Question?

[ratdog]

OK, I am confused and I know you nice people will straighten me out quickly.

 

What exactly is the difference between thread crochet and Tatting?

 

I was looking at books on Amazon and I still can't figure it out exceot Tatting has more 'stuff' (shuttles etc).

 

Can anyone enlighten me on this craft?

[appy_lover]

As I understand it tatting is a totally different craft. Thread crochet is the same as any other crochet, just with thread instead of yarn, and much smaller hooks. I'd like to learn more about tatting someday, but for now the last thing I need is another hobby...

[Krakovianka]

Thread crochet is just crochet, with thread and a small hook. You use the same stitches as for yarn crochet.

 

I tat--I'm in the middle of a tatting project right now--and I will tell you the most significant difference. When you discover an error in your crocheting, you pull the loose end and your stitches come right out so you can do it over. When you pull that loose end in tatting, nothing happens--because tatting is just a series of knots that you have tied. If you want to undo your work to correct an error, it will take you longer than making it in the first place. Tatting uses only a fraction of the thread that crocheting does, but it takes much, much, much longer. I'm still a novice tatter, but I've been working on my current project for over a week, and a could have crocheted something of a similar size in less than 30 minutes.

 

But, it's beautiful, and I'm not sorry I learned how to do it, and I'm going to keep doing it so I don't forget how.

[rshseaeagle]

I have always wanted to learn to tat. My grandmother used to tat, and I have such fond memories of her sitting there with her shuttle making the most beautiful stuff.

 

To add to Karen's wonderful explanation,

When you tat you use a tatting shuttle as opposed to a hook. You also use much finer thread - most tatting thread is size 70 or smaller. The thread is wound onto the shuttle and the shuttle is moved in various ways to form the "stitches" (knots) which comprise a pattern. Tatting is a very tedious project but is also very very beautiful. In my experience most tatted items are edgings and appliques. (Karen, please correct me if I am wrong) I believe I have seen some doily patterns for tatting but am not sure if that is just a hallucination or not.

 

Hope that helps some more,

Toni

[Krakovianka]

Oh, you can make doilies with tatting. That's what I'm making now--a SMALL doily. After this, I'm sticking with snowflakes.

 

However, you can tat with any thread--I'm using size 10 right now. Tatting is often done with finer thread, but it doesn't have to be. The reason for it is that the nature of tatting leaves a lot of holes/gaps, and that looks better with finer thread than with larger. I'm going to use size 30 for the snowflakes I'm planning.

 

I think tatting is beautiful, but crochet is my first love--it's faster and more relaxing!

[Katchkan]

Tatting can be done either with a needle or with shuttles. I have done both. Even made on good sized doily tatting. I treasure that one as it will be the only one I ever make.

To me crocheting is much more relaxing and like Karen said tatting is very unforgiving. And yes you can tat with any size thread just like crocheting. I taught my self to tat using size 3 thread so I could see what I was doing easier. I have used the size 80 tatting thread but for the most part I have used size 10 thread.

 

I will tat occasionally but I much prefer crocheting.

[Krakovianka]

Oooh, Kathy--can we see the doily??

 

We'll be having our annual folk art fair in Krakow beginning this coming weekend, and there is always a lady there who tats. She makes little things, like snowflakes and angels to sell, but she also makes massive doilies--30 inches wide--in size 80 thread. She said it takes her two months to make one, which means it would take me a lifetime. I don't even think she uses patterns, or else she has them all in her head--she just sits there and works and works. It's like magic. She sells those big doilies for about $500, which is a fair price...probably too cheap for the work that is in them.

[HomekeepingGran]

When I was a girl we used to get our car repairs done at a particular service station where the owner's wife kept the register, and probably, the books. She tatted swiftly and beautifully. I can remember our car not being quite ready and sitting there watching her hands fly with orchid-colored thread. Mesmerizing.

 

Mother told me that an aunt of hers supplied my grandmother with tatted lace for Mother's dainty underthings. Mother always felt so feminine with handmade lace on her little slips.

 

And no, I don't tat.

[sunnywolfgar]

I also don't tat but knows that it takes a shuttle and much thinner thread. Crochet uses a smaller crochet hook and threads...

My husband Aunt tats and I sat and watched her one day. I 'm thinking I'll never get the hang of this. Way to compliacted for me. I'll pass. Her work is beautiful! she even went real slow motion for me. I did give it a go and try learning from her,, but hang it up. Tat is not for me.

I have been crocheting 42 years now and love crocheting~~~~

good luck tatting and please post some pictures.

We all would love to see what you tatted.

[Hooked]

I bought this tatted doily in Italy around 10 years ago. It's in an 16X20 inch frame to give you an idea of the size. It was a bargain at around $25-30. You can just barely see all the thousands of tiny picohs in it.

 

You can see the gaps between stitches in the solid border and the center motifs that Karen was talking about. I'm not sure what size thread it is, but it's very small.

 

It's possible to mimic tatting with crochet, but the examples that I have seen are not as intricate or as delicate as what you can get with tatting. If you get a chance to check out some of the pictures in the Weldon's books or the crochet book on Project Gutenburg--I don't recall the name--you can see crocheting that looks similar to tatting.

[Krakovianka]

That's pretty!!! At $25 dollars, I'm pretty sure you'd be looking at less than $1 per hour for the work in it.

[ratdog]

Thank you for all the answers.

 

Maybe I should stick to crochet.