TATTING : SUPPLIES / MATERIAL
HERE IS THE LIST OF FEW BASIC TATTING SUPPLIES
(These are enough for getting masters in Tatting though)
Tatting Thread Balls
Tatting Thread Untwisted
Embroidery Thread
Tatting & Embroidery Thread
As tatting is a thread craft, so let us first understand what kind of thread is best suited to your skill level. THREADS for tatting comes in a ball form, have different gauges (thickness) and are available in plenty of beautiful colours. These threads have multiple strands of yarn twisted together to form a strong thread, unlikely to embroidery or crochet threads, tatting threads are harder and do not untwist easily. These twisted threads give stiffness to the patterns and that’s a beauty of the tatted product.
Threads Thickness / Gauge
Most popular gauges are:
3 or 10: recommended for beginners, it is thicker & quite strong. So if you try to pull harder it won't break. It’s easy to see and understand the stitches and also it’s much easier with thicker threads to undo the mistakes. Errors do happen while learning and if we can rectify, then wastage of thread can be avoided.
20: thinner than 10, after little practice can switch to these. The product looks nicer. If you are familiar and experienced with other thread crafts, you can give a shot.
40: thinner than 20, not recommended for beginners, even if you have good experience with other thread crafts, tatting is different. So please give some time to your eyes, finger, and mind to understand and get familiar with the technique.
80-100: way too thin, need a lot of precision and knowledge of the craft to work with these. Mostly used by experts for making big projects. Products using these look elegant and beautiful. Depending on the purpose, the product needs to be starched (blocked).
Types of Threads
Types of threads:
Solid Colour - single colour, recommended for beginners. Easy to work with as the stitches are visible clearly.
Multicolour - a combination of two or more colours. Can be used by beginners after practicing with solid colours.
Metallic - stands (yarn) of cotton thread combined with metallic strand and twisted to form a thread to work with. Not recommended for beginners, as metallic thread makes it difficult to see the stitches clearly and if you make any mistake is hard to correct.
Tatting Shuttles
As discussed in the intro, tatting can be done by using different tools. In these lessons, we will concentrate more on Shuttle. SHUTTLE / TATTING SHUTTLE is a leaf-shaped small tool which comes in a variety of materials and designs. The 2 types which are readily available and I am also using are listed below.
HERE IS THE LIST OF FEW BASIC TATTING SUPPLIES
(These are enough for getting masters in Tatting though)
 |
| Tatting Thread Balls |
 |
| Tatting Thread Untwisted |
|
| Embroidery Thread |
 |
| Tatting & Embroidery Thread |
As tatting is a thread craft, so let us first understand what kind of thread is best suited to your skill level. THREADS for tatting comes in a ball form, have different gauges (thickness) and are available in plenty of beautiful colours. These threads have multiple strands of yarn twisted together to form a strong thread, unlikely to embroidery or crochet threads, tatting threads are harder and do not untwist easily. These twisted threads give stiffness to the patterns and that’s a beauty of the tatted product.
 |
| Threads Thickness / Gauge |
Most popular gauges are:
3 or 10: recommended for beginners, it is thicker & quite strong. So if you try to pull harder it won't break. It’s easy to see and understand the stitches and also it’s much easier with thicker threads to undo the mistakes. Errors do happen while learning and if we can rectify, then wastage of thread can be avoided.
20: thinner than 10, after little practice can switch to these. The product looks nicer. If you are familiar and experienced with other thread crafts, you can give a shot.
40: thinner than 20, not recommended for beginners, even if you have good experience with other thread crafts, tatting is different. So please give some time to your eyes, finger, and mind to understand and get familiar with the technique.
80-100: way too thin, need a lot of precision and knowledge of the craft to work with these. Mostly used by experts for making big projects. Products using these look elegant and beautiful. Depending on the purpose, the product needs to be starched (blocked).
 |
| Types of Threads |
Types of threads:
Solid Colour - single colour, recommended for beginners. Easy to work with as the stitches are visible clearly.
