As a teacher, I have always told my students that there is no such thing as a “stupid question.” I want my students to speak up and ask and re-ask until they get it, without fear. As a teacher, I stand by this, but as a blogger I might have to reevaluate.
The whole point of a question is to get information that is relevant and useful either in the asker’s mind and heart or in a practical situation, and to get that information, you have to ask in a way that translates your question into the mind of another person who might have a chance of answering it.
Anyone reading this blog is old enough that you have probably asked a million questions in your lifetime. Half of these were between the ages of three and five, but the point is that you know how questions work.
Even though I don’t post regularly anymore, I still regularly get questions by email and in the comments, often several every week. I’m happy to answer these as best as I can, and I absolutely love hearing from people telling me stories of having success learning to tat, but I also (perhaps irrationally) expect a certain amount of maturity and discretion.
As a public school teacher, when I get a “stupid question” from a 12-year-old, I smile, sit next to her, and patiently walk her through what she needs to figure it out in her own head. When I get a “stupid question” from an adult, the part of me that laments our public education system, groans.
Maybe I’m in a crabby mood, or maybe I’ve just gotten this same question one too many times. I don’t mean to be mean, and I certainly do not want to discourage anyone from asking questions that I can actually answer. If you’re genuinely stuck, and if the question is something I’m able to answer, and you can phrase it in a way that actually lets me know what it is you mean when you write the question, I will do my best. And please do keep emailing me the warm fuzzy stories that help me through the harder questions.
Okay, done with my rant. Here is the question that provoked my little tantrum. I’m not going to name who sent it, because it really doesn’t matter. I’ve gotten essentially the same question several times since I opened this blog, and maybe this is just the one that broke the camel’s back.
“I found my grandmother’s old tatting shuttle at the bottom of her sewing box. What should I do with it?”
Really? Seriously? What should I do with it? How should I know what you should do with it?! If you’re reading a tatting blog, maybe you already know the answer.
Here are a few options that occurred to me over breakfast this morning:
- Hang it on your Christmas tree as a decoration.
- Put it in a frame with a picture of your grandmother for a memorial.
- Paint it gray and glue on whiskers and a tail, then use as a cat toy.
- Give it to your father-in-law to use as fishing tackle.
- Put it on a chain and wear as a necklace.
- Set it on it’s side, wedge a candle in it, light, and have a romantic dinner.
- Freeze, then use as ice cubes.
- Paint some flowers on it, then glue it to a headband and wear. Could be a conversation starter.
- Attach a string and let it hang down. Use this as a plumb to make sure all the pictures in your house are hanging straight.
- Take it to your local impressionist artist and let him incorporate it into a piece of artwork.
- Give it to your four-year-old and let him include it in his impressionist artwork.
- Attach one end perpendicularly to a sturdy rod and plant the rod in your front yard. Then watch it each morning to see which way the wind is blowing.
- Write your hopes and dreams on a piece of paper, and roll it up really tiny and stuff it inside the shuttle. Mount the shuttle to the frame of the front door of your home and kiss it every time you walk in or out.
- Tape it to the end of a pen and put it in a cup in your office so that everyone will know that the pen is yours.
- Weld it to a ring or broach and wear. You might start a new fashion trend.
- Collect a few more, hang them in a tree and listen as they clink and tangle in the wind.
- Stick it in the business and of a Nerf missile launcher and play fetch with the dogs.
- Cover in glitter, stuff it with silver tinsel, and use it as a centerpiece at your daughter’s wedding.
- Attach to a keyring and use as a zipper pull.
- Cover it in paint then throw at a wall. Repeat with several other colors and call it art. You might even make some money this way.
- Speaking of money, you could stuff your bills inside it and use as a money holder.
- Or seal up the sides and use it as a pill container.
- Or as a couch in a dollhouse.
- Or as the most painful braces in the world. Don’t tell your dentist.
- Or play as a tiny drum.
- Or stick it right back where you found it to collect dust.
- Or tie it to a brick and send to me as hate mail.
Or, you know, you could always use it to learn how to tat. Make something Grandma would be proud of. Check out my videos under the tab “Learn Tatting”
Other ideas? Share in the comments below.
You missed out the best one… find a tatter and give it to them.
I have actually been given a few by a blog reader, just because they thougth I would appreciate them, and I do.
So, if you ever get the question agian, feel free to direct them my way….
Great one! Definitely pass it on to another tatter!
I thought of many. but they were all painful, immoral or illegal
BoB
i am sorry about your rant, but i found this too funny, i literally just read out all them and laughed for a good two minutes solid. thank you for thank, even though you were on a rant 🙂
Very fun. You had some very funny ideas – windsock – doll couch 🙂 Have a great day.
