Pros & Cons of Needle & Shuttle Tatting

My biggest struggle with tatting was getting my picots uniform.  Well I had some input from experienced tatters at the forum about cutting strips of paper and using this.  Well I just did not see how that would work and be very tedious.  I was searching YouTube and stumbled across this video which shows you how a strip of paper, probably should say stock paper, something thick and and stable.  Of course after I watched, had one of those Ahhh Haaaa moments.  LOL
Video Here!

As promised here are my pros & cons of needle & shuttle tatting.  Remember this is from my own experience.

Needle Tatting Pros

• The way the thread is held mimics the way I hold for crocheting which makes it easier and faster to put my stitches on the needle.
• I can actually see how many stitches are on the needle.
• I find hiding the ends are much easier.

Needle Tatting Cons

• Working with a tail is very tedious and I spent more time untwisting the thread.
• I am not very good at guessing how much I need for a project and could mean a lot more joins for larger projects
• Once the stitches are off the needle, it is almost impossible to unpick the stitches if an error is made.

Shuttle Tatting Pros

• You can wind more on a shuttle and not have to worry about working with a tail.
• I find that my finished work lays flatter then my needle tatting work, not sure if this has something to do with the Shoe Lace Knot that is done after each ring or chain in needle tatting, and also something I may not be doing correctly.
• Shuttles come in different sizes and I like the smaller ones.
• Picking out wrong stitches are easier.

Shuttle Tatting Cons

• I think for me was how you hold thread.  I felt awkward with the traditional way (pinching thread between thumb and pointer finger), but received some advice of holding thread between my thumb and index finger.  Which has helped and I think with more practice I can actually enjoy shuttle tatting more.
• I find it hard to be able to see the stitches I have made, but once again with practice that will come.

So I have come to a conclusion.  I prefer shuttle tatting over needle tatting.  Yea I know, I was all for needle tatting and I think for smaller projects I will use needle tatting.  But over all using the shuttle will be my method.  I really do encourage everyone to learn both methods.

Wanted to show you my shuttles.  Nothing fancy, as they all came from Hobby Lobby.  I got the large red one first, then the white one with the bobbin, then the green & orange one with out bobbins.  I like the last ones better.  I can wind more thread on those then the bobbin and they are small.
I am working on making my daughter a lanyard for her keys.  Pretty simple design that will be repeated on the other side too and joined to top picots.

 

I meant to publish this yesterday and just lost track.  On Thursday I meet a few ladies at Books A Million for our weekly knit/crochet meeting.

Feel free to leave comments.

We are still here....

Just a little wind blown.  We are expected to get rain tonight and tomorrow with more wind.  Have had a few branches break, but as long as they are not on my lines, I am a happy camper.  :)
Daughter did not have school today.  Only thing we got was wind and even that was not too bad.  They will be off tomorrow since they expect rain and more wind.  Possible that the roads will be flooded.  Will give a holler tomorrow evening and let you know how it went.

I managed to finish my bookmark that I had started with my shuttle.  Did pretty good.  I did run out of shuttle thread and had to do a join.  I think that came out okay too.  I just need to find a good tutorial on how to hide my ends.  I was having a hard time getting my picots to come out like they where suppose too.  Can not tell that there are suppose to be two different sizes.  LOL  Oh it is same pattern as the other one I did with the needle.  You know the one with the big ole boo boo.

 

Well did some searching and found a great way to get them uniform in size.  I will share that secret with you tomorrow along with some pros & cons of shuttle & needle tatting from my personal experience with both.  

Another Big Ole Boo Boo!

Was working on my needle tatting last night.  Working on  a snowflake.  Pattern here.  I was having a hard time trying to keep everything straight (pattern and the thread:OMG! the thread twisted so much, much more then Isaac...LOL) and to make sure I was joining to the correct picot.  I was on the 2nd half and was about to finish up 3rd part of 6 parts when I forgot to hold thread to make a ring and it dissappeared and was never saw again.  If I had more tatting under the belt, I could of salvaged, I think.  But what was made is never going to see the end.  I did get picture before I took apart to salvage the beads. I was hoping to finish even with some small boo boos and other ooppsy, but guess will chalk that piece up to practice.  So I decided to finish bookmark with shuttle that was tossed aside when needles came in.  Almost there.  I have found new way to hold thread that makes shuttle tatting a little easier on me. 
Okay here is picture and please try not to laugh too hard.  :)

Well  looks like Isaac will not bother us TOO much.  Depending on which way it goes once it hits land, will depend on how much rain and wind we will get.  Today is nice and windy but I think tomorrow will be a tad bit windier then today.  Will keep yall informed.

Drop a comment and let me know you stopped by.  Thanks!

