Tatting Exile and Needle By Choice

I have mentioned before that I was once in tatting exile. I figured I'd best explain what happened before I go any further with this blog. My fear is that I will get to some point where people get confused about my reference and I will have to backtrack in order to explain myself. So here it goes.

 It is a great thing to know how to tat. I believe it is a basic skill that all children should be taught. I put it up there with learning how to cook and learning how not to turn all your whites pink in the wash.

But when you mention the word tatting, most people will assume the shuttle rather then the needle. This is understandable. The average person is more familiar with the image of their grandmother tatting with a small shuttle, moving their hands quickly around string and the magic of seeing lace appear out of thin air.

I was first introduced to tatting from my local lace making group. I joined with my bobbin lace and became fascinated with the shuttle tatting being done by some of the ladies in the group. Tatting was far more portable then bobbin lace and (at least to me), way cooler looking then knitting and crochet. I wanted to make delicate little doilies that looked as if they were made from a spider's web.

There was plenty of ladies eager to induct me into their tatting ranks. I was a patient student and tried my best to follow instructions. Over two weeks of hands-on instruction, Youtube videos and books, this is what I was able to create:

I've seen my cat drag in better looking stuff then this. 

Frustration and hand cramps left me disappointing and sore. Our group took a break over the summer during which I was suppose to continue practicing my shuttle tatting.  I went to my local Hobby Lobby to buy more thread to practice with and discovered a book called Learn Needle Tatting Step-by-Step.

The Holy Grail of needle tatting

 It came with a couple of tatting needles. I purchased it along with some thread, figuring it would be just as hard as shuttle tatting. This is what I managed to create in one afternoon:

All needle tatted in one afternoon. The white piece was the very first one.

Needle tatting felt like second nature to my hands, like I always knew how to do it. I was so proud of myself! I was tatting and it felt good.

When the lace group returned its break, I came in with my tatting ready to show off my great achievement. But instead of cheers of congratulations I was met with objection. "That's not real tatting". "It's nice, but it would look better if it was shuttle tatted." ( I know that the ladies only said this jokingly and meant no real harm in their response to my work. So, I hold nothing against them.)

We were starting work on the I.O.L.I Proficiency Program and I was kindly reminded that I wouldn't be able to officially enter my work into the Tatting program because all the work was to be done with a shuttle. So unless I learned shuttle tatting, I would not be able to complete the program.

I spent my time during the meetings trying to shuttle tat, but at home in secret I would continue my needle tatting. I even entered a few of my pieces in the local state fair and won some ribbons. But even those ribbons were tainted with the words, "Nice work Michelle. Very lovely. But you know I judge shuttle tatting, so I had to judge your work based on those standards."

Eventually, the pressure got to me and in a PMS fit I just took all my tatting along with shuttles and needles, and tossed it all in a box. I couldn't shuttle tat and I was feeling as if my needle tatting, despite how good it looked, wasn't being seen as 'real' tatting. I gave up and sentenced myself to what would turn out to be a year of tatting exile.

It wasn't until our family relocated to our current duty station, (did I mention I'm married to a sailor?), and I started unpacking boxes that I found my tatting supplies and decided to try again. The shuttle still felt unnatural, but with the needle, it felt like a breeze. So, without showing anyone, I started tatting again. Enjoying my little creations and feeling the fun of making lace out of thin air.

I finally decided that I was tired of being the lone needle tatter. I went online to find my tribe and discovered a whole wealth of people and information that I swear wasn't there there a year ago. (Maybe it was, but it just never occurred to me to check.) I found videos made for and by other needle tatters. I read stories from others with similar experiences and realized that needle tatting is not the ugly step child of shuttle tatting. It's just simply another way of tatting. A different method that achieves the same results.

So this is how I became a needle tatter and why I am  why I am proud to call myself a needle tatter by choice.  I admire the work of all tatters, regardless if their lace is made by shuttle, needle or hook.