Greetings fellow Tatters. I am looking for some help. I want to start larger projects but with smaller thread and I'd like advice on the correct way to hide threads, both starting and stopping a project, as well as adding. Do you weave the ends in the finished piece with a needle. What is your preference? Is there a special trick? I was taught to tie off and seal with fray check, but I really don't think that can be the proper way. I wonder if I am tatting to tight, on my size 30 and below tread I'm unable to weave the ends in without problems.
Thank You and Happy Tatting,
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteI haven't used size 30 but I can tell you what I do with sizes 20 and 80. I started hiding ends religiously a little over a year ago. I tat over tails in the beginning and I use a weaver's knot to add new thread and I T.O.T that. For the end threads I use a quilting needle for the size 80 thread and a size 26 emboidery needle for the size 20 thread and I weave the tails in and out of the double knots.
I hope this helps somewhat! And Yay for you for improving your skills!
Well I shuttle tat and I generally sew in the ends after with a needle. the beginning bits too... unless it's starting with a split ring, then i kinda tat the tail with the shuttle and pull the rest into the ring.
ReplyDelete(and a tttiinnnyyy dab a glue does wonders if all else fails)
Hope that helps a little
I too tat over the tail ends when beginning or adding threads, but I use the "magic thread trick" to hide ends. Here are a couple of websites to help:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gagechek.com/slb/demo/demo5.html
and
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2001/fall2001/magicthread.pdf
and
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes/ends.html
to add a thread try:
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/classes2001/fall2001/addthread.pdf
Marty
I have used all different kinds of threads and all kinds of sizes. I just avoid ends where possible, but because almost everything I tat is a new design I frequently have to cut off work where the stitch count didn't work or it was just plain ugly. It is counter productive as a designer to re-tat things that may not even be there in the final product so I try to hide ends as I go. First of all I add in new thread at a ring. I begin tatting with the new thread and pull the old thread underneath the first half stitch and out over the core thread away from me. The I tat the second half stitch and bring the old end back across the core thread toward me. I repeat this process, giving the old thread a tug to pull it in tightly after I've tatted a couple of stitches. When I've flipped the end back and forth 5 or 6 times so that it is secure I just leave it until I've finished the piece and then I cut it off close to the work. The new end I hide in the same way in the chain following the ring. The ends are hidden, secure and I don't have to sew it in later. When I get to the end of a project I tie a square knot. Purists will have fits about that, but I figure I want people to be able to use, abuse and enjoy the lace I make for them and not have to worry about ends coming out and pieces coming apart, so I tie a knot. Then I sew the ends under the caps of my stitches. I have used sewign threads that are size 100 and I still sew the ends in this way. I have several embroidery needles and hand quilting needles that I use for the job. The finer the thread, the finer the needle I use. I sew the ends up and down under the caps of the stitches. When I'm done, I have a hard time finding where the ends are supposed to be. I never need to use glue of Fray Check or anything else.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone and have used most of these methods myself. You just have to find what works best for you. I guess I work them mostly the way Lady Shuttle Maker does. I always hide them as I go, usually with a needle of the appropriate size. One thing I will mention that I do - if I am hiding 4 ends in one place YUCK I never clip the ends until I have them all hidden to my satisfaction so that I won't forget where they are and put another one in the same place. This also keeps me from accidentally pulling out what I have just hidden! I want things to last a long time and try to do a good job keeping them together.
ReplyDeleteThank you to everyone for your help, I greatly appreciate that you are willing to help me. I printed out your techniques and I am anxious to try them. Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteI am new to tatting, and this is one of my all-time BIG questions also! So thanks, Bonnie for asking for advice! I found these pages ... with so many methods to try I am now HOPING for patterns with cut and ties! :)
ReplyDeleteOn things like the butterfly I just tatted, which will be a fridge magnet... I didn't worry about the ends, except to make sure they were all on the 'back', which will be out of sight... and I might be able to glue the little magnets over the ends!! I did cut and tie and fraycheck.
On other things, I have used this first method, with good results in size 10... haven't yet tried it with other sizes:
>> http://www.frontiernet.net/~TammyRodgers/lilys_way.html
>> bottom of page:
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/newtatters/lesson3.html