In the beginning..

So a lot of people look at tatting and get discouraged....They see a TON of LITTLE KNOTS and they think I can NOT possibly do this. So I try to make it as small and do able as I can. Its one knot...over and over again. Its just a ring and a chain. Its completely doable. 

To the beginners, you can do this. It is just slightly difficult in the beginning. The only thing that is the biggest obstacle is the flip. 

For needle tatters its the twist that is the biggest obstacle. And for this I would say just drop the needle and let it spin how it wants. 

Actually that goes for both types of tatters...I do that in shuttle tatting too.

With needle tatting there is a bit more control. Which is good and bad. Good in the sense that you know your rings will usually be more even....bad as in more variables...

Say you want your work to look tighter...you just use a smaller needle until you are happy with the look...here is where swatches come into play...YES the dreaded swatch...its good to know what will be and the dimensions of your work. If you want your work, puffier...a larger needle. There is really NO standard when it comes to needle tatting...it is all about what look you are going for.

PRACTICE! 
You are never going to learn anything new, unless you practice...nothing in the world is learned without practice...I still agonize over my tatting not being perfect...
I have been tatting for years now, and i have only had 1 piece that was PERFECT... Not one off sized ring. not one miscounted anything. The tension is perfect all over... only one. Out of HUNDREDS of motifs, edgings, earrings, bracelets....out of everything...one piece. I think every tatter wants perfect work. But the reality is, its the mistakes that make life wonderful...even in the worst times. So practice. If you find you are pounding your head against the wall with frustration...set it down. come back to it another day...because one day, something will come out perfect...and you realize that all that time spent on perfecting it was worth it.

Size 80 thread!!!

When I think of size 80 thread, I get scared. It's so thin. It breaks so easily. IT'S SO TWISTY. Well. I have come to speak about it. I thought that it would be cool to have a single pattern, in different thread sizes...so i did one in size 10...then I jumped to 80....that is a huge difference. The pattern is two rounds. By the second ring I was in panic mode. My fingers want to tat with size 10...they were use to size 10. So from that I thought that I would write a few tips...

Tip 1: Muscle memory. Before starting any project in size 80 you need to acclimate your finger muscle...do a small motif that doesn't matter. 6 rings 6 chains...also this would be a good time to check your picot sizes. After doing this you should be ready to go...

Tip 2: Wash your hands very frequently...even if all you have done is tat...wash them still. And make sure your hands are COMPLETELY dry...this is very important.. If you have ever tried to close a ring with semi-damp fingers, you know what a pain it is. So I have gotten tips from baby powder to hand sanitizer to keep them dry... i find regular paper towels do just fine. Dry your hands before any element.

Tip 3: Before you start ANY ring, let your shuttle hang. This seems really lame, but there is a huge difference between trying to close a ring after you have dropped your shuttle and when you haven't. When you are tatting chains there isn't much of a difference...but with rings its vital...If you do not drop your shuttle then you wind up with a small twist ball...you wont be able to close it without some heavy coaxing..

AND if you didn't drop your shuttle AND you have the twisty ball, this is how you close it...

You gently put your shuttle through the ring, and try to roll the twist out. Place it on your finger as you would normally close it...doing this forces it into a ring shape. It might take a couple tries to close the ring, but take deep breaths, stay calm, YOU CAN DO THIS!

Tip 4: DON'T NOT be angry, frustrated, sad...pretty much any extreme negative emotion when working with size 80...it will know...and it will further exacerbate your frustration. Truly! You know the saying "If you really want to know a person, sit them down in front of an old computer with a dial-up" this is like that. Size 80 will test your patience...Be zen. Relax. Take a step from reality for a little bit. 

So I hope that this gives you a bit of spark that tells you that you can tat with size 80. Good luck.