If you are a beginning tatter, then you have come to the right place.  Enjoy!

What is tatting?

Tatting is an very old form of lace making. In ancient Egypt, funeral cloths were trimmed with tatting. A combination of rings and chains create various edgings and motifs. The tatting stitch is actually a Lark’s Head knot. In the 19^th century, tatting was sometimes called “knotting.”

Tatting uses a smooth, round thread. Smooth thread makes it easier to slide the Lark’s Head knot along the core thread. If a flat thread were used in place of a round thread, the flat thread would buckle. This would prevent the transfer of the thread (called a half hitch) from beneath the core thread to above the core thread. Any smooth, round thread can be used for tatting. I have even used copper beading wire to make a tatted motif. Crochet cotton is often used. If you use a shuttle to tat, then your thread shouldn’t have much “give” in it. This is why 100% cotton thread is most frequently used in tatting. If you use a needle to tat, you can tat with yarn which has quite a bit more give.

All thread in tatting has one of two functions. Thread is used to create the Lark’s Head knot or it will hold the created knot. The thread that holds the created knot is called the core thread. For right handed people, the core thread is held in the left hand. For left handed tatters, the core thread is held in the right hand.

All tatting is based on one stitch–the double stitch. This is a  Lark’s head knot. The double stitch is manipulated in a variety of ways to produce different effects. (There are a few other knots or stitches that play a supporting role in tatting such as the square knot and lock stitch.) Yet, the double stitch makes up the bulk of tatting. When you understand how to make the double stitch, the whole world of tatting will open to you.

Here is a video showing how to tat. The maker of this video, Ellie,  has given her permission to post this video.

Tip #1: It is easier to learn to make the double stitch by watching a live person make it. The next best thing is to watch a video.

Please come back to visit. I’ll be periodically updating this site.

© 2011-2012 Laura Evans   All Rights Reserved.