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Questions about needle tatting, cro-tatting and (cro-tat) hook substitution


Holiday

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Hello all,

 

I've been reading up on tatting lately and I'd love it if some of you could share some of your experiences with tatting and crochet-tatting with me. I'm most interested in needle tatting and crochet-tatting (which utilizes a special hook).

 

One of my biggest questions is in regards to hook substitutions. Has anyone substituted a thread hook for a crochet-tat hook? If so, what kind of results did you achieve? Did you find it to have any specific pitfalls?

 

If anyone does both (crochet-tatting and needle tatting) do you find there to be a big difference between the two? Which do you prefer and why?

 

I also have a few questions for those of you who have tried/do shuttle tatting. How do you like it? Have you tried needle or crochet-tatting? Do you find using a shuttle limits you in any way? On the otherside of the mirror, have you found any advantages that are specific to shuttle tatting?

 

*Smiles,* I know, I'm asking a lot of questions but I have just two more: do you have a favorite book(s)? If you do, do you find this book is most helpful in technique building, stitch patterns, item patterns, or a combination of the aforementioned?

 

Oh, sorry, I forgot one, do you have a website you find particularly enjoyable or informative?

 

Well, if you're reading this, you read all of that and I thank you for reading.

 

 

 

All the best always,

the ever-curious,

 

Holiday

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Sorry, but I've only done shuttle tatting. It wasn't hard for me, but I had a friend who had a hard time with learning. The little hook on the shuttle would get caught on the thread and twist, but that was about the only problems I had with it. I started with a beginners book from Wally World. I went from there to the hard stuff. I bought some books that were republished vintage patterns. I got them at Barnes & Noble. Those were lots of fun. It is difficult and VERY slow, but I enjoyed the challenge.

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I needle tat, though it's been a while. Some years ago I had seen needle tatting on a craft show & order a little kit with needle & how to booklet. It was easy to learn & was my favorite take along project. The only other book I have on it is "The Complete Book of Jiffy Needle Tatting". It's a good reference book with lots of patterns. I also have the Cro-Tat kit, but haven't really sat down with it yet. My crochet & rug hooks have been keeping me busy:)

Alosha

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I had always said I would learn to do the shuttle, but never have. I did get both the yarn and thread cro-tat sets and have made a few things with them. I made a large thread doily that is very pretty. I have not tried the needle tat, however. I have thought it would be similar to the cro-tat, but am sure it has its differences. I have not tried to substitute a crochet hook for the cro-tat hook. I am not sure it would work because in the cro-tat it sometimes takes up more space on the straight hook than would be available on the crochet hook. Cro-tat is fairly easy to learn. I taught myself and do enjoy it. Good luck on whichever one you decide to do.

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Kristina,

Don't be sorry, I'm glad to hear any stories about people's tatting experiences. I'll keep the tip about the thread catching in my notes too; it's always good to know what other people have experienced. I'm hoping the tutorials I have in some of my older craft books will be enough to get me going with tatting but I've also found a couple of websites. I will definitely have to check out the Barnes & Noble the next time I'm in town. I'm also going to try Amazon.com. Thanks for sharing. :)

 

 

Alosha,

Needle tatting seems to have such an elegance to it. Well, tatting in general, but needle tatting especially. I don't quite know why, it just seems like it could be a very calming and beautiful activity. Plus, I could carry a fairly small pouch for take-along projects. I often take counted, cross-stitch or fiber-related (knit/crochet) projects but they can be kind of cumbersome sometimes. Thank you for sharing with me; I'll keep an eye out for the book you mentioned.

 

 

CrochetJC,

Thank you for sharing your experiences in tatting with me :). I think I'm going to try all three actually. I'm sort of betting they all have their pluses and minuses and that the versatility of knowing all three could only be to my advantage. I think I will look for cro-tat specific hooks. I found a website that said you could substitute but you needed--I think it said--a long straight handle. Most of my current crochet hooks have that flattened or slightly-flattened thumb grip area and I suspect they might skew my results a bit.

 

 

To everyone,

I did forget one question. Most of the videos and pictures I've seen online show a right-handed style of tatting. I crochet left-handed and in the past I've tried to teach myself how to do so right-handed and am completely unable. Since you've had tatting experiences do you foresee any problems with me just reversing it the same way I do right-handed crochet instructions? In essence, it's like, I look at the picture, and read the instructions and then do it as I see it in my head. I switch the words right for left and vice versa. Boy, am I making this complicated and I really don't mean to. I guess to nutshell it, it's literally: I substitute where it says right for left and copy the hand images of any video as a mirror image. Well, either way, I'll try it, I know I'll figure it out.

 

Thanks again everyone for replying, I really liked reading your experiences and I look forward to learning to tat (or, um, tatt :blush).

