Craft class - shuttle tatting

Every few months, I go on a little search for craft classes.  I check out the places I already know, to see if they're running anything I fancy, then I do a bit more of a random search trying to find classes in the area.  This technique brought me across The Leicestershire Craft Centre.  Being slightly geographically challenged, I thought that Market Harborough, in Leicestershire, was near where I work.  It's not.  It was a 50 mile journey, each way!  Ah well, I was going there to learn Shuttle Tatting, which I've been trying to find a class for for a couple of years, so I would have probably driven to Glasgow!

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.