One question often asked by the beginner is the kind of thread you use for tatting. Unfortunately all too often local areas do not have a source that is easily accessible for buying thread supplies, and if you´ve run out and don´t have supplies left then you have to experiment.

When I was at school I didn´t have enough pocket money to buy expensive crochet cottons which really are the best thing for tatting. At that time there was a shop in the centre of Glasgow where I lived that stocked the Coats Mercer Crochet Cottons in a vile range of colours plus white and ecru. Most of the time I just used some of the Coats Sylko thread from my mother´s sewing box - rather fine but I have some lovely doilies made from this thread which worked well.

Nowadays of course I live in London but threads for tatting are still in short supply. It´s very easy to get a wide range of sewing cottons and embroidery threads but for anything like crochet cotton and pearl cotton mail order is the only answer. But you do NOT have to use crochet cotton and pearl cotton although both are very pleasant to use for tatting.

A strand of blending filament added to the chain thread will give a piece a pleasant bloom and sparkle. Don´t add it to the shuttle making rings or it will break unless you are very practised with using it.

I have seen all sorts of things suggested for tatting - wool works well as does a smooth knitting cotton and I have also experimented with machine knitting yarns some of which tat very nicely. Surprisingly, the acrylic yarns sold for machine knitting also often work well and some are very fine indeed. These too come in a wide range of colours.

Embroidery threads can be used very successfully, either as they come out of the skein or two or more strands used together. I once made a motif with Anchor Lame which looked absolutely wonderful and was no trouble at all to finish with Magic threads. Don´t neglect the metallic embroidery threads and knitting yarns!

Ribbon and ribbon knitting yarns can be very effective - again it´s possible to obtain very narrow ribbon in many colours at not too high a price. And with the advent of the Internet it´s possible to find online embroidery stores selling all kinds of exotic and unusual materials, some of which will tat well and some won´t. It´s a matter of trying. It can get expensive if you´re not careful but very enjoyable nonetheless!

Another one worth trying is quilting thread, and Gutermann´s Top Stitching Thread tats beautifully and works up at around Size 40 crochet cotton.

These are all relatively fine yarns and threads, but you can also try piping cord and string if you want something heavier. And I have seen a picture of a flag made with rope!

In short, we have a wider range of threads to use for tatting than has been easily available since the craft developed in the mid 19th century. The online tatting suppliers have a tremendous number of different threads as well, and if one goes out of stock there are plenty more to try. We´ve never had it so good!