What’s the difference besides the looks? Knit doilies can be made very ‘lacey’ and so can the crochet doilies. But, you say, tatted doilies can only have chains, circles, picots and joins. How boring can that be, right?

Have you checked out some of the patterns that are free; online no less! Tatted doilies do not have to be boring. It’s all a matter of how the different stitches are placed together which makes up the final outcomes of your tatted item. Online, you can find patterns of simple little bunnies, dogs, cats, giraffes, lions and numerous other creatures of the wild. But, you can also find patterns which go into great detail; making of some of the most exquisite picture doilies I’ve ever seen. With just a few phenomenal stitches, you can use the same ‘outline’ and make a very simple doily or you can make an extremely gorgeous doily that everybody, who comes into you home and views it, will want to take home with them.

Because so few people do tatting, as compared to those who knitting and crochet, I’m sure that you find friends and family-alike-who drool over the extravagant working that you create just by making knots and working them together in a specific order.

Let me give you an example. You may look at a chain of simple double stitches. Ok, so it’s a chain of double stitches, right? But, if you snug up those double stitches a bit-causing a slight curve-you suddenly are looping circles together. Or, connecting to just the right spot and continuing this method, increasing the double stitches per chain (before joining to another spot) you may suddenly find that you’ve just created an everlasting, never-wilting rose. We’ve all seen them, right? Don’t you just love the looks of them? And, when they’re designed from you very own hands it makes them something special to behold.

Not convinced? Take that same tatted rose and dip it in a stiffening solution. My preference is equal parts of Elmer’s glue and water. Squeeze out the remaining solution and lay flat on some plastic wrap until it’s dry. This can now be tied onto a chain pull for decoration. Or glue it to a picture frame holding a special picture. Attach it to a velvet ribbon with a clasp in the back to make a necklace. And, this is where my famous line comes in….You’re only limited by what the mind can or can’t think up. Experiment!

So, don’t think that-just because there’s only a few stitches to make with tatting-there’s just a limited amount of things to be done and only a limited amount of results that can be made. I’ll tell you, this simply isn’t true. Tatting can not only be as beautiful as the lace made from crochet and knitting, but tatting can be a whole lot more than either of those two crafts. I still see tatted doilies that make my jaw drop in awe at the wonders of creative crafting that goes into some of the work. I hope this will inspire you to continue your tatting and share your skills with anybody you can convince to give it a try. Help keep tatting alive by passing your skills forward.