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The Quilter's Garden

Supplies for Beginners

Shuttles

There are many beautiful and expensive shuttles which can be purchased, but the one I find most practical is the plain plastic shuttle with the hook built into the end. The Aero and Inox shuttles come with extra bobbins, which are very handy. If you wish to change projects and have a lot of thread still on the bobbin, just change it out with a blank one and save it for later. These are generally about $6.00 or less. You will want to own 2 shuttles if you find you like to tatt and wish to try some more advanced designs, but to begin learning one shuttle and one ball of thread will do nicely.

The Susan Bates shuttle which appears to be like these has no extra bobbins, and a fatal design flaw. On the Aero and Inox shuttles, you can use the end of the shuttle for a bobbin holder while you wind it. On the Susan Bates shuttle, the manufacturer evidentally didn't understand this, and the bobbin doesn't fit on the end. Also, you sometimes have to sand down the interior so the bobbin will wind smoothly.

The elegant looking shuttles with a point and no hook on the end, a traditional design, have a built in post in the center for a bobbin. The shuttle does not come apart, so you have to wind it by passing the thread through the pointed ends, while you hold onto it in the middle. This is a somewhat awkward process, and can be hard on the thread. Pretty is as pretty does, unless you just want to start a shuttle collection. This shuttle design is also preferred by some celtic tatters, for passing over and through a design.

Thread

No. 70 tatting thread comes on the really cute, tiny little balls labeled "tatting thread" that you can find in hobby and needlwork stores. Victorian tatters used from 70 to 100 size (tiny to even tinier) thread. It is not a good size to try and learn to tat with. I recommend starting with #8 pearl cotton (or even #5, which is larger), or crochet cotton sizes 10 or 20. The #8 pearl cotton is roughly equivalent to the #10 to #20 size in crochet cotton. Modern stores sell oversize shuttles for use with #5 craft thread, but you will likely outgrow these as soon as you get the technique down, and want to use the standard shuttles.

Are you confused yet ? On all of these threads, the larger the number, the smaller the thread. The smoother the thread, the easier it will slide into knots, thus the pearl cotton is wonderful to work with. However, a cleaner looking, harder thread will make better-defined, tidier knots; hence, the #20 crochet cotton and the tiny #70 threads make wonderful pieces also. It's a matter of personal preference. Try some of the variegated threads in any of these; it makes a very interesting piece. These are all fairly inexpensive. If you really must work with expensive and hard to handle threads, you can also buy silk threads from some distributors.

Thread Cutter

This is the only other thing you absolutely have to have. Little embroidery scissors are attractive and elegant. However, I still prefer a pair of nail clippers because it allows a good clean cut close to the work.

Patience

You can't buy this, but I highly recommend cultivating it. It's only thread. If you get too frustrated put it down and try again later, or just start over.