Shrink Tatting Shuttles

Shrink Tatting Shuttles

     This is a pattern from Georgia Seitz, for a shuttle made out of shrink plastic (Shrinky Dinks).   They are decorated with Sharpies or some other permanent marker.   Punch the holes with a hole puncher but don't cut the slits.

     Bake them at 275 degrees F, for 3 - 5 minutes (or what the instructions say).  Take them out once the shrinking has completed.  Once the pan is removed from the oven, immediately, press them flat, if they are slightly curled.  Flatten them out with a folded piece of foil and an oven mit.   

     Once they are cool, give them a very light coat of colorless spray paint.  Once that coat dries, give them one more coat.  WARNING...don't spray them too much on the first coat!!!!  The chemical reaction between the spray paint and the marker will cause the ink to run.  Cut the slits with a jewelers saw.

      The pattern makes a 2 5/9 X 1" shuttle.  I made them different sized and add "West Pine Creations" and a differnt design. 

     These make excellent shuttles to show people how to tat.  They are inexpenisve to make and very fun. 

 The first shuttle, is the same as the pattern.

West Pine Creations Shuttles

West Pine Creations Shuttles

     I ran out of my shrink shuttles and need to make a new batch.  I put my name on it and hand them out, whenever I sell a book or someone wants to learn to tat.  Here's the link on how to make them.

The smaller ones could be used as earrings.

Tatting Case

Tatting Case

     These are the two types of tatting cases I take everywhere.  They are easy to make out of small scraps of fabric.  For larger project/trips I'll take the larger case and the smaller one of small projects.  They fit perfectly in my purse or pocket.  They have three rows of pockets.
     The large case, holds four shuttles in the middle row.  There are two pockets in the middle row, enough to hold the two shuttles and  a small project.  Once my project is too large, I'll put it in the top row.  The top row has the one, large pocket.  It also holds the thread I'm working with and a tatting needle case.  I wind all my threads on cardboard, cross-stitch bobbins.  The bottom row has three pockets.  One is for an extra bobbin of thread, tatting essentials, and my patterns/small post-its.  The shuttles and the tatting essentials are placed into small 2" X 4" plastic baggies, with the zip-lock cut off.  They are used to protect the fabric from wear and prevent the small crochet hook from poking through.

      The small case, holds two shuttles and my tatting essentials in the middle row.  The top row has the one, large pocket for my projects and the bobbin of thread.  The bottom row has one pocket for my pattern and a small post-its.  The shuttles and the tatting essentials are placed into small 2" X 4" plastic baggies, with the zip-lock cut off.  

     Tatting needle cases, I have for sale on Face Book.  I use three:  one for my larger yarn tatting needles, one for my smaller tatting needles, and one for my 5" doll needles.  I taught myself to needle tat with the doll needles.  The eye is a little big, but it works.  They are easier to obtain in this area.  I blew the form with Pyrex glass (very hard glass, the same stuff you cook with), wrapped the middle portion with polymer clay and used a pencil grip for the lid.  I like the triangular pencil grip, the best.  It has grooves along the inside so my string dangles out freely.  I usually, leave my project attached to the needle, close the lid, and wrap my project around the outside.  

      
     Tatting essentials, I have for sale on Face Book.  I have one for each tatting case.  They consist of a large, decorated safety pin, shortened crochet hook and a picot gauge.  I like to pin it to my shirt so the crochet hook is at the same height I'm tatting at.  (This also prevent the essentials from falling to the bottom of the truck floor, while my husband is driving.  The pin is also used to easily pry open any mistakes.  My tatting essentials have four different sized hooks.  The picot gauge was make out of shrink plastic.

     The tatting cases are also for sale on Face Book.  I can make them in any color combination.

Signature Tags

Signature Tags

     Tags I put on my packages.   They are made from shrink plastic and says, "Tatting By Marie."  The plastic was found at Hobby Lobby, called "Shrinky Dinks."  I can remember when these first came out...sort of dates my age.  One of my favorite things to do is the packaging part.