Multicolour - a combination of two or more colours. Can be used by beginners after practicing with solid colours.
Metallic - stands (yarn) of cotton thread combined with metallic strand and twisted to form a thread to work with. Not recommended for beginners, as metallic thread makes it difficult to see the stitches clearly and if you make any mistake is hard to correct.
 |
| Tatting Shuttles |
Post Shuttle
Post Shuttle - These shuttles have a fixed vertical post in between, which holds the thread. The most common design is with a pick on sides or no pick at all (pick is pointed end used as a hook). With these shuttles, a crochet hook is always required while working. Sometimes post shuttles are available with an inbuilt hook (like a crochet hook). The most popular material is plastic; it's cheaper as compared to other, lightweight and available in many pretty colours & prints. Metal and wooden shuttles are other variations and are a great choice to have one but are expensive and require more maintenance.
Post shuttles have an advantage over other shuttles; they hold more thread and are suitable for large projects as compared to bobbin shuttles.
I usually don't recommend this to beginners, because you have to work with two tools i.e. Tatting shuttle and the crochet hook. Tatting work involved both hands and in starting its difficult to free one hand for the crochet hook.
 |
| Post Shuttle |
Post Shuttle - These shuttles have a fixed vertical post in between, which holds the thread. The most common design is with a pick on sides or no pick at all (pick is pointed end used as a hook). With these shuttles, a crochet hook is always required while working. Sometimes post shuttles are available with an inbuilt hook (like a crochet hook). The most popular material is plastic; it's cheaper as compared to other, lightweight and available in many pretty colours & prints. Metal and wooden shuttles are other variations and are a great choice to have one but are expensive and require more maintenance.
Post shuttles have an advantage over other shuttles; they hold more thread and are suitable for large projects as compared to bobbin shuttles.
I usually don't recommend this to beginners, because you have to work with two tools i.e. Tatting shuttle and the crochet hook. Tatting work involved both hands and in starting its difficult to free one hand for the crochet hook.
Bobbin Shuttle with Hook
Bobbin Shuttle - These shuttles come with a detachable bobbin. Bobbin can be removed for thread filling and placed back in shuttle afterward.
These are readily available in a variety of colours, material, and design. Usually, they come with an inbuilt pick (small metal hook) which makes it handy, easy to use and suitable for beginners.
Metal Bobbin Shuttle with Pick
I recommend plastic or acrylic one to start with as they are cheap and mostly has an inbuilt hook. The metal shuttles do not have a proper hook (they have a small pick) so we need to keep a hold on crochet hook as well.
Plastic bobbin shuttles have a disadvantage over any other shuttle - they become loose after some time and bobbin start moving freely. This makes tatters to feel it’s a use and through kind of shuttle. But it's not true. I am using mine for quite a long time with a little adjustment.
 |
| Bobbin Shuttle with Hook |
Bobbin Shuttle - These shuttles come with a detachable bobbin. Bobbin can be removed for thread filling and placed back in shuttle afterward.
These are readily available in a variety of colours, material, and design. Usually, they come with an inbuilt pick (small metal hook) which makes it handy, easy to use and suitable for beginners.
 |
| Metal Bobbin Shuttle with Pick |
I recommend plastic or acrylic one to start with as they are cheap and mostly has an inbuilt hook. The metal shuttles do not have a proper hook (they have a small pick) so we need to keep a hold on crochet hook as well.
Plastic bobbin shuttles have a disadvantage over any other shuttle - they become loose after some time and bobbin start moving freely. This makes tatters to feel it’s a use and through kind of shuttle. But it's not true. I am using mine for quite a long time with a little adjustment.
Select you Shuttle Size
Size – Shuttles are available in various sizes and one can work with any. But as per my understanding, the comfortable tatting shuttle is the one which fits in your hand /palm.
