@Sparrow K, thank you for your courses! I asked a question on YT, and you said the answer will be in the advanced course, but I'm not seeing it, lol. When working a chain with your technique without flipping, how do you then join that chain without locking it?
And to expand, is it possible to make a double stitch (Lark's head) join when working a chain in your technique?
I made this but I'm not quite sure if I like the bigger Pearls or not. They're garnets. Also not sure if it will become an Pendant or a pair of Earrings.
I think it would make a nice pendant because of the larger beads. Very beautiful job!
so I got the hang of flipping the stitch. Iβm onto making chains, and I can do a loop, and flip the stitch with another bobbin, and then when I go to do the second loop, I try to pull the loop closed and it pulls too far away. Should I be flipping the stitches on that loop too?
I'm looking for suggestions on hiding thread ends when using finer threads. I am trying size 20 cotton when I have only used size size 10 before. I'm having a significantly more difficult time because I can't seem to fit the ends inside along with the core thread. Are there any techniques that might work better?
Are you splitting the tails before sewing them in? That will help if you haven't tried that! You can also try the back and forth method I talk about in the lessons; it works great for smaller threads especially.
I'm getting the hang of tatting with a shuttle, but having some trouble with the joins and transitions. I tend to accidentally make lock joins where there should be regular joins, as well as loose tension at the joins. Also, my tension when transitioning from rings to chains is often too loose. Any suggestions?
With the joins, itβs helpful to keep in mind that you have an βupβ thread (the thread that forms the stitches) and a βdownβ thread (the thread that forms the core). For standard joins you are essentially mimicking a stitch, even though it doesnβt look like it, so you want to keep the core thread consistent through this false stitch. In other words, your βdownβ thread is always going through a loop of your βupβ thread for this join; both threads need to be involved. (On lock joins only one thread is involved.) This will become more muscle memory with practice as well.
As for the tension, your practice piece is actually looking pretty good! Just remember to really snug up the chains before beginning the next ring. Even if it feels like itβs pulling the chain out of shape a bit, you can adjust the shape after itβs been secured by the ring.
Hope that helps!
I feel like I am still struggling when flipping the stitch. I cannclode the loop regularly, and make picots, but I cannot close it when I flip the stitch. Iβm not sure if itβs my tension, or if it could be something else
Itβs a bit hard to tell from the angle of your photo, but it looks to me like you may have some stitches that have flipped back on you. This is really common when beginning! The trick is to make sure that the core thread (also the shuttle thread) has more tension than the loop thread (whatβs around your left hand) while you tighten the stitch into place, and then put your thumb right over that while you make the next stitch to keep it locked down. This is a really subtle play on tension in the two threads, and proficiency with this is really about feeling it, and that comes with time and practice.
For now just focus on making stitches and getting a feel for it without stressing about getting it βrightβ all the time. The less you stress about it the easier it will be to get that βaha!β moment when it clicks for your brain!
Keep it up, youβre doing great!
I think they go very well together but i'm not quite satisfied with the chains
Love this idea! The chain placement is actually very nice; I think the only thing I would change is cutting that top chain above bauble into two sections and attaching them to the point of the bauble motif. That would give it some more stability.
I'm almost done with this beginner practice pattern and decided I wanted to make it into a bracelet. Can anyone show me examples of how to connect the ends of a piece that is similar? Should I place jump rings in the picots on both ends and just add a clasp to one? Should I leave off the last chain? Or should I place the jump rings around the base of the round where it meets the chain? Not sure what the best way to connect the ends would be in this case lol. If I wanted to add a small charm in the center would I anchor it in the picot typically or just around the chain itself? This is crochet cotton #10 so I know it's not the best quality thread.
It's definitely easier to get a secure attachment by putting your jump rings through the ring or chain directly rather than the picot. The real key is to make sure that you are using quality jump rings that don't have any sharp burrs on the edges (saw cut rings are best bc the ends are both completely flat), and to close them properly so they don't have a gap. Ribbon also works well, as Caryn mentioned. π
I am getting ready to start a pattern for a dragonfly. It says to start by creating a picot at the top of the head with an overhand knot. Help, how do I do that? Iβm sure itβs not as hard as Iβm making it but for the life of me I cannot figure it out. Oh I should also mention that this is the start to the split ring body using 2 shuttles.
What Sparrow posted is what I was thinking, too. It looks like you might be making a long picot to cut in half later for the antennae?
Need some fresh ideas I guess... i'm trying to make little Hearts with the infinity Symbol in them... but it still is very wonky... is it only the stitch count or does someone have another idea (from left to right are the version 1 (first 3), 2, 3(green) unfortunately the green thread snapped just at the finish line... the v shape under the last is finally what I wanted it to look like but the infinity is... not so great
The one on the right is the last one... and it's getting better... now it's just a bit more adjusting the count and perhaps a second try with celtic tatting... I guess it's a pattern
I finished Beginner's Shuttle Tatting! π
Not sure why it wonβt lay flat
Hello, I have been making a pattern from the beginner's book that goes in a circle and although I understand the folded join to join the two rings together, I don't understand how to connect the last chain to the beginning.
I have searched for videos but the only ones I see are about joining rings rather than chains. Could someone help please?
You can just make the chain and sew it on while you hide the ends.
(There are advanced ways like cutting the core thread, put it throug a hole where the chain should end, put both threads beside each other and make unflipped stitches with shuttle 2 over both threads, pull the loose end and so make it more invisible but just sew it on works fine... and the other way is explained better in a Video. I think Sparrow has one but i'm not sure where. I would guess in the advanced section)
Hey everyone! I signed up and paid to start learning shuttle tatting on Dec 5th, but havenβt found a way to access the first video class. Is there somewhere within this group that I need to go? Thanks!
Hi there! Welcome to the group! You should be able to access the videos via the "online courses" tab in the website menu. If you are logged in to the same account you signed up with, the button should say "view course" instead of "join." Once you open the course tab it should show you the curriculum. If you're still having trouble accessing it, please email me at sparrow@sparrowspite.com and I'll get this figured out for you. π
So I've only done Patterns that were continuous, nothing that circled to a finish.
How do you connect that last bit? Idk if im just finangling it weird or if there's any trick to making rhat last join more clean? It just feels awkward haha
It can be a bit tricky! Here's my video on folded joins that may help: https://youtu.be/Di-XsUKKHrU
Are there any members in NC? My mom is wanting to learn and is having trouble following the videos so far. Hopefully Sparrow's video will be easier to follow when we get it, but she's impatient βΊοΈ.
Novice Knotter
Novice Knotter
Hi! So when making joins with my method of chains, it's the same as with a regular join just upside down. So pull up a loop of the Shuttle 2 thread and pass the Shuttle 1 through it. Because the Shuttle 1 is wrapped around the pinky of the left hand you do have to drop the Shuttle 2 and pick up the Shuttle 1 to do it this way, but once you get the hang of it it's pretty fast. If you prefer, you can also use the method I show in how to join on the second half of a split ring. The main thing to remember about standard joins is that you need them to slide, so the loop must always be made from the same thread that is making the stitches, with the core thread passing through it. Once you can train your brain to think of it in this way rather than "shuttle 1/shuttle 2" it becomes much less confusing! And absolutely yes you can make a larks head join this way! Again, it's just upside down, so finagling the little double loop can be a bit tricky, but once you get it it makes sense. I will try to make a video for you when I can (I'm a bit swamped with other work at the moment, so please do remind me if I forget!)