determining tatting needle size

[judijo]

First of all, I want to thank all of you for being here to help this newbie. I have graduated from making chains (for chokers or bracelets) to small coasters. Yay. To think only a couple months ago I could not figure out how to close a ring! Needle tatting, IMO, is much forgiving than shuttle tatting and is better for my ADD personality. ;) I keep up with the discussion threads here via twitter links from @intatterscraft.

I have not forgotten my promise to make a video of closing a ring. It is in my list of things to do. when it happens, I will put the youtube link here.

Now my question:
I want to get another needle to have a project going on at work and one at home. When I first started I ordered a set of 6 needles from Ebay. I find I like working with "10" size/weight thread. I have tried 20 and it is too small, and 5 looks/feels too bulky for me.

Which needle size is best for 10 weight thread?

Thanks again.

Judijo. :)

[TotusMel]

I use a size 5 needle for size 10 thread, but a general rule I've heard is the smallest needle that you can thread the...well thread onto is best. Use whatever needle you're most comfortable & gives you the results you like really.

[Tammy]

The way I was told to decide needle size was to lay the thread along the length of the needle and compare the size between the two. You need a needle that is the same size or just a tiny bit larger than your thread thickness, never a smaller diameter needle as this will not allow the thread to pass through the "tunnel" the needle leaves in the stitches.

[laffertyct]

Question:

I've been tatting for 10 yrs or so now and I *still* don't know how to tell which needle is which! I see all of these patterns calling for, say, a size 5 needle. They aren't exactly marked, or color coded (at least MINE aren't!). So how the heck do I tell which needle is which??? I've just been guessing all these years!:flowers:

[themadtatter]

Needles come in sizes from largest to smallest: 3, 5, 7, 8.
I started out with a size 3 with size 10 thread when I was a newbie. I felt the thicker needle helped me get more comfortable with tatting and slowly I graduated to the smaller sizes. My favorite to work with now is size 40 thread and a #7 needle. I have worked with a size 8 with 80 thread but as you can see from my album, I still need alot of practice.
I am not sure if there are other needle sizes in between, these are the only ones I know of from HH which I got from my local craft store.

[carolivy]

The size 3 needle is about the diameter of most Darning Needles and is very firm with only a bit of flex to it. The size 5 needle is the next size smaller and has a bit more flex. The size 7 is just a bit thicker than the lead to a Mechanical Pencil and is much more flexible. The size 8 is about the same size as a Mechanical Pencil Lead and is the most flexible of all of the needles. Hope that helps you in figuring the sizes of your needles.

[rain]

ok time to get my book out lol.... According to Handy hands ... Needle #8 is the smallest and its for Tread Size 100, tatting thread 80,70 Crochet Thread 60,50. (its also the thinest needle) Size 7 is for Crochet thread 50,40,30,20 Pearl Cotten 12, 8 and DMC Metallic Thread (and when Compared to the size 8 its just a tad bigger this is also the one I just with size 20 thread I just prefer using it for some reason) Size 5 is for Chrochet Thread 20, 10 Pearl cotton 8,5 and Bedspread weight (whatever that is...) And When you compare it to the other 2 smaller ones and the #3 its the second biggest. Then there is the last one size 3 which is the biggest one and is for DMC cebelia size 5 Pearl cotton 3 and smaller sport weight yarn...... then there are yarn needles for tatting but I guess thats a different story all together. Since your using 10 I would think size 5 is the one your looking for. Oh and all this is from the Learn Needle Tatting step-by-step from Barbara Foster ( I got it to teach my daughter but its still helpful for me!!)

[carolivy]

...Bedspread weight (whatever that is...)

Bedspread weight Cotton is actually about the same size as size 10 Crochet Cotton but it comes in Skeins, rather than in balls.

[laffertyct]

Thank you all VERY much for the help! I am now pretty confident that I can pick the correct needle for the threads I use - I appreciate all the feedback!

[rain]

Bedspread weight Cotton is actually about the same size as size 10 Crochet Cotton but it comes in Skeins, rather than in balls.

Thanks!!! I really was wondering what it was. You learn something new each day your on this board!

