Tiny tatting

[minitatter]

Hi all,

I have just posted a photo of some miniature doilies I made using 100 sewing thread (half the thickness of normal sewing thread). I put them in my album (Bev's Tatting) but it might show up under minitatter. I hope I've done it right - I'm not sure of what I'm doing with this interface yet LOL.

Bev from Melbourne

[gahorsley]

size 100!!??!?? iS that like tatting with a strand of your hair???? I can't even imagine thread that small. I struggle with size 80. I must say though, that over the Christmas holidays, I did complete a beautiful cross using 80 and it did turn out okay.

[carolivy]

I couldn't find your album. To make an album, go to your Profile and Albums and Add an Album.....at least that is how I think I remember making my first one...I now have 9 different ones now so I may be off on how to make your first one..lol

I have tatted with machine embroidery thread (100/2) and that was small enough.

[RandaGray]

:-0 100????!!!?!?!?!? That makes me dizzy just thinking about it... Wow...

[PattyD]

There's another tiny tatter! Yeah! I LOVE the teeny weenies. Unfortunately, you have not yet succeeded in creating an album. You may have successfully uploaded the pictures, but then you have put them in an album for the other members to see them.

Here is my album of mini tatting (http://www.intatters.com/album.php?albumid=678)

[delseylynne]

Wow - the whole idea of thread that small makes my head blow up.

[crazytatter]

I only just progressed to size 20. Have some size 80 in my stash but not even going there yet. how do you do size 100? do you use magnifying glasses?

[PattyD]

I don't usually wear any magnifiers when I am working the tiny thread, but sometimes when I am tired I do. Tatting is mostly by feel for me.

[minitatter]

No, it's not as fine as a human hair (but I had to compare it with some of mine just to check that!). I have a copy of Brenda Paternoster's "Threads for Lace" here and I looked up the difference between DMC 80 tatting cotton (I think that's what you are referring to) and the thread I'm using, DMC 80 is 30 wraps per cm and the 100 sewing thread is 54 wraps per cm, so it's roughly half the thickness of DMC 80.

Bev from Melbourne

[minitatter]

Thanks for your help Carolivy - I did try to upload photos last night but the system wouldn't let me - maybe because I am so new. Anyway it has let me do it now. They are in an album called "Bev's Tatting" but just in case you still can't find it here is the URL
http://www.intatters.com/album.php?albumid=705

I hope that works!

Bev from Melbourne

[minitatter]

I meant to add that the machine embroidery thread you tatted with is pretty fine - 100/2 is equivalent to a 50wt, or normal thickness sewing thread. I bet you could tat with the 100 wt if you really tried - it isn't that much harder to manage!

Bev from Melbourne

[minitatter]

Hi PattyD, I'm addicted to tiny tatting but most other tatters think I'm just nuts - I'm glad there is someone else out there who does it too! I had a look at your album - beautiful fine work - so neat too - it's gorgeous! What thread did you use? I think I have managed to show the photos in an album now but could someone please tell me if they still can't see the photos - they are both Jon Yusoff designs - Spring Blossom and Sweet Rose from her Snowflakes booklet. She makes such gorgeous designs - I'm in love with them!

Bev from Melbourne

[minitatter]

I don't usually use magnification either - I'm extremely myopic (short-sighted) so I actually take my glasses OFF for fine work. I tat by feel too, and I count the number of ds as I go, but I can also see them if I really try.

Bev from Melbourne

[PattyD]

The thread I used is size 100 glazed quilting cotton. It produces a very crisp finish and lovely DS. I also have size 80 glazed quilting cotton which is noticeably larger, but still quite fine.

[minitatter]

Hi PattyD,

The 100 quilting cotton you are using sounds about the same thickness as what I'm using, which is a thread designed for bobbin lace. How wonderful to meet a tatter who does what I do! Now I don't feel so alone LOL. Before I heard of your tatting, the only other person I know who has worked this fine is Mark Myers (Tatman).

I find in this scale that I prefer to use split rings where I can, that way I don't have to worry about sewing so many ends in - I hate sewing in ends at the best of times but when working with the fine thread it is really difficult. I have also tried doing split chains in this scale with limited success - it's very hard to judge the correct length of thread to leave when you extend then reverse tat back. I guess that's just practice though, but for the time being I'll stick to split rings where I can.

