Perfect tatting – part 9.
Hello everyone! This is the ninth lesson in the series Perfect Tatting. You can read previous part here: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/perfect-tatting-part-8/
Also my articles will be accompanied by video tutorials. Simultaneously with the article I will add them to my YouTube channel.
Please write in the comments what subtleties you would like to know. Then it will be easier for me to make a lessons plan.
Also you can ask me questions in the comments, I’m ready to help!
In this article I describe several ways to tighten the rings. Two ways for the shuttle and two ways for the needle.
The first method for the shuttle
I won’t even describe this method, because all tatters use it (well, almost all, but more on that later). We just tighten the Ring. But if you look closely at the photo, you’ll see a small knot between the shuttle and ball threads after the Ring is formed.
Madhur Dadlani Method
A few years ago I saw a video of how a talented tatting master from India, Madhur Dadlani, does tatting. Oh, the speed of her work is absolutely amazing! At the same time, the precision and accuracy of the knots are beyond praise! I was delighted with this mastery. It is not for nothing that in India she is called the “Queen of Tatting”!
But I also noticed how she tightens the Rings. Of course, I tried to repeat this technique. This technique has been known for a long time and is called “posting the shuttle”. But I first saw it with Madhur. So let me call this method by her name!
Before tightening the Ring, pull the shuttle through the loop where the double stitches of the Ring are located.
Pay attention to the placement of the threads. This is perfect, isn’t it?
The first method for the needle
I will not describe this method either, because absolutely all tatters who use a needle use this method (or not all? Write to me in the comments, please). The only “imperfection” of this method is the need to tie knots after each element to fix the Rings and Chains. In principle, these nodes are not very noticeable. But I know about them…
Needle Tatting. The Method with Knot
I admit, I watched a lot of videos for the needle. But I didn’t see another way anywhere. It’s quite possible that I wasn’t diligent enough in my search. So I came up with my own way. You need to twist the loop where the double stitches of the ring are located BEFORE you pull the needle through it.
This method is especially convenient when you need to make two or more rings in a row. Of course, it is better to watch all these techniques on video. For ease of viewing, use the time code, which is indicated in the description under the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwr8fbbhMn0&list=PLmUVrN61lH3yT7k0vrL0PosljWkYTjM3a&index=9
Perfect Tatting – Part 9 is finished! Happy weekend!
I hope my previous blog posts will also be useful and interesting: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/blog/
As useful as Madhur’s advice is about posting shuttles, this technique was practised by tatters in the late 1990s. See here: https://craftree.com/forum/threadfs/544?page=1#9255.
Sorry, I couldn’t open your link, Judith! But I can assure you that Madhur was using this method long before the 1990s.
You’ll have to join Craftree, Elena. It’s an excellent source of tatting information. Judith (as you know) is a true expert and has a wealth of knowledge about our craft.
I will try to register on Craftree, Jane. I also really like the information on ABC. I constantly get a lot of useful information from there!
ABC? Can you give a link please for a nosy old woman – me!!!!
LOL! Ah, ladies never get old. They get “rare”!
I first saw this mentioned by Joelle Paulson, using an extra second- half stitch before closing the ring. I now do this automatically, because it means that the ring can be opened very easily if necessary. I spend most of my tatting time unpicking!
Doing the extra half stitch simply prevents the last stitch from locking when the ring is closed.
Thank you so much for commenting and sharing your experience, Maureen! Unfortunately, I had to delete part of the text. The description of this half-column was in the deleted part!
May I ask you to respectfully change the blog post so that it doesn’t read that Madhur is the person who came up with the technique? I see that you did say that she didn’t invent it but people will start calling it ‘her’ technique and then that will become it’s name!!! I don’t want to upset you but I do feel that there’s enough going on with calling techniques different names than their original ones that this will cause even more confusion. If you remove just the part between brackets (But I first saw it with Madhur. So let me call this method by her name! And one more subtlety from Madhur Dadlani) t would save a lot of future problems. I understand that English isn’t your first language and I admire you for how well you present your blog using English. Please don’t feel you have to publish this comment as I understand you may not want to. I’ll keep a copy of it before I send it. If you should need any help in the future please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thanks for your comment, Jane! Of course, I publish all comments on my blog (except for aggressive and profanity-laden ones). I am not sure that we can accurately name the author of any tatting technique. After all, this type of handicraft has existed for several hundred years. Moreover, it was only with the advent of the Internet that access to the “world heritage” of this art became possible. Before that, tatting developed completely independently and locally in different countries.
Yes, I wrote that this technique has existed for a long time, but I first saw it several years ago in a video by Madhur Dadlani. By the way, she told me that she was not the author of this method. Which I wrote about in the blog.
Alas, I do not understand what the problem is? Is it really all about the subtleties of translation? That is why I deleted part of the text from my article, as you wrote.
Although if I run my blog, I can set my own rules, right? And I can write whatever I want, if it does not violate copyright and ethics. I am sure that I have not violated these principles in any of my posts.
Thank you for your offer of help, Jane! Of course, I will contact you if I have any difficulties.
Of course you can have your own rules on your own blog. I do the same as I don’t like Facebook. The only reason I suggested making the alteration is because somebody may have read your blog a hundred years from now and then think it was dear Madhur who had ‘invented’ the posting of the shuttle. It was just a small change to the wording that was needed and probably just still needs something like ‘my personal name’ for this technique. You are right that we can’t always name the person who invented techniques although sometimes we can. They are not copyrightable anyway. Keep tatting and enjoying our craft. I hope like me you manage 68 years of tatting.
Oh, Jane! You’ve painted such a long-term picture for me, ha! I’m not sure anyone will be visiting my site in many years.
And yes, I can’t boast of 68 years of tatting practice, I’m still too “young for that”! I’m only 62, LOL!
You may be a young lady at the age of 62 but if you started tatting like me when you were 13 then you could easily do 68 years!!!! ABC? Is that a blog?
At 13, I had no idea about tatting. I knitted, crocheted, embroidered and sewed dresses for my dolls.
Yes, this is the site: https://abctattingpatterns.com/
Thanks, Elena. I remember seeing that site some years ago. It seems to be abandoned now.
I’m not sure if they make additions there. But all the old information is very useful. Especially for “non-English” tatters.
Thank you very much for your work, to help us beginners….. As you know I only can do needle tatting so these are very helpful…….. again thank you and glory to Ukraine…….
Sharing my knowledge and experience is the least I can do to repay the help and support of my tatting friends! Thank you so much, Kenneth, for your big heart! I’m glad my articles and videos are helpful and interesting.