Why do you love to Tat?

[Autumn]

I have been only tatting for 6 weeks and I’m amazed on my passion for this craft. I didn’t see it coming or was I looking for something new. I am wondering why everyone else loves to tat. For myself I find that it is the challenge and doing something that everyone else isn’t doing. I love figuring out the patterns, they are like a puzzle for me.
Also each ring and chain gives me immediate gratification. In many crafts it isn’t the doing as much as the finished project, how many times have you started something and couldn’t wait to get it done because the doing it wasn’t that much fun? With Tatting I love just doing it! Plus the fact it doesn’t bother my hands as sewing does (with sewing I had to use a brace on my right hand) with tatting I can tat all day long. So I’m throwing it out to everyone “Why do you Love to Tat ?”

[PattyD]

What an interesting question and point of view!

I was 11 years old when I learned to tat. I learned from a little booklet Coats and Clarks called the "Learn How Book". I remember puzzling over the instructions for a long time. But I was fascinated and determined. I went to the local five and dime (Gilbert's as I recall) and found a metal shuttle with a bobbin. Then I went home and proceeded to try and try and try with size 80 thread, until I got it.

Now, I just love to make the thread dance in as many unusual ways as I can find.

[Ridgewoman]

I AM AN OXYMORA; while being a loner by nature; I'm also gregarious and like to meet people. When I am doing certain tasks; reading or listening to music, I'm so focused that I do not hear what is going on in the room. Tatting takes me to that same place; away from stress, away from 'shoulds' and towards a goal, enjoyment of seeing the lace fall from the shuttle(s). When I tat, I'm alone with my thoughts.
Tatting also takes me to an international world of different kinds of folks, from different cultures and backgrounds; yet we are tied together by a common thread ~ Tatting. Real friendships are woven into a tapestry that becomes our lives. We share joy, sorrow, victories and challenges; and, we really do care about one another. In what other art form does that occur? We are family. All of that constitutes why I love to Tat. Bev

[carolivy]

I have always loved thread craft and since I can no longer crochet due to arthritis I am glad I still have my tatting! I have been Needle Tatting for over 10 years now, I think. A neighbor lady of mine went to a class and then showed me how...I picked it up in 5 minutes. No kidding! But I have been crocheting and doing
Macramé since I was about 5, so I really "get" thread. lol For me, tatting is a way to relax. I do a LOT of design work on the computer (I design computer graphics and design handmade cards), so I need some relaxation that "takes me away" from the technology of today.

[chari]

hello everyone:
I was 17 years old when I start to tat. I like learning all craft I see, but my favourite is tatting. Even when I have no time to tat (because of the work, my family,..) I´m always thinking in what I would like make when I have time. When I´m tatting I don't think in problems, I only tat.

[RankkaApina]

I've always loved to knit and crochet. I tred tatting when I was about 12 (my aunt teached me) but I was impatient and I thought it was hard. But I still loved the way it looked. I got the craft bug in a big way few years ago and last year remembered that I used to try to do this. I found my old stuff and there was instructions in my craft book and I was amazed that it wasn't hard at all. After that I haven't been able to put my shuttle down. And it's so convenient since you can carry it everywhere. And after discovering InTatters, there's just no going back :)

[Artylady]

Simplistically I love tatting because it's so easy to pick up and put down, and soooooooooo portable.

[Autumn]

All you Tatters are so interesting. Did anyone pick up tatting from their Grandmother or Mother? In my hope chest I found two items that was tatted, but I don't know who was the tatter in my family, now it is to late to find out.

[Pat can tat]

Love the portability, fasinated by how simple rings and chains can become so many different things, bask in the fasination of others (feel like a big deal when I tell them the little I know), intriged that there are still things I can learn, enjoy that feeling of sinking deep into silence and absorbtion, watch the item grow and plan what I will do with it, feel the smooth hard threads, ponder what I will work on next! Like all the rest of us!

[tattrldy]

I learned to tat when I was 19. I tried to teach myself how out of a Coats and Clark "how to" booklet but wasn't making much progress. I mentioned to my grandmother what I was trying to learn and she said "oh, I know how to do that" and brought out her shuttle, which I did't know she had, and gave me about a 10 minute lesson. It took one more 10 minute lesson the next day or so and a lot of practice after that. Of course, some days I know I'm still practicing. And there are still a lot of techniques I haven't learned yet, so there is still more practicing in the future! I love the way the shuttle moves and the thread shapes itself as I tat. And it's neat to see people's reaction when I tat in public, it can be a great conversation starter.