Learn Needle Tatting With My Flower Pendant

Sure my mask is cool, but it's not for the beginner. This is a beginners project with needle tatting. Making this simple flower pendant will teach you some of the basics of needle tatting. No knowledge of tatting is needed, but knowledge of other fiber crafts such as knitting and crochet may be helpful in understanding pattern construction.

You will need a size 5 tatting needle and size 10 crochet cotton thread. Though using any thread and matching needle will simply create different sized flowers.

This is not a comprehensive guide to needle tatting. This project will teach you to work with thread on the ball, which mimics two shuttle tatting. There is also working with cut thread that mimics one shuttle tatting and there are many more advanced techniques you can learn as well.

Step 1 The Double Stitch part 1

Tatting is generally made up of one stitch, the double stitch(ds) separated by picots. This stitch is used to make the rings and chains that are the main structure of all tatting.

1. Thread the needle from the ball leaving a tail about 16 inches long.

2. Hold the working thread (thread from the ball, not the tail) near the end of the needle with your right index finger. You can release the thread as soon as soon as the first ds is made.

Comments

[nettlesnook]

Thank you for sharing your pattern. Your work is beautiful. Although I have never tatted, I've started your mask. This is a must have for the Prom Masquerade I am chaperoning. Your tutorials are very helpful.

[TotusMel]

Thanks so much and good luck!

[vivensmortua]

How many ds and p do we do for the first ring, in the steps before the making of the ring and then the chain?

[TotusMel]

The stitch counts for the flower are in step 5. Both the rings and chains are 6ds 1p 6ds

[chauser]

i love your patterns they are what inspired me to learn to tat do you know of a place i can find this pattern for shuttle tatting? thank you so much for all the beautiful patterns i cannot wait to try the mustache necklace!

[TotusMel]

Patterns for needle and shuttle tatting are basically the same, the only difference being that most needle tatting patterns need to be worked with two shuttles.

[chauser]

thank you so much!

[Patina Moon]

Hi, love your work!
Your instructions are great, I just can't seem to get it through my head how to rw at the end of the chain and tie a knot? I got the first ring ok, but at the end of the chain is where I'm stuck...thanks.

[jusyjus87]

It's great and it's easy, I'd like it so much)

[Leo4613]

Great walk through ! I'll have to try again with the right needle.
Thank you for sharing! :) :)

[sanyogita]

thanks TotusMel. I had learnt how to tat with my grand ma and was totally intregued,by needle tatting .i tried and tried till i got it right it is so much easier than using the shuttle. thanks again !!

[starlightwings]

I had trouble getting the where the ball of thread side goes and where the tail goes in relationship to the needle. I needed to see the ball of thread the entire time in the pictures.
 If you are able to get the double stitch part right but having trouble getting the get it off the needle and into a nice ring part try this website:

Green Fuzzer Tatting 

[excentricmovie]

This looks like so much fun! One question tho: how long should these main ds be?

[skiminoangel]

I am just starting to learn how to tat and was wondering if these directions would be able to be followed with a shuttle. I was just going to try one thing at a time and see how far that got me!

[tatihana00]

i made the flower and because of the it i was able to understand the other ones. took a full day to finish the other one, but i really wanted to thank you for opening doors to a wonderful world of tatting. *grin*

[NaturalCrafter]

I love the purple and white thread, but wish it were a better close up as I wanted to really see what you had there. Looks very nice.

[tatihana00]

thank you very much. the picture i took was with an old camera phone. the long tatting item you see (that is very blurry) is a necklace. i found an old instructable. there is one with someone using yarn, but with the multi colors it's harder to follow along. this was the only thread in my house at the time. anyhow, i'll make another and be sure to use my partner's camera next time.

[NaturalCrafter]

Watching your video with the looping, it reminded me of macrame' but in miniature. Thanks for taking the time to make a great video.

[crochetrose]

I have just started tatting-only tried twice so far and mine is actually somewhat starting to look like yours. I am excited. I have been crocheting for 30+ years and always wanted to learn. Your tatting is absolutely beautiful and your video is great!!!!!

[crak-a-bottle]

they're verrrrry pretty, although sadly I don't understand anything involving a needle. What's the book in the the first picture, out of curiosity? :)

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Where do you get your tatting needles? Does a store carry them or do you order them online?