DIY Picot Gauges
PICOT GAUGE - Small set of tools of different width use to make uniform picots. Can be bought ready made or make your own. Many materials like old cards, cardboard, ice-cream sticks etc. can be used as picot gauges.
Other Sseful Supplies
CROCHET HOOK - .6 mm - .85 mm these sizes are good to work with fine thread and beads.
PAIR OF SCISSORS - sharp scissors or even a thread cutter will do.
FABRIC GLUE - The one which gets transparent after drying and it stays after washing. It is required for fixing the loose ends and sometimes stiffening the product (otherwise, clear nail polish is a substitute).
BEADS – the requirement is as per the project. Any material and size can be used but the smallest should pass through the thread you want to work with. You can find beads in Plastic, Metal, wooden or glass (my favourite)
OTHER HANDY STUFF - paper clips, transparent tape, tweezers and 3 small pouches or box to organizing the supplies and finished motifs (correct and wrong).
GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS:
- To start with you will need 2 balls of size 10 or 3; it's great if they are in solid and contrasting colour. This will help you to see and understand the stitches clearly. Don't use too dark colour like Black or in similar tones. Use colours like - light blue - pink, red-green, yellow-orange etc. Even don't go for white they get dirty easily
- Bobbin shuttle, with a hook and 2 different colours (or design). In case you don't find 2 no need to worry, the same colour will also do, also for few starting lessons, we need only one shuttle.
Usually, we don't want to spend money on raw material at the time of learning. But please consider this as an advice, as I have experienced this already. Do spend a little amount on threads and shuttles theses are the most important or you can say a foundation for learning tatting, and if the foundation is not good the building will not stay longer. So do get nice thread, in starting you don't need many just 2 balls and that of solid colours, they are cheaper as compared to other variants. Plastic Bobbin shuttles with a hook are the cheapest one; you may find nice deals sometimes online or from your local craft stores. Can go for post shuttles also, but they become little tricky to start with.
It's true in starting we waste a lot of thread while practicing. But trust me I have plans to use those practice motifs, which I will keep sharing with you all.
Thanks, and Happy Shopping
CRAFTING LIVES
 |
| Select you Shuttle Size |
Size – Shuttles are available in various sizes and one can work with any. But as per my understanding, the comfortable tatting shuttle is the one which fits in your hand /palm.
 |
| DIY Picot Gauges |
PICOT GAUGE - Small set of tools of different width use to make uniform picots. Can be bought ready made or make your own. Many materials like old cards, cardboard, ice-cream sticks etc. can be used as picot gauges.
 |
| Other Sseful Supplies |
CROCHET HOOK - .6 mm - .85 mm these sizes are good to work with fine thread and beads.
PAIR OF SCISSORS - sharp scissors or even a thread cutter will do.
FABRIC GLUE - The one which gets transparent after drying and it stays after washing. It is required for fixing the loose ends and sometimes stiffening the product (otherwise, clear nail polish is a substitute).
BEADS – the requirement is as per the project. Any material and size can be used but the smallest should pass through the thread you want to work with. You can find beads in Plastic, Metal, wooden or glass (my favourite)
OTHER HANDY STUFF - paper clips, transparent tape, tweezers and 3 small pouches or box to organizing the supplies and finished motifs (correct and wrong).
GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS:
- To start with you will need 2 balls of size 10 or 3; it's great if they are in solid and contrasting colour. This will help you to see and understand the stitches clearly. Don't use too dark colour like Black or in similar tones. Use colours like - light blue - pink, red-green, yellow-orange etc. Even don't go for white they get dirty easily
- Bobbin shuttle, with a hook and 2 different colours (or design). In case you don't find 2 no need to worry, the same colour will also do, also for few starting lessons, we need only one shuttle.
It's true in starting we waste a lot of thread while practicing. But trust me I have plans to use those practice motifs, which I will keep sharing with you all.
Thanks, and Happy Shopping
CRAFTING LIVES
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