Needle Tatting

Needle tatting on needle has proven very popular because of its ease of formation.

Each half-stich is generally made by looping the ball thread around the index finger or thumb, and then placing the loop so formed over the free end of the needle. Picots, as in shuttle tatting, are measured spaces between two double stiches. A picot join is made directly onto the needle by simply lifting a loop of thread through the adjacent picot. Almost every pattern for shuttle tatting can be replicated by tatting on needle. //References: Judith Connors “Creative Tatting”//

Needles

These range in size from #0 to #9 (thickest to finest), and threads/yarns are matched accordingly.

//My tatting needles//

• Needle #7-Fine (smallest) is suitable for Sizes 70 and 80 tatting thread, Sizes 20-60 crochet cotton, Sizes 8 and 12 pearl cotton, and DMC metallic thread.
• Needle #5-0 (medium) is suitable for Sizes 10 and 20 crochet thread, Sizes 5 and 8 pearl cotton, and bedspread weight threads.
• Needle #3-0 (largest) is suitable for Size 5 DMC Cebelia, Size 3 pearl cotton and smaller sport weight yarns   ///References: www.hhtatting.com///

The best way to find the right size of a needle is to match the needle size to thread size.

My remark

Advantages: 

•  much simpler to learn than shuttle tatting and easier than cro-tat (there is no worry about loosing your thread using this method as it is threaded through eye of the needle) 
•  faster to work than shuttle tatting 
•  you can use soft type of threads (not recommend in shuttle tatting) 
•  Josephine chain comes out very nice and it’s easier way to do it 

Disadvantages: 

•  Needle Tatting is slightly looser in appearance than shuttle tatting or cro-tatting
•  the needle used must match the thickness of the thread chosen for the project 
•  working with very fine thread is hard because needle bending 
•  you have to remember to leave enough tail (thread which is fed through to hold the stitches) 
•  I find it tangles a little 
•  the stiches of needle tatting unravel easily only before you close a ring

Needle tatting is more appropriate for work with yarns and bulky threads. Soft threads also work for needle tatting.

 For any question please contact me by email at artagnese@gmail.com
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