In college I did some tatting - self-taught and rather awkwardly. I've dreamed of learning to tat the right way, with the smooth back and forth with the shuttle. So with the help of several books, a DVD, and youtube, I'm finally learning! Making my hands work together is obviously going to take some practice. But so far I love it!!
Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops. Tatting can be used to make lace edging as well as doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces. The lace is formed by a pattern of rings and chains formed from a series of cow hitch, or half-hitch knots, called double stitches (ds), over a core thread. Gaps can be left between the stitches to form picots, which are used for practical construction as well as decorative effect.
Tatting dates to the early 19th century. The term for tatting in most European languages is derived from French frivolité, which refers to the purely decorative nature of the textiles produced by this technique. The technique was developed to imitate point lace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatting
And this is exactly what I wanted retirement to be....taking an interest in something and having the time to just delve in, learn, and work at it. The photos below are NOT my work....I have a long way to go before sharing anything I've done!!
And one more nice thing....shuttles! Plastic ones, wooden ones, carved ones....oh so many possibilities!! Special tools truly do make a difference on oh so many levels.
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