Tatting lace

Tatting is a lace formed by making knots on a running line. It's extremely pretty and can range from very simple patterns to ones which are extremely complicated. Pieces range in size from a couple of inches across to full size tablecloths or bedspreads. Beads can be incorporated and almost any type of yarn or thread can be utilised in the work, depending on the effect you want. Most people, however, will use some kind of crochet cotton or pearl cotton and may add other types as they progress and begin to experiment.

In order to tat you will need a shuttle or a specialist tatting needle, depending on how you want to learn, some size 10 crochet cotton (it is this size which is easiest to work with, a pair of embroidery scissors (the little ones) and a crochet hook. Additional accessories can include paper clips and a set of gauges for measuring the lengths of picots or bare threads between rings. These can be as simple as strips of card or plastic cut a few inches long and to specific widths. A set of 1/8 inch, 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch and 1 inch gauges will go a long way and you can make additional ones as required.