Learning to Tat: My Journey

Unlike many in the online tatting community, I didn't grown up watching my grandmother tat, or anyone else for that matter. I learned to tat, a little over a year ago, in a very small few hour long class.  At the time, I had never even heard of tatting nor would I have recognized it if I had.  I was looking for an activity of some sort as an excuse to get out of the house for a few hours a week.  There were, of course, several knitting and crocheting classes offered.  With a growing family at home (two little girls and a boy on the way), I had a hard time justifying the expense for these classes when I already knew how to knit and crochet.  I needed to try something new!  So, when I saw the listing for the tatting class, I was immediately intrigued.  The only cost was for a shuttle and one ball of thread, which turned out to be less than $10 total.  I was in, a shuttle-tatter was born!

The class was wonderful, but felt much too short.  The first day, our teacher walked us through a whole suitcase of samples that she, her mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother had made over the years.  This was an art with a sense of history, legacy, and a lavishly timeless look!  Over the course of the next two classes, we learned the basic stitch and practiced making many rings and chains.  At the end of the class, I felt I was just beginning to get comfortable holidng the shuttle and thread.  I had so much yet to learn (and still do).  Unfortunately, the class is no longer offered and I have been unable to find any other locally.  So, I have taken to learning skills as I need them pattern to pattern from a combination of fellow tatter's blogs and YouTube videos.

This blog will document my journey to learn as much as I can about tatting, and along the way, showcase some of the pieces I am working on.