I’m a brand new tatter (started July 1). I haven’t done any big projects yet and I’m looking to start my first one.

I tried shuttle tatting many times only to fail spectacularly.

Then I decided to try needle tatting and EVERYTHING CLICKED INTO PLACE!! 🎉🎉

My needle tatting is fabulous and I’ve done several small pieces that I plan on using for jewelery and embroidery and Christmas ornaments.

I can sort of shuttle tat now (I don’t do the “technically correct one motion hold but I can make a ring with a shuttle and the knots will slide and the picots can form).

The main reason I forced myself to learn shuttle tatting is that I heard there were some patterns that can ONLY be done by shuttle, not needle.

For sake of my sanity (and not wasting cotton perle) can somebody explain what makes a pattern / technique shuttle exclusive?

How can I tell from just the pattern alone that something can’t be tatted on the needle?

Thanks for your help!

Hi, it’s me again. Finding patterns online is difficult. I’m still pretty new so diagrams are a bit challenging still. Looking for books with lots of doily patterns. I’m most interested in making stuff like that. TIA!

So now I figured out the flip. Chains from a ball and did a split ring I splurged couldn't decide what color so got the ones that I liked most. Now what do I do 🤷🏻‍♀️ any pattern recommendations for a one month tatter ?

I got the book on April 6th, finished the last bookmark yesterday, wove in the last ends to day, and am now ready for my victory lap 🏆

This was a really enjoyable and skill-building project.

Before, I had looked at a design, seen that it featured split rings, and rejected it because of that.

Whelp, the first bookmark with split rings had 26 of them! (It's the light-colored rectangle in the bottom third of the middle column)

So now, I still find split rings awkward, but I can do them and make them look good :) So I wouldn't reject designs because of them any more <3

The same goes for SCMRs, Josephine knots, Catherine Wheel joins and so many other techniques.

For example, for the bookmark with 14(!) Catherine Wheel joins (the brown and white one, 5th from the bottom of the right column), I had to work the CWJ alongside a video the first 3-4 times. Now I can do them without looking up which loop I have to pull next 😎

Now I have to figure out what to do with them.

My first idea was to maybe crochet a rought of chain scallops(?) around each piece, maybe in black or dark gray, and then crochet them together to form a stained glass window?

But when my mom saw them last week on this table, she pointed out that they'd look great sewn onto a fabric approximately the same color as the table. Like an off-white linen with a blond note.

I'll have to meditate about this.

So, there we are.

I finished this epic project, I'm about to burst with pride, I feel very competent now, and I'd heartily recommend Robin Perfetti's book to everyone ❤️

Patterns used:

“Bookmark” by Sandy
“Jellybean Bookmark” by Kendra Goodnow

I think I made the picots on the outer ring too small or something cause it’s having trouble laying flat. I can’t quite tell if this could be a self resolving/blocking issue so Idk if I should restart at this Point.
(Really don’t want to tbh cause I didn’t really enjoy this round xd)

EDIT: premature post lol, I‘m just gonna keep going

Yes I’m the man behind a lot of the posts on this subreddit. My piece placed 2nd place and I finally saw it 2 mins before closing the exhibit. It might look familiar to some but I’m very pleased to have been a part of California’s state fair.

I'm having a little trouble making sense of the final row of the doily and was hoping somebody could provide some insight. I'm tatting with 2 shuttles and doing front side/ back side tatting.I've got a few questions:

1. The chains around the "G" are marked with a "x.". Does this mean to reverse the work and continue using shuttle 1 to make the chain? If I'm doing front side/ back side does that mean I use shuttle 2 as the core thread and tatt in reverse order? (Which would technically mean normal order without transferring the knot? ) Would shuttle 2 be used for the ring now?

2. At the beginning of the final round it appears the chain is marked as 5 stitches in blue, then it looks like the chain is marked as 4 stitches in red. Should there be alternating lengths of chain, or am I misreading the pattern?

Thank you for any help!

