Do you tat tight?

Is that a bad thing? Should tatting be soft and fluid like crochet or should it be crisp and stable like hardanger? These questions can start disagreements. I’ve no wish to cause anxiety or anger. If I am honest, I think there are times when you need to tat tight and times when you need to tat loose. Lace can be many things.

Perhaps that’s because I come at this having similar thoughts about organ music. There are times when I choose to play a piece fast with loud stops, other times slower with quieter stops. It depends on what I want the music to convey. I feel quite privileged that I live in a time when that diverse performance is accepted. I remember being a very young organist and listening to older weary organists expressing displeasure that their music wasn’t “right” and the pressure they felt to be perfect. I walked a fine line between respecting established working musicians and rebelling against the norm, doing it my way. That attitude has carried over to my tatting.

Frequently, I study a pattern to figure out how tight to tat. I may even Run-a-Line to see what works. Before I lose people, here’s what I was taught for Run-a-Line:

Using thread and shuttle you wish to tat with, wind on a length long enough for 3 rings and a few chains CTM with the ball. Tat a ring of 8 DS. Close it to create the shape you wish (round circle, teardrop, etc.). Tat a Chain of 8 DS, picot, 8 DS, picot, 8 DS and finish with an overhand knot. These picots can be different lengths to help with your planning. Now comes the telling part: Stretch out the chain stitches as far as possible while keeping the chain flat and straight. Are there gaps, or even spacing between DS? Is there a difference in those gaps between the beginning and end of your chain? How about the ring and chain(s)? Do you want consistency? How does changing thread or shuttle affect this sample?

So, after I Run-a-Line, I have a better idea of how I wish to tat a pattern. All this takes time and energy. Sometimes I just want to tat. Sometimes, I have that perfect idea in mind. I do it my way!