreat last weekend and didn't see you.
I tried tatting once, it was HARD. There seems to be some good books from the 70s on it if you can track them down though.
Now this is still something I want to learn one day...... xx
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