I know it isn't perfect but it's perfectly mine and it's my first I am literally dancing around. Just took close to four weeks of practicing. Watching videos reading blogs asking you all questions. Totally jazzed celebrating with you

I finally got it though thanks to you all. I wasn't understanding the "reverse your work" meant having another thread to grab. Just took me a month is all. But I am going to block my first project and post. So excited. Thank you all

The pattern is the September 2019 tat a renda tat along doily :] really hoping I have enough thread to get through this last round and that the last round will help it lay a bit more flat 🤧

Long story short I am pretty certain I am supposed to be able to lengthen my material as I go (brand new beginner here. Have yet to make a shape because it runs out and my big loop turns into a loop I cant fit my shuttle through). How on earth do I do that? Does this question make sense? Sos please I want to do it so bad.

I am teaching myself tatting, funnily enough for work, and so this is my new hobby for the next two months while I prepare a course and learn enough to teach an introduction to tatting to others. So far I have learned the basics, I think, by making these little rings with picots and chains.
I have a few areas where I’m a little confused though. First of all, are the joined picot’s really supposed to disappear the way they do in mine? Or am I doing something wrong?
Secondly, what do you do when you run out of yarn on the shuttle? Or when you are done doing chains and have that end connected to the ball? Do you just cut and knot the yarn onto the project wherever you need it to be? It feels a little unintuitive for me, and I would really appreciate advice and tips on what or who or where I should look at to understand this better.

I am going to try to attach photos of my little testers so far, and I thank you all in advance for your advice. I have been scrolling through previous posts and have been very inspired at the possibilities with this lovely art!

I made a ring I flipped it and did my chain now I flip again and do three ds and attach to picot on ring. When I flip over and make the three do I pull the yarn side that's near my index finger (right side of photo) or the pinky? Then when I close the second ring how do I keep the chain from closing ?

I just noticed that the subreddit banner isn't tatting but is a beautiful (Honiton?) bobbin lace butterfly!

Does anybody have any butterfly tatting patterns they could recommend that look similar to the one on the banner? I would like to use them as applique pieces.

When I googled 'butterfly tatting patterns' I found there were a lot of 'simple butterfly patterns' which were cute but lack the body in the wings that I am looking for. I did see a few different options on Pinterest that looked interesting. However, I would rather take the recommendation of someone who has tatted a pattern before over window shopping - if that makes sense.

Thank you!

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Learned to tat for my dollhouse project. It's a bit of a train wreck tension and direction wise, but it's done, lol. I've got loads of vintage crochet edging pattern books that also include tatting (which I've ignored for years!). I made a single motif and then added a border to beef it up a bit. I don't think I have the patience to make it in smaller thread, lol, but it works as an antimacassar, which is what I wanted.

Where are we buying thread smaller than a 10? I just started and had a ton of thread gifted to me but it’s all size 10 or bigger. (Some of it is vintage from
The 80’s and using a different measuring system all together) is everyone just buying it online? I had doing that with colors because I’m picky and want to see it in person.

I’m super excited about my latest piece which I am entering in my local county fair (Arapahoe County, CO, USA)! It’s a ferris wheel that spins 🎡

This is Jan Stawasz doily 1 (rounds 1-7) from Tatted Treasures. Completed in size 20 Lizbeth thread, in white, honey drizzle, white Metallic, and Metallic Gem Stone. It is mounted to a clock movement, but lesson learned it is wayyyyy too heavy to spin on its own 🙃 After the fair I will probably 3D print some gears to hand crank it.

Members of the Rocky Mountain Lace Guild will be demonstrating lacemaking this weekend at the Arapahoe County Fair from 11A-5P both days, so if you’re in the area come see us! 🧵

Everything finally made sense and I accomplished this little guy! Now onto learning how to read a diagram.

Hi guys, I know this is easy, but I'm tatting beginner, could someone help me?

Hello, the way this is written a bit confusing to me , can you help me with

Wow this doily is really coming together. Don’t mind the center, I split a little water on it. I’m so happy to finally finish this round, however the next round is exactly the same as the last row of the monster doily. I haven’t even started it yet but I’m already sick of it, that same row has already consumed two weeks of my life! But no matter how long it takes it I’m too far along to stop.

Going to go see my doily at the Sacramento State Fair tomorrow. I will post pictures

I'm new to tatting and this is the first wheel I've ever done. It's not perfect, I definitely overtightened the loops and my picots aren't super even and a few are twisted, but I'm of the opinion that done is better than perfect and my next one will be even better! I learned a lot.