Dutch Needle Tatting

From: Suzann SWELKER@delphi.com
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 23:41:49 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Dutch Needle Tatting

The real beauty of Dutch Needle Tatting is the unique method for joining picots. The translation is not very good. All most all the work is chains. You make a chain with picots. Then you make a second chain joining to the picots on the first chain as you go. This is how you do the join. Start the join as a normal join. You do not want to pull the second chain close to the first. But leave a small amount of thread. Almost as if you were making a picot. Now instead of passing the shuttle through the join you pass the chain or ball thread through the picot. Tighten up the join. Now as you make the next ds leave the same amount of thread as you did when you started to make the join. The author calls for the chain thread to be on a needle. But I have done this method using two shuttles. The designs in the book are breathtaking. And each chain isn't really very long so you could use a needle. I kept having the needle fall of the thread. Any way when you finish the two rows of chains you will have picots facing each other that are knotted together in the center. It gives the work a very open delicate look.

What makes the directions difficult to follow is the fact the author doesn't use standard tatting terms. She call the chain thread the knotting thread and something else for the shuttle thread. Great designs, great new method. Awful terms. How I wish publishers would rap all designers on the knuckles when they stray off with these pet terms. Jan (use to be on the list) sent me an explanation of the method and a lovely flower so I could see what the work "really" looked like. Bless you Jan.

From: Suzann SWELKER@delphi.com
Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 13:28:35 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Dutch Needle Tatting

Dutch tatting is from the book New Dimensions In Tatting. It uses a different type of join that creates a row of double picots with chains along the outside. All chain designs, of beautiful flowers, butterflies and assorted bugs Partly it is this unique method of joining and partly the outstanding use of color. But the book was badly translated, must have been word for word. And I don't think the editor had a clue about what tatting is. Also the directions are very loose. "Make as many double stitches as you need." The projects are made up of small elements that are joined together at the end. And the designer uses needles instead of shuttles, but it isn't needle tatting. The needle is used because only small lengths of thread are needed. I use shuttles, it takes me longer to thread a small needle then it does to tat. A chain with picots is made usually 2 ds between each picot. Then make 4 ds and join to the last picot made. BUT instead of passing the usual shuttle through the joining loop, you pass the ball thread through the loop. Creating a lock stitch. Now make a ds. You now have 2 picots with a knot joining them together. The ds of the chain run on the outside of both sides. You need to make very accurately sized picots or the knots that run down the center won't be straight. I make smaller sized picots and enlarge them to the same size with a crochet hook. There are also zillions of ends to deal with. I glue them down, as there is almost no place to work them in. And in truth most of the designs need to be mounted on to something so the ends could be drawn to the back of the fabric.