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[alien_sunset]

Hi, i just recently discovered tatting, and am dying to give it a try, but I don't have a shuttle, or anywhere close where I can get one.

I remember reading somewhere that you don't need a shuttle, but can't find much recourse for tatting on line, let alone shuttle-les tatting. (This is the only LJ community I could find just for tatting)

Was the book lying?

And where can I find some good shuttles online? What would you recommend for somebody who knows nothing about the art?

[edit] I stand corrected; there is a TON of tatting resources online (I just can't spell)
are there any from this plethora of choices that you all would particularly recommend? (keep in mind that I know absolutely nothing, but "ooh pretty!")

Comments

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

I am a huge fan of Handy Hands (http://www.hhtatting.com). Very large selection of threads and books, the shipping is very fairly priced, and they get your order to you fast. They're the only place I'm still able to get the discontinued Flora size 50 that I like so much.

As far as shuttles, I use Clover's plastic pastels. They come in 2-packs and 5-packs (one of each color), but my local Michaels sells the 2-packs and then I'll use the 40% and 50% off coupons they place in their weekly ads on them, which comes out to $2-$3 for the pack. Some people don't like them because of the pick end - if you're not careful you can poke yourself - but I find the pick very handy for making picots. These are the shuttles in my icon.

The shuttle-less tatting you are probably referring to is needle tatting, which is a little bit of a different method (same core concept of knotting threads a certain way) but its results are the same. Though when I first got intrigued, I tried shuttle tatting without a shuttle and a random chunk of size 10 crochet thread - for some reason I get all confused without a shuttle!

[moniqueleigh]

Oooo, yeah, glad you found some of the resources. There are soooo many.

Ummm, the eTatters forum is pretty good for lots of advice, links, general chatting, etc. (It has a similar community feel to that of parts of LJ, usually without much drama.)
Along with that are the million & one email lists (check Yahoo Groups for a sampling).
I think my favorite drool-inducing shopping site is probably Gale Marshall's Tat's All. The really amusing thing? I was adding stuff from there to my wish list when I saw your entry. :) Gale's a lovely lady, too!

For lessons... Check this post from my memories.

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

Also, I do hunt eBay, which has a tatting/lacemaking category. I have found some good finds there, ie. a lot of 6 balls of colored DMC Cordonnet thread in size 40. Colored Cordonnet was discontinued prior to Feb. 2001 from what I can find out.

[moniqueleigh]

Oof! And I forgot to mention the shuttle-less tatting! Yes, as shatteredshards mentions, the book might have meant needle tatting. There's also "finger tatting" - tatting just like you would with a shuttle, but using your hands to direct the thread. Most shuttle tatters end up doing a bit of that anyway when they get to the ends of the thread on their shuttles. :)

The main reason it's better to use a shuttle than to finger tat? Ease of handling all that thread! Needle tatting has a similar issue in that you can't have as much thread attached to a needle as you can to a shuttle.

And, since SS brought it up, I prefer bobbin-style shuttles since I can just change out bobbins rather than shuttles when I feel like using a different color.

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, she has a very nice site as well.

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

And Japanese hook tatting! And cro-tat!

A lot of people prefer the bobbin-style, but post-style shuttles (such as the Clovers) are probably best for a beginner because you usually have to worry about adjusting a bobbin-style shuttle so the thread doesn't feed out too easily or require tugging from you.

[moniqueleigh]

Meh. I've heard various things about which is best for beginners. I think it really depends on the tatter. I started with a Boye metal bobbin shuttle & loved it. Those & the Aero-style bobbins don't require adjustments. Well, the metal ones can, but only if you follow a large sewing machine bobbin with a regular tatting bobbin. ;)

I've tried several post shuttles & just absolutely hate constantly having to wind/unwind my thread between elements. Plus, the clicking noise bothers me. *shrug* Different strokes....

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. I could say the same about starting off with needle tatting before trying shuttle tatting.

[alien_sunset]

A question about thread... (I'm sure this is probably really obvious)

I'm assuming the bigger the number the smaller the thread?
The reason why I'm looking at tatting is that a friend of the family (who I hardly knew strangely) recently died and left ALL of her needle arts to me, this included a boot box full of crochet and tatting thread "size 70" and another larger box of 'knit-cro-sheen" (?) in a few different thicknesses, all bit thicker than the "70", but they don't have numbers. Would those be size 40 or 50?

The size 70 balls are all rather small, and the box also had a clear little ball thingy with a hole at one end (I'm assuming to hold the little balls in check) that calls it's self the "coats and Clark 'tat-it'" could that be used like a bobbin? Or should I just hold out until I can get into town and look around Micheals?

[ex-shattered767.livejournal.com]

Yes, you are correct. Knit-cro-sheen is a size 5 or 10, I believe, some of the largest stuff you'll find.. Size 70 is basically the same as size 80 tatting thread.

The clear thing you're referring to makes me think of a threadholder thing, though. I imagine it might be a little hard to use it as a shuttle. But it never hurts to start practicing with what you have to get an idea. :)

[weezerscaddy.livejournal.com]

The shuttle I have is terrible sounding! I was actually wondering about that. I forget the kind it is, but I didn't like the noise or the having to yank the thread to get it to give me a little to work with. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to do that or not.

[moniqueleigh]

Hmmmm..... Not sure what you mean by yanking the thread, hon. I've only had to yank thread on my bobbin shuttles when the bobbins were wound too tightly. Ooo, that may be the problem you're having?

If you've got a noisy shuttle, it's probably a post-style. A bobbin-style has a removable bobbin (like the ones on sewing machines) that you wind & then put back in the shuttle for tatting. Post-style has a similar look, but instead of removing the bobbin for winding, you just wind the thread onto the "post" in the middle of the shuttle (the bit that holds the 2 halves separate). Those sort have the points fairly close (but not quite touching), which leads to the "clicking" noise when you wind/un-wind thread.

[weezerscaddy.livejournal.com]

It's a removeable bobbin, and I mean that I have to pull until the thread nearly breaks to get any out! It could be wound too tight, as I have to wind it by hand since my sewing machine is still at my mother's (unless it has gone the way of most of my things that are, er, were, still there). But I usually wind too loosely that way (from when I used to sew and had no bobbin winder thingy on my machine). Anyway...dunno. I'll figure it out eventually. Must sleep now. :)

[moniqueleigh]

Mmmm, ok. How 'bout, next time we manage to get together, I take a look at that? Maybe I can help.

[weezerscaddy.livejournal.com]

I rewound it with the larger thread and had no problem. It was much less noisy and easier to pull. I think you were right. I mucked around with it a bit today, as I was home sick and went to the doc this morning. I made a butterfly, and it turned out ok, but I'm still more comfortable with the needle. I have a small shuttle, but it still feels clunky in my hand. I'll still prolly use it some just so I can if I need to, though.
Yeah, next time yall are able to come for a meetup or something I'll be sure to bring what I've done and get you opinion though! Thanks!