[BlueDode]

To determine the size of a tatting needle:
...there's a picot gauge (black, with gold letterning) sold by Handy Hands and Lacis, and probably others, that has holes on it so you can determine size.

Normally what I do if I want a particular sized tatting needle is to compare them all, arrange them in order, and since I know what sizes I have, I can tell which is which.

I also use the rule of thumb Totusmel uses: I use the smallest sized needle I can thread, sometimes splitting the thread into plies and threading one at a time.

[xstchntat]

Lacis actually has a size 9 needle that I use with size 100 thread. They sent a needle threader with it and it is a bit tricky to thread but the projects I did with it were awesome. I have also used a size 10 beading needle with some of my vintage 70/80 threads that turned out great as well. I just used my emery board meant for fingernails and filed off the sharp point. I used a size 8 for my Lizbeth 20 and other larger threads and a 7 with size 10 thread. Use the needle you are most comfortable with and can thread onto your needle. (My grandma taught me to use a smaller needle than callled for and she also taught me true rings and no slt so my needle tattling usually isn't much different than my shuttle tatting is turning out. She shuttle tatted until her arthritis got too bad and figured out needle tatting on her own to keep going. I didn't inherit any of her finished work but did get her shuttles, needles and her thread.)

[themadtatter]

Bedspread weight Cotton is actually about the same size as size 10 Crochet Cotton but it comes in Skeins, rather than in balls.

OMG That was a question I have always wanted to know, but was too afraid to ask! LOL! Thanks

[rain]

Lacis actually has a size 9 needle that I use with size 100 thread. They sent a needle threader with it and it is a bit tricky to thread but the projects I did with it were awesome. I have also used a size 10 beading needle with some of my vintage 70/80 threads that turned out great as well. I just used my emery board meant for fingernails and filed off the sharp point. I used a size 8 for my Lizbeth 20 and other larger threads and a 7 with size 10 thread. Use the needle you are most comfortable with and can thread onto your needle. (My grandma taught me to use a smaller needle than callled for and she also taught me true rings and no slt so my needle tattling usually isn't much different than my shuttle tatting is turning out. She shuttle tatted until her arthritis got too bad and figured out needle tatting on her own to keep going. I didn't inherit any of her finished work but did get her shuttles, needles and her thread.)

what is slt? shoe lace tie? I just read somewhere that thats what needle tatters are supposed to do after each ring .... but I never did it lol I usually dont do a "true" ring but Im trying to figure it out now since I have a pattern that I did with shuttles but cant for the life of me figure out how to do it with needles. I am a beginner shuttle tatter and working with needles just seems so much faster to me.

[xstchntat]

yes it is shoe lace tie or shoe lace trick. It really isn't that hard to do true rings with a needle, just how you start the thread. Some where there is a link to doing true rings I saw. I wll see if I can find it.

[xstchntat]

This link is the closest to the way my grandma did it:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~TammyRodgers/rhtech.html
The last pic shows the true rings with a ball thread for making true rings and chains. Hope this helps.

[themadtatter]

This link is the closest to the way my grandma did it:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~TammyRodgers/rhtech.html
The last pic shows the true rings with a ball thread for making true rings and chains. Hope this helps.

Well I think you may have saved my sanity! You can ask my husband or my poor children how many times mom pulls a ring out, shakes her fist at the project/ball and screams "Use the RING THREAD dummy!!!"
They usually laugh at me when I do that........
I swear I grow a grey hair every time I make that mistake! (Picture in the album coming soon and why you will laugh at that joke!)
Now I can just close the ring using this method! Woo Hooo!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!

[Green Gal]

I just use the least bent needle :tongue:

[PattyD]

Dear TheMadTatter,

I have to laugh about you being afraid to ask a question about what size bedspread cotton is. Nothing in the textile world is consistent, rational and sometimes not even convertible. Textiles are very, very old so everybody, in every language has a jillion things to call the same physical object. If you've never heard a textile fact before, the odds are that the first answer will help and any subsequent answers will bring enlightenment. By all means, get lit!

[crazytatter]

ditto that. I learn much of the lingo here.