 

 

Best wishes,

 

Holiday

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I've been learning shuttle tatting but haven't tried needle tatting, so can't give advice there. But

do you foresee any problems with me just reversing it the same way I do right-handed crochet instructions?
That's what I did. One of my books (the Good Housekeeping needlecraft book I think) insists that lefties should be able to tat just like righties, with the thread around the left hand and the shuttle in the right, but that didn't work out so well for me and I just reversed all the instructions mentally. I had trouble at one point and did a google search for left-handed tatting instructions and found some illustrations, so there are probably some out there somewhere for needle tatting as well.
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Hi Stacey,

 

Thanks for the info, I'll be sure to remember to do a Google search for left-handed tatting instructions too.

 

 

Take care,

 

Holiday

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I am also left handed & had no problem learning to needle tat. I just reversed everything like I did when I learned to crochet. Of course now it's easier if you have a scanner that can produce reverse images. I sometimes do that with symbol crochet.

Alosha

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Hi Alosha,

 

Thanks for replying :). :lol *Lol,* it only occurred to me as an afterthought that tatting left-handed might be a problem; I'm glad to know it won't be. I'm so used to automatically converting instructions, pictures, and video in my head that I hadn't even thought of it once in all the reading I've been doing.

 

A bit off-topic--but only a little--but I just pulled a book off my shelf (The Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery) and it has some instructions for left and right handers. Not a whole lot of the basics but a couple of nice patterns for me to test my skills as I learn.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

All the best,

 

Holiday

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Hi Alosha,

 

I'd sort of forgotten I have the book too. I mean, I knew I had it, but I'd forgotten it was so intensive. For some reason I remembered it as being a crochet only book. I think for a while I was using a lot of the crochet stitch patterns in it and I'd simply forgotten what a wonderful resource it was. Especially since the spiral binding means I can't see the title without pulling it off the shelf. Lol, I need to buy or build a smaller, lower bookcase in which I can more easily access my reference books.

 

Do you have any online photos of the rugs you make? I've never tried making rugs but I always like to explore new crafts. I'll definitely have to give that section a read when I get the chance.

 

 

Have a lovely evening,

 

Holiday

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I haven't seen the Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery--is it along the same lines as the Reader's Digest Guide to Needlework and the Good Housekeeping needlecraft book? I love references like that. That's what got me into tatting, leafing through those books and getting interested. Now I'm reading the sections about bobbin lace, which looks horrifically complicated but so very pretty :)

 

I love it when books are considerate enough to give lefty instructions & pictures. Makes it so much easier than doing mental gymnastics :lol What I particularly hate is when a book tells you to hold it up to a mirror--as if! I'd just as soon they only give the righty instructions than expect me to do that!

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Hi Stacey,

 

I don't have the Good Housekeeping Needlecraft book but I do have the Reader's Digest Guide to Needlework so I'll base my comparisons on that.

 

 

The Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery

(By: Mildred Graves Ryan):

 

* It doesn't have any color pictures.

 

* The black and white drawings it uses are well done (for the most part) and often alongside the text like picture notes.

 

* The first pictures in the tatting section depict right-hand tatting. They're about the starting chain and double stitch. Lol, and for left-hand it actually mentions using a mirror to see the image and that the directions are the same.

 

* The next two pages of pictures are also shown as right-handed and the references for lefties is that the directions are the same but the shuttle should be held in a certain position. The position is described.

 

* After that the pictures mostly show the stitch created and are just descriptions of how to do things like: edgings and medallions. They're very detailed though which is probably why I like this book, I find it pretty easy to visualize the text offered.

 

So I guess it's really a toss-up as to how useful this book is for left-handed tatters (is that the word?) like us.

 

Wow, when I really examine it, it's stunning how often books don't even acknowledge that a person may crochet or tat left-handed. Oh, and as for crochet information it only shows left-handed for the very basics. Then it shows right-handed pictures for a few basic instructions. After that it's like the tatting section's reference section and just describes what you would do to make a certain stitch.

 

I didn't see any left-handed notations in the knitting section but I pretty much skimmed it so I might have missed something.

 

I'd still say it's a good book, one of my favorites actually. It has a lot of detailed instructions and stitch patterns, so as far as reference books go, it's really rather well done. If you think you might be interested in it and you have any used bookstores you like you should check them out. That's where I found mine and it was in new condition. The book has a picture of an embroidery hoop on the cover with the title printed on the fabric. It has a glossy cover and is spiral bound. The title's actually written on the spiral too but the word "stitchery" is written much larger than the other words; so from a distance it looks the book is called Stitchery and written by Ryan.

 

Now I'm reading the sections about bobbin lace, which looks horrifically complicated but so very pretty :)

I've only read about this book but you might want to keep an eye out for it in used bookstores anyways. I've had other Reader's Digest books and they tend to be so intensive that I suspect it could be really good.

 

What I particularly hate is when a book tells you to hold it up to a mirror--as if!

:lol I hate that too, especially since it tends to skew the image and then the words are completely unreadable.

 

Wow, I think this is getting kind of disorganized so I'd better close my message here. I've got a bit of a headache and they always leave me feeling kinda disoriented. If anything I wrote doesn't make sense just let me know and I'll try and clear it up.

