What is Tatting?

      The short answer to today's question is hand made lace. But for myself and many other passionate tatters it is so much more! In her book, “Tatting Collage", Lindsay Rogers gives us a look into the history behind this art form. Her chapter "A Brief History of Tatting," tells her personal history with lace making as well as delving into the history behind this fascinating technique. Lindsay tells us " The origins of tatting are none too clear." but it seems to have "evolved from knotting, an ancient means of making decorations for clothes…The word ‘tatting’, however, did not appear in print until the mid-nineteenth century.” While Lindsay’s explanation is not one hundred percent able to clarify what tatting is, it gives us a glance into the age of this art form. She also mentions that “knotting dates back to medieval times”. There are portraits of royalty and women at court holding what looks like tatted material and either a shuttle or other tool for lace making. 

      While tatting doesn’t have many practical uses in history, tatters today use the art form to make many interesting things. I’ve seen tatted jewelry, tatted handkerchief edgings, 3-D tatting (one aspect I’m still terrified to try) and my favorite, tatted crosses. I love to see tatted jewelry when beadwork is incorporated, or when an extremely fine thread is used. And while I’m no expert, I never mind sharing my tatting with those curious enough to ask. 

     So, how do you make tatted lace? Well the answer to that question depends of the tatter you’re talking to in that moment. Tatting requires thread (of whichever size you’re most comfortable using), patience, and either tatting needles, a shuttle (or pair for some tatter), or a cro-tat hook. Additionally you will need  scissors, a small enough needle to hide your ends, and a willingness to except that tatting requires a lot of practice for minimal results. Sure, as with knitting, there are some tatting projects that are faster to complete than others but most tatting projects take much longer to complete. I know one woman online who has just finished a tatted table cloth that took her years to complete.  

     I have to admit, when I was first learning to tat, I nearly quit several times. In fact it took me over a year to actually learn how to make the double stitch properly. And still almost a decade later my work is nowhere near the level I’d like it to be. 

     Sadly, for those desiring to learn this dying art, it’s hard to find the knowledge. Many tatters learned through grandparents or aunts/uncles who tatted. But more of us learning today are learning online. YouTube has a few channels dedicated to tatting. And there is Georgia Seitz online forum if you can learn from text alone. There are few books, few stores who carry the tools, and fewer dedicated artists to learn from. Tatting doesn’t have to fade away, if we can kindle the flame of knowledge in future generations, maybe it can rise as the Phoenix and be seen for the beautiful art form it truly is. 

References in this blog include:

Tatting Collage by Lindsay Rogers copyright date 1996. 

Georgia Seitz Online Tatting Class www.GeorgiaSeitz.com

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