My tatting video

This 4 minute video shows tatting a ring, picots, reverse work, tatting a chain, and joining 2 rings. The way I hold my shuttle is comfortable for me - each individual will tat in a slightly different way. (This video was made using an old camera, so the picture quality is poor, but might still be helpful for someone learning to tat.)

How to tat - the 1st half of the double stitch

For the way that I tat, I like the shuttle wound counterclockwise, with thread coming out the side that is away from me.

If starting a ring, wrap thread all the way around left hand.

Thread is wrapped around left hand and pinched between thumb and forefinger (if tatting a ring). The right hand, holding the shuttle, lifts the shuttle thread up, out of the way...

...shuttle goes under both threads...

...under both threads ...

...under both threads - sliding the shuttle all the way under the thread that is on the left hand. Once it is past that thread...

...come back now, over the left hand thread. It's okay to let the thread from top of right hand slip off at this point, since you are still going under that right hand thread.

Almost done - now comes the flip...

Make the flip happen by relaxing the tension on your left hand (bring your fingers down, slightly closing left hand)...

...and pull the shuttle thread tight - to the right.

There is the 1st half! Bring your fingers back up on your left hand to tighten the tension. Keep the shuttle thread tight. See how the shuttle thread is the core over which the stitch slides.

These photos are just a rough attempt to show the classic method of shuttle tatting. In actuality, I hold my shuttle in a slightly different manner - but it forms the 1st half with the flip, all the same.  
The 2nd half is shown on another post; to see the 2nd half, click here.

A pair in blue and gold

An example of my free "Carnival" tatted earring pattern made in Lizbeth cotton size 20 color #656, Wedgewood Dark, with 6mm Swarovski crystals in Dark Indigo AB2X, and 4mm Turquoise AB2X, with size 10/0 24 karat gold Delica seed beads. These were my personal creative choices this time around - the pattern looks good in many, many different thread color and bead combos.

The Handmade Jewelry Club liked this pattern so well they featured it on their website! I'm happy that tatting is gathering more interest and sparking new ideas.

Layered Ring Christmas Tree

I got the pattern done, and listed it for sale as a pdf file in my Etsy shop. Both the basic and the beaded versions are included in the pattern.

The basic concept of the tree is pretty simple, just one shuttle and ball of thread, but the pattern was a lot of work to finalize and write up. There is not a diagram with this pattern - it was just too hard to draw one that made sense with the 3 dimensional effect of this design.

I ran out of time to make more and better models of the tree, which in size 20 thread makes a nice size for earrings. Busy, busy with Christmas preparations - making cookies, wrapping gifts, practicing cello for the concert and Christmas Mass, and DH just volunteered me to bake 2 kinds of bars for his office potluck...but, it's all good fun!

Working on a new design

While fooling around with tatting the other night, I think I stumbled onto a cool idea for a Christmas tree design. I'm working on preparing the pattern. The photo is just a sneak peek at the start!

When finished, I'll add the pattern to my Etsy shop.

Better the 2nd time

"Fall Afternoon" - the Garden Afternoon colors dyed over ugly thread

Occasionally I do have a color experiment that turns out darn ugly - but, no problem, I can overdye :-)
I just can't repeat the unique colors that result, so that batch is OOAK (one of a kind).

Holiday Artisan Market at Discovery World

 Here's how my yarnplayer booth looked at the Holiday Artisan Market at Discovery World, on Saturday, Dec. 4.

Sales were a bit slow, but I made plans for teaching 2 new tatters, and my tatted atoms were enthusiastically approved for the Discovery World museum gift shop.

I tatted earrings while sitting at my booth, and someone bought the pair I'd been working on! Here's a photo of them taken while in progress. I was using my Carnival pattern in my hand dyed size 20 thread from the Stardate batch.

The event continues on Sunday, Dec. 5th.

The winner - and a free pattern for all

The winner of the truckload giveaway is Hattalahutta! 

And, everyone receives an early Christmas gift of a free pattern!

To download my new, original tatting pattern (in pdf format) for "2-Way Star" -- click here.

Hattalahutta, please send your mailing address information privately to my email yarnplayer(at)yahoo.com - replace (at) with @