I'm starting to dabble a little in design too, because I find that most small motifs aren't suitable to be used for dollhouse doilies. When they are scaled down there is too much negative space if there are a lot of ds in the rings and chains.

Bev from Melbourne, who is off now to see if she can work out how to put a photo next to her name on this forum and get rid of the blank smiley face!

[PattyD]

Umm, sewing thread is a size 50, but it is 50/2, so twice as big as 100/2. Sewing thread is not a single ply, but 2.

[minitatter]

Hi PattyD,

Oops - I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that post - of course you are right about the thread weight you are using - it would be the same thickness as the one I'm using. My brain must have gone on one of it's temporary holidays LOL. I have CFS - I'm qualified to hide my own easter eggs, amongst other things.

If you get a chance, try using Presencia Finca Bollillos 100 - that's what I'm using at the moment. A lovely smooth cotton thread with a tight twist, rings are easy to close and you get a nice crisp finish. I think it's Spanish. I have also tatted with YLI 100 silk which is more difficult to deal with as it is slippery, also it isn't as tightly twisted so the picots tend to fray a little if you aren't very careful with it, but being silk makes it softer and more drapable. I have tried YLI 100 cotton, but it is sized or something and very stiff - maybe it's just tooo tightly twisted - the picots go to a point rather than bend unless you play around with them a lot, and I found the rings difficult to close because the thread kinks rather than curls if that makes any sense. Is the 80 thread you are referring to Madeira Cotona by any chance? I think it has now been renamed Madeira Tanne. I have some here but haven't tried tatting with it yet.

Bev from Melbourne, still rapping herself over the knuckles for not thinking straight!

[carolivy]

Your album works great Bev. Love your tiny tatting!
Like you, I am also extremely myopic and have to take my glasses off to do my close work. I also need reallllly good lighting.
I did a comparison tatting of all of the tiny threads that I own. You can see the photo here: http://www.intatters.com/album.php?albumid=503&attachmentid=5805 I tatted all these with a size 8 needle, but now have a size 9 needle available. I haven't tried tatting anything this fine yet with the shuttle. I've only been shuttle tatting for 4 months now though, so it will come.

[KJF16]

Thanks for your help Carolivy - I did try to upload photos last night but the system wouldn't let me - maybe because I am so new. Anyway it has let me do it now. They are in an album called "Bev's Tatting" but just in case you still can't find it here is the URL
http://www.intatters.com/album.php?albumid=705

I hope that works!

Bev from Melbourne

I'm really new to this, but those tiny little projects scare me. I'll stay with the bigger thread (for now - ;). I have to say they are gorgeous.

[minitatter]

Hi Carolivy,

Yes having the right eyesight really helps - when I was young I hated having to wear glasses, but now I've found a use for my strangely focused eyes I'm rather pleased they are this way! I had a look at your thread comparison - that's very interesting. I like the Mettler thread you were using - the colour change in the variegations is quite short, and it looks just like the real thing, only tiny. I came across another thread which might interest you too. It's a 50wt, but very smooth - it's actually a quilting cotton. It's called Signature and it's cotton machine quilting thread. It comes in plain white and variegated colours. I have used one of the variegated pastel colours to make miniature doilies with, I'll post a photo to my album in a moment. Also I've just finished Jon Yusoff's 'Spring Blossom' design from her Snowflakes booklet, so I'll pop a pic of that in too.

I can't needle tat, but I have been told that you can get the ds tighter if you shuttle tat than you can with the needle - something to do with having to get the needle through the stitches. You might find that your work is a bit smaller again if you worked it with a shuttle - it would be an interesting exercise.

[minitatter]

Kathleen, don't be scared of the finer threads - it's really just practice and eyesight - or magnification if you need it. You don't need a special shuttle - I just use a Clover - but you will need a very fine crochet hook to be able to get it into the centre of the smaller picots. In order to work this fine I spent a lot of time gradually using finer and finer threads. It's not something you can do all at once. What I did was to start with the thinnest thread I could manage, then when I was comfortable with that, I used a slightly thinner one. I continued to work my way down the scale until I was happy that I could make tatted doilies for dollhouses - that's what all these tiny pieces of work are intended to be. I have been tatting for about 2 years now, and I haven't done a lot in 'full size' - most of what I have done is miniature.

