TATTING
Tatting is a techneque for handcrafting a durable lace, by making a series of knots and loops. It can be used for edging, lacing, pictures, doilies, collars and cuffs, trim work, baby gifts, etc. Tatting dates back to the early 19th century, and is derivied from the french (frivolite).
Some people believe that tatting may have developed from fishing nets and decorative ropework as motifa, made by sailors and fishermen for gifts they made for girlfriends, wifes, mothers, etc left at home, because coxcoming shows a striking similarity to tatting.
Verious dictionaries define tatting as the making of lace with a shuttle or needle by knotting and/or looping, using common sewing thread usually cotton or linon.
There are several types of tatting, such as shuttle tatting, needle tatting and cro-tatting. Suttle tatting is made with a shuttle usually made of metal or ivory,( though wood, bone, an now days plastic are also used ) and is normally about 2 to 3 inches long, holding a spool for the thread and it usually has a hook on the end. To tatt the shuttle,hands, and thread are the only tools used.
Needle tatting looks simular to shuttle tatting but uses a tatting needle or doll needle instead of a shuttle. The thread used is slightly different in structure and is thicker and looser, because both needle and thread need to pass through the stitches.
Cor-tatting combines needle tatting with crochet and is considered much more difficult that either shuttle tatting or needle tatting and is most popular in Japan.
Tatting projects can be small items that can be completed in a short time, such as say a flower, butterfly, bug, rabbit, cross, heart, etc. which can be a very portable craft., carried in a purse, in a small bag or plastic baggie. As it is so portable it can be taken with you in the car while traveling, on a visit to the Doctor or Dentist. While waiting at the garage for car repair,or for a buss, train or plane. At work on a break , or at lunch etc. It is also a good conversation starter as people will come up to see what you are doing and ask questions or start talking about someone they know or remember doing it, usually a grandmother, mother, aunt etc.
Tatting patterns range from the very small items up to projects that can take months or even years to complete, such as table cloths, bed spreads, curtains just to name a few. They can be used as gifts, home decerations, to enhance gifts such as ties for ribbons, cloths and decorations for cloths like collors, cuffs and trim. Older pieces can be found in musems, art galeries, gift shops, and where collections are kept.
