Why yes, I am needle tatting.Now, there are nay sayers and boohooers about needle tatting, I personally learned needle tatting at the same time I learned shuttle tatting.
Initially I had gone back and forth between the two methods, but I eventually landed on shuttle tatting as my primary way of tatting. I find needle tatting to be softer in feel on a finished piece, and it is also easier to work in larger threads with a needle (at least it is for me). It definitely lends itself more towards the larger pieces that Totusmel is so well known for. Shuttle tatting I find to be more precise, there is a lot of tieing or SLT's in needle tatting, and working with two shuttles accomplishes that more cleanly, and the transitions are more exact.
My recent foray back into the world of needle tatting was initially inspired by Jessica Spaulding and her 3-D flowers. You may remember seeing a picture of her in my shuttlebirds post, anyway, she was gracious enough to share her instructions with me. Her method involves making rings that join together, and then they spiral around and you tie it together with a bead to finish. Very simple, gets the job done quite nicely. I like the flowers to be larger on the clippies I was making, but I was running into a problem with the final rings being unweildy when tatted large enough to make the size flower I wanted. Also, I couldn't figure out how to get her flowers to finish nicely without the bead. I was thinking about making some baby headbands, but I am wary of putting beads on an item that small fingers may try to pry apart. So I thought about it for some time, and eventually settled on a different method of constructing the flowers that uses chains instead of rings, and I am needle tatting them with size 10 thread to achieve the size that I want. Pictured above, you can see a finished baby headband, as well as another large pink flower, and a smaller flower done in size 20.
So yes, I do believe that needle tatting is a wonderful extention of the art of tatting, I would encourage all to try both and see what they like, even if it is only to see and understand the differences and similarities. I think in the future I may post some comparisons, but that will wait for another day. children must be fed!
Dr. Vonthreadmore sends her regards, she is patiently waiting for me to find the time to wind her some thread......
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13 comments:
I agree with you completely. Even though I enjoy working with a shuttle (feel, control, no pain in my hands and fingers), I wouldn't dream of parting with my tatting needles. Some things are just easier to do with the needle (like projects with large rings-- hate to make large rings with a shuttle). There are times I want to tat with a 'thread' that would just fall apart or knot up with a shuttle, but I can use them with a needle. I'm thrilled that we can choose whether we wish to tat with needle, or shuttle, or both! I look forward to seeing more of your explorations into needle tatting. The headband looks lovely.
That is going to be such a SWEET headband, Krystal!
:) Ann
Those headbands are such fun!
Interesting post. I like needle tatting but am very novice with the technique. Maybe I should practice...
Fox : )
100% agree with you i in fact do both I tried to just do shuttle BUT certain things are better in needle
Love the headband!!
Heather
What a lovely headband that's gonna be!!
Hi Krystle, this is Ángeles from tenerife canary islands, I like your blog and your tatting, I would like to ask you if you could tell me a web were I can find how to tat with neddle ,Im not able to tat with the shuttle,my hand ends with pain, Ive done some tlittle things,but I would like to learn more,here I dont find nothing for tatting,and wen I ask in shops they look at me as if I was from other country, and I dont even find nice thin neddle´s,well I dont take you more time.
The headbands look great. Welcome to the dark side of tatting (NEEDLE TATTING). I have not tried shuttle tatting but the ladies in the guild would like me to try. They call themselves the Shuttle Snobs.LOL
hello Angeles! I'll bet you will have to mail order a tatting needle, and the best supplier we have in the states is www.hhtatting.com. Barbara foster has written some good instructional books, but there are bound to be resources around online as well. You might try Youtube for an instructional video.
These are beautiful!! I wonder if Jessica would share her technique?
Wish my little girl would wear a headband, but she pulls anything out of her hair :)
those little headbands are sooo cute!!! and so is your little girl! i have a three year old that would look just darling in that, if only i could get her to keep ANYTHING in her hair!!! lol.
i would love to see some written instructions for those flowers!!! i have been trying to make the same type of flowers, with a little success, but am not thrilled with the patterns i can find *which are only 2, on the internet, anyways.*
khatarynah@excite.com <email for if you can spare any extra time for the flower write up, as i don't have much time to check blogs. i know that's kind of asking a lot, and so i understand if you can't find the time to do all the extra work i'm asking of you! ;)
Hi Krystle,
Thx for your visit and kind words.
GROAN - I barely have shuttle tatting down, though for some strange reason I did purchase a needle tatting kit at the convention. Now you might just inspire me to try my hand at needle tatting too.
Your creations are simply beautiful, love the way your mind works.
I have another pattern cooking up in my head. LOL - might ask you for advice on it at some point.
LOL - I think you are my mentor!
~ Barb
Heh - needle tatting is of the devil. ;-)
So I've started needle tatting and blogging about it at www.tattsallshewrote.blogspot.com.
I came across your tatted flowers on Etsy and all I can say is I'm super jealous, LOL! They are really amazing!
Im a very new needle tatter who is getting very discouraged. =(
I did mention you in my blog...I hope that's ok.
I can't wait to see what you come up with next!
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