[QUOTE=Caroline94535;7190943]For years and decades, I tried to learn to tat from booklets and magazines. No luck. I did not know anyone that tatted, but I loved the pieces I found in thrift and antique shops.
I finally found a VCR tape at the library. It's now available as a DVD, Tatted Lace from Start to Finishing with Bev Dillon. "Everything you need for learning and improving your skills."
Bingo! It clicked! I could watch her DVD, stop, rewind, rewatch, and practice.]
I learned how to tat. I tat! I'm a tatter! And I now have the cutest collection of eight or so darling old tatting shuttles, all of which I use and enjoy.
Yes, it is much easier to learn from seeing it done than trying to read the instructions. I'm glad to know you found a video that helped you. Videos weren't available when I learned in 1997, and the lady in the group meeting who was trying to teach me had taught herself from books, that weren't even available anymore, she found in her town's library.
It took me a week to learn to do the double stitch correctly. I had cataracts and could not visually and easily see what the thread was supposed to do, so I got a piece of yarn and practiced (using my hand as the shuttle).
My first completed piece was an edging I used to trim an unadorned denim dress that I had just bought. About a year later, I started designing my own pieces. My mother taught me the basics of crochet when I was a teenager. Our next-door neighbor could tat without looking, but I have not achieved that skill yet. I also tried to design some crochet, but was not very successful. I learned to knit in the mid-80's. I like working on small pieces, but not large ones like afghans. If I can make narrow strips and sew them together, I like.
Good wishes to all you multi-tasking needleworking people.
I have moved to be near my daughter, so I haven't done much tatting lately.
Georgia Seitz, who is the tatting forum moderator at Bella Online, also has online computer classes, that are very interesting.