Shuttles and the feel of them are more of a personal preference and you may want to purchase a couple of kinds to help you decide. This is only a small sample of what is available. You can find many online sources to get the type of shuttle you want: GR8 Shuttle Bros. David Reed Smith SpiritWind Shuttles and Pens BoBrian's Bobbins & Shuttles Roseground Tatting & Lacemaking Supplies Lace Bobbins and Shuttles by Chris Parsons The Shuttle Shop

Types of Shuttles typically found in your favorite hobby/needlework shop:

Metal shuttles with a hook at the end. The hook makes it convenient for joining picots and picking out mistakes. It has a removeable bobbin for easy loading of thread. place the bobbin on the nubbed end for easy winding. OR place on your sewing machine as you would when filling a bobbin. Plastic post shuttles. These are light weight and the post has a hole to tie the thread on when winding and the two ends are open for the thread to pass thru when tatting. After tying thread on, grip the shuttle on its side when winding. It has a pick at the end for joining. Plastic shuttle with attached hook and removable bobbin. It works similar to the metal shuttle above, but the hook is nicer and the nubbed end is made so the bobbin can slide onto it for when you wind thread.

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Threads

Threads are more of a personal preference too. But I would suggest if just learning that you choose a large size thread so you can see the stitches easily. Cotton threads are widely available and a good place to start. Below you can see the effects of what different sizes of threads do to the tatting elements. The rings have the same amount of stitches(3ds, p, 3ds, p, 3ds, p, 3ds). (Picture to come soon!)

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Scissors and Crochet Hooks
Again...this is all up to what you like to use. Please keep your scissors sharp so you aren't fraying the thread or fighting with trying to cut the thread. Most embroidery scissors work nicely. Crochet hook sizes should be chosen according to the size thread. Don't use a large hook when you need to join. It is hard to poke the hook thru a tiny picot. Vice Versa with a small hook and large thread. Small hooks will have a tendency to split large threads if you are not careful.

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Picot Gauges
Picot gauges are a great tool for when you want your picots to be the same size throughout the tatted piece. Also they are nice for when you have varying lengths of picots. Makes for an nicer and professional looking piece. You can get picot gauges from Georgia Seitz's website. Sometimes after several practices and you start to feel comfortable with your tatting you may find that you can eye how big to make the picots. Takes practice to get every picot the same height, but keep trying.


Tips when taking your tatting on a plane
What tools can you take? From my experience when flying and needing to take tatting on the plane, be sure you pack your nice shuttles and other irreplaceable tools in your check in luggage. Pack in your carry-on a shuttle that has no points or hooks on it. To do the joinings where necessary you can use a small piece of string and loop it to pass thru the picot to help grab the thread. Or use a plastic floss threader you can get in the dental section of the pharmacy. Crochet hooks or other sharp objects are not allowed on the plane. This goes for scissors. What to do when you need to cut your threads? Purchase a pendent thread cutter available in most sewing notions area of major chain stores. It is handy when on a chain around the neck and you don't get too many questions about it.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on these pages are solely of the author and are not to be taken as gospel. There are several ways to accomplish each step of the processes and it is up to your discretion to find what best suits your situation.