[WhyHello]

thanks :3

[horselove36]

TotusMel,
My name is Sophia. I have been looking at your incredible tatting designs. I also browsed your Etsy products and think your Enslaved Heart Slave Bracelet (that, and of course the mask) is the most beautiful; I can't peel my eyes away! I am 13 and a crazed artist- I am especially obsessed with Henna. The swirly, dainty patterns that you tat remind me so much of my tattooing, and I am awestruck. I am about to tat this pendant, and believe that I also understand the Josephine Chain and Split rings. Do you have other projects here for beginners? If not, is there a free instruction manual where I can learn? Also, do you usually use a size 5 needle? Thank you so much for your time!
Sincerely,
Sophia
P.S. I attached a picture of my favorite Henna! I did it on myself a few weeks ago.

[GlitterLady]

Hi Totusmel, your video and step by step on needle tatting is the best tutorial i have seen. It really does get the message across better than the book i recently bought, which i think the author has totally forgotten what it is like to 'start' at the beginning and assumes wrongly that we total beginners already know things.
Thankyou for your very informative tutorial, you really know how to get needle tatting across to us.

[fiola]

Hi. This tatting thing is amazing. I've been trying to get a batting needle, but they come to be pretty rare and very, very expensive, plus I can't buy them online since I don't have a credit card. Any suggestions???? Could it possibly be made with another kind of needle???

[Hodgen]

I use an upostery needle or darning needle. I them because of the sharp point which gives me more options. For smaller items they work better then the longer ones.
Nancy

[TotusMel]

I've heard tale of people using tapestry needles or doll needles, cutting off the tip and sanding it to make it blunt. It just needs to be fairly long and about the same thickness at the tip & eye. Just make sure you match the thickness to the thread & you should be fine

[Izelver]

I bought mine at the dollar store, and it is a doll making needle. I wear a thimble not to poke my fingers :D. I use white 100% coton crochet cable and dye it with fabric dye.

[CindyCauwenberghs]

 This is great :-)

I'd like to make the mask, but first I need to learn the thechnique. Your video seems to be helpfull a lot thanks!!

I now understand how to make a ring etc. The only thing is struggle with, is the size of the thread. I live in Europe and we use other sizes. How thick is Size 10 cotton thread in mm? Around 3? Or is it really thin thread.

I'm testing at the moment with thin thread and it seems soooo tiny...

Can you help me with it? Google doesn't help me a lot at this point.

Greetings

Cindy

[TotusMel]

I don't know if this will help, but size 10 crochet cotton is also called bedspread weight and is comparable to size 5 perle cotton

[zeina flower]

 hi totusmel,
i accidentally found out about needle and did tried it and after a couple of failure attempts the flower came out pretty good..and am happy to thank you so much for your tutorial and i would love to share the picture of the successful attempt...i would like to learn more on needle tatting especially about the josephine knots, joining new thread when we get short of threads and more on the basics and i am sure that your tutorials will help ..waiting to hear from you..thank you so much...

[wgrazier]

Thank you so much for this wonderful instructable. I can't wait to do more tatting. This is my first successful attempt. I plan on making the mask soon :)

[TotusMel]

Thanks for sharing! Good luck with the mask!

[ki10]

Great beginning tatting walkthrough (excited to check out more now), and beautiful design!

[CindyNG]

Thanks for answering so quickly! Yes I did but sometimes watching it again, I might be able to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'll give it another go. :-)

[CindyNG]

Hi TotusMel, This is the step where I lose it. I can't seem to get the row off the needle and into a nice ring. I can keep the ring like in the picture but somehow after that, it's a huge mess. Suggestions? Thanks! Cindy

[TotusMel]

Have you watched the video yet, it might help...You want to make sure you pull the thread all the way through the loop before you pull closed...other than that I'm not sure what other tips to give.

[Ashleyrah]

Amazing Instructable and video. It took me a couple of hours and some false starts - but this is the best instruction I've seen for needle tatting

[fiola]

Sorry, I meant a "tatting" needle, the spelling check changed it..... :D

[lotus11]

Well you got us going on the tatting virus here. It took me several hours to get the trick (I didn't do the first turn right) but after that my daughter caught on in an hour or so and now she's tatting like mad. Thanks ever so much for the lovely tutorial, and pleaaaaase could you give out some new patterns every now and then?