I have a confession to make. Not much of one really but it might prove interesting and useful to a few people. I've watched a lot of people tatting over the years and some tat the way I used to by going 'round the houses with their shuttles!!! Here is my story.
I learnt when I was 13 alongside my gran who was also learning. I certainly never met a tatting teacher as such so the pair of us just sort of 'worked it out' together.
When I was in my early thirties I did a few talks to WI's etc round the district. From this I had small groups for a while to teach in their own houses.
Sometime after this one of my 'students' pointed out to me that I was tatting 'wrong'!!!! Well, as you all know there's no such thing as 'wrong' but there are different ways that are faster. She showed me a page in one of my leaflets that I'd not bothered to look at - showing 'how to hold the shuttle'!!! It was quite an eye opener so I 'trained the brain' to 'slip and slide' the shuttle and thus re-taught myself how to tat!!!!
When I was in my early thirties I did a few talks to WI's etc round the district. From this I had small groups for a while to teach in their own houses.
Sometime after this one of my 'students' pointed out to me that I was tatting 'wrong'!!!! Well, as you all know there's no such thing as 'wrong' but there are different ways that are faster. She showed me a page in one of my leaflets that I'd not bothered to look at - showing 'how to hold the shuttle'!!! It was quite an eye opener so I 'trained the brain' to 'slip and slide' the shuttle and thus re-taught myself how to tat!!!!
It occurred to me the other day that I needed a new challenge in life. As you probably remember I bought a new mac and therefore had to learn a whole new drawing package. This is really, really easy to use but drawing hands did somewhat stretch me!!!!
I decided to draw up the 'slip and slide' way to tat which I will add to my web site tomorrow along with my 'new look' front page. Don't panic, Georgia, all links are the same as before!!!!
I hope it helps somebody somewhere to become a faster tatter. Maybe next time round we can have an Olympic tatting event?!? Below is just one of the drawings on the new page!!! No, the hands haven't been for a manicure and look a bit neglected - just like my real ones!!!!!
8 comments:
The drawing looks really good. I think all your diagrams are great. They are clear and easy to understand. For a long time I didn't know there were different ways to tat. I thought the way I was taught was the only way.
Then I started watching tutorials on youtube and saw a few different ways, but they looked more difficult than the way I was taught.
I think the method I use is the one you will be drawing up. Can't wait to see. Have a great day!
Wow! I am VERY impressed! Do you use a mouse or some sort of tablet with pen for your drawing program? I can't control the mouse well enough to draw like that. I'm sure your tutorial will help many "slip and slide."
:) Ann
Thanks Jane. I want to learn how to slip and slide, now that I have some of the basics down.
the term "slip and slide" conjured up my childhood memories of sliding down a long wet plastic sheet with a hose at the top to keep it flowing with water. Like this: http://www.wham-o.com/default.cfm?page=ViewProducts&Category=1
They have evolved into super styles. Ours was plain. Still had fun!!!
I like what you did with the drawing. You are really doing well with the Mac(of course!!! Macs are fun and easy!!! IMHO)
Your slip and slide method sounds like the way I tat. Very direct, not much thread and shuttle play. Just pass under and over and BOOM you have a double stitch. I thought that is how you tatted anyway! Guess I should have paid attention on how you tat when I tatted along with you. Hmmmm......
Like your drawings and agree your directions are always clear and right on. I learned split rings from one of your lessons. I taught myself tatting from pictures and relearned the slip and slide method after doing the hard way for 30 years. Thanks for all you do.
Great illustration, very clearly shows the first step!
I'm another one of those people who have been tatting "wrong" for years, LOL! I've been practicing doing it "right" in order to show my students, but when tatting for "real" I really am much more comfortable tatting "my way". I'm really very glad to know that there are several variations of how to hold the shuttle that do work.
I didn't know the way I tat is called "slip and slide". :-) The drawing looks great, as always. I can't draw even if my life depend on it! I proposed a challenge for myself too. I will elarn to tat as a lefty using my left hand for the shuttle. That would be fun, I think.
I was hoping you were going to show us the "slip and slide" method; I've been meaning to email you about this. I read on someone else's blog that you were teaching them this method and I have been interested since. I'm quite certain that I also tat the "wrong" way as I am pretty slow at it. I'll be waiting.
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