What a quandary for the poor unfortunates. What I would do to have one of my grandmother’s tatting shuttles! I think your last idea is the best. I taught myself from a book. Videos would be so much easier. and if they do not want to carry on the family tradition then they should do what Monica suggests.
You are so creative to come up with so many ways to use something you don’t know what to do with! And yeah, what I wouldn’t give to have my grandmother’s shuttles. I first learned tatting from a book, it’s so much easier now to learn from videos on the internet. Anyone can learn tatting!
This was great!
Seriously, though, some of the people who ask you this may actually be asking, does it have any antique value and, if so, how do I find that out? (E-bay or a professional auctioneer or appraiser come to mind, depending on how much time/money the asker wants to devote to the question). Lots of people have watched too much Antiques Road Show.
You know, it never even occurred to me that that might be what she was asking. Point made: if you don’t ask a specific question, you are not going to get an appropriate answer!
If someone wanted to know if a shuttle had monetary value, they would probably send a photo and ask for your opinion on the shuttle and if it has any special value.
I also hate poorly worded questions like the one you mentioned. My grandma tatted all the time, and I always wanted to learn, but until recently, I couldn’t get it to work (flipping the stitches was the snag). I would love to have one of her shuttles, but even without that, I love having that connection with her as I tat along to her memory.
Love the idea of using a tatting shuttle as a Christmas tree decoration! I never intentionally started collecting them, but every time I see a pretty shuttle or something a little ‘different’ I just have to buy it. It’s not like they’re expensive, but they can be very pretty colors, or carved, or made of lovely wood etc.
Next time I may just make a snow flake pattern & hang the shuttle with the tatting still attached.
I’ve tatted off and on for a number of years, but I’ve been an expert by any means. I purchased some pattern books from HandyHands and find there are several techniques that I’ve never learned. Do you do a segment on split rings and cluny leaves? Also, what does winding your shuttle CTM mean?
Your absolute beginners series is very helpful and well done. I will probably find the information I’m looking for on your site as I go through more of the series, but would really like to start a dialog with you.
Thank you for your help.
Leslie Bean
Leslie, CTM means “continuous thread method.” Wind your shuttle with thread, but don’t cut it from the ball.
I am so pleased to have come across your blog. 🙂
My daughter recently encouraged me to start knitting again. I taught myself how to knit and crochet from books when I was 9 and 14 (not respectively). I put those beloved pastimes aside years ago before my children were born. I jokingly call it the “BK Era” – before kids. ha
All that to say that I was reminded that I never learned to tat. What a dying art tatting is! I nosed around and found some YouTube videos, which greatly shortens the learning curve; and I found your blog. Of course when I saw the post about the “stupid question” and looked here first. lol I’ve had some of those old metal shuttles and haven’t a clue where they are now, unfortunately. Guess I’ll get one of the new plastic ones and hope it will be half as good as the old ones.
Thank you for your blog. There’s nothing that compares with having someone that knows the ropes teach you. Although I am a product of that horrible public school system you refer to (I groan right along with you), I have a few marbles left in the noggin to clack together. Thankfully, my kiddos are right here at home being taught. Maybe my daughter will pick up the tatting bug with me.
Kind regards and thank you for your blog!
Late Last year I used your great instructions to learn to tat and have been making small items. Now am ready to take on larger projects. Found one in the Tatting from burda but can not get past the 2nd step. Instructions are as follows;1R of 1–2–2–2–2–2–2–2–2–1ds (1/8″mp). In 2nd Rd of 2+2ds and 1/4″ space of thread tat 1R of 4-4ds and enclose with 1 Ch of 6-7+7-6. after 1/4″ space of thread continue with 1R of 2+2ds and so on. Problem is round 2-understand 2ds then join to what ?Do I need switch to a chain for step 2? understand the next R of 4-4ds etc. Really would appreciate your help. Live in a very small town in the Hill country of Texas and do not know of anyone else to ask.
Thank you
Terry
How do you add more thread to the shuttle when you use the CTM?
I’m a beginner tatter and have worked thru a step-by-step book to learn. My question – I’m about to finish the last chain of the center motif of a doily. Do most tatters tie this off and start the 2nd round and join at a picot or is it better to learn the split chain method (which I haven’t figured out yet!). The book is not very clear on how to proceed to the 2nd round. Thanks
Oh my word!!!!! I haven’t laughed this hard in awhile! I LOVED YOUR RANT!!!!! I have never in 30 years been asked that question, but by golly, if I ever do get asked that question now I will have a few good responses because of your blog!!!! Just had to comment on much I giggled all the way through especially using it to see which way the wind is blowing. It always blows in Wyoming!!!!!!
Sometimes a stupid question is not as stupid as it first appears. Maybe the question was missing vital Details. Something like: I found a shuttle and do not want to learn how to tat. Any suggestiong on how to pass this on to someone who could actually use it as I do not know anyone who tats.