 

 

Take care,

 

Holiday

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Stacey,

I haven't checked out the 2 books you mentioned, probably because I have had the Encyclopedia for decades. It has about everything in it that uses a hook or needle. I also cringed everytime I read the phrase about the mirror. Like you, I also enjoy good reference books. I tend to collect them rather than patterns.

:)Alosha

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That does sound like a good one--thanks for the description! It sounds good enough that I can forgive them for the mirror suggestion :lol I'd never heard of the RD crochet & lacemaking one, either--that sounds really interesting. Whenever I make it to the city I try to hit a couple of used bookstores, so I'll definitely keep an eye out for them.

 

Hmm... Just did a search and it looks like the Good Housekeeping one I have (the title on mine is Good Housekeeping New Complete Book of Needlecraft) isn't published anymore. Amazon lists a Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Needlecrafts but it looks like it's only about half as long as mine and looking at the table of contents they seem to have dropped a bunch of things (like tatting).

 

In case anyone's interested, I saw tons of used copies of the version I've got listed at Amazon (the listings look like a mix of the 1971 and 79 editions--mine's from 71, complete with some really disturbing dress patterns :P ) starting at a penny plus shipping - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0878510028/qid=1126048556/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-1250749-7650467?v=glance&s=books

And to think I paid $3 for mine! :lol (course I got it at a flea market and didn't have to pay shipping...)

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I got "The Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery" as a gift, probably around 1979. I saw an updated version a while back in hard cover. I like mine with the spiral binding since it lays flat when using it. Love used book stores, just got a Better Homes & Gardens book on rug making for $1.:)

Alosha

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Alosha,

 

Thank you for the link. I have a crochet rug that I've been working on off-and-on for awhile now that's really peaked my interest in crocheted (especially) rugs. It's in a leaflet called Easy Rugs, or something like that; the rug I'm crocheting has blue and white vertical stripes. I will definitely bookmark that link and delve deeper into learning about rugmaking after the New Year.

 

In a sleepy-eyed nutshell: thank you :).

 

 

Take care,

 

Holiday

 

 

Holiday;

I have a bookshelf that is all needlework & art reference books. The Enclyclopedia of Stitchery kind of gets lost because of it's size. Don't have any on-line photos (need a camera). If you are at all interested in rug making (including crochet) check out:

http://www.netw.com/~rafter4/

Alosha

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Thanks for the heads-up Stacey :). Let me know if you find the RD one, I'd love to read an in-depth review (assuming of course that you wouldn't mind).

 

 

Sweet dreams,

 

Holiday

 

That does sound like a good one--thanks for the description! It sounds good enough that I can forgive them for the mirror suggestion :lol I'd never heard of the RD crochet & lacemaking one, either--that sounds really interesting. Whenever I make it to the city I try to hit a couple of used bookstores, so I'll definitely keep an eye out for them.

 

Hmm... Just did a search and it looks like the Good Housekeeping one I have (the title on mine is Good Housekeeping New Complete Book of Needlecraft) isn't published anymore. Amazon lists a Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Needlecrafts but it looks like it's only about half as long as mine and looking at the table of contents they seem to have dropped a bunch of things (like tatting).

 

In case anyone's interested, I saw tons of used copies of the version I've got listed at Amazon (the listings look like a mix of the 1971 and 79 editions--mine's from 71, complete with some really disturbing dress patterns :P ) starting at a penny plus shipping - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0878510028/qid=1126048556/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-1250749-7650467?v=glance&s=books

And to think I paid $3 for mine! :lol (course I got it at a flea market and didn't have to pay shipping...)

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Holiday,

I'm working on an oval rug (crocheted) right now in 2 shades of blue & white. This is the time of year I start getting hints from family about what they'd like for Christmas & there are several requests for rugs.

:)Alosha

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*Smiles,* you must make lovely rugs, and wow, I know you must put a lot of work into them, that's so kind of you to make them for those you love. My family always hints for wraps to keep them warm and afghans. It's funny about the afghans though, the intended never actually gets to keep them. Somehow though, they do always get one, but it's sort of a pass-it-along thing at first. Someone else will say oh that's just so beautiful and playful-guilt and hinting causes the original intended to pass it over. Lol, and sometimes they just plain grow legs and wind-up upon another bed ;). It sounds strange or mean in writing but in reality--sorta one of those things you've just gotta be in on--it's really sweet and a reflection of closeness.

 

 

Take care and have a lovely night,

 

Holiday

 

Holiday,

I'm working on an oval rug (crocheted) right now in 2 shades of blue & white. This is the time of year I start getting hints from family about what they'd like for Christmas & there are several requests for rugs.

:)Alosha

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I know what you mean. One year I made an afghan for sil & she said her dtr kept trying to steal it. Of course then I made one for my niece & they ended up switching. Thought it was so funny. Have a nice evening:)

Alosha

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If I find a copy I'll definitely post a review of it!

 

I think I have that same Easy Rugs leaflet--the one you described sounds familiar. So far I've made the one that looks like a rectangle within a rectangle, keep meaning to make some more too. Great patterns in there.

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