Several years ago I bought My First Tatting Kit in Colonial Williamsburg. My first attempt wth it was a fail, so I put it on the shelf.
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| Acually, this particular butterfly was made with the thread my friend Karen gave me. |
A year later, I gave it another try with the same result.
About this time, I remember someone saying that the definition of stupidity is repeating the same action and expecting a different outcome each time.
Fortunately, on my third attempt, perhaps a year later, I "got it." I finally understand what the instructions said and how to make the thread work.
I made the double stitch and some picots, a closed ring, and I thought, "gee, now I can tat."
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| Right now, all the tatting stuff fits in this one bag. You know that I will get more and quickly outgrow the one bag! |
Anyway, I managed to do a simple butterfly and used it to decorate my cell phone. I sent one to a friend who has much more tatting experience than me.
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| The left is an abandoned attempt at a doily. On the right, and still attached to the shuttles, is the doily in progress. I've made it a bit farther than my first attempt. |
I thought she might tell me, oh that's nice, or something like that. Instead, Karen gave me a tote bag with some real tatting tools. Real tatting thread which made the cotton crochet thread I was using feel like cheap acrylic compared to hand spun wool.
Oh what a joy!
Suddenly, I have a new addiction, a new version of crack. I want more tatting thread, more shuttles! And wouldn't you know it, I don't know it all yet. I can't stand that!
I know I am still a novice tatter, a baby when it comes to it. Large motifs scare me.
But I know that with practice I can master the techniques and create something nice. Just as I learned with my knitting to make socks, I will do the same with tatting. I doubt if I'll tat socks. (Notice that statement does not take it completely off the table. I am crazy enough to at least contemplate the tatting of socks.)
Be sure to check out my friend Karen's blog Ambitatterous. There's a link to it on the right.
