Learn Filet Tatting

Hello everyone, starting tomorrow I will be hosting a tutorial tat a long to explain my method of filet tatting. This thread is for anyone who has questions or suggestions to assist others as they learn.

If you would like to know what you need to participate, please check out http://manda-tory.blogspot.com.
Even if you don't have time to tat a long now, please keep this thread in mind and join in when you can!

Lesson One has gone live. You can download it now from the blog link above. Please come here if you have questions!

Just got to look at lesson 1 and have a question. The idea is for the chains to lay straight if I understand correctly. Have you tried, or considered, using balanced doube stitches for a straighter chain?

Thanks for the great suggestion, @sharongb! I haven't thought of that, which is why I'm excited there's interest in filet tatting. With others sharing their ideas, this is a great learning experience for me too. I'll look more into balanced double stitches, but from what I understand of them, they would stabilize the chain, yes! The downside would be the extra padding would make the filet blocks larger. Not always a bad thing, depending on what project you're making. If you use them, can you post a photo? I'll try them myself later.

Two comments. First is I know Jane Eborall has a tutorial on it but think she calls them double double stitches (she uses one term, Ruth Perry the other). Second is if a full bds is too much only double half the stitch, one leg not both

Lesson 2 is now available. Let me know here if you have any questions.

Very interesting! Are you aware that there is a filet design in Mary Konior's "Tatting with Visual Patterns'? This could prove helpful for you later on.

Thank you, @JudithConnors, yes I knew about the filet design by Mary Konior. I don't have access to that book, though I do hope to buy it someday. I could copytat her design from the picture, but I don't want to encourage that. There are a number of filet designs in the antique pattern library that I have used instead.
Like I say in lesson 1, filet tatting is not a new idea. This is just my method for making it, and much credit goes to those who have inspired me, like Mary Conior, and John's "endless edge" from his blog.

Your method does not resemble any others that I have seen. Most tatting ones use some sort of ring to fill in the solid blocks, and some split chains or rings. Using picots for the solid squares is closer to what a crochet pattern would do, by making the fills from the top with a triple type crochet stitch. I'm still working on getting my needles to make those square corners. I've got one more idea to try, and then I'll share when I think it works well enough for other needle tatters to try.

Roger, on the Needle Tatting website, has a method for making "square" rings. It involves using a second thread to pull the "ring" closed, the thread making the double stitches has a picot at each corner. I need to study that method more. I don't think it will work here though.

One more note on filet patterns. The Australians in the early 20th century had filet pieces that they used to cover dishes, jugs, etc. weighted with beads at the edges to keep them in place. So, naturally some of the native flora and fauna show up in the crochet patterns printed in their newspapers.

in reply to Judy's post:

Thank you for trying it out, Judy. I only have a basic needle knowledge, so any advice you can give will be valuable! Making those sharp corners is a personal preference, but not precisely necessary. Like with John's endless edging, (http://tattingjohn.blogspot.com) you could make the chain curvy, with joining picots for the corners and longer picots for the fill. However it works for you!

That's really cool about the Australian uses for filet! It is a great idea, using it as dish covers.

Post removed by muskaan for the following reason: Mistake Oops.

Lesson 3 is available at long last! You can get it here:https://www.dropbox.com/s/5yg7szr1hp53r8c/Learn%20Filet%20Tatting%20Tutorial3.pdf?dl=0

Well done! You certainly put a lot of work into this.

Thank you @JudithConnors. I hope that others will use the information to make filet work their own also. It's so pretty, with such potential for individual expression.

Please think about bringing some of your samples to display at Shuttlebirds @Mandatory. I would love to see them up close.

Sure thing, @frazzletat. I'd be happy to! Off topic: I'll also be bringing my Shuttle Holsters. I've been sewing up a storm lately, and will put them in my etsy shop hopefully this next week.

That's great @mandatory. Looking forward to seeing both - your filet tatting and the shuttle holsters.

Hey, I think I'm coming to Shuttlebirds, too. I have an unused plane ticket and this seems a perfect chance to use it.

Really, truly, @Judy?!?! That is fabulous news, Shuttlebirds is going to be amazing! I can't wait to see you there!

We would love to have you come to Shuttlebirds @Judy. The more the merrier.

I'm so excited to be able to meet in person so many whose work I already admire!

@amysperch Yes, good to put faces and voices together and see them creating in person. Pretty sure this will happen. They say a goal without a plan is just a wish, so I better get planning. Of course, it doesn't hurt that my great niece lives in Spokane, and I'll get to see them, too.

@judy, So how come you haven't come before? LOL