Kathy asked how I teach others to tat and I realized maybe some others would like to know too. So, here's what I do. It certainly isn't the only way and maybe not the best but it works for me.
This is NOT how I learned which was doing a ring and it was hard! It's a miracle I kept going.
I learned about the two-color chain via the internet when I first discovered tatting on the web, and thought it was inspired and very rarely does it fail. Once they see how it works, the transfer of which thread is looped around which, I will "be" the left hand so that the student does the work of the right while I do the left. We do that for about 15 times and then we switch and I do the right. It always surprises them at how hard I pull (which isn't really hard) and then they get the "flip" feeling. After about 15 more times, then I let them do be both hands. Once they're comfortable with that, then we start doing the second half of the stitch and making "pi" symbols.
Here are some pictures of Monday's "tatting club".
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| Miriam is left-handed- boy did that give me pause! |
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| Alexis was the first to really get it. |
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| Annika is a super-tatter and rapidly used up all the thread on her shuttle and the bobbin! |
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| Ali's grandma heard we were tatting and asked if she could come to learn too! |
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| Ali crochets too and quickly was ready for rings and joins |
So, I just had a goofy idea. How would you, the greater tatting community, like to encourage these girls? Would you be willing to send them a little motif- there are currently five with potentially 3 more who might join us if they hear about this. If you're interested, maybe you want to make a motif or maybe you have some little things lying around, contact me and I'll send you the names and my address.
This could be fun!