Bev in Melbourne

[carolivy]

Since I've only been shuttle tatting for 4 months, I think the fact that I am now tatting with size 40 thread with the shuttle is great. I do intend to work down to size 80 and maybe even smaller, but I have WIP's that I intend to finish before I start anything new....that is a struggle for me too! lol

[minitatter]

Hi Carolivy. I agree that you've made a wonderful start being able to go down to size 40 thread already, keep going because you'll get down to the tiny stuff in no time at that rate! WIPs - I have lots of those too, not just tatting but lots of different types of needlework. So I know how you feel. It's hard to stay disciplined and finish a project you already started when another one is calling you!

Bev from Melbourne

[carolivy]

Right now the WIP that I have gone back to working on is a knit raglan sweater I started for my mother several years ago. I fell a little over a year ago, messing up my shoulder, making me think it was going to become a UFO. It was the ladies here who helped me find other ways of knitting besides the thrown method that was the only method I knew at the time. Now I am knitting away without bothering my shoulder at all! Actually making measurable progress too.

[KJF16]

It's hard to stay disciplined and finish a project you already started when another one is calling you!

Bev from Melbourne

That is a problem for me! I admit it. My goal for 2011 is to finish projects I've begun. I've finished two so far. :emoji-E522:

[minitatter]

Sorry to hear about your fall - I hope your shoulder fully recovers. I'm glad you found a way to continue your sweater without doing more damage to it. One of my worst fears is losing the use of my hands etc - it would drive me nuts not being able to do my needlework - it's my sanity saver!

Bev from Melbourne

[minitatter]

Kathleen, you have the same disease as me I see LOL. I call myself a butterfly because I'm always flitting off to the next project and I'm afraid I often leave UFOs in my wake. Sometimes I go back to them, but not always! I'm a process worker you see - in other words what gives me a kick is enjoying the process of making something, rather than enjoying the finished product. That doesn't mean to say I don't feel a sense of achievement when I finish something, but it's secondary to the joy I get from making it. When it's finished I'm bored with it and want to start something new. I think I'm addicted to that zen feeling you get when you are creating something.

You are doing very well to have finished 2 projects already, so early in the year!

Bev from Melbourne

[carolivy]

Unfortunately my shoulder is as good as it is going to get now. It has now been over a year since I fell and I've been through 3 months of physio with no joy. Turns out that I basically messed up the nerves in my shoulder/neck at the bulging disc I have in my neck, not really shoulder damage and all the physio was actually causing more damage, not helping it. I just have to watch about raising my arm repetitively or throwing things. Other than that it isn't too bad. I will be going in for another series of epidural injections in my neck to help with the related pain. But like you, I live in horror of loosing my hands....or my eyes. Crafting and designing are my sanity savers as well.

[minitatter]

I'm so sorry the news about your shoulder isn't good - how awful for you that the physio caused more damage rather than fixing the problem. I agree about the eyesight being important too - I went through six months of optic neuritis a couple of years back which really scared me. The Drs couldn't do a thing for me and it was a case of wait and see if it would correct itself - all they did was ban me from driving. The pain wasn't the worst part - I lost the vision in my lower quadrant completely and the rest of what I could see was all fuzzy (I couldn't see properly even with my glasses on) and I lost the ability to see the red spectrum. Worst of all I couldn't see to do the fine work at all and had to resort to doing big things like beading with large beads I could feel rather than see to keep from going nuts. It was very frustrating, so I can understand how you feel about your shoulder injury.

I will keep hoping for you that your shoulder gets better. I had a shoulder injury for well over a year at one stage, I strained it painting decorative cornices in my house and I couldn't lift my arm above my shoulder at all. Eventually the pain eased because I learned to avoid the movements which aggravated the injury, and now it's fine as long as I don't overdo things again. I realise this is different to your injury but sometimes the body is able to repair itself over a period of time so don't give up hope.

Bev from Melbourne

[MercyPres]

Bev, love the photos of your work. I was myopic most of my life till about 3 years ago I started going the other way. These days instead of taking my glasses off to read and see my handwork I now put them on for bifocals and take them off to rest my eyes and see the TV. Weird!!!!

[Joy]

It worked O.K. and your mini's are really lovely.
Huggles
Joy

[minitatter]

Thanks for your kind words about my minis Joy - it's another obsession of course!