The Art of Tatting

How to Use a Tatting Shuttle

Shuttle tatting is the hand lace technique of tying double stitch knots onto a foundation thread that is shaped into rings and chains to form a lacy material. The double stitch is the same type of knot as the lark’s head knot used in macrame.

Using a Tatting Shuttle

In shuttle tatting, the right hand is used to maneuver the shuttle around the thread on the left hand. The left hand is used to maneuver the thread that forms the stitches.
The trick to tatting is to perform the movements made by the right and left hands in a continuous motion as you form the loops and tie the knots.

This takes a little patience and practice. Once the basic steps are mastered, it is very easy.

Wind three yards of thread onto shuttle, leaving a 24″ end.
Hold the shuttle with thumb and index finger on right hand and hold thread about 3″ from the end between thumb and index finger on left hand and wrap thread clockwise in a circle around fingers on left hand and back through thumb and index finger.
This loop is called the working thread and it forms the stitches. The thread that stretches between the loop on your left hand and the shuttle is called the shuttle thread, and it is the foundation that the stitches are worked onto.

Supplies & Terms

Tatting Shuttle
#10 crochet thread (please make your life easier and get thread that has a strong twist to it, without the twist the knots don’t slide well, and the better they slide the easier it is to tat)
Scissors

Terms:

Round- instead of rows
Ds=double stitch
R= ring
P= picot (or “-“on a pattern)
Ch = chain
Round = row
Connect picots = +
RW=Reverse Work
Round: tatting is done in rounds, going around the center of the design or motif

Tatting is such a versatile art. There is really no limit as to what you can make. From complex and basic doilies, coasters, all sort of jewellery, decorations & even clothes. The sky is the limit when you learn to tat.

In this blog, we will include patterns from beginning to advanced. Take a look at these creations…

Tutorials – For Beginners to Advanced

Beginners Tutorial Video

In this beginners video, you will be show how to do basic shuttle tatting techniques including a TAT ring, chain, join, split ring and adding beads 3 ways.