Tropical Storm Isaac

The green lines show where they predict Isaac will make land fall but not certain.  Those green lines have been moving West ever since the depression was named and they where tracking it.  Started out in the panhandle.  Before I went to bed last night land fall was still for Mississippi.  Hope the picture is not too dang small.  The red star is where my oldest daughter lives with her husband and son (my handsome grandson  :).  Then a little more west is Lake Charles.  Where I reside with my husband and youngest (16 w/ learners permit) daughter and my 2 furbabies (boxers).  So today is run around day.  With Isaac slowing down and still moving more West then North, need to try and stock up on things and get some errands done.

We where blessed to find a car over the weeknd for my youngest daughter.  So she has bought her 1st car (98 Toyota Camry).  It is in being put in husband's name (which I have to do today, just in case we need to run) untill she graduates.  Need to pick up some water and maybe some large gas cans and gas for generator (just in case).  I really wanted to sit here and work on my snowflake with beads added and finish it up.  I have just 4 more spokes to finish.  I think it will turn out pretty. 

Please pray that God will protect me and my family and that Isaac causes no real damage. 

Such a rainy day

It has been raining all day off and on.  A good day to stay in and do some tatting.  That is right my crochet friends, I really do think I have my new passion.  I received my needles and have been playing around.  I do not want to give up on shuttle tatting.  I think I would enjoy if I could just find my way of holding the dang thread to suit my needs.  With the needle I can basically hold the thread like I would with crochet, so things flow much better.  Decided today was the day to make something useful.  :)  So decided on a bookmark.  It is called Tatted Bookmark designed by Sandy Baker.  Spent half of the day working on it and finished.  There is a big ole boo boo but I pressed on determined to finish.  Someone suggested to tat a flower or butterfly and place on top.  A great idea!  So after I find a pretty one I really like, will do that.  Ok enough babbling here is the picture.

Shuttle Tatting Tips I have learned........

I decided at first that I wanted to learn how to tat with a needle.  Well my order is taking FOREVER to get here and I am getting IMPATIENT waitting.  Soooooo I thought okay why not learn how to shuttle tat, since I can get one at the local Hobby Lobby.  So I did.  No book just the internet and youtube.  Well what most websites and videos forget to tell you is that....

When a pattern calls for 1 shuttle and the pattern calls for rings and chains do not cut thread, leave it attached to the ball.  If the pattern is all rings, then you can cut the thread.  Received that great tip from The Tatting Forums.  Really nice people there willing to help when needed.

Ok now for the most important tip.  Flipping.  This was the hardest to figure out as to what they where talking about.  I just so happen to come across a website with large pictures and then it hit me.  OH OKAY that is what they are talking about.  I did come across a great youtube video that really shows you what FLIPPING is all about.

I hope this information helps and keeps you from pulling out your hair and banging your head against the wall.  I do have a little left.  :)

Oh almost forgot to tell you.  At Hobby Lobby they had a few shuttles to select from.  I picked up the Starlit Shuttle.  I find it rather big and wished I had picked up the smaller metal one.

Happy Tatting!

More tatting practice.........

Decided to do some more practice but went with a Tatted Ring for finger pattern.  Of course I am not using correct thread and needle size but I wanted to try a test run.  I did 1/2 of the ring pattern.  I am not sure if the incorrect thread and needle combo is what is making my picot become larger after I join.  I included the DOLL needle I am practicing with.  It is way to thick for thread I am using and the eye does make it a little hard to remove from needle.

I am venturing out.....

I have been wanting to learn how to needle tat.  So I started watching some videos and looking at patterns.  Decided it was time to order some needles and jump right in.  Well still waitting on needles since Hobby Lobby(had spot for it but was empty), Michael's or Hancock did not carry them.  Found a doll needle at Hancock, not sure what size it is and figured I could practice with that till my needles arrive sometime next week.  :( 
Anyhoo, I used this website for her simple flower pendant.  I did watch some videos on youtube on how to do the stitches and make a ring and how to make a chain.  I need to work on tension and really how to read the patterns.  What do you think?

Well can you believe it.........

Here we are half way threw Aug.  Only 4 months left before Christmas.  Where does the time go??
School has started here and so I have plenty of me time here, even tho my youngest is 16 and is self suffient.  There is no music, tv or PS3 making noise.  :)
Been working on getting my 3-D Snowflake finished.  Just took week and half to do.  Not that it is hard to do, just procastinated.  I used a pattern from Snowcatcher.net and made 3 of them and then followed direction from aboutgoodness.com.  I am pretty please with the turn out.  Still needs some tweaking and working on getting it straight.  I love the color and think I should try pink next.  Would love to get a few more done for Christmas gifts. 
What do you think?

Been a while..........

Well not much going on here.  Weather has been hot and more HOT!  Have a few things on the hooks but decided to take break and make some more snowflakes.  I want to attempt a 3-D Snowflake and decided to go with Pikes Peek from Snowcatcher.net.  She has some really pretty free snowflake patterns.